BartBlog

Looking at the campaign of Senator John McCain I can only hope for one thing, utter failure. I say this because I believe a McCain presidency would finish the destruction of American that our current president started. However, a few weeks back McCain floated an idea of what he might do as president. McCain said that he would periodically go to the Congress and engage our legislative branch much the same way a British Prime Minister goes to the House of Commons to engage it. Brilliant!

McCain’s idea is brilliant because it would once and for all end the idea that the President of the United States is above all else. George W. Bush is probably the worst offender of a president that believes that presidential power is superior to the other branches of government. Bush talks to no one. Over his almost eight years Bush has engaged Congress and the press less than most presidents do in half a term. Bush feels accountable to no one. That is the problem.

A president is nothing more than an elected official, an elected official that is elected by we the people. He or she may be the highest elected official in the land but they are just people elected to do a job. In an effort to bring the president down to earth and make the office more accountable to the people the president should make a monthly visit to Congress. To make this all the more visible this monthly visit in some form should be broadcast on television on a main network (not CSPAN).

With constant contact between branches, and the nation watching, we could truly see the idea of bi-partisanship emerge. If bi-partisanship doesn’t manifest itself in this environment, neither side can accuse the other of not communicating because, after all, they would be meeting once a month.  Add to that network television coverage and you just might force our politicians to govern in the best interest of us.