| Landguy said:
The Presidents influence is very minimal in the last 20 years or so. |
I'd argue almost the opposite thanks to the past few Presidents. Remember Bush's signing statement when passing the torture bill (which I believe was vetoed and then sent back to him after 2/3 vote). He signed the torture bill with a signing statement stating basically he doesn't have to follow the law. That he is above the law.
"This was not the first such statement to come from the White House. When Congress passed a bill outlawing torture of detainees last year, President Bush quietly released a signing statement in which he affirmed his right to bypass the law if he felt it jeopardized national security"
http://www.democracynow.org/2006/3/27/bush_signs_statements_to_bypass_torture
You then have the increased use of executive actions that Bush did a decent amount of and Obama has done more in wake of a Congress that is stalemated.
