Beware Green Lanternism

Source: Wikimedia Commons

As the Presidential candidate carousel heats up for the 2016 election, I can't help but think about how terrible political coverage is in this country.  My specific gripe is how much importance is placed on the presidential election, while the other elections are mostly ignored. Without a doubt the President is the most important individual in our political system, however even he cannot take go to the bathroom without the consent of congress and the blessing of the judiciary.

The Constitution lays out the role of the President quite clearly:

Article II

Section 2. The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.
He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.
Section 3. He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

So when progressives on the left are upset that they got the Affordable Care Act or "Obamacare" instead of a single payer model which they preferred and then they lay the blame on Obama, their anger is misdirected.  The President cannot write legislation, he can only sign the legislation that gets to his desk.  What is he supposed to do, use the force to get the exact legislation he wants? 

All things being equal, I'd rather have super-majorities in the House and Senate advocating policies I want than a President I happen to agree with.  The reason is quite simple, Presidents ultimately need to sign something as they are the individual who will have the most anger directed at them.

As much as I would like to see a President Elizabeth Warren or a President Bernie Sanders, they would only be as effective as the Congress they presided over.  We don't need a President Warren or a President Sanders as much as we need lots of Warrens and Sanders' in both houses of Congress.  Vote in your local elections, vote in your midterm elections, and vote in your judicial elections.  These elections will ultimately produce the pool of candidates from which legislators, judges, and Presidents are drawn.

Take a look at this article on Vox about Paul Ryan's role in policy making: http://www.vox.com/2015/1/14/7537371/paul-ryan-presidential-run