Our Founders did everything they could to prevent the Executive Branch from becoming a monarchy ruled by tyrannical and despotic kings. In Federalist Paper #68, Alexander Hamilton explained to the people of New York how the Constitution would prevent this. He wrote:

It was desirable that the sense of the people should operate in the choice of the person to whom so important a trust was to be confided. This end will be answered by committing the right of making it,not to any pre-established body, but to men chosen by the people for the special purpose, and at the particular conjuncture.(Emphasis added.)

Furthermore, they designed a system of delegates, which they believed would be less likely to be subject to briberies of any kind, since they were directly accountable to the people in their districts. Given the means of communication available to them, this was the logical and practical way to conduct an election. Our Founders would have been shocked to learn that the system they designed to control despotism, has become the system usurped by despots. Today delegates aren’t bound by the will of their constituents. They have become pawns in an elaborate chess game where wannabe kings collude through deception and chicanery and easily persuade many delegates to prostitute their votes.

Enumerated powers of the President

Aside from the corruption of our electoral system, our wannabe kings – past, present, and future – have ignored the constitutional restrictions regulating their powers in order to enlarge their spheres of power and promote their ideologies. Article II, Sections 2 & 3 of the Constitution defines these powers. They include the powers of the President as being:

• Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, but limits this power by requiring the consent of governors before deploying their state’s national guards;
• The power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for offenses against the United States, but not in the case of impeachment, which Gerald Ford did for Richard Nixon.
• The power to negotiate Treaties, but they would not be binding unless ratified by the consent of 2/3 of the Senate. It should be noted that since Treaties, once ratified, become law, it has been argued that Presidents cannot “tear” them up legally without the consent of the Senate. Although some have in the past, the Senate eventually did approve their actions, leaving this issue unresolved by the courts.
• Nominate and appoint ambassadors, judges to the Supreme Court (which require Senate approval) and other federal and district judges, as well as officers of the United States. This authority has been expanded through the creation of Czars and their respective departments.
• Make appointments during the recess of the Senate.
• Give to Congress information during a State of the Union address.
• Make recommendations to Congress about measures that the President deems necessary.
• On “extraordinary” occasions, convene both Houses of Congress or either of them – especially in cases of disagreement.
• Receive ambassadors and other public ministers.
• Use Executive Orders to ensure that laws be faithfully implemented.
• Commission all officers of the United States.

The President also has the power to veto legislation but not to write it. While Congress has the authority to appropriate or not appropriate monies, the President does propose budgets.

Presidents do not have the power to abolish abortion – although choosing a Pro-life candidate is wise for a variety of reasons; does not have any power over education, but they do have the power to abolish the Department of Education; does not have the right to create environmental regulations, but does have the right to create departments which in turn have usurped the power to do so; does not have the right to deprive us of our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms, or any of our other rights specifically expressed in the first 10 Amendments to our Constitution.

When presidents act like kings

Given all of the above, will someone please explain to me where in the Constitution the President is given the right to abolish an existing law (such as the IRS or Obamacare), or protect our civil rights, or abolish abortion (which we were burdened with after a Supreme Court decision) or do any number of things they promise to do while on the campaign trail? Aren’t we tired of hearing candidates tell us they will limit government when all they do is increase it; improve education, when they sat idly by as our once number 1 status worldwide slipped to number 27; or reduce our taxes when they have steadily risen for decades in order to pay for unconstitutional programs, payback to special interests that support their campaigns, bribery to voters in return for their votes, or foreign aid to many hostile countries?

And in spite of all of this, they keep telling us the same lies over and over again. You see it’s not the liars fault that we fall for their lies, it’s our fault for believing their lies. They tell us what we want to hear and repeat it often enough so that we believe what they say. This allows them to use us as their political pawns in their high stakes game for political power. Although they do not have the constitutional authority to do the things they say they will in exchange for our vote, we have the power to stop this ridiculous game. First we must realize that they are either liars or ignorant of the Constitution, or worse – willing to violate it to create their own kingship. Then we must vote for the candidate that can at least constitutionally do some of the things he or she says they can do. If we do, then we will elect a President and not allow a wannabe king the opportunity to create a kingdom. So the next time you hear a candidate tell you he or she can rip up a treaty that has been ratified, or abolish the IRS, or ObamaCare, or any other legislation that has become the law of the land, you may want to elevate your pawn status to that of citizen by understanding their wannabe kingship rhetoric and casting your vote for the other guy – even if he or she has a tendency to put their foot in their mouth. In my opinion, a one-footed, over-loaded mouth President is better than a conniving wannabe king any day of the week.

Reprinted from The Daily Rant, copyright 2016 Mychal Massie. Used by permission.