Actually. That's exactly what we need. We need a VP who tells the President, "Hey! That's a dumb idea!" Because, every now and then, Presidents just have dumb ideas. (And ten times a day, if it's a Trump presidency.)
Actually. That's exactly what we need. We need a VP who tells the President, "Hey! That's a dumb idea!" Because, every now and then, Presidents just have dumb ideas. (And ten times a day, if it's a Trump presidency.)
Don't disagree, but that has not historically been the role of a VP. Rather, it is the Cabinet and US Congress that needs to tell a president if something is a dumb idea and to exercise their authorities in preventing said dumb ideas from coming to fruition. A VP has no such power.
It's not about power. It's about helping that person do the best job they can.
The problem with expecting this from the Cabinet is that they were all appointed by the President. They all owe their continued employment to that President, too. They may have a bit of group-think. The VP is independently elected to the job and can't be fired by the President.
I actually think that many VPs have spoken up when they thought was necessary. Behind the scenes (which is appropriate). That might have been opposition to an idea or it might have just been, "Hey, that's a BFD." Either way, an independent voice.
By 'power', of course I mean authority. I still am of the opinion that a VP also has no power, even if they are well regarded by their president. And by 'power' here, I mean likely to persuade. I have seen no evidence to date this has happened. We really have no idea, unless it is documented in some VP biography or autobiography or otherwise verifiably codified somewhere, whether or not any VP has spoken up, behind the scenes or not. I do think Cabinet appointees have more persuadable power when dealing with a normal president who recognizes that he/she is not an expert, despite having policy goals, on every complicated issue and therefore seeks input from their cabinet members. Trump does no such thing, he seeks only approval and execution of his own ideas and impulses. I do agree though that the Senate actually has power/authority to legally mitigate or stop bad presidential behaviors, while a Cabinet appointee does not.
Maybe so. But if I had a VP, I would certainly listen to that VP, just because they represented an independent point of view.
I think we will find that both President Obama and President Biden listened to their VPs when they opposed things or just had a different take. They strike me as the kinds of guys who wanted to get things right, not just exercise their egos.
Criminal Trump isn't normal, so I don't make any predictions for him or draw any conclusions from what he does.
I believe Trump is actually a man of few ideas, but yes the few he comes up with are patently dumb. The bulk of "his" ideas are really schemed up by his Project 2025 handlers and the oligarchs who bribe him.
Really? You don't think he's an veritable font of bad ideas???
You are probably right about the truly bad ideas, like the deportations thing, but I'm pretty sure his handlers are constantly on their toes fending off things too bad AND unworkable for them to have ever thought of on their own.
I'm kidding, of course. It's like picking bad apples from a barrel. After it's set around for too long. No matter which one you pick, it's going to be rotten to the core.
Actually. That's exactly what we need. We need a VP who tells the President, "Hey! That's a dumb idea!" Because, every now and then, Presidents just have dumb ideas. (And ten times a day, if it's a Trump presidency.)
Don't disagree, but that has not historically been the role of a VP. Rather, it is the Cabinet and US Congress that needs to tell a president if something is a dumb idea and to exercise their authorities in preventing said dumb ideas from coming to fruition. A VP has no such power.
It's not about power. It's about helping that person do the best job they can.
The problem with expecting this from the Cabinet is that they were all appointed by the President. They all owe their continued employment to that President, too. They may have a bit of group-think. The VP is independently elected to the job and can't be fired by the President.
I actually think that many VPs have spoken up when they thought was necessary. Behind the scenes (which is appropriate). That might have been opposition to an idea or it might have just been, "Hey, that's a BFD." Either way, an independent voice.
Thanks.
I think it's possible that Obama solicited opinions of Biden. Don't know.
By 'power', of course I mean authority. I still am of the opinion that a VP also has no power, even if they are well regarded by their president. And by 'power' here, I mean likely to persuade. I have seen no evidence to date this has happened. We really have no idea, unless it is documented in some VP biography or autobiography or otherwise verifiably codified somewhere, whether or not any VP has spoken up, behind the scenes or not. I do think Cabinet appointees have more persuadable power when dealing with a normal president who recognizes that he/she is not an expert, despite having policy goals, on every complicated issue and therefore seeks input from their cabinet members. Trump does no such thing, he seeks only approval and execution of his own ideas and impulses. I do agree though that the Senate actually has power/authority to legally mitigate or stop bad presidential behaviors, while a Cabinet appointee does not.
Maybe so. But if I had a VP, I would certainly listen to that VP, just because they represented an independent point of view.
I think we will find that both President Obama and President Biden listened to their VPs when they opposed things or just had a different take. They strike me as the kinds of guys who wanted to get things right, not just exercise their egos.
Criminal Trump isn't normal, so I don't make any predictions for him or draw any conclusions from what he does.
I believe Trump is actually a man of few ideas, but yes the few he comes up with are patently dumb. The bulk of "his" ideas are really schemed up by his Project 2025 handlers and the oligarchs who bribe him.
Really? You don't think he's an veritable font of bad ideas???
You are probably right about the truly bad ideas, like the deportations thing, but I'm pretty sure his handlers are constantly on their toes fending off things too bad AND unworkable for them to have ever thought of on their own.
I'm kidding, of course. It's like picking bad apples from a barrel. After it's set around for too long. No matter which one you pick, it's going to be rotten to the core.