For days and days, the pundits and pols on the left have been saying how Bush needs top advisors who aren’t “yes men,” who will stand up to him, who will tell him “no,” who will tell him when he’s wrong.
So now, a few members of Congress have stood up to the president on the intelligence reform bill and said: “Mr. President, we have to stand up and tell you we think you’re wrong.”
So what are these pundits and pols on the left saying now? Why can’t the President get his troops to take orders? Why doesn’t he tell them to shut up and stay in line and do what they’re told! What’s wrong with him? What a disorganized mess!
And it’s worse than that. These pundits and pols have been criticizing Bush’s choice for positions in his cabinet and in the executive branch (e.g. State and CIA). Consult your high school civics text (the one that doesn’t explain self-esteem in 700 pages): The President is in charge of the executive branch of government – everyone in that branch of government works for him and therefore, one might imagine, should not be working against him.
By contrast, the Congress is a co-equal branch of government. Even Republican members of Congress don’t work for the President.