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My Congressman is a Democrat. Both of my Senators are Democrats. My President is a Democrat.
When my Congressman cast his vote on the many and varied issues that come to the floor of the House of Representatives I know that some, in fact many, of them will have no effect on me or anyone else in this state and that his vote on those issues will be used as a bargaining chip as compromises are made and legislation is produced. I know what he has promised to his constituents but I accept that he is one of many and in the house it is raw vote count with the majority that prevails. That puts my Congressman in the position where he must compromise on some issues to win on others and that what legislation emerges is the result of compromises made by him and hundreds of other Representatives. It is the nature of the House of Representatives that laws that pass out out of the House reflect a melting of ideas that are the majority opinion.
My Senators have more power than my Congressman but they too are pawns of compromise. The rules of the Senate protect the minority position and are the sole mechanism of Government to do so. It is that protection that demands compromise of position between members of the Senate on virtually all legislation that comes to a vote because in the end all legislation that emerges from the Senate, much like the House, is a reflection of the will of the majority.
The position of the President is unique and more important the President has the power of Veto. He alone can reject in total any legislation which does not meet his position. The President alone can remain inflexible in his demands. Unlike Representatives and Senators he has no demand of compromise placed on him. In fact unlike Representatives and Senators, who must compromise to be effective, the President must be the one person in Government who will not compromise. Only in giving up his position, bowing to compromise, does he fail.
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