Just Wondering writes:
On 10/15/2011 2:46 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:

clipped
The presidency is an exception, but
aside from declaring war (a controversial topic itself), the president has little
direct power - he cannot pass laws, only suggest them[*].

1. The President cannot declare war. The Constitution grants that
power to Congress. As commander in chief, the President can order troop
movements. But he can't simply go out and order the military to commit
acts of war without Congressional support.

I should have said "aside from making war". The war powers act has
never been settled.

Institutional inertia rules in Washington, and is for the most part
independent of the party in control. Endless faceless bureaucrats.

scott