A primer on government power

By Mark Hopkins

We are in the midst of a very contentious presidential race. Many see this as a "watershed" election with the future of the United States hanging in the balance. Few seem overly concerned that congressmen and senators also are running for office. In truth, the real power in our government is in Congress, and the watershed issues actually are decided on the congressional hill in Washington, D.C., and not at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

When our forefathers were framing our Constitution, they looked closely at the monarchies of Europe and decided they did not want a government controlled by a king. In England that was King George, who had saddled them with "taxation without representation" and having to house British troops in their homes. In France that was King Louie XVI, the so-called "crazy" king. The president was not given the power to initiate or control the government or the economy. Only during times of war or national emergency could the president take on a more decisive role. The real power of the U.S. government was lodged in Congress.

Currently, the Republican Party holds an overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives. They also control the Senate. But they have a problem. Fifty-four Republican Senators, 44 Democrats and two independents make up the membership of the Senate. Those two independents generally vote with the Democrats. A swing of just four votes in this election would place the Democratic Party in control in the Senate. Thus, while the country continues to focus on the presidential race, the real issue of who holds power and control of our government in 2017 and beyond is dependent both on who holds the presidency and who has the majority in the Senate after the November elections.

How likely is it that the Democrats will win a majority in the Senate this year? It is going to be close. If the Democrats won a landslide victory in the presidential race, it is possible that several close races for Senate might go to the Democrats. However, though 24 Republican senators are up for re-election to only 10 Democrats, it appears probable the Republican majority in the Senate is safe, since all but four Republican candidates are in what the political pundits call "safe" races. Thus, even if the three Republicans fail in their re-election bid, the Senate would still have a Republican majority.

Congress has the power to make new laws, approve nonelective office appointments including the Supreme Court, and discipline officers from the executive branch when necessary, including the president. Where, then, is the power of the president, and why is that office such a preoccupation with us? That is a presentation for a future column. Stay tuned.