Quote:
Originally Posted by Penguin
Regarding the gridlock between Congress and POTUS:
I know many Americans see it as a kind of counter-balance, to keep one team from too much influence, however it can turn out to be a gridlock in the truest meaning
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But a divided Congress is a very different situation than one between Congress and POTUS.
As I understand it, with a divided Congress each party can block the other by simple inaction. The POTUS on the other hand can veto any congressional legislation that is sent to his desk for signature but they can override his veto if they have a 2/3rds majority of congress willing to vote to override the veto
The idea is that legislative branch only gets it's way if their bill enjoys very wide and usually bipartisan support. That's the limit to their power.
The President, mindful of getting reelected in his first term and of his "legacy" in his second, only uses his veto power if he thinks that the bill enjoys only lukewarm support or he knows it'll be overridden and he wants to go on record as having opposed it. That's the limit to his power.