Reply #14: Look, what's the news here?

[BrainGlutton]

Politicians' position on the balance of powers between the legislative and executive branches has always been a matter of partisanship, not ideology. Whichever power controls the presidency wants a broad reading of executive privilege, whichever party controls Congress wants a narrow one. And a given pol's position on the matter might change with the next election. On the whole, Dems are no less guilty of this than Pubs. Why would they be? There might be ideological aspects to, say, the question of federal power vs. state autonomy; but, WRT to the balance of power within the federal government, neither party favors a strong executive or a weak executive as a matter of principle.