The Inside Joke for the Past 40 Years;

[The Doctor.]

The President has no Real Power.

Whatever power has not come from the people at all. It's come from the corporations.

Discuss.

(Well, perhaps this should be dealt with on a discussion board.)

[ibegurpard]

1. hey, corporations are people too!

[villager]

2. well, the corporate message board trolls certainly unrecc'd the secret's getting out

n/t

[yurbud]

3. the president is infinitely powerful to do what Wall Street, banks, and corporations demand

and nearly powerless to do anything that will help ordinary people.

[The Doctor.]

5. Hear here.

Not that anyone hears, but yeah, that's pretty much it.

We're fucked. That's reality.

For everyone else that wants to blame Obama... Good luck with your 'democracy'.

[McCamy Taylor]

4. Actually, the executive branch has tremendous power. Look at Dick Cheney's abuses.

[The Doctor.]

6. You're talking about someone who claimed that he was not part of the 'Executive Branch'

All while deliberately doing the work of the corporations.

[aquart]

7. I suppose I'm the only one offended when a poster says "Discuss."

It's that appearance of lordly condescension that always gets me.

[The Doctor.]

9. Wow.

That's your issue, not mine.

I'm always amazed at the connotations people seem to cock-up in their heads over totally innocuous stuff.

I always see it as the flip invitation a la 'Coffee Talk'.

It's never offended me, when anyone has used it, ever. Perhaps you are the only one.

[unblock]

8. yes! i've been saying it for a long time. people are obsessed about the person, the institution

when most of the time, the people and the institutions of power (white house & congress) are merely symbolic and reflective of where the true power lies. it's just that you can't as easily point to where true power lies, because it lies in a this boardroom and that church and some network editorial meeting room and someone's bank account and so on.

presidents are, at best, conductors on a train with shoddy breaks. they can pretend all they want that they're in control and can steer, but the best they can do is slow the thing down a little bit or not, and maybe, maybe, call ahead to the switch operator to go down one path or another. but mostly, they're just along for the ride and there to take credit or blame for our destination.

[The Doctor.]

10. Good analogy. n/t