Congress and the President

Price’s article was a statement a long time in coming. It is an established axiom of management and governance that a strong individual can steer a nation far more effectively than a committee. Indeed, the overall efficiency of decision making varies in inverse proportion to the number of decision makers.

Price was correct in noting that congressional investigations only come about during Republican Administrations. This is hypocrisy of the first order. Where are these investigators during Democratic Administrations? Were the Republicans in Congress to call for investigations, would they get them? It is precisely this type of fractious behavior that makes a strong executive necessary.

By no means should the President overstep his authority in governing. But the Congress should not weaken the presidency, for then how should we govern? Investigations may take place, but the level of rhetoric is such as to undermine confidence in the presidency among our own people, and in the leadership position of our nation in the free world.

Already there is talk of “impeachment” and much being said about the President as a “lame duck.” The press and the opposition only speak, it would appear, in pejorative terms about the President, and therefore symbolically about ourselves as a nation; and a message repeated often enough becomes a perceived truth, regardless of the vagueness of that message or its inconsistencies.

There are vigilant men and women in this nation who can be trusted to carry on the investigations without being goaded on by political rhetoric. But the opposition should not weaken the executive at a time when delicate negotiations and important decisions with potential for war are to be made. Nor should the media focus so heavily on the sheer sensation of the news for its own sake. or for the sake of newspaper sales and television ratings; sensation is not real news, only the impression of it.

Let the President govern. Our adversaries will not wait for us to allow ourleaders to act; they will only take advantage of our self-inflicted impotence.

S. KENNETH KAWANO

Redondo Beach