Upside of a McCain victory

It is still entirely possible that McCain will win the election. If and when that happens, he will be the President of the United States, representing all of us citizens here. Some disagree with his policies, his temperment, or his ridiculous running mate- but let's look on the bright side.

President McCain will face a strong majority of Democrats in both houses of Congress. Maybe a filibuster-proof Senate, and maybe a nearly veto-proof majority in either or both. What an opportunity. A strong Congress in opposition to the Executive. Such a Congress could vigorously delve into the extra-legal behavior of the previous Administration, without causing too much more animus with McCain. He's a reformer, right? Hearings, subpoenas, and a Justice Dept. that will acually enforce the subpoenas. This driving force will likely not occur with a President Obama, the "uniter" that he claims to be will squelch aggressive investigation of past doings.

I think that such a Congress would have a strong interest in limiting the power of the President. First, they could clarify what the purview of the Cabinet Departments is to spend their allocated money out of accordance with what was specified in the budget. That is: Congress could manage the Departments by controlling individual projects. Congress can also eliminate Cabinet positions (or funding for them), something I would love to see.

Finally, such a Congress could impeach a President that breaks the law, even if that President is following the "precedent" established by Bush. Breaking that precedent should be a chief priority, and throwing people in jail is a pretty clear way to write into history what is legal and what is not.

Holding people in Contempt of Congress is another way to enforce the "Will of the People", and arresting them when the Justice Department does not do it is fully the right of Congress. I think a strong sign that Congress means business would be to allocate, say, 10 Million Dollars for the construction of a Capitol Jail, for holding of people in criminal contempt of Congress that are allowed to remain free by an overreaching Executive.

Basically, it will be hard to fix the permanent damage done to the Presidency if

a) the sitting President is in the same party as Congress

b) the sitting President follows the law (as it existed before Bush)

If McCain is President, he could indeed bring Change to Washington. But he will not be the Agent (enactor) of that Change, but rather the Patient (object) of it.

The Presidency is more than the President. Maybe it's best for Obama to lose.