The problem with "details" - A Tale of Two Presidents.

[CTLawGuy]

Let me illustrate how I think both presidencies of Hillary and Obama would go: and come to your own conclusion...

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President Hillary is elected on a promise to pass Bill A with details B, C, D, E, F, and G. All the details were displayed prominently on her website and she spoke of them at length, often boring her audiences. She succeeded on beating her opponent by painting him as not substantive or detailed enough.

President Hillary to Congress: "Pass Bill A, with details B, C, D, E, F, and G."

Congress: Chairman X doesn't like detail C, so he takes it out and sends bill A to the floor. An amendment adds detail H to bill A. It passes. The senate committee removes details E, F. The Republicans filibuster, so Harry Reid removes detail H.

Conference committee: there is a standstill on detail H, so it is replaced with detail I. Detail F is returned but detail J is put in to replace E.

The conference report voted on is: Bill A with details: B, D, F, G, I, J. It passes both. Yay!

President Hillary: "This is NOT what I promised the American poeple in my detailed plans. I veto it! Pass Bill A with details B, C, D, E, F, and G!"

Congress: puts Bill A as articulated by President Hillary to a vote. It fails in the Senate over details E, and F and is put aside for other business. The House refuses to pass it without popular detail H. It doesn't get out of committee.


result: President Hillary does not fulfill her promise to pass Bill A with details B, C, D, E, F, and G.


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President Obama is elected promising to accomplish goals 1, 2 and 3. He mentions details B, C, D, and E on his website as details he favors, but he mostly speaks of goals 1, 2 and 3 on the trail. People identify with goals 1, 2 and 3 and are inspired. He wins despite repeated attacks for "lack of substance" and "lack of detail"

President Obama to Congress: "Pass Bill A, making sure it accomplishes goals 1, 2 and 3."

Congress: crafts a bill in committee with details B, C, D, which accomplish all three goals. The house objects to detail D, so President Obama meets with both parties and works out detail E to replace D, which is less objectionable.
The house passes it after a floor amendment adding detail F. The senate leader forestalls a filibuster by adding detail G, with the encouragement of President Obama, working with Harry Reid and the new republican leader, which gives the Republicans something they want, but is not too horrible. The bill still accomplishes goals 1, 2 and 3 though is not as strong as it could be.

Conference committee: the house accepts detail G in the report and both houses pass Bill A.

President Obama sees that bill A with details B, C, E, F, and G accomplishes goals 1, 2, and 3 to his satisfaction, so he signs it.

Result: He has promised that he will accomplish goals 1, 2 and 3 and he has done so!