Can a President introduce legislation to Congress?

[boston bean]

Why, YES they can!

In an 11 June 1963 speech broadcast live on national television and radio, President John F. Kennedy unveiled plans to pursue a comprehensive civil rights bill in Congress, stating, ‘‘this nation, for all its hopes and all its boasts, will not be fully free until all its citizens are free’’ (‘‘President Kennedy’s Radio-TV Address,’’ 970). King congratulated Kennedy on his speech, calling it ‘‘one of the most eloquent, profound and unequivocal pleas for justice and the freedom of all men ever made by any president’’ (King, 12 June 1963).

The earlier Civil Rights Act of 1957, the first law addressing the legal rights of African Americans passed by Congress since Reconstruction, had established the Civil Rights division of the Justice Department and the U.S. Civil Rights Commission to investigate claims of racial discrimination. Before the 1957 bill was passed Congress had, however, removed a provision that would have empowered the Justice Department to enforce the Brown v. Board of Education decision. A. Philip Randolph and other civil rights leaders continued to press the major political parties and presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy to enact such legislation and to outlaw segregation. The civil rights legislation that Kennedy introduced to Congress on 19 June 1963 addressed these issues, and King advocated for its passage.

http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_civil_rights_act_of_1964/

Edit to add, the meaning of this is that he can introduce it to a congressperson to introduce officially to the members.

In other words, a President can come up with bold legislation and have it discussed on the floor of both chambers with a sponsor. He doesn't have to wait for some one to write it up.

I'm pretty sure any member of the Progressive Caucus would have loved to introduce a Medicare for All bill that the president wrote.

[Poll_Blind]

1. Constitutionally, I don't think so. But that's not to say that he can't get congressmen to...

...introduce legislation he designs.

PB

[boston bean]

10. understood, and good point. Introduce meant something a little less official.

The point is Kennedy did write the legislation that Congress introduce, officially....

[Poll_Blind]

17. Indeed. In fact, theoretically, you or I could write legislation and pass it on to our...

...congressmen to introduce if they so chose. I always forget that aspect of our government because it seems like a remote possibility. However, I don't think it's as far-away a goal as it might seem. Assuming, of course, that one has a like-minded representative.

PB

[MineralMan]

2. Not directly, he can't.

He can, however, prepare a bill and ask a member of Congress or a Senator to introduce it. That has happened many times over the years. A President, however, cannot directly introduce a bill in Congress.

[boston bean]

3. Understood, but he can design legislation, he can write aplan, he can fight for something

right?

It doesn't have to be written by a congressperson.

[FarCenter]

4. Congresspersons don't write legislation; lobbyists write legislation. nt

[MineralMan]

7. In many cases, that's true. Not in all cases, but it's become a

common practice. More's the pity. But the only way that will change is if Congress wants it to. Again, who we elect makes a big difference.

[FarCenter]

12. Maybe 60% lobbyists, 20% congressional staff, 18% executive branch staff, 2% congresspeople

I'd doubt that congress people do much more than that.

[MineralMan]

6. Of course. In this Congress, however, no bill introduced by

a Democrat in the House is likely to ever go anywhere. Practically, the President can't really introduce anything that originates in the House. President Obama has worked closely with Congressional Democrats on bills to be introduced. He's in a difficult spot with any spending bill, since that must originate in the House. With the current makeup, it's impossible.

Congress is also very protective of its Constitutional role in originating legislation. Only when there's a strong majority can a President successfully introduce legislation, using a member as an intermediary. When that majority doesn't exist, there's no point to it. Congress will insist on originating all legislation for itself. Generally, Presidents advocate for legislation, rather than attempting to write it. The system weighs strongly in that direction.

[boston bean]

14. We had a pretty big majority in the house for two years. nt

[MineralMan]

25. We did, and legislation introduced in that congress had

input from the White House, too. Just because you don't remember it doesn't mean it didn't happen. Standard practice, really. In the current Congress, not so much, since the House is GOP controlled.

[boston bean]

30. Obama wanted Medicare fo All? nt

[vi5]

5. The thing is...

Nobody is saying he needs to introduce or pass legislation himself. Most of us know he can't under normal circumstances do that. But what he can do is clearly and unequivically speak about and endorse legislation or specific features of legislation, and state clearly and without hesitation that he will sign or veto certain legislation if it does or does not have those features.

That's what many of us have a problem with. This sitting on the sidelines, shrugging his shoulders and basically saying "Oh well. Can't do anything about it, so really shouldn't expend any political capital or good will sticking my neck out about it." is bullshit and if he thinks it wins over anyone then he and his supporters are nuts.

[boston bean]

8. That is why I wanted to point out that JFK actually had a hand in writing the legislation.

He didn't sit back waiting for someone else to write it.

He gave a televised address also. Speaking truth to power.

It is a great power, Obama could use, if he were so inclined.

Any number of congress people would love the opportunity to introduce legislation that this President supports.

[shellgame26]

9. You're saying he hasn't done that???

The president has REPEATEDLY stated his agenda. If you're not listening..

That's not his fault!

[boston bean]

11. Did Obama help write his signature achievement.... health insurance profit act?

[shellgame26]

16. There is no such thing

called the "health insurance profit act". It is called the AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE ACT. As much as you would like to malign it, it is one step closer towards achieving universal healthcare than what was in place before. And whether or not he wrote it is just so completely irrelevant since he cannot introduce bills anyway..His original plan was to set up an exchange with a public option. THAT COULD NOT GET PASSED! STop complaining and SEND DEMOCRATS TO THE HOUSE AND SENATE IN 2012.

Obama 2012!

[boston bean]

21. My memory is we started with a PO when we should have started negotiating with

Medicare for All.

Then we might have gotten, the Public Option.

[shellgame26]

22. well if you think that would've

worked with the blue dogs and republicans then maybe YOU should run for office. In the meantime that is nothing but PURE SPECULATION. You seem to forget there is a sizeable number of the population ready to pounce on this president for being a socialist as soon as he gets up in the morning. I don't know why so many on this messageboard seem to think they are representative of the country as a whole.

[boston bean]

24. Yours is purely speculation as well. Cause it was never tried.

The president had a chance for bold action and blew it.

Look at what JFK did. He put himself out there, for a cause that was just.

If we all just say too hard, not gonna happen, well we deserve what we get.

[shellgame26]

26. One can speculate..but

one should always keep in mind what is statistically viable. That is called PRAGMATISM. And considering the tremendous obstruction this president has faced he has done A HELL OF A LOT!

Would you like...the list? ;-)

[boston bean]

28. NO Thanks!!!

I'm not a big fan of pragmatism at this point. All these pragmatic steps to the right have me pulling my hair out.

:-)

[shellgame26]

31. LOL..That's what I thought

you would say..Thanks for the civil conversation.

Peace:hi:

[boston bean]

32. Thank you!

:hi:

[shellgame26]

34. Oh just 1 last thing...

LA Times
Sotomayor votes reliably with Supreme Court's liberal wing

snip..
Those who thought the new justice might be to the right of her predecessor so far have been proved wrong.
June 08, 2010|By David G. Savage, Tribune Washington Bureau. The early returns are in, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor is proving herself to be a reliable liberal vote on the Supreme Court.

Cases this year on campaign speech, religion, juvenile crime, federal power and Miranda warnings resulted in an ideological split among the justices, and on every occasion, Sotomayor joined the liberal bloc.
End

just a little something to think about...

[H2O Man]

13. Definitely.

There is no question about it. The fact that it is distinct from what high school text books teach about process appears to confuse some DUers about the reality of this.

Recommended.

[H2O Man]

15. Note:

It's always a giggle when someone believes that "unrecommending" a goog OP will take attention away from it.

[RC]

19. It's a giggle for me to read about the OP being un-rec'd and I rec'd it

and watch the count go from 0 to +1

[H2O Man]

20. Thank you.

There are still far more intelligent and open-minded DUers such as yourself, to keep this forum worthwhile.

[Ozymanithrax]

18. I see no evidence that Obama is untested in Medicare for all...

If so,he would have done it before.

Any President can tell Congress that he wants a certain bill or law. The President provides Congress with his budget for them to enact or change.

But I see zero evidence that Obama is interested in Medicare for all.

Now, the progressive Caucus could write such a bill and try to get other sponsors and put it through Congress.

[OHdem10]

23. President can go to Congress with their plan for legislation

GWB Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan were outstanding
at this.

Bush went to House got DeLay and Company behind him
then they added to or deleted until final law.
Then they lined up and passed it.

Like wise the Senate.

All 3 took their Budgets to Congress letting the Congress
know what they wanted. The Congress went through making
necessary changes to get it passed.

Did the Conservadems get upset with Clinton? Yes, but
he stood his ground.

This has contributed to "Obama weak" moniker.

[NYC Liberal]

27. "[A]ny member of the Progressive Caucus" was waiting for Obama to ask them to introduce a bill?

How does that make sense? Why didn't they just introduce the legislation they wanted, since that's what they would have to do anyway?

[boston bean]

29. What you wrote makes NO sense and I didn't write it.

What I wrote is:

"I'm pretty sure any member of the Progressive Caucus would have loved to introduce a Medicare for All bill that the president wrote."

[NYC Liberal]

35. Right. And my point is: why wait for the president to write a bill

that they would have to introduce anyway, when they could just stop waiting and write one themselves?

[TheKentuckian]

33. They did but the great minds behind Reagan's 8th term threw in with Baucus