Sir, – Fergus Nolan (Letters, August 3rd) professes himself “a friend of the US”. He criticises President Obama’s “mantra” of “Yes, we can”. That “mantra” remains credible and worthy. He said “yes, we can”, not “yes, we will”, which he knew could be delivered only if, in addition to the presidency, the 50 states also elected a sympathetic (or even cooperative) House of Representatives and Senate which, clearly, they did not do.
Mr Nolan must know that the constitution of the US was designed to limit the power of the presidency, in order to prevent the rise of a home-grown king, to replace the English king. A pithy saying in the US puts it succinctly: “The President proposes and Congress disposes”.
The current obstructionist Congress (especially the House of Representatives) appears to have adopted the same disregard for the facts as has Donald Trump, and has tried, unceasingly, to overturn laws and policies which have demonstrably worked for the good of the people.
If (heaven forfend) a “President Trump” proposes to run the US in the same ruthless manner as his businesses, one hopes that Congress will frustrate him with even half the vehemence that the current congress has opposed almost everything proposed by President Obama. – Yours, etc,
JOHN McENEANEY
Celbridge,
Co Kildare.