Does the next POTUS have carte blanche?

Isn’t that just a result of the power shifting away from Congress to the President, which has been happening since FDR?

Considering the difference between the treatment of Clinton and Bush, no.

Nah, I can’t buy that. Was Clinton ever really in jeopardy, or was it just congress making a lot of noise?

Eh. That bill didn’t require anything-- it just said that Bush needed to “start” bringing troops home with the goal of having them all out by a certain time. Even if he had signed it, he could’ve done exactly what he’s doing now. That bill had no teeth.

Is Bush a precedent of bad president, or a president of bad precedent?

I’m still waiting for an answer to my post #6.

[Colbert]I’ll put you down for a president of bad precedent.[/Colbert]