Thomas O. Sargentich Quotes

The fundamental idea is that through the separation of powers and checks and balances, different voices - those of the President, the Senate, and the House of Representatives - can be expected to contribute to public debate about the ends and means of national policy. The notions are familiar: the President speaks as the nationally elected voice of the people generally; the Senate represents the states; and the House represents particular constituencies that often have highly local concerns. More generally, the President speaks for the nation, and members of Congress - while being concerned with matters of national import - speak especially for different constituent parts of the nation. This constitutional structure guarantees that diverse perspectives will contribute to dialogue about public policy.