DIALOGUL Is Our Fragmented System of Government Adequate to Today's Needs? tence is far greater now than in most periods of our and viification.This denigration is laughed off with histor.for two reasons. the remark that although people may despise Con- First,the advance of technology has enmeshed the gress.they obviously love their own representatives United States in an intricately interdependent world (as shown by the recent victories s of 96 percent of economy and an equally intertwined set of global congressional incumbents who ran for reelection). political and security relationships that require the But the joke ignores the menace of an overblown goverment to act promptly and decisively in concert presidency whose incumbent is mare and more en- with other govemments to protect and advance the couraged to feel that he embodies the American peo country's interests.When the president,the Senate, ple.The danger is intensified by the and the House pursue independent and contradictory CHARLES M.HARDIN nance of foreign and military affairs.Since World War JAMES L.SUNDQUIST policies,as they often do,the United States canno II we have repeatedly witnessed what James Madison cope effectively with the forces and events that weigh warned the constitutional convention against:"In time The risk of guvermmental impolence is far grenter now in upon it all around the globe. The separation of powers behoeen President and of actual war,great discretionary powers are constant. Second,the difficulty of concerting the powers of Congress threalens cunstirtiol goverment itseif. ly given to the Executive...Constant apprehension government has been greatly increased by a disturbing of War [also tends]to render the head too large for the recent political development:the tendency of the body.A standing military force,with an overgrown voters to entrust the executive and legislative branches Is our system of govement adequate?Maybe.Is it Executive will not long be a safe companion to to opposing political parties.In six of the last nine threatening?More likely.We may well continue to liberty ..If demurrers object that we have been presidential elections,beginning in 1956,the people enjoy our easygoing,widespread affluence for years, blessed with a conscientious military leadership (and The fragmented system of government designed for the United States two centuries ago brings both good have chosen a Republican president but have returned even decades. But danger signs persistently appear, we often have),one may recall that Madison made his news and bad news for us today. Democratic majorities to the House of Representatives brought on and aggravated by our fragmented system remarks with General George Washington in the chair. and,in four of those elections,to the Senate also.In Thus,the separaion of powers been presidentand The good news is that the dispersion of powers among the executive,legislative,and judicial branches these circum tances,the conflict between parties that is Fragmentation is the product of our famous separa and,within the legislature,between the Senate and normal and healthy in a democracy becomes a debili tion of powers between the president and the Con- mented and despised Congress does not constitute the House-has accomplished the Framers'purpose:it tating struggle within the govemment itself,between a gress,which are empowered separately and sometimes reliable check on a rampant president/commander in has forestalled tyranny.No individual or political president and a Congress that simply must get together in ways that overlap,and which are chosen separately chief,supported (or maybe surrounded)by an aggres- sive and ubiquitous military with the habit of operating clique has ever been able to gain enough control over if they are to accomplish anything constructive. for terms of different lengths,In elections whose the separated institutions to endanger the country with To deplore a governmental system that foaters dis- timing is rigidly bound to the calendar.The result is an under a thick cloak of secrecy and with a disturbing ether of the haunted the the unity where unity is needed,that inhibits the forma unremitting struggle between president and Congress cult of covert action.How to control the executive? constitutional convention-an absolute ruler dis ion and execution of consistent and decisive policies, for controL.The president tries to govern by budgeting Madison and George Mason's reliance on "a good guised as a democratically elected president,or a is of course far easier than to devise acceptable reme managing.coordinating and playing rival foroes militia" essentially based in and controlled by the rampant congressional majority trampling on the dies.Perhaps President Bush can find the road to against each other.Congress tries to govem by divid states is now absurd.If there is a cure,it would seem to rights of the minonity. bipartisan harmony that eluded his Republican prede- ing governmental activities into pollcies with their own require a fundamental rethinking of our constitutional But the bad news is that a system that makes it cessors Eisenhower,Nixon.Ford,and Reagan,but agencies and programs that are parceled out among principles.A different kind of separation of powers difficult far evil or misgulded leaders to asse mble the history and political realism tell us that that is hardly committees and subcommittees.The result is may hold promise:a separation between the gover- powers of government for wicked or imprudent pur- likely.Constitutional reform Is not an undertaking for emergence and flourishing of"iron triangles,"consist ment and the opposition.with both sides having posesalso,inevitbly,hinders the most public-sprited the fainthearted,but it is high time to think seriously ing of strategically positioned legislators,bureaucratic identifiable leadership,both sides having a legislative of leaders when they must assemble those powers to about this possible avenue to governmental unity. heads of programs,and organized interests.These iron component,and both sides supported by a popular achleve proper and even noble ends. triangles often elude much control by either the presi As we enter the third century of our national life,the dent ar Congress as a whole.Such independence question is which represents the greater danger:the cannot be complete,but it does not have to be:it only menace of a government that is too powerful and thus needs to be strong enough to make effective control of too capable of tyranny,or the threat that a government a program very costly politically. confronted with enormous challenges at home and The result is that Congress becomes "a body with- out a head"(Roland Young),devoted to"taking care of Charles M Hgrdin is Professor Emeritas at the Uniuersity of abrod will prove too weak to discharge its respansi- lamtes L Soudquist is Senloy Fellow Emerihrs at The Brookings Californin,Davis.He is the anthor of Constitutional Reform in bilities?I am among those who find the latter to be the the home folks first"(ames MacGregor Burns).As Ametic. greater danger.And the risk of governmental impo Effective Government. such,Congress is subject to nearly continuous derision 85 84