With the 2012 presidential election in sight, I find myself once again wondering how much it matters who is president. I know the president is the most powerful person in the free world, but given the construction of our government, does any 1 person really have that much power?

I guess President Obama’s biggest accomplishment so far has been healthcare reform, but even that is stalled in many ways and no one really seems to understand what it will really mean in the future, assuming it survives that long. 

The President clearly has clout and pull, but can he really change the course of history or dramatically change the USA? I guess going to war is one way or enacting some crazy policies might be another, but by and large it seems like the government is designed to keep any 1 person from doing too much harm (or good). 

I know the media and the political parties like to make us think that the election is potentially the end of the world depending on who wins, but when I think about it I can’t really remember any earth-shattering things happening from president to president. I remember Ronald Reagan as more charismatic than most, but I’m not sure how much he accomplished (I mean really accomplished, not what his supporters want you to think he accomplished). 

In no way do I intend disrespect to any president, in fact I am comforted that our government is set up to keep a tyrant from gaining control. I think the founding fathers devised a brilliant system that has kept the USA from every having to deal with 1 crazy person who ends up with their finger on the button. 

I’ll be glad when the election is over as I hate all the rotten things that are said and the lies that are told, but I’m also very grateful to be living in a place where a peaceful election is held and a nut won’t be able to take over (even if he is elected).