Palin's Executive Experience Pays Off

Some commentators are saying that Gov. Palin muffed her interview question on what Supreme Court decisions she disagrees with.

But, Gov. Palin actually showed that she understands the separation of powers and the role of the Executive.

Couric: What other Supreme Court decisions do you disagree with?

Palin: Well, let's see. There's, of course in the great history of America there have been rulings, that's never going to be absolute consensus by every American. And there are those issues, again, like Roe v. Wade, where I believe are best held on a state level and addressed there. So you know, going through the history of America, there would be others but …

Couric: Can you think of any?

Palin: Well, I could think of … any again, that could be best dealt with on a more local level. Maybe I would take issue with. But, you know, as mayor, and then as governor and even as a vice president, if I'm so privileged to serve, wouldn't be in a position of changing those things but in supporting the law of the land as it reads today.
[emphasis mine]

How refreshing that Gov. Palin understands Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution:

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information on the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

Two important phrases stand out: "recommend to their [the Congress] Consideration Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient" and "he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed."

Where there is separation of powers, the role of the Executive is to recommend and to execute laws--not to work to overturn the decisions of the other two branches of government. Except in the rarest of cases, to list differences with decisions of the Legislative and Judicial branches, shows a gross misunderstanding of the role of the Executive branch.

Though Katie Couric did not understand the role of the Executive branch and sought to get a short list of Supreme Court rulings Gov. Palin disagrees with, Palin cut to the central Constitutional issue: the role of the Executive is not to battle against the other two branches, but to execute the laws.

Listing disagreements works to call in to question the diligence and impartiality of an Executive (and his Attorney General) in upholding the laws of the land.

Sen. Biden, not having executive experience, answered Couric's question but missed the Constitutional issue involved.