We Need Cynics

Will Wilkinson: One needn't be a "cynic" to be wary of surging popular passions or unchecked executive power. This caution is built into our Constitution. The American system of government was designed to moderate ambition and thwart big plans. Checks and balances do embody skepticism of unregulated power, but that skepticism is the soul of good government, not its nemesis. Yes, the bottlenecks in the system aggravate crusading popular presidents, which is why so many have chipped away at their constraints. That's why the system no longer checks nor balances as it should. That's why Obama entered the Oval Office with unprecedented executive power.

We Need Cynics