"I've been in the legislative branch and now the executive branch and in each case I felt it was important we use our constitutional responsibilities to the fullest"
About this Quote
John Engler speaks from the vantage point of someone who has occupied two distinct seats of power. As a longtime Michigan legislator and later a three-term governor, he argues for an ethic of office that treats constitutional authority not as an ornament but as an obligation. The emphasis falls on duty: if a branch has tools and responsibilities, public servants should use them vigorously to shape policy, enforce accountability, and serve citizens, all within the guardrails of the constitution.
On the legislative side, that means more than passing bills. It includes setting the policy agenda, scrutinizing the executive through oversight, writing clear statutes instead of leaving broad gaps for agencies or courts, and taking ownership of the budget. For Engler, a legislature that negotiates hard, conducts tough hearings, and protects its prerogatives keeps government responsive and prevents drift toward unaccountable rulemaking.
As an executive, the same principle becomes energy in execution. A governor proposes budgets, appoints leaders, issues executive orders, manages agencies, and wields the veto, sometimes line-item, to refine legislation. Exercising those powers to the fullest does not reject collaboration; it acknowledges that execution requires clear direction and measurable results. The point is not unilateralism, but accountability paired with decisive action.
The statement also reflects the American design of ambition counteracting ambition. Checks and balances only work when each branch performs at full strength. Abdication by one branch invites overreach by another or a quiet transfer of authority to courts and bureaucracies. Englers record in the 1990s, from welfare reform to restructuring school finance under Proposal A and aggressive budget management, exemplified a governor using the constitutional toolkit to drive policy outcomes while negotiating with a coequal legislature he once led.
Underlying it all is a philosophy of governance: power is a duty to be exercised, not hoarded or avoided. Within constitutional limits, robust use of institutional authority is how democratic government remains effective, balanced, and answerable to the public.
On the legislative side, that means more than passing bills. It includes setting the policy agenda, scrutinizing the executive through oversight, writing clear statutes instead of leaving broad gaps for agencies or courts, and taking ownership of the budget. For Engler, a legislature that negotiates hard, conducts tough hearings, and protects its prerogatives keeps government responsive and prevents drift toward unaccountable rulemaking.
As an executive, the same principle becomes energy in execution. A governor proposes budgets, appoints leaders, issues executive orders, manages agencies, and wields the veto, sometimes line-item, to refine legislation. Exercising those powers to the fullest does not reject collaboration; it acknowledges that execution requires clear direction and measurable results. The point is not unilateralism, but accountability paired with decisive action.
The statement also reflects the American design of ambition counteracting ambition. Checks and balances only work when each branch performs at full strength. Abdication by one branch invites overreach by another or a quiet transfer of authority to courts and bureaucracies. Englers record in the 1990s, from welfare reform to restructuring school finance under Proposal A and aggressive budget management, exemplified a governor using the constitutional toolkit to drive policy outcomes while negotiating with a coequal legislature he once led.
Underlying it all is a philosophy of governance: power is a duty to be exercised, not hoarded or avoided. Within constitutional limits, robust use of institutional authority is how democratic government remains effective, balanced, and answerable to the public.
Quote Details
| Topic | Justice |
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