Opening the People’s House
A New Vision for Executive Leadership in the United States
#unifyUSA Opinion
The Imperial Presidency
As we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation's founding, it's time for some straight talk. Our presidential system, once the envy of the world, now struggles to meet the complex challenges of the 21st century. The concentration of power in a single president has led to executive orders on steroids, whiplash between administrations, and a growing disconnect between the American people and their leadership. And with the Supreme Court recently declaring the president above the law, the threat of tyranny looms larger than ever.
But what if there was a way to reinvigorate our democracy, tapping into the collective wisdom of everyday Americans while preserving the efficiency needed for effective governance? What if—just like the legislature and judiciary—we could create an executive branch that truly embodies the spirit of “We the People?”
Today, we propose just that: a bold reimagining of the executive, one that draws on our deepest American values of freedom, community, and service to create a more responsive, accountable, and effective government. Once again, our vision hinges on one bold idea: empowering everyday Americans through democratic lotteries.
Don’t worry—we aren’t calling for picking presidents entirely at random. But by incorporating randomized Citizens’ Assemblies into the selection process, we can take partisanship out of the mix. We can truly pick the best and the brightest to run the government, without becoming drunk on power.
Moreover, by adding dedicated functions for citizen oversight, we can breathe new life into the constitutional principle of self-governance. This approach recognizes that the collective judgment of informed citizens is a powerful force for good governance. It's a uniquely American innovation, reflecting our nation's founding belief in the wisdom of the common person. Here’s how it would work:
The Triune Presidency: Shared Leadership for a Complex World
The American presidency confers a dangerous amount of power onto a single individual. It also assigns a dangerous amount of work, the breadth and intensity of which is beyond one person’s capacity. George Washington said as much in his 1789 acceptance speech, admitting “I realize the arduous nature of the task which is conferred on me and feel my inability to perform it.” That’s why we propose creating a "Triune Presidency" – three co-equal leaders, making high-level decisions together, while each focuses on their own crucial domain of governance:
1. Co-President of Diplomacy & Defense
2. Co-President of Environment & Infrastructure
3. Co-President of Economic & Social Justice
A three-person executive strikes an ideal balance between deliberative wisdom and nimble practicality. When there’s time to seek consensus, a joint presidency would make less biased, better-reasoned decisions than an individual. In an active crisis, it could still respond swiftly to the changing situation, conferring the full authority of the chief executive with a two-out-of-three vote. Individually, co-presidents would be empowered to act within their domain, but with lesser authority than the full Triune Presidency (⅔ of which would be needed for all executive orders). This structure doubles-down on our American tradition of checks and balances, keeping presidential despotism at bay while preserving a clear chain of command.
Co-Presidents would serve staggered 6-year terms, with one position rotating every two years. This schedule creates more frequent renewals of leadership while also improving policy continuity: with only one third of the presidency changing at a time, there would be far less whiplash between administrations.
Alongside the Triune Presidency, we'd establish a diverse Cabinet, with roles like "Secretary of Ecological Economics" and "Secretary of Democracy and Civic Engagement" to address 21st-century challenges. The Cabinet and the Triune Presidency together would form the Executive Council, which would meet bi-weekly to deliberate on overall strategy. Any council member would be able to pose items for discussion. This practice would enshrine a culture of collaboration in the executive branch, and provide an avenue for the best ideas to trickle up the hierarchy from the boots on the ground within each department. A vote of ¾ of the council could overrule an executive order, providing a further check against rash or self-serving presidential decisions.
A New Selection Process: Harnessing the Wisdom of Citizens
Once a source of excitement, our modern presidential elections have become a disgrace. Tribalism, mud-slinging, and empty spectacle have left Americans in a constant state of outrage and exhaustion. And thanks to a byzantine Electoral College, elections have practically come down to a few swing states. Moreover, long, performative campaigns lead exactly the wrong type of people to run: well-funded megalomaniacs. We could approach reform through election finance laws, ranked-choice voting, and abolishing the Electoral College. But we should dare to aim higher. There are deeper and more fruitful ways to engage in the selection of our national leadership.
Imagine a process where your neighbor, your child's teacher, or the local small business owner could be part of scouting and vetting our nation's top executives. They’d be included, not just as a digit in a vote tally, but as a human being able to discern and deliberate. Every two years, a People’s Convention of 550 randomly selected Americans would be tasked with vetting candidates for the Cabinet and the Presidency. They would convene in small committees and get trained in the responsibilities of the roles they're selecting. They'd reach out to well-regarded leaders in government and civil society, review their qualifications, and conduct interviews. Each committee would bring their chosen nominee back to the assembly for a second round of scrutiny. After thorough deliberation, the assembly would vote by proportional ranked choice (PRCV) to narrow the field to three finalists for each position. The final selection would then be made by random draw from this pool of highly qualified candidates.
Why pick executives this way? Having everyday Americans scout candidates with proven experience—rather than self-motivated egoists or party hacks—would elevate people with the kinds of qualities that lead to effective governance. We’d get fewer slick, aggressive, narcissistic politicians and celebrities, and more dedicated, humble, cooperative public servants. Voting with PRCV would ensure that only consensus candidates make it to the final round. And keeping that vote within the highly-informed People’s Convention would stop candidates from using ad blitzes to buy name recognition and manipulate public opinion. Using a democratic lottery to make the final choice would further disincentive campaigning and avoid any sense of “victory” or “defeat.” The element of random luck would help all candidates accept the outcome, while promoting a mindset of humility and public service among the Co-Presidents and Cabinet Secretaries.
So we’ve chosen a qualified public servant to join the Triune Presidency. There’s just one problem: in protecting the process from dark money and media manipulation, we’ve lost the legitimacy of a national election. Our enlightenment-era ideals require that the presidency have the consent of the governed, and all of us deserve a stake in granting or denying that consent. That’s why we add one final step: Once a qualified Co-President is selected by the convention, they’re reviewed by the Agenda Council—the People’s permanent assembly in the legislature. If a majority of the Agenda Council finds them objectionable, they can trigger a nationwide Vote of Confidence. A simple majority of voters could then reject the individual, sparking a new random selection from the remaining top-three candidates.
This system interrupts the polarizing cycle of presidential politics by inviting people of all backgrounds to identify practical leadership together. It embodies the American ideal of equality, giving each citizen an equal opportunity to shape our highest levels of government. By circumventing the corrosive influence of money in politics, it allows true merit and dedication to public service to shine through.
Citizens' Advisory Councils: Ongoing Participation and Accountability
Presidents and Cabinet Secretaries are not just politicians. They’re servants of the American People, and they each have a job to do. Holding them accountable is essential if we want to achieve our national goals while maintaining constitutional balance.
To this end, the real engine of renewed democracy in the executive branch should be citizen oversight, enshrined via Citizens' Advisory Councils. Attached to each executive department, these councils would bring together everyday citizens, relevant experts, and department employees.
Each council would have 25 members (35 for the Triune Presidency), serving staggered 2-year terms. Their responsibilities would include:
1. Conducting annual performance reviews of department leaders
2. Providing informed citizen perspective on policy proposals
3. Serving as ethical watchdogs, investigating potential conflicts of interest
4. Developing educational materials to inform the public about departmental activities
5. Reviewing and providing recommendations on budget proposals
These councils would have real power, including the ability to initiate removal processes by a separate Citizens’ Jury for leaders who become corrupt, power-hungry, or abuse their office in various ways. All meetings and trials would be public, with full transcripts available online, ensuring transparency and accountability.
Participating in these councils wouldn’t be just a right; it would be a form of national service, allowing citizens to directly contribute to the greater good of our nation. It would build a sense of belonging and shared purpose. And it would force national executives to keep their departments efficient, effective, and—most of all—accessible to the American people.
Embracing Our Democratic Heritage
Critics might argue that this set of proposals departs too radically from our current system. But let's remember that America itself was born from a radical idea—that everyday people can govern themselves better than any king or tyrant. Our founders weren't afraid to experiment with new forms of governance, and neither should we be.
Americans love to create heroes out of our presidents. But the truth is, aside from a few greats, most of the forty-six men who’ve occupied the White House have been either mediocre or disastrous. Our first and most revered President was skeptical of the office and uncomfortable with its pseudo-monarchic power and prominence. In Washington’s own words, “The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism.”
235 years later, Washington’s predictions have come to pass. Our upgraded executive branch—through a hearty dose of democracy—gets to the root of his concerns. This design aligns deeply with our core American principles: it strengthens checks and balances, promotes equal representation, and lets citizens make sure their government works for them. Far from a rejection of our republican tradition, it fulfills its highest ideals. America’s been inching towards dictatorship for too long. It’s time to reconnect with our founding spirit and try something new.
#unifyUSA published a detailed discussion paper: Renewing American Leadership A Vision for 21st Century Executive Governance
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