July 31 - Last week, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on executive power. As no follow up hearings, or official hearings on impeachment has yet been scheduled, it was probably an attempt to appease Ohio Democrat Dennis Kucinich who is pushing Democratic leadership to move forward with impeachment of President Bush. The Congressional hearing explored the issue which impeachment hearings would take place - Bush's expanded executive privilege.

Robert Wexler, Democrat of Florida:

"The White House is charged with deliberately lying to congress and the American people and manipulating intelligence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Ordering the illegal use of torture, firing US attorneys for political purposes, among countless other times. Never before in the history of this nation has an administration so successfully diminished the powers of a legislative branch."

Wexler not so subtly implies Bush altered the office of the Presidency. What are the implications of expanded powers for the next President?

Former Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia who led the impeachment hearings against Bill Clinton is Current Libertarian Party Candidate offers this.

"This is not a problem with a particular president or administration, this is an institutional concern. Every administration in my view takes the power it inherits from its predecessor and inherits it."

Presumed Democratic nominee Barack Obama told House members this week that he would review white House orders and rid any that 'trample on liberty.' He has not gone so far as to vow to curtail the expanded definition of executive privilege that Bush has used to avoid Congressional oversight and accountability.

Presumed Republican nominee John McCain has not yet committed to shrink Executive Power either.

Interview: Vincent Warren of the Center for Constitutional Rights

Since the Bush administration has changed the balance of power, making the executive stronger, Vincent Warren is the Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights explains the new powers that the Bush administration has grabbed and what it'll take to make the next President change course.

This fall, the Center will be publishing a series of policy prescriptions for the next president on their website ccrjustice.org.