Americans think a president’s power should be checked, AP-NORC poll finds — unless their side wins

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI and LINLEY SANDERS
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Opinion Research finds that while Americans say they respect the Constitution’s checks and balances and don’t want a president to have too much power, that view shifts if the candidate of their party wins the presidency. Overall, only about 2 in 10 Americans say it would be “a good thing” for the next president to have the power to change policy without waiting on Congress or the courts. But nearly 6 in 10 Republicans say it would be good for a future President Donald Trump to take unilateral action, while about 4 in 10 Democrats say the same if President Joe Biden is reelected.