For the past six years, George W. Bush has treated Congress the way he treats the United Nations, the press and most of his own cabinet secretaries – as an unavoidable irritant. In spite of having run for president in 2000 on the strength of his ability to find compromise with the Democratically controlled legislature in Texas when governor, he has for the better part of six years treated the people’s representatives with barely veiled contempt.

Once established in the White House, Mr Bush the “uniter” quickly became Mr Bush the “decider”. In the Bush Constitution, as opposed to the US Constitution, the executive leads, the legislature accedes and the judiciary defers.