It&#x27;s not an either-or thing -- you need to elect both local representatives AND a president who is interested in change.<p>A president cannot single handedly pass these changes, but he or she DOES exercise considerable influence on the kinds of things congress passes via the ability to refuse to sign things that congress does pass, so a president interested in change is a vital part of the process.<p>Consider that Barrack Obama campaigned on health care reform, and a health care reform package was passed during his first term. It&#x27;s not a coincidence that that happened, even though the package had to be introduced by congress -- the electoral mandate handed to a president necessarily informs the legislative pressures congressional members feel, be it to support such a mandate, or to obstruct it, depending on the political inclinations of their base.