President tends to dictate congress when they are popular and congress is of the same party. While there can be some push back, it will become costly come elec

President tends to dictate congress when they are popular and congress is of the same party. While there can be some push back, it will become costly come election time. SCOTUS has strongly defined limits on what they can do, but given they are made up of picks by the President and approved by congress the shape of the SCOTUS changes depending upon whom is in power when the existing members leave. The President is generally immune to congress until they do something that gets enough congressional support for impeachment. This has proven extremely hard to do so far. The President also gets significant say over any issue that doesn't strongly unify congress. Thus, for an issue that is popular in congress and unpopular with the President, but not popular enough in congress to override a veto, the hierarchy does President > Congress (a > b means a is above b). SCOTUS almost never gets involved when it comes to passing laws. When it comes to an issue that is popular enough congress is willing to override a veto and which is popular enough with voters that congress going against the President on it isn't a threat, then congress > President. I don't think anyone is claiming there is a simple hierarchy that consistently applies regardless of scenario. Even in a classical monarchy the hierarchy can shift for extreme enough scenarios.