Sociology Talk

sweetbum · Guest

That's the subject addressed in the following letters to the editor,
Washington Post, as the nation struggles to decide what went wrong.

---------------------------
LETTERS
Tuesday, July 15, 2008; A18

Columnist David S. Broder seems a little confused about who has the
authority to initiate a war ["Fixing How We Go to War," op-ed, July
10]. Call me crazy, but I've always thought the Constitution was
fairly clear: Congress has the power to raise armies, regulate the
military and declare war, while the president is responsible for
commanding the armed forces.

The Founders never envisioned a permanent federal army of the sort we
have today. It stands to reason that if the Founders never envisioned
a standing army, they certainly couldn't have envisioned a president
who could start wars without Congress's approval by exercising
perpetual powers of "command."

The War Powers Consultation Act would only legitimize the
misconception that the president has the power to start wars. The
Constitution ain't broke, and legislation that credits the existence
of unenumerated war powers for the executive branch certainly isn't
going to fix it.

CRAIG STERN
Chicago

*****

Discussing the War Powers Act, David S. Broder wrote that "its
constitutionality is suspect." Many constitutional scholars share that
view. Nevertheless, Mr. Broder supports the War Powers Consultation
Act proposed by former secretaries of state James A. Baker III and
Warren Christopher. It is not entirely clear, however, why the
president can be forced to "consult" with Congress with regards to
executive decisions but cannot be bound by Congress's time limits.

Congress already has the power of the purse, and that is more than any
piece of legislation could offer it.

HIRBOD RASHIDI
Los Angeles

*****

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/14/AR2008071402065.html

dillydally · Guest

The Bushies have insisted that the "president" -- not Congress --
decides whether or not to declare war. Since the main profession of
members of Congress is the law, they certainly are familiar with the
Constitution. Yet, those folks voted overwhelmingly to permit your
Nincompoop-In-Chief to attack a sovereign nation, with few qualms or
questions from our Peanut Gallery of golf clubbers.

This is one reason why Bush has not and will not be impeached.

ZerkonX · Guest

On Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:19:20 -0700, dillydally wrote: