tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12654452.post8876661811728976706..comments2023-12-23T15:07:59.440-05:00Comments on Vicious Momma: Constitutional Study: Congressional PowersRae Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10239791074376508016noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12654452.post-84682721700075230702007-02-01T23:44:00.000-05:002007-02-01T23:44:00.000-05:00RA- Hey, how can I get one of those? ;-)
Write to...RA- <i>Hey, how can I get one of those? ;-)</i><br /><br />Write to your congresspeople! It's got to be worth a shot.<br /><br />CIPAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12654452.post-32828151377049543922007-01-30T16:24:00.000-05:002007-01-30T16:24:00.000-05:00I agree that many members of Congress don't care a...I agree that many members of Congress don't care about the troops. But they do care about being re-elected. Remember the outrage when it was alleged the troops did not have adequate personal and vehicular protective gear? How much worse will it be if Congressman X or Senator Y votes to withhold funds while troops are still in Iraq. No matter how a left-leaning media spins it, it will still look bad for whoever decides not to give money for the troops.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12654452.post-39363218667326399112007-01-30T14:48:00.000-05:002007-01-30T14:48:00.000-05:00"But how much $ do you think Congress will cut as ..."But how much $ do you think Congress will cut as long as the troops are still overseas? That's political suicide."<br /><br />Honestly, I think that they don't care about the troops, and apparently many of their constituents don't either, as reported about some anti-war rallies on the news last night. It's hard to know what the bulk of the general population really wants because all you hear about in the media are Congress and the other talking heads. <br /><br />If Congress cuts the funds it really puts the pressure on Bush to either pull them all out or face much criticism for keeping them there without funding. <br /><br />In the current political climate Bush will lose either way just because no one wants to give him any credit for anything. The media, etc. has made it a "damned if he does and damned if he doesn't" situation.<br /><br />Well, I think that history will be much kinder to Bush and will recognize that he was in one of the most difficult situations a President has faced.Rae Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10239791074376508016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12654452.post-13036205312686906032007-01-30T14:35:00.000-05:002007-01-30T14:35:00.000-05:00No doubt Congress controls the purse strings. But...No doubt Congress controls the purse strings. But how much $ do you think Congress will cut as long as the troops are still overseas? That's political suicide.<br /><br />By "organizing, arming and disciplining" I think the Constitution contemplates the actual creation and propagation of the military, that is, the nuts and bolts of the structure, not their activities in time of war. The part about the states refers to organizations like the National Guard.<br /><br />I still think the Prez can keep 'em there as long as he likes, so long as he's willing to run the (unlikely) risk that funding will be cut.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12654452.post-13202675191602804142007-01-30T13:42:00.000-05:002007-01-30T13:42:00.000-05:00a fe(w) minutes later ;-)
Since the Constitution ...a fe(w) minutes later ;-)<br /><br />Since the Constitution does not specifically say what exactly are all the powers of the "Commander in Chief" I think we have to defer to the specified powers of Congress. What I get from it is that the President is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, but he still must follow the "Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces" set up by Congress. The biggest thing is, of course, that Congress controls the purse strings ("no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years"). That is where their main power over the President and the Armed Forces lies, but also they have the power "To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining" the armed forces with the States having some limted powers that must follow "the discipline <i>prescribed by Congress</i>." <br /><br />As I learned it in school this limited power of the President as Commander in Chief was a "balance of power" measure to assure that one person didn't have too much control over the armed forces. Of course, we can't let Congress have too much control either, but it looks pretty clear from the Constitution how it's supposed to be regarding war. <br /><br />Again, I'll say that I think it would be immoral and irresponsible for Congress to "pull the plug" too soon.<br /><br />And another thing, it kind of pisses me off that Congress is having all kinds of expensive, time-consuming hearings and whatnot with "Constitutional experts" about this issue when they could just ask me. ;-)Rae Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10239791074376508016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12654452.post-78582418315109042102007-01-30T13:02:00.000-05:002007-01-30T13:02:00.000-05:00dh, I think that the following are the relevent pa...dh, I think that the following are the relevent parts:<br /><br />"To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years"<br /><br />"To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces"<br /><br />"To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;"<br /><br />Sorry, I'll have to finish in a fe minutes. Time to pick up the youngest.Rae Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10239791074376508016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12654452.post-23388892775311681002007-01-30T12:40:00.000-05:002007-01-30T12:40:00.000-05:00Hindsight or not, Congress did declare war. Then,...Hindsight or not, Congress did declare war. Then, Article II, Section 2 states, "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several States when called into the actual Service of the United States;" So, how does Congress reassume control of the military? Can they un-declare war? Or are they in it, now, for the duration, that is, as long as the President decides? Seems to me, and I'm no expert, that absent impeachment, Congress is obligated to see this through.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com