Sunday, June 26, 2011

If Republicans really wanted to protect the Constitution they'd just do it

The president I voted for is not above the law and it is up to Congress to see it that he obeys the constitution. Under Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution only Congress has the power to declare war. The War Powers Resolution of 1973 requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days, with a further 30 day withdrawal period, without an authorization of the use of military force or a declaration of war.

The United States House of Representatives, controlled by Republicans, has failed to either authorize the war in Libya or to hold President Obama accountable, that makes them both wrong. It seems that Representative Boehner (R-OH) as Speaker of the House and Eric Cantor (R-VA) as majority leader find it more useful politically to complain about the President’s actions than to actually take the steps necessary to do something about it.

This Congress like every other that has had the chance to weigh in on military action since 1973, has abdicated its authority and allowed the sitting president to make war as he sees fit. If the Republican leadership in the House doesn’t have the political courage to force the issue then the cowards should at least stop whining about it.

3 comments:

  1. Published in the Gonzales Cannon 6/30/2011 http://www.gonzalescannon.com/node/5541

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  2. Published in the Seguin Gazette 6/30/2011
    http://seguingazette.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/article_e1a427ee-a388-11e0-b01b-001cc4c002e0.html

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  3. Published in the Northeast Herald 7/7/2011

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