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Help about american politics

Hey guys,

I usually do not like to ask for help to do a homework but this time, i need help. So, i have this class called " The foreign policy of the USA " and the teacher wants us to hand in an essay. The question of the essay is:

Has the Congress too much influence on the decision to enter war and if the "happening" and "continuity" if the US enter the war. According to which criteria? What are the reasons to make you think otherwise?

I can describe what is the role of the President and the Congress but what I am not sure to know how it works is how the Congress can make influence if the President is the decision taker about foreign policy?

thanks.

put on your flame jacket before you ask the COR to do your homework.

Congress is the only one that can offically declare war. The President can make the notion, but he can't say "The US is officially at war with ___".

also they provide the funding and money that goes into war... president can not go around them in fiscal terms.

i believe congress controls the funds and can officially declare it a war, but in reality the president is the only one who can start one. I believe vietnam and korea weren't wars they were "conflicts" because the president circumvented congress.

quote:

Originally posted by dj_bas Congress is the only one that can offically declare war. The President can make the notion, but he can't say "The US is officially at war with ___".

then how come the Congress has only declared war 5 times and the US has sent troops more times than this. I guess it's because of the War Powers act.

What I am really looking to find out is if within the Congress, there is influence to go in a war bigger than the President's decision? Could the congress declare war and the President objecting??

quote:

Originally posted by Zeiter then how come the Congress has only declared war 5 times and the US has sent troops more times than this. I guess it's because of the War Powers act. What I am really looking to find out is if within the Congress, there is influence to go in a war bigger than the President's decision? Could the congress declare war and the President objecting??

It's not an offical declaration of war unless Congress says so. But because the President is the 'chief executive' of the armed forces. He can still send the army to other countries for skirmishes or protection or whatever. It's like in 300 when Lionidas said he wasn't going to war, he just had 300 of his bodyguards with him while he went for a walk

So to answer the question, I would likely answer that the Congress doesn't really have an influence on the decision to enter a war or a conflict because of 1) the President role as a chief of the army
2) the War Powers act that isn't really respected

It has, however, more influence in the decision to persue or not a war because it controls its funding?

quote:

Originally posted by Zeiter It has, however, more influence in the decision to persue or not a war because it controls its funding?

congress doesn't even have power to do that. look at the Iraq war. Congress won't cut funds because they would appear weak and unpatriotic for endangering the troops by not properly funding. Its easy to start a war but difficult to end it. Who wants to admit defeat? Its also a political battle where if the party in power has majority or near majority in congress they can block any bill to cut funding.

yeah if you're using the iraq war as your primary example, you're gonna have to talk a lot of political economics, like how the president's been funding this thing with supplimentals etc
congress does have some power, but the way the president set this thing up back when there was a rep. majority in the congress, if the congress used their power it would basically rip a new one for any democrats planning to run in 08
god damn politricks

quote:

Originally posted by mezzir yeah if you're using the iraq war as your primary example, you're gonna have to talk a lot of political economics, like how the president's been funding this thing with supplimentals etc congress does have some power, but the way the president set this thing up back when there was a rep. majority in the congress, if the congress used their power it would basically rip a new one for any democrats planning to run in 08 god damn politricks

Yeah the only time politicians stand up for the right thing is when its in their political interest. Same reason why the democrats went along with Bush's war in the first place. It's mostly a democracy in name only.

so, if i understand correctly, the President decides to go to war..then all the republicans will in vast majority support his decision. But now that the congress is in majority democrat, why don't they put a stop to the war in iraq? because of the values that the american people care such as democracy, freedom etc?

quote:

Originally posted by Zeiter so, if i understand correctly, the President decides to go to war..then all the republicans will in vast majority support his decision. But now that the congress is in majority democrat, why don't they put a stop to the war in iraq? because of the values that the american people care such as democracy, freedom etc?

technically, we could just pull everyone out and be done with it
basically, we're stuck between a rock and a hard place
we can either keep fighting a war for a while where we have no plan for victory and no signs of it coming, or pull them all out and face the greatest humiliation of the 21st century, not to mention who knows if iraq would just go under after we left. don't get me wrong though, it can't get much worse, but if we leave there is a chance
yeah, there's no good way to do it

quote:

Originally posted by Zeiter so, if i understand correctly, the President decides to go to war..then all the republicans will in vast majority support his decision. But now that the congress is in majority democrat, why don't they put a stop to the war in iraq? because of the values that the american people care such as democracy, freedom etc?

ha.. the left-wing congress can't stop the war/funding because the democratic party is divided on the issue. they don't have the votes.. speaking of that.. anyone see that congressman pwn the anti-war activists? it was on the news couple days ago. i'll try to find a vid.

quote:

Originally posted by Zeiter so, if i understand correctly, the President decides to go to war..then all the republicans will in vast majority support his decision. But now that the congress is in majority democrat, why don't they put a stop to the war in iraq? because of the values that the american people care such as democracy, freedom etc?

to pass certain things you need a 2/3 majority, the democrats only have a slim majority. even if they had the votes they needed to pass such a bill, doing so would ruin their chances for 08 president election.

ok so to answer the question I will like say

1- The real decision taker is the President because he is the cief of the army and he has the War Powers Act to support and justify him

2-Congress, with his 2/3 isn't able to do much thing cause it will always be divided if the other party is higher in number than the part of the president (ex: if the democrats want to remove troops)

3-Congress has to make a decision also based on what americans believe. they just can't act if the pression from the american people is toward another action. (stop funding vs majority of american people in favor of the war)

another other points im missing?

quote:

Originally posted by Zeiter ok so to answer the question I will like say 1- The real decision taker is the President because he is the cief of the army and he has the War Powers Act to support and justify him 2-Congress, with his 2/3 isn't able to do much thing cause it will always be divided if the other party is higher in number than the part of the president (ex: if the democrats want to remove troops) 3-Congress has to make a decision also based on what americans believe. they just can't act if the pression from the american people is toward another action. (stop funding vs majority of american people in favor of the war) another other points im missing?

1- yes
2-wrong. congress drafts funding bills for the war, not bills to stop war(although it could). 2/3 dont have to be against it to stop funding
3-wrong. it should make decisions based on the will of the people, but that doesnt happen as often as it should.

the point of the essay is to explain if the congress has an influence in terms of going into war or not..if so or not..how and why?

quote:

Originally posted by Zeiter So to answer the question, I would likely answer that the Congress doesn't really have an influence on the decision to enter a war or a conflict because of 1) the President role as a chief of the army 2) the War Powers act that isn't really respected It has, however, more influence in the decision to persue or not a war because it controls its funding?

It's easy to misunderstand the powers and relations between the office of the president and the congress, especially in recent history with all the shenanigans surrounding the 2nd Iraq War. Whatever you do, don't say in your answer that "Congress doesn't have an influence on the decision to enter a war." By definition, Congress declares war - see Article 1 Section 8 of the US Constitution http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitu...i.html#section1

Also, don't confuse Congress' power to declare war with Congress' control over all spending. The Constitution is VERY clear about which branch gets to do what, and regulating the distribution of our money is a power granted solely to the Congress.

I can write extensively about this I guess but I usually make it a point not to get too pedantic online, it makes me feel like that special olympics kid.

its a real sign of the times when students have the greatest tool for research in the history of our civilisation, and instead of using that tool to do their own work, they utilise it to get other people to do their thinking for them

quote:

Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN its a real sign of the times when students have the greatest tool for research in the history of our civilisation, and instead of using that tool to do their own work, they utilise it to get other people to do their thinking for them

lol not to mention that a lot of good points he could use have already been made in this thread

our patchy pol/sci knowledge should land him at least a D

Alls he has to do is patch together the last 20 posts, edit for grammar, and BAM D- BABY!

Just a clarification, the War Powers Act was passed by Congress over President Nixon's veto to limit the war-making powers of the President, not give him more power. Also of note, no US President has ever recognized the validity of this congressional act.

While Congress is the only branch of government that can declare war, they have no authority to execute a war, that is the soul power of the President. In addition, the President may use the military at his soul discretion to defend the US as well as launch an offensive war. According to the limits of the above mentioned War Powers Act, the President should inform Congress of his decision prior to acting; however, he has the authority to engage an enemy for 60 days, even over the objections of Congress. After 60 days, the troops must be redeployed if Congress has not declared war or passed a resolution authorizing the use of force.

Of course, within 60 days, the President could be capable of an incredible amount of destruction.

Ze Helpink with the understandings of the political workings of the united of the ah states of a americas

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