Congress Restored?
For the first time in far too long, Congress is standing up to the White House, and flexing its legislative muscles - although the atrophy might make the first bits hurt.
What has annoyed this reporter for far too long is the de facto displacement of power from congress to the White House. Even though congress is the only arm of the government with the power to declare war, almost 100,000 American soldiers have died in combat initiated by Presidential authority alone - Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan and Iraq have all been wars undeclared by congress. Our current President is completely determined to become a wartime leader, and will not let us forget that we are at war, but no declaration of war has been made by congress; Bush has abused his powers as Commander-In-Chief to wage a de facto war, while de jure he has no right to command them into conflict without authorization from Capitol Hill.
The acts of congress in the past few decades have been weak at best. They have been less than leaders, and little more than an assembly of grouchy old men and women shouting at each other and bringing new meaning to the term “filibuster” by bringing it to us on C-SPAN. But now Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is trying to assemble Democrats to cut off funding through the power of the purse.
Vice President Dick Cheney had this to say: “It’s time the self-appointed strategists on Capitol Hill understood a very simple concept: You cannot win a war if you tell the enemy you’re going to quit”
Quite right, Mister Cheney. Only one problem. We’ve already lost. It’s time to give up. Sorry. I know, it’s hard to cope, but let’s face it. We can stay there and keep shooting things, but let’s face it, the insurgents, terrorists, guerrillas, and radicals just aren’t going to disappear before we actually do run out of money. It’s better to cut our losses and run. “Cut and runner!” Yes. Cut and run, dammit. We have enough problems at home. Shut up.
Like many times, Doonesbury says it best:
Congress, Power of the Purse, Harry Reid, Doonesbury
April 3rd, 2007 at 8:58 am
I love Doonsbury, and that particular comic sums it up so well. The sooner we get out of this war the better.
April 4th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Actually Congress sign the AUMF:
http://news.findlaw.com/wp/docs/terrorism/sjres23.es.html
Which was a Declaration of War.
And if you have been reading the news, the Surge is actually working, The Mahdi army has fled Baghdad and Moqtada Al Sadr has fled to Iran, undermining his authority with the Shiite militias. Leaving now would undermine the credebility of the US with the moderates that are currently attempting to rest control of thier country from a history of ruthless oppression. I agree that at some point we need for them to stand on thier own, but we need to stay until they are capable of doing so.