Political Science

Format: Double spaced, one inch margins with no more than 12 point font.

Length: No less than four pages and citations required on extra page.

The purpose of this assignment is to have you assess an author's statement and provide your agreement or disagreement. Your assessment must illustrate that you have an understanding of the presidential power and/or tool and that your critique (agreement or not) of the author's point(s)must be substantive in that when the essay reader completes reading the essay he/she clearly understands the power/tool being discussed along with its uses, positives and negatives and the impact on the presidency.

War Powers

Read the two below excerpts.

At best, the WPR (War Powers Resolution) provided Congress with a symbolic victory in the ongoing struggle between the President and Congress making decisions about war and peace. It seemed to serve notice that sustained military commitments outside the country could no longer be made by presidential fiat but required congressional approval and, by implication, popular support. Presidents, however, have neither consulted Congress in ‘any meaningful manner' nor have they sought to make the law work by invoking its provisions. Instead, they have sought to circumvent it. Ultimately, any expectations that the resolution's ‘procedures would actually lead to collective legislative-executive judgement in the war-making process was mistaken.' Presidential evasion, congressional acquiescence, and judicial deference have combined to bring about this result.

Historically, the less Congress has its act together, the more power the president has - which is what has been happening recently. Congress may be at its weakest point in history, and because it is paralyzed, that void gets filled....The more Congress is unable to act on its own, the more they're going to see that void filled and the less relevant they become.....This is especially true in foreign policy, where Congress has a constitutional role in approving treaties and declaring war. There has been fierce debate in recent decades about war powers and what the president can do without congressional authority. It's an ever-evolving contest between presidents and the members of Congress of both parties. Congress has abdicated too much power and given too much latitude to the executive; its power continues to erode. It's slowly wearing away, year by year, and it's very difficult to get back if they don't assert their constitutional duty. If they can't unify on basic things, how are they going to take on something like reclaiming war powers from a president?

Essay question: Using the information in the box above as your template, briefly define the War Powers Resolution (aka War Powers Act). Provide why this Act was enacted by examining the powers of the president and that of Congress related to declaring war. Has the Act done what its sponsors intended? Explain. You may use examples.