Friday, June 24, 2011

We call this kind of thing "Checks & Balances"!

I am sure many will decry today's vote by the House of Representatives to deny the president authority to continue the war in Libya as a political stunt. However, it is an excellent example to our children of the many Checks and Balances that the founders put into the Constitution to ensure each branch had the ability to limit the power of the others. This is exactly how our government is supposed to work:

- Congress declares War
- Congress funds War
- The President wages War
- The President negotiates a Peace
- Congress ratifies the Peace
It is not this action which is an aberration, but rather the last few military operations where Congress minimized it's involvement. Except in times of national emergency - and even then - we need to maintain a balance of power in our government to ensure our freedoms are protected.

2 comments:

shadowmom1 said...

Good to see congress asserting its authority. They have been voluntarily emasculated for the last 2 years.

Suricou Raven said...

Modern version:

- The president deploys troops (Official declaration of war optional)
- The president reminds congress that if they don't fund the war, US troops will be left to die without support.
- The president's party makes sure funding is given.
- The other party grumbles about it, but approves funds anyway.
- The single independant congressman says something, but no-one listens.