Please don't tell me the Congress cannot stop a President from going to war...?

[kentuck]

On his own, no matter how stupid or dangerous? Repeal the War Powers Act? Change the pay for the President back to where it was under Bill Clinton? We don't need goddamn CEOs running our government, who think they have to have "comparable" salaries.

Now, we have this arrogant asshole sitting in the White House and everyone is holding their breath, hoping he does not invade Iran or drop the "big one". I don't what we need to do, but we sure as hell need to do something and quick.

[Poll_Blind]

1. I really don't think they can stop him if that's what he's got a mind to do.

  They're desperately afraid of looking like they don't support the president "in a time of war". I believe most of them greatly underestimate the intelligence of Americans. Still, 62 Million Americans voted Bush back into office.

  I have no idea how to reconcile that number with my belief that they're underestimating the congnitive power of about 50% of America.

  But I have hope.

PB

[babylonsister]

2. If McConnell has anything to say about it, Congress ain't goin' nowhere.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3092281

Someone really needs to get loud, or rethugs need to quietly take a walk to the oval office.

[illinoisprogressive]

3. They are terrified of it being 1974 again. When they did the funding cut

to stop Vietnam they spent 30 years in the wilderness. Everyone wanted the war to end and they did it. Then the country turned their back on the dems and called them soft. they paid for that for 30 years.
If they do this again, who is to say the country won't do the same to them again.

[Union Thug]

8. It's really a catch 22, isn't it.

People in this country are so fickle, so spoiled and so brainwashed by those who profit from selling the messgage (ie. a media that has always worked for the benefit of its owners), that they have lost all historical context. The United States is an ADD nation, full of greedy controllers, and credit-addicted wannabees building their own prisons, pretending to be what they will most likely never be, and in the process, losing their peripheral vision and their memories.

[Hosnon]

4. The sad fact is that our Constitution is too vague on war-related powers.

Ironically, if Justice Scalia is true to his historical interpretation, he needs to conclude that the powers of the President are very limited. I do not think that the Founders wanted such a strong executive...especially one that can continue a war when the majority of both the Congress and the people want the war to end.

And the War Powers Act has proven to be a bit limp. It facilitates information but you know what the kicker is: Nixon vetoed it. Yes, it was overridden but the intention of the Founders was for all three of the branches to look after the Constitution. Therefore, the Executive has probably not agreed that the War Powers Act is a legitimate exercise of Congress' Constitutional authority.

The American President has too much authority over when troops enter combat. The Constitution is in error to the extent that it leaves open the ability for the President to decide that the security of the nation is in peril and can thus do as s/he pleases.

[kentuck]

5. And they gave those powers to the president so...

we would not have attacks such as 9/11. He would the authority to thwart incoming attacks, in which there was no time for debate. That really helped us in that situation, huh? :sarcasm:

[Hosnon]

6. I don't quite understand what you mean.

I believe DU went down for a bit.

In any event, I don't believe that the Executive (the President under the U.S. Constitution) should have as many powers as s/he seems to have.

[SaveElmer]

7. Unless you have a way of convincing 20 Republican Senators...

To support it..that is exactly what the situation is...

[havocmom]

9. Takes Congress to formally declare war. Sadly, pResident can commit troops

without any formal declaration.

[kentuck]

10. But for only 30 days...

I beleive that was the time limit set by the War Powers Resolution?