Congressional leadership is necessary and proper—A Commentary by Bruce Ackerman ’67
Congressional leadership is necessary and proper
By Bruce Ackerman ’67
Power of the purse is enough
By John Yoo ’92
Congress at war
Congressional leadership is necessary and proper—A Commentary by Bruce Ackerman ’67
Congressional leadership is necessary and proper
By Bruce Ackerman ’67
Power of the purse is enough
By John Yoo ’92
Congress at war—How much authority does the Congress have to direct the way a war is waged? John Yoo and Bruce Ackerman debate the wrangling between Congress and the president over wartime authority.
Today, Yoo and Ackerman interpret the U.S. Constitution for answers to the struggle between the executive and legislative branches over the conduct of the war in Iraq. Later this week, they'll debate the ongoing use-of-force resolution, the hypocrisy of the left and the right on this issue, the questionable relevance of "letters of marque and reprisal" in the 21st century, and the possibility that there may be more important issues here than constitutional language.
Congressional leadership is necessary and proper
By Bruce Ackerman
The Constitution was written by revolutionaries who had fought a war against the abuse of power by a king. The very notion of royal prerogative was repugnant—and so it should remain.
The text gives Congress the power to "declare war," and no less importantly, the authority "to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying" out the war power.
If the Iraq war was begun on false pretences, it is certainly "necessary and proper" for Congress to require President Bush to withdraw the troops. A contrary view would create perverse incentives. Future presidents could lie to Congress to gain a declaration and know that Congress