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Jeff In Milwaukee

(13,992 posts)
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 11:30 AM Sep 2013

My big take-away from last night's speech...

For the Obama-Is-Just-Like-Bush crowd:

That’s my judgment as Commander-in-Chief. But I’m also the President of the world’s oldest constitutional democracy. So even though I possess the authority to order military strikes, I believed it was right, in the absence of a direct or imminent threat to our security, to take this debate to Congress. I believe our democracy is stronger when the President acts with the support of Congress. And I believe that America acts more effectively abroad when we stand together.

This is especially true after a decade that put more and more war-making power in the hands of the President, and more and more burdens on the shoulders of our troops, while sidelining the people’s representatives from the critical decisions about when we use force.


Obama drove a stake into the heart of the Unitary Executive Theory, making it difficult for any successor to plan military adventures without the consent of Congress, which is as it should be.
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My big take-away from last night's speech... (Original Post) Jeff In Milwaukee Sep 2013 OP
Recommended. NYC_SKP Sep 2013 #1
Because of my cynical nature of late, let's see if the President snappyturtle Sep 2013 #2
How do you figure? zipplewrath Sep 2013 #3
You. And DU. JoePhilly Sep 2013 #4
Funny kinda "stake" zipplewrath Sep 2013 #5
So now Obama will be responsible for what the next GOP President does? JoePhilly Sep 2013 #6
The post to which I was responding zipplewrath Sep 2013 #8
Overstatement, perhaps Jeff In Milwaukee Sep 2013 #7
Except that he still supports it zipplewrath Sep 2013 #9

snappyturtle

(14,656 posts)
2. Because of my cynical nature of late, let's see if the President
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 11:59 AM
Sep 2013

abides by Congressional decision. He's only approached Congress...
of course that is good. Time will tell.

zipplewrath

(16,646 posts)
3. How do you figure?
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 12:02 PM
Sep 2013

What would prevent any future president from just ignoring this action of his and behaving much more like the previous 4 presidents.

JoePhilly

(27,787 posts)
4. You. And DU.
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 12:24 PM
Sep 2013

I mean, all the screaming on DU stopped Obama from starting WWIII, right?

Obama could have used the precedent set by the Bush administration. He hasn't.

The next President will have to decide which way to go based at least in part, on the precedent Obama just did.

And surely you and DU will be there to point it out, right?

zipplewrath

(16,646 posts)
5. Funny kinda "stake"
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 12:26 PM
Sep 2013
"The next President will have to decide which way to go based at least in part, on the precedent Obama just did. "

A 4 to 1 precedent constitutes "driving a stake through"? Really? It will be amazingly easy to ignore, especially by a GOP president.

JoePhilly

(27,787 posts)
6. So now Obama will be responsible for what the next GOP President does?
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 12:28 PM
Sep 2013

Even if they go back to a Unitary Executive model for foreign policy.

Ok.

zipplewrath

(16,646 posts)
8. The post to which I was responding
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 12:48 PM
Sep 2013

The post to which I was responding was suggesting that Obama had "driven a stake through the heart" of the unitary executive. That's claiming alot of power over what the next GOP president chooses to do. I was merely pointing out that this singular act hardly was going to have that kind of power.

Jeff In Milwaukee

(13,992 posts)
7. Overstatement, perhaps
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 12:39 PM
Sep 2013

But Obama has broken the cycle of Presidents acquiring more and more war powers. That's a good thing.

zipplewrath

(16,646 posts)
9. Except that he still supports it
Wed Sep 11, 2013, 12:50 PM
Sep 2013

He still asserts the power, but merely suggests that it is preferable, if not necessary. Hardly diminishing the power of the presidency. Heck, Bush II went to congress and got support. That hardly stuck a stake through anything.

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