How Congress Gave Up Its Own Power
14 days ago
- #Political History
- #U.S. Congress
- #Executive Power
- Congress has historically been the dominant branch of the U.S. federal government, with significant powers outlined in Article I of the Constitution.
- Over the 20th century, power shifted towards the presidency due to executive expansions, crises like economic depression and war, and congressional delegation of authority.
- Reforms in the 1970s and 1980s aimed at increasing transparency and empowering junior members inadvertently weakened Congress's institutional power and hierarchy.
- Ideological sorting of the parties reduced bipartisan cooperation, further diminishing Congress's ability to assert its prerogatives and check executive power.
- Recent events, such as military deployments and tariff impositions by the president without congressional approval, highlight the legislative branch's current impotence.