Differentiate the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government.
Congress and the Presidency: An Unequal Relationship 1
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Congress and the Presidency: An Unequal Relationship
Jorge Gonzalez
SS236M2
Purdue Global University
March 15, 2021
Thesis
Thesis: The legislative branch is more powerful than the executive branch because it is in charge of making laws. Comment by Erica Johnson: This is not convincing. The executive branch can veto laws and issue executive orders. Comment by Erica Johnson:
Outline
I. As per the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers (Whitehouse.gov, 2021).
a. In 2008, George W. Bush vetoed the Medicare Improvement bill. However, the veto was overridden by Congress with significant majority. Comment by Erica Johnson: Cite
b. In 1998, Congress exercised its power over the executive when President Bill Clinton was subject to an impeachment vote in the House of Representatives and then the impeachment trial in the Senate.
c. Finally, the senate refused to confirm the appointment of Debo Adegbile to be the head of the Civil Rights Division within the Justice Department. Comment by Erica Johnson: When?
II. As per the U.S. Constitution, the President who is the head of the executive branch, has the power either to sign legislation into law or to veto bills enacted by Congress (Whitehouse.gov, 2021). Comment by Erica Johnson: He has more powers than this.
a. President Roosevelt vetoed 635 bills from congress during his terms in office. Congress managed to successfully override 9 bills only. Comment by Erica Johnson: Theodore or Franklin?
b. President George W. Bush committed US military forces to Iraq and Afghanistan without the Congressional authorization under the Constitution War Clause after the 9/11 terror attack.
c. In 2015, President Barack Obama vetoed a bill authorizing the controversial Keystone XL pipeline (Eilperin & Zezima, 2015)
III. The legislative branch has more power than the executive branch because it can enact legislation and declare war, and it can also confirm or reject many Presidential appointments. Congress can also override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote of both houses. Comment by Erica Johnson: Checks and balances
a. For example, Congress declared war On August 7, 1964, when it passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. The resolution authorized President Lyndon Johnson to take any measures he believed were necessary to retaliate and to promote the maintenance of international peace and security in Southeast Asia (history.state.gov, n.d.). Comment by Erica Johnson: They gave him a lot of power.
b. The above example is interesting because it shows the power of the Llegislative branch over the Eexecutive branch. Before the resolution was made, President Johnson had requested permission from Congress to increase the presence of US military forces in Indochina. The President could not act on his own after two destroyers stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam reported that they had been fired upon by North Vietnamese forces.
c. This example is important to me because it shows how Congress exercises its powers. It also shows how the Llegislative and the Eexecutive branch work together. Comment by Erica Johnson: This does not support your argument above that the legislative is more powerful.
References Comment by Erica Johnson: You must use the course text.
Eilperin J. and Zezima K. (2015, February 24). Obama Vetoes Keystone XL bill. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/02/24/keystone-xl-bill-a-k-a-veto-bait-heads-to-presidents-desk/
The executive branch. (2021, January 17). The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/our-government/the-executive-branch/
The legislative branch. (2021, January 15). The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/our-government/the-legislative-branch
Milestones: 1961–1968. (n.d.). Office of the Historian. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/gulf-of-tonkin