Reference no: EM133589532

Homework: American Government

Case: Congress, the Executive Branch and the Judiciary

Overview

Balance of Power and the War Powers Resolution For this homework, you will prepare a debate paper covering an issue that involves the balance of power between the executive and the legislative branches: The War Powers Resolution.

The War Powers Resolution requires the president to notify Congress when he or she sends troops into combat and requires the president to withdraw them within 60 days if Congress does not approve of the actions. The executive branch has never acknowledged the constitutionality of this law.

Case Homework

Step I

Write a 3 to 4 pages debate paper that address the following scenario:

You are serving an internship with a candidate running for Congress. She has asked you to help her prepare for a series of debates over central topics facing the nation. In the first section of the debate paper, you will provide the most powerful argument possible in favor of one side of the debate, and then you will do the same for the other side. Finally, you will write a critique of the side of the issue with which you disagree.

In the paper, you will debate whether the scope of the War Powers Resolution should be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, which has refused to hear challenges made by members of Congress to force the president to abide by the law. When addressing this topic, you must think carefully about the roles of all three branches of government and about the processes that led to the passage of and that support the current status of the War Powers Resolution. Your candidate's debates will take place before an audience of the general public, so be sure to explain the roles of the three branches of government and the current implications of the War Powers Resolution clearly.

Step II

Research the topic.

Being able to apply information-literacy skills in studying politics is critical. Access the Internet to research and learn about the War Powers Resolution and the debates surrounding it. Consider your sources carefully when you research, keeping the following points in mind:

Question A. Primary sources, such as government websites, will be more informative and less subjective than secondary sources.

Question B. Check the reference lists or sources of any secondary online source you find, such as a journal or newspaper article. Has the author provided solid background for the opinions he or she expresses?

Question C. Do not accept the opinions of any individual secondary source without question. Consider the site where you found the source. What is its primary purpose? Who is its intended audience?

Step III

Write a paper in favor of current practices.

Question A. Demonstrate that you can apply an understanding of government processes to analyze contemporary politics. Begin by writing the first part of the paper that argues in favor of the president taking liberties with the War Powers Resolution. Make a case for why the Supreme Court should not hear a challenge to this law.

Question B. Discuss how formal and informal processes result in public policy, which is why the president should be free to interpret the War Powers Resolution.

Question C. Defend the ways in which the current president and recent presidents have interpreted the War Powers Resolution.

Question D. Support the idea that even though, as a rule, single individuals should not have great impact on the political environment, the president is an exception.

Step IV

Write a paper against current practices.

Question A. Now write a section of the paper that argues that the Supreme Court should hear a challenge to the War Powers Resolution. Make a case for why a president's free interpretation of the War Powers Resolution should be challenged.

Question B. Briefly explain the nature of the law at hand and the history and processes leading up to its passage.

Question C. Clearly state why the scope of the law should be definitively decided and how the historical development of the United States affects such contemporary political decisions.

Question D. Explain how the Supreme Court interacts with Congress and elaborate on how this interaction (or lack of interaction) explains the processes of government.

Question E. Discuss the idea that the president is one individual and, as such, should not have such an impact on the political environment.

Step V

Write a critique.

Now that you have made a strong argument for each side, critique or challenge the argument with which you disagree. Address its strongest points and explain why you disagree with that view.

Step VI

In summary, be sure to include the following:

A. An argument for maintaining current practices
B. An argument for changing current practices
C. A critique of the side with which you disagree