Before he was an Associate Professor of Government at Armstrong Atlantic State University, William Daugherty was a CIA Officer, one that was a hostage in Iran for 444 days (Washington Post 2006). His 2004 book, Executive Secrets: Covert Action and the Presidency draws on his authority as a former CIA Officer involved in arguably the most infamous American covert action and as an American government professor. The book details the development and execution of covert actions with evaluations, and the Presidency’s aspect of the book deals directly with executive oversight. Daugherty refutes the claims that the CIA is conducting covert actions on its own, assuring that every President since its inception has utilized covert action programs
3) What are the differences between the XYZ Affair, Quasi-War, Alien, and the Sedition Act? The XYZ Affair represents three demands that John Adams made, American government needed to apologize publicly towards the France which stands for the X demand. As for Y, the France had requested a loan from the United States and therefore the United States would have to grant the loan, last for the Z, it represents the Americans would need to pay an amount of two hundred thousand dollars to the French. The Quasi-War is a war between the France and United states in the year of 1797 through 1800.
Through the telling of several oversight investigations in his book Watchdog, Congressman Issa sheds a light on “deep, systemic problems in government. Ones in which he says can only be solved by significant, long-lasting institutional changes, including stronger protections for whistle –blowers, robust congressional investment in oversight, and real autonomy for the independent inspectors general that investigate each executive-branch agency” (Issa p.
In The Broken Branch, Thomas E. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein offer a first hand and well-explained account of what is wrong in the United States Congress today, when and where the government started to let things slip, and how Congress can work to get back on track. Mann and Ornstein begin their book by discussing some of the history, events, and reasoning behind practices of today’s Congress. Not until chapter three in the book do they really get into the root cause of the problems facing Congress in today’s day in age. In chapter three, Mann and Ornestein detail that they began their political careers in Washington D.C. in 1969, at the peak of the dissatisfaction that citizens were feeling over the Vietnam War (47). The duo conveys that the
We have fierce debates today concerning war tactics, drone strikes on Americans, torture, military tribunals, citizens’ rights during wartime, and how to reconcile the needs of the national defense with liberty and self-rule. Does the president have a constitutional power to torture foreign enemy combatants? Overrule Congress on war tactics? Deny formal trials to enemies?
In 1954, McCarthy turned his attention from the federal government towards exposing the supposed communist infiltration of the armed services. McCarthy launched his “Army-McCarthy Hearings,” but these hearings were different, they were broadcast on national television from April to June. Hearing after hearing, McCarthy invulnerability reputation began to disappear. First, the army services had undermined the Senators credibility by “showing evidence that [McCarthy] had tried to win preferential treatment for his aides when they were drafted” (“Army-McCarthy Hearings”). Then, the public came to notice that McCarthy used aggressive measure to interrogate witnesses, especially when he was interrogating a young Army Lawyer.
Robespierre led the French Revolution known as “The Reign of Terror”. The new government would execute large numbers of individuals whom they believed to be enemies of the revolution. So, the Reign of Terror was unjustified, for it not only violated the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen in multiple cases, specifically articles two and ten, but also caused the death of thousands. Although the Committee of Public Safety had good intentions, it ended up doing more harm than good as they invaded people’s lives and disregarded their rights as human beings.
Oliver Wendell Holmes once wrote, “The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsly shouting in a theatre and causing panic.” Similarly, the Supreme Court’s ruling to arrest Schenck was wrong, and a U.S. citizen should be allowed to protest a war or draft in times of war. Specifically, the Espionage Act violated the first Amendment, Charles Schenck, whom was arrested after violating the Act, was indicting no violence, and the Act violated the 13th Amendment. First, citizens in the U.S. being allowed to protest wars or drafts specifically shines through since the Espionage Act violates the 13th Amendment.
Fear is a dangerous tool, for it can be used in countless ways and for numerous objectives. Politics of fear is the concept that people may incite fear in the general public to achieve political or workplace goals through emotional bias. Two examples of politics of fear being used in the past to “convince” people to do something are the witch trials in Salem and the McCarthy hearings. While far apart in time, they are extremely similar in idea and process, both had an end goal of getting their respective “defendants” to incriminate themselves.
In this situation, the executive privilege merely served as the amulet of the president to cover up his personal interest toward reelection, moreover, the investigation has been disrupted many times during the process and led to protest from many justice officials toward Nixon. It is clear that without supervision and regulation, the executive privilege did not serve its true purpose to protect the country and became a super untouchable protection for the president. Although after the protest, Nixon turned over some of the tapes rather than all of them, but the issue on properly use of executive privilege remains the
Being a citizen of America in 1917 was a difficult role when your country is on the brink of joining the first world war. The leaders of America had to be careful and precise to accomplish victory. If they had let any little obstacle slip, it could have cost them their triumph, followed by millions more lost lives. That is why Charles Schenck should have been convicted.
Aaron Burr: Conspiracy to Treason by Buckner F. Melton Jr. tells the story of politician Aaron Burr, his hostile relationship with Federalist Alexander Hamilton, and his plan for treason in the United States. In Aaron Burr: Conspiracy to Treason, Burr is a politician, soldier, and lawyer who is an enemy of beloved Alexander Hamilton and becomes hated among many. Burr begins his political life as a soldier under George Washington. Sometime after this, he begins to learn about law and becomes an excellent politician and lawyer with wit beyond his competition.
The Espionage Act of 1917 was strictly enforced, prohibiting interference with recruiting or enlistment into the military and ended with a punishment if the act was violated. In 1919, Charles Schenck, a general secretary of the socialist party, made pamphlets that were distributed to men who had been drafted into the armed forces. Schenck was charged with conspiracy that violated the Espionage Act of 1917. He made an argument that the Conscription Act violated the 13th Amendment of the US constitution, which was the amendment that made slavery unconstitutional.
Without the Teapot Dome Scandal, not as many Americans would have changed their ideals in Government, leading to far fewer Americans’ views matching
Congressional oversight is a process developed by Congress to review, monitor, and supervise federal agencies, programs, activities, and policy implementation. The Appropriations and legislative committees is one method of congressional oversight. The Appropriations Committee has power over an agency’s budget and the legislative committees approve an agency’s spending.
