Essay On Framers

691 Words3 Pages

On September 17th, 1787, a new nation was signed into existence: a nation built upon the promise of liberty, and the fear of authoritarian power. The framer’s of this nation put great care into their plan to limit the executive authority, out of apprehension that this new nation would return to the monarchy that they had just escaped. The United States of America was a nation with high hopes, and with no knowledge of the greatness it would emit, nor of the hardships it would endure. The constitution that the United States Framers created was obsolete by the turn of the 19th century, and had to be consistently amended to contend with the changing times. More than anything else in the government, the role of the executive authority in the United …show more content…

With its rapid expansion, new boundaries had to be established to restore the original balance of powers. With each passing presidential term, the role of Commander in Chief of the nation has evolved. One of the most manifest examples of increased power is the way in which presidents have dominated control of the military. This trend began as early as 1801, when President Thomas Jefferson sent a military fleet to protect U.S. ships from piracy without asking Congress’s approval. This is a congressional bypass that has not been properly dealt with, and continues to occur. In recent years, Obama has ordered thousands of military strikes on ISIS in Iraq and Syria without congressional approval. One could say that Jefferson’s actions in 1801 set a standard for future presidents such as Obama, one of unilateral presidential action. Throughout American history, U.S. presidents have even further bypassed congress, escalating from unauthorized attacks to undeclared wars. Stemming from Truman’s involvement in Korea, presidents began more and more to seek military approval from international organizations, such as NATO and the UN, rather than from Congress. It is stated in Article II, section II of the Constitution that “the President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the Unites States.” However, this command is not a full control of military powers - only