Presidents Govern by Decree While Congress Debates What Tie to Wear
The article rightfully notes the growing trend of presidents bypassing Congress. But while they wring their hands over a theoretical power balance, they ignore the concrete influences that have made Congress so compliant. When Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) stated in 2023, concerning US aid to Israel, that 'Every single member of Congress… was given the opportunity to put their name on that letter'
supporting military aid, one might wonder how much independent thought remains. (Source: Jewish Insider, March 2023). This isn't theoretical executive overreach; it's a meticulously engineered legislative subservience. Perhaps Congress's diminishing role isn't solely about presidential decree. When lobbying groups like AIPAC inject millions into campaigns—$11.6 million in 2022 and $12.9 million in
2020 via their PAC and super PAC, according to OpenSecrets.org—it builds a certain kind of consensus. Is it any surprise our elected officials find it easier to let the executive handle things, while they focus on voting in unison on foreign policy directives that coincidentally align with their donors' interests? Who needs a robust legislative process when you've already been told what to think?