US Congress Role - Case Study Example

The Role of the US Congress in Decision Making INTRODUCTION The landscape of the political system has changed in this present day context as compared to the earlier years, which is creating a diverse edge within the social dimension for meeting the needs of social progression. It must be mentioned in this regard that the tool of decision making has been playing a pivotal role for developing the overall effectiveness of the existing political system and creating an adversity for complying with the needs of sustainability relating to any institution (Petersen 1-10). In relation to the above stated context, the US Congress is regarded as one of the sole decision makers who are operating within the government system for increasing the effectiveness of the same and developing the transparency level that is associated with the needs of running government institutions efficiently. This congressional attribute is reckoned to be developing the diverse and complex business scenarios for developing the judicial system as well as the other regulatory needs that are found to be associated with the same (Lindsay 607-628). With the change in the social constraints over the previous few years, there has been a huge change within the operations that are creating diverse edge within the communal system. The changing times have been influencing to face several challenges within the social system for maintaining strategic development and ensuring that the effectiveness of such system could be ensured. Congressional decision making is identified to be deviating over the years based on strategic management of the social system (Namba 1-30). This could even be identified that the roles played by the Congress within the political system have been broadly divided with the motive to develop a proper system of governance. However, with the changes witnessed in the social system and political scenarios existing within the global domain, there have been major shifts in the roles that are conducted by the US Congress. Thus, there is a need for altering the traditional rules as well as the regulations that are associated with the decision-making procedure for developing the overall attributes associated with smooth operations of the legislative system (Namba 1-30). THESIS STATEMENT The term paper intends to elaborate the diverse roles of the US Congress towards developing the legislative system, which is associated with the political scenarios. By making strategic arguments and extracting out the evidences from varied case studies and other literary sources, the term paper made an attempt to develop an in- depth analysis of the roles that have been played by the US congress for decision making in case of wars and foreign policies among others. ROLE OF THE US CONGRESS IN POLITICAL DECISION MAKING Influence of the Interest Groups. The influence of the focus groups is identified to impose substantial level of impact on the overall development of the societies. Like all other democratic nations, the politicians who are playing a pivotal role in developing the systems of legislation and decision making emphasize meeting the needs of the people so that they can reap political advantages. It is to be affirmed in this regard that taking correct decisions and planning appropriate policy outcomes have been one of the complex decision making strategies for the US Congress. These strategies certainly developed the diverse attributes and also raised the level of complexes that are prominent within the domain of planning for making democratic decisions (Namba 1-30). With the motive of gaining votes among the members of the society and developing the transparency level of the same, the people who are associated with the congressional decision making intended to focus on effective management of the societal system. Considerably, the federal system of governance is identified to possess huge level of variety and diversity amid the existing system. This is further influencing the decision-making approaches of the people who are associated with developing the overall legal system (Smith 89-91). Moreover, the organizations that are associated with legislative decision making have been attaining superior competitive advantage and maintaining politically advantageous positions based on diverse management of the events (Smith 89-91). Based on the complex needs of the voters and to remain in an advantageous position, the political parties need to follow certain effective policies and ensure that these policies are effectively being implemented for deriving positive outcomes. Rather, it is even noted that in the foresight of developing an advantageous political position, the companies will ensure that their respective strategic progressions could be initiated. Development of legislative progression within the social system is identified to develop the overall effectiveness similar to that observed within the system. This hindering approach is noted to be prevailing within the political system since the initial era of the advent of democratic system of polling (Namba 12-40). Based on the objectives of attaining competitive advantage and meeting the needs of the voters, the US Congress developed certain policies with regards to provide appropriate decisions that will serve as beneficial for the society. This strategic backlog has been creating an adversity amid the decision makers towards affecting the effectiveness of the policies (Namba 18-40). The stated reforms eventually impose enormous impact on the social progressions and have been developing the overall attributes that are associated with the political system. The lobbying systems have been evident within the domain of the existing political framework and it is noted to be developing the strategic measures that are associated with the need of ensuring greater level of social development. This might raise greater level of complications about the roles of the congress and the area wherein it could successfully make effective decisions (Smith 89-102). According to Smith, the conflicting needs of social progression are recognized to be creating a diverse edge on the social and the political decision making that are associated with the needs of framing policies for making the political system more effective and transparent (89-92). Correspondingly to the above stated facts, there have been a huge amount of deviations that are associated with the concepts of planning and development of the ideas, proving beneficial for the parties to gain prominence within the global plethora. The development of diverse programs is identified to be illustrated based on the effective management of the system, which would facilitate its progression and increase the reliance on the ruling parties (Lindsay 607-628). Decision Making Roles. The decision making roles are ascertained to be aligned with the diverse needs of progression that are identifiable within the domain of managing such needs and developing the overall attributes being associated with maintaining political excellence. According to the CRS report, it is evident that the overall political decision making of the US Congress has a greater level of influence on the decision-making procedure regarding the policies that are being framed by the parties (1-10). With the concepts of political system, the social progression that is associated with the democratic system has been noted to be interest party centric, affecting the needs of the people (Kronlund 1-25). Over the years, there has been a conflicting tendency among the US Congress and the President of the nation in relation to make sustainable decisions within the domain of political as well as social system. This is expected to act as a significant blockage for both the parties to develop strategic measures and ensure sustainable development within the political system. With the corresponding development of such system, it followed the principles associated with the separation of powers within the system. Based on certain limitations that are evident within the political system due to imbalanced and unrealistic policies and planning, the decision making roles and the effectiveness of the same was noted to be creating an impact on the operations made within the US (Kronlund 1-25). Moreover, it is also observed that the US Congress largely developed its decision-making procedure based on receiving the consensus of the people through votes or polling system. This eventually delayed the process and even affected the speedy decision- making procedure. Correspondingly, the democratic system of voting has been making the prevailing social system as much complex, which incorporates complicated dimension of services that are identified to illustrate the diverse needs of decision making associated with the US Congress (Kronlund 1-25). Distribution of Power. The factor concerning distribution of power is regarded as one of the crucial instances, which is developing the effectiveness of the overall political system and making diverse management of the existing political scenario. Identifiably, with the strategic incorporation of different techniques in decision making process, a commendable progression could be assured within the traditional dimension associated with the ability of the US Congress towards redesigning foreign policies (Kronlund 1-20). The distribution of power is prominent and is largely segregated amid the federal as well as the state system, which results into enhancing the effectiveness of decision-making procedure within the complex political scenario. There are several principles that have been guiding the different pragmatic approaches attached with the needs of the system about progressive development of decision making within the social domain (Namba 1-10). The overall decision making of the US Congress with regards to foreign policy is reckoned to create a diverse edge within the domain of social progression (Centre of Congress, “The Role of Congress in Foreign Policy”). These strategic needs are developing the overall effectiveness of the political system. This could even be noted that the overall needs of management of services are advancing the diverse attributes of the political system and increasing the effectiveness of the decision making that is evident within the same. However, this constriction within the needs of management is eventually creating a blockage within the progressive attributes that are associated with the needs of making effective decisions relating to the procedure of making effective planning (Carter and Scott, 36-40). The review of different cases that are available within the political system makes it evident that the US Congress has a very limited peripheral of operations that gained momentum from the constitutional framework existent within the US parliamentary system. It can be apparently observed in this similar concern that the overall decision making power in terms of redesigning foreign policies remains secluded only in the hands of the President. The executive decision making system has been noted to be creating a diverse edge within the political scenario. The strategic integration within the social system is intended to develop the overall effectiveness of the political system and is likely to create diversity for developing a proper plan for meeting the needs of transparency within the program. The US Congress is noted to possess limited idea about the existing operational processes for which, the overall decision-making procedure and fulfilling the needs of the social system got hampered immensely (Kronlund 1-25). Over the previous years, several historical evidences made it clear that the existing system of the political framework is affecting the decision- making procedure of the US Congress within the social system. The issues that cropped up during the years of war and other foreign policies eventually created a troublesome situation for managing the social dimension within the complex business scenarios. This could be noted that the limited power within the hands of the US Congress certainly created a diverse edge within the social system and also strategically affected the smooth operations of the system that is persistent within the existing political domain. The decision making power of the US Congress has been secluded to the needs of the advisory powers, instead of providing them with the full freedom of making effective decisions. Rather the secluded system of the government even restricts the system for creating a diverse edge within the existing social system. This affected the transparency level, which is being associated with the persistent political system and further created complexities within the dimension of decision making for the betterment of the society (Elsea and Weed 1-20). Decision Making Role Relating to Foreign Policy. Decision making pertaining to foreign policies is associated with acquiring a brief idea about such policies and the frameworks that outline the political scenarios of a nation. In this context, it is worth mentioning that decision making on foreign policy has always been considered as a combination of executive actions, however, the dominance of foreign policies and the involvement of the US Congress in decision making for the same seems to be a problematic issue. During the Post Second World War, the political tensions were witnessed to rise considerably because of ineffective decisions made on foreign policies by the US Congress. One of the prominent reasons behind the emergence of such tensions is the transfer of powers to the hands of the US President, which signifies the shift of decision-making authority from the US Congress to other regulatory body. Identifiably, in order to limit the restrictions and also the differences associated with decision-making, the US Congress has adopted considerable steps towards ensuring an equal participation in the decisions associated with foreign policies. Decision-making in relation to legislative acts has certainly supported the aforementioned findings. Considering the increased number of difficulties associated with decision-making concerning war and foreign policies, the President of the US recently took substantial steps in ensuring the participation of the US Congress in the decision-making procedure relating to the matters of war and foreign policies. In this scenario, the President of the US has sought the assistance of Congress in taking pertinent decisions on counterterrorism and further inquired for forwarding funds for gaining military support operating in Western nations (Kronlund 8-16). With regards to the above stated context, it can be ascertained that an important reason behind the transfer of decision–making regarding foreign policy and war is the increasing flexibility witnessed in the US constitution. In this regard, the US constitution allows high level of flexibility in operations and favors Presidential powers over the powers of the state. Moreover, the US constitution has enabled the US President to take pertinent decisions on declaration of war within and outside the territorial boundaries of the nation. Hence, to cope with the scenario and hold back its constitutional powers, the US Congress played the role of getting involved in formulating several Acts, one being the National Emergencies Act of 1976. In relation to war, the Acts failed to ensure the success of the US Congress, as the body required the US President to make effective decisions and likewise enact powers only in case of national emergency. Furthermore, the President had to serve a timeline of 60 days, prior to involving armed forces in the wars. Although the Acts were established, however, these were unable to ensure that the decision-making powers are being shared within the US Congress, since the decisions pertaining of war and policy making were restricted to the hands of executive powers, such as the US President (Carter and Scott 50-60). After the September 2001 attack in the US, spokespersons belonging to the respective government of the nation came up with the suggestion that there is a need to popularize the roles of the US Congress in decision-making. Moreover, emphasis was laid on the fact that a number of presidential powers required to be shifted from the hands of the US President to the hands of the US Congress, since spending and decisions pertaining to foreign assistance and defense mechanism witnessed high growth rate. However, in actuality, the decision-making powers of the US Congress on war and foreign policies were limited to play the role of an ‘advisor’, rather than acting as a decision-making authority. On the contrary, the executive decision-making authority in the US i.e. the President, took pertinent steps towards ensuring that the US Congress actively participated in the decision-making procedure, such as in the case of US war against Syria in 2013. Earlier in 1960’s, the US Congress was associated with decision-making and declaring war, however, by the end of 2010, the powers were restricted to the US President. Although the US President remained actively involved in the decision-making procedure of the US Congress with regards to decisions made on war and policy structuring, this has not ensured the liberty of the US Congress in strengthening its decision-making procedure. Moreover, there is a need to consider the fact that the US. Congress was actively involved in decision making pertaining to declaration of war, however, with the fall in the responsibilities and command shifting over to the US President, its relevance diminished by a considerable level (Elsea and Weed 70-95). The prime decision-making authority associated with taking decisions on war and foreign policy shifted to the hands of the US President, which raised the opportunity to seek authorization from the US Congress, rather than certifying its participation in the decision-making procedure. Notably, the US President utilized the opportunity of seeking authorization from the US Congress and sanctioned the decisions associated with declaring war and determination of the best available opportunity under situations that require high level of involvement by central authorities. It can be argued in this regard that although the US Congress has not involved itself in the decision-making procedure since the very beginning of 1940’s, the roles of the US Congress in decision-making cannot be considered as negligible. Moreover, it is witnessed that the US Congress has always been actively involved in decision-making, owing to its power to retain authorization and claims associated with funding of armed forces during situations involving war. Additionally, to ensure that the decisions pertaining to war and foreign policy are determined with due consideration to the present and future events, there is a need to ensure that exists an active participation of the US Congress in the same (Weed 85). Strategic Implications. The overall strategic implications are ascertained to develop the overall attributes that are attached with the traditional political system that results into enhancing the overall management associated with the process. Correspondingly, this is identified to create a diverse edge within the system and also the social domain. The biased approaches of the political system are also witnessed to generate a diverse edge within the needs of social domain impacting on the overall political decision-making procedure at large (Grimmet “Foreign Policy Roles of the President and Congress”). The stagnation of decision making has been creating an adverse impact on effective performances that are associated with the system and further developing the effectiveness of the same. The strategic progression that is identifiable within the system is noted to create a diverse edge within the social system and affecting the smooth flow of operations (Grimmet “Foreign Policy Roles of the President and Congress”). The executive decision makers are developing the diverse and complex domain based on effective management of the political system. These executive decision makers are expected to reap several significant benefits within the social system (Grimmet “Foreign Policy Roles of the President and Congress”). With the elegance of decision-making procedure, the political decision makers are facing discretionary downturn to meet the complex needs of the system and likewise comply with the respective preferences as well as the choices of the state as well as the federal system. Unlikely to the President and the executive body, the statutory powers are less invincible to meet the needs that are associated with the system for developing a consensus (Elsea and Weed 1-20). The overall impact of decision making by the US Congress on the social system is noted to be creating a different sustainable edge within the complex dimensions of the political arena. It must be mentioned in this regard that the US congress needs to adopt certain level of discretionary measures for developing the overall social domain that is evident within the system. This could be even noted to be a strategic edge that has been creating a certain level of complex situation towards maintaining the overall social system and political needs for maintaining the transparency that is associated with the same (Elsea and Weed 1-20). The strategic implications with regards to the above stated context can be better understood by acquiring a brief idea about the prevailing complex situations, if any that can be associated with the system identified to be affecting the operations of the society within the complex social domain. This particular aspect is expected to be secluding the decision making ability of the people with mere receiving consensus form the entire procedures of the voting system. This aspect is further identified to be limiting the needs of the decision-making procedure of the US Congress within the social domain and most crucially preventing it to take decisions in a quick and proper manner (Grimmet “Foreign Policy Roles of the President and Congress”). Correspondingly, the US Congress could only apprehend or take a decision against the executive system for developing the sustainability based on successful management of diverse range of complications. The congressional oversight reflects on the fact that the overall progression of the system is identified to be creating a complex domain for successful alignment of the processes that are attached with the needs of providing elegant decisions. However, as per the provided resolutions, the US Congress holds the power to oppose and cancel the provided scenarios for meeting the needs of the social system and likewise develop the effectiveness of the existing system. In this similar context, the Congress can develop a consensus from gaining support of the people and elected personnel of the political houses and making string containment against the issues or the memorandum that have already being passed (Centre of Congress “The Role of Congress in Foreign Policy”). This facilitates the US Congress to mark a strong position within the domain of political system and help in developing strategic role for the development of the society. The US Congress has also certain limitations that created a blockage within the social system and affected the need for developing transparency in such system, which is existent within the nation. It is projected that the overall progression and strategic integration will help in developing a proper system of governance and also increasing the effectiveness of the existing political system to meet the needs of the complexities that are imposed by the changing dimensions of the society. Thus, it can be inferred that the seclusion of the US Congress towards performing advisory roles within the social dimension is identified to develop the social system with the belief of maintaining a transparent decision-making procedure (Centre of Congress “The Role of Congress in Foreign Policy”). CONCLUSION The overall setting of social system that is prevalent within the US is identified to generate varied complex scenarios. This can be strategically reflected from the fact that the US Congress holds the power to oppose the overall system of governance that is prevalent at the state as well as the federal level. However, it must be mentioned that the regulatory body i.e. the US Congress hardly holds the power to take effective decisions within the system. With this concern, it can be ascertained that the strategic progression attached within the domain of the prevailing political scenarios is creating several deviations that could be reasserted within the social system. For developing a standard policy, there has been a huge amount of integration that is apparent within the system for creating transparent decisions, which can prove to be beneficial in safeguarding the needs of the employees as well as others. This could even be noted from the review of various historic evidences that have been evident over the years, wherein different parties and social systems were apparent to create a diverse edge for the political system. On a positive note, it can be inferred that strategic developments had affected the social domain and certainly increased the effectiveness that is associated with the same. Correspondingly, this can be noted to develop the overall decision-making procedure for meeting the diverse needs of the social system and likewise attaining competitive advantage within the political system. Thus, it can be concluded that the sustainable domain has been creating a diverse edge within the social constraints for developing the overall effectiveness of the political system. This certainly generated a diverse edge within the social domain with affecting the needs of such system for meeting the complex needs that are associated with political decision making and complex dimensions of social development. Works Cited “The Role of Congress in Foreign Policy.” Center of Congress. Home, 1998. Web. 5 Jun, 2015. Carter, Ralph G. and James M. Scott. “Taking the Lead: Congressional Foreign Policy Entrepreneurs in U.S. Foreign Policy.” Politics & Policy 32.1 (2004): 35-71. Print. Elsea, Jennifer K. and Matthew C. Weed. “Declarations of War and Authorizations for the Use of Military Force: Historical Background and Legal Implications.” CRS Report (2014): 1-107. Print. Grimmet, Richard F. “Foreign Policy Roles of the President and Congress.” U.S. State Department, 1999. Web. 6 Jun, 2015. Kronlund, Anna. “The U.S. Congress and Decision-Making On War.” The Finnish Institute of International Affairs (2015): 1-35. Print. Lindsay, James M. “Congress and Foreign Policy: Why the Hill Matters.” Political Science Quarterly 107.4. (1993): 607-628. Print. Martin, Andrew D. “Congressional Decision Making and the Separation of Powers.” American Political Science Review 95.2 (2001):361-378. Print. Namba, Nicholas. “USA Elections in Brief.” U.S. Department of State (2012): 1-92. Print. Petersen, R. Eric. “Roles and Duties of a Member of Congress: Brief Overview.” Congressional Research Service (2012): 1-10. Print. Smith, Richard A. “Interest Group Influence in the U. S. Congress.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 20.1 (1995): 89-139. Print. Weed, Matthew C. “The War Powers Resolution: Concepts and Practice.” CRS Report (2015):1-94. Print. Read More