The President vs. Congress: Foreign Policy

Constitutional Powers

Constitutional Powers

1. Negotiates treaties

2. Commander-in-Chief

3. Appoints U.S. Ambassadors

Negotiates treaties

• The President has the power to negotiate treaties with other countries’ leaders

  • Nothing is finalized until the Senate approves it by 2/3rds

Commander-in-Chief

• The President does not need to have military experience; once elected, the president is the commander-in-chief of the military

  • Notify within 48 hours

  • 60 days removal

Appoints U.S. Ambassadors

• The President appoints individuals to represents U.S.

  interest abroad; not official until the Senate approves with 2/3rds

Congress’ Role in Foreign Policy

1. Declare war

2. Raise, organize military, appropriate funds for national security activities

3. Approve treaties

4. Confirm U.S. Ambassadors

Declare War

• Even though the President has the power to send troops

  abroad; he does not have the power to declare war.

• Significance of declaring war? (Group Effort and the public must also agree)

Raise, organize military-appropriate funds for national security activities

• Congress controls the ”purse”

• 48 hours notification (to send soldiers without Congress notice and short term)

• 60 days deadline (war conflict and long term)

Approve treaties

• The President negotiates terms, but must get the Senates approval with 2/3rds vote

Confirm U.S. Ambassadors

• The President appoints but Senate must approve with 2/3rds

• Discretion given to the president

Who Holds Power in Foreign Policy?

• Congress defers foreign and national security policymaking to the President

• Why?

  1. Congress domain is in domestic policies

  2. The President is the first to act, which put Congress a step behind

Congress domain is in domestic policies

1. What have you done for me lately?

2. Reelection concerns

3. Public’s expectations of Congress

The President is the first to act, which puts Congress a step behind

1. Most visible (most public leaders)

2. Public’s perception (leaders have to talk with other leaders)

Foreign Policy Tools

1. Diplomacy

2. Military

3. Economic

Diplomacy

• Utilizing the relationship that countries have with one another; through negotiations/compromises (talking it out)

• Ex: Summit talks, UN meetings, conferences

• If diplomacy fails—> proceed to other tools

Military

• Utilizing the threat of force to influence the actions of other countries

• For peacekeeping, transfer of power, opposition to ethnic cleansing, protection of embassies

• Ex: Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia

• Hypothetical: If diplomacy tool does not work, then military tool will be use

Economic

• Utilizing economic policies to influence the actions of other countries

• Ex: embargos, tariffs, aid to foreign countries, etc.,

• Hypothetical: If the diplomacy tool does not work, then the next tool that will be is economic.

Themes in U.S. Foreign Policy

1. Isolationism

2. Containment

3. Detente

4. Rearmament

5. War on Terrorism

Isolationism

• Def: A foreign policy that states that each country/government should stay away from each others’ affairs

• Monroe Doctrine

  • European countries must stay out of the U.S. ”sphere of influence” ( Latin American countries)

  • Majority of U.S. History

Containment

• Def: A foreign policy that states that the U.S. must contain the Soviet Union (communism) from advancing to other countries

• Peaceful means first (diplomacy tool), but force if

  necessary (military tool)

  • Ex: Vietnam “War”

Detente

• Foreign policy in which the U.S. and the Soviet Union work towards cooperation

• “Agree to disagree” (agree to work together but not the idea and keep friends close but enemy closer”) to keep an eye on the enemy.

• 1970's

Rearmament

• Fear of Soviet Union’s increasing their military power led to U.S. to increase its military spending and advances in weaponry

• 1980's

War on Terrorism

• Terrorism: The use of violence to create fear in a population

• After 9-11, increase security checks at airports; racial profiling

  • Ex: 9-11 attacks, assassination attempts, bombings at embassies, kidnappings, The Boston Marathon