Constitutional Dysfunction on Trial

Jasmine Farrier

Description

In an original assessment of all three branches, Jasmine Farrier reveals a new way in which the American federal system is broken. Turning away from the partisan narratives of everyday politics, Constitutional Dysfunction on Trial diagnoses the deeper and bipartisan nature of imbalance of power that undermines public deliberation and accountability, especially on war powers. By focusing on the lawsuits brought by Congressional members that challenge presidential unilateralism, Farrier provides a new diagnostic lens on the permanent institutional problems that have undermined the separation of powers system in the last five decades, across a diverse array of partisan and policy landscapes.As each chapter demonstrates, member lawsuits are an outlet for frustrated members of both parties who cannot get their House and Senate colleagues to confront overweening presidential action through normal legislative processes. But these lawsuits often backfire - leaving Congress as an institution even more disadvantaged. Jasmine Farrier argues these suits are more symptoms of constitutional dysfunction than the cure. Constitutional Dysfunction on Trial shows federal judges will not and cannot restore the separation of powers system alone. Fifty years of congressional atrophy cannot be reversed in court.

Sujets

• USA
• Central
• États-Unis
• Constitution

Informations

• Publié par: Cornell University Press
• Date de parution: 15 décembre 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781501744464
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

CONSTITUTIONAL DYSFUNCTION ON TRIAL

CONSTITUTIONAL DYSFUNCTION ON TRIAL Congressional Lawsuits and the Separation of Powers

JàsMiNE FàRRiER

CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS ITHACA AND LONDON

Copyright © 2019 by Cornell University

All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850. Visit our website at cornellpress.cornell.edu.

First published 2019 by Cornell University Press

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Names: Farrier, Jasmine, 1970– author. Title: Constitutional dysfunction on trial : Congressional lawsuits and the  separation of powers / Jasmine Farrier. Description: Ithaca [New York] : Cornell University Press, 2019. | Includes  bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2019015732 (print) | LCCN 2019018379 (ebook) |  ISBN 9781501744464 (pdf) | ISBN 9781501744471 (epub/mobi) |  ISBN 9781501702501 | ISBN 9781501702501 (cloth ; alk. paper) |  ISBN 9781501747106 (pbk. ; alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: Separation of powers—United States—Cases. | Executive  Power—United States—Cases. | Legislative power—United States—Cases. |  Judicial power—United States—Cases. | Executivelegislative Relations—United  States. | Political questions and judicial power—United States. Classification: LCC KF4565 (ebook) | LCC KF4565 .F37 2019 (print) |  DDC 342.73/044—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019015732

To Bonnie, Tovah, and Talia

Contents

Introduction: Systemic Constitutional Dysfunction

Par t 1 WAR POWERS 1. War Is Justiciable, Until It Isn’t 2.  Suing to Save the War Powers Resolution

Par t 2 LEGISLATIVE PROCESSES 3.  Legislative Processes Are Constitutional Questions 4.  Courts Cannot Unknot Congress

Par t 3 MORE EXECUTIVE UNILATERALISM 5.  Silence Is Consent for the Modern Presidency 6.  So Sue Him

Conclusion: Lawful but Awful

Acknowledgments Notes References Index

vii

1

17

37

55

74

97

117

140

147 149 173 181

CONSTITUTIONAL DYSFUNCTION ON TRIAL