The United States' Congress is perhaps one of the most powerful legislative Assemblies' in the world.

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ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONGRESS AS A POLICY MAKING BODY

The United States’ Congress is perhaps one of the most powerful legislative Assemblies’ in the world.  It is an “active” assembly, as described by M Mesey, by being wholey independent of the other branches of government through the entrenched separation of powers, has the power to actually make law.  Under the constitution Congress is tasked with a number of responsibilities, these are making legislation, scrutinising the executive, and having control over fiscal matters.

Prior to 1930 Congress was the main policy and law making body in the United States, with the President occupying a more symbolic role as the Founding Fathers had envisaged.  However with the election of the Frank Rosevelt in the 1932 it was Congress which was to adopt a passive role.  In the first hundred days FDR had secured emergency powers cementing his position as truely head of Government, not just head of state, as he pushed through a sweeping programme to save the US from the Depression - clearly the President was not setting the agenda, not Congress.  The strong position of the Executive continued under subsequent President, and Congress became increasingly passive in terms of foreign policy as hysteria over communism griped the nation.  The failure of scrunity was illustrated under Johnson when he sent troops to Vietnam, and Nixion whom waged a secret war in Cambodia, and Thailand.  It was during this time that the term “imperial presidency” was coined in relation to the relative ease to which President’s could carry out US Foreign Affairs.  Congress was also failing at policy making, especially in terms of the changes taking place in the society around it.  It was both the President and Supreme Court which filled the gap, with the Civil Rights Act in 1964 being iniated by President Johnson.

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However the reasons for the declining role of Congress was not just due to the increase in Presidential power, but the obstacles existent in Congress itself.  Firstly the lack of party discipline and organisation in Congress caused for a very pluralistic Assembly in which Congressmen were in reality individuals with individuals aims, interests, and beliefs lacking the direction of party leadership.  This makes the production of legislation far more difficult as there is a like of a coherent agenda, and there is also a lack of unity in order to get legislation passed if such an agenda existed.  Thus ...

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