70 former U.S. senators: The Senate is failing to
perform its constitutional duties
The letter from a bipartisan group of ex-senators notes:
“Examples of Congress ceding its powers to the
executive through the years include the power to regulate international trade,
the power to authorize the use of military force in foreign conflicts and, when
the president declares national emergencies, the power of the purse. In
addition, the partisan gridlock that is all too routine in recent decades has
led the executive branch to effectively “legislate” on its own terms through
executive order and administrative regulation. The Senate’s abdication of its legislative
and oversight responsibilities erodes the checks and balances of the separate
powers that are designed to protect the liberties on which our democracy
depends”.