General Discussion

SoCalDem

(103,856 posts) Wed Jan 30, 2019, 05:47 AM Jan 2019

Can congress make new laws for the president?

I keep hearing about things the house wants to work on to change "rules & norms" into laws..

But can they even do that?

Personally, I would love to see:

pardons made ONLY for people who have already SERVED a portion of their sentence
and NO pardons for the CURRENT admin people.

Mandatory tax returns made public along with the initial filing paperwork, 10 year minimum

No troops set foot anywhere outside the US without congress' input (except for already in-place bases in non war zones)

No presidential meetings without a note-taker/recording...and a US interpreter whenever one is needed..

a PUBLISHED list of all visitors to the white house.

There are surely more, but....this is a start

7 replies

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Can congress make new laws for the president? (Original Post) SoCalDem Jan 2019 OP

Sure the legislative branch can. H.R. 1, our anti-corruption, Hortensis Jan 2019 #1

restricting pardons would require a constitutional amendment rampartc Jan 2019 #2

And Constitutional amendments are very possible bug a tough slog. This one may not be so tough. nt allgood33 Jan 2019 #3

whoever has the power to pardon, or to wage war, or to keep secrets, or to spend money rampartc Jan 2019 #7

After 9-11 Congress passed a law giving the pres. the power of declaring a national emergency. LastLiberal in PalmSprings Jan 2019 #4

The National Emergency Act was passed in 1976 BumRushDaShow Jan 2019 #5

As long as it is not a Constitutional power HopeAgain Jan 2019 #6

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)

1. Sure the legislative branch can. H.R. 1, our anti-corruption,

Reply to SoCalDem (Original post)

Wed Jan 30, 2019, 06:12 AM

Jan 2019

democracy protection package, was just published, yesterday or day before I think. Don't know about all those things, but for sure tax returns are in there, amaf 10 years' worth. The first article below is pre-publication but explains it in general.

House Democrats officially unveil their first bill in the majority: a sweeping anti-corruption proposal: Democrats will take up voting rights, campaign finance reform, and a lobbying crackdown — all in their first bill of the year.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/11/30/18118158/house-democrats-anti-corruption-bill-hr-1-pelosi

Also from Vox, yesterday: Lobbyists are already mounting an opposition strategy to Democrats’ anti-corruption bill: HR 1 is meant to crack down on money in politics. Conservatives and lobbying groups are calling it a threat to free speech.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/29/18200973/lobbyists-oppose-house-democrats-anti-corruption-bill-hr1

Of course, the Republicans still control the senate. But Democratic control of the house means their passing new legislation that further institutionalizes their power and corruption has been halted. So the Republicans have shifted to fast-tracking institutionalizing corruption through court appointments, which only gaining a Democratic majority in 2020 will stop.

rampartc

(5,435 posts)

2. restricting pardons would require a constitutional amendment

Reply to SoCalDem (Original post)

Wed Jan 30, 2019, 06:24 AM

Jan 2019

but only congress has the power to declare war. the war powers act should be revisited to put a shorter leash on the commander in chief, and the bush era authorizations to use force should be repealed.

elections are administered by the states, who can require tax returns if they wish.

the minutes of meetings and visitors log might be available now, or could be subpoenaed. of course executive privelage might be applied.

in general, partisan support for any of those things probably depends on who lives in the white house.

allgood33

(1,584 posts)

3. And Constitutional amendments are very possible bug a tough slog. This one may not be so tough. nt

Reply to rampartc (Reply #2)

Wed Jan 30, 2019, 06:33 AM

Jan 2019

rampartc

(5,435 posts)

7. whoever has the power to pardon, or to wage war, or to keep secrets, or to spend money

Reply to allgood33 (Reply #3)

Wed Jan 30, 2019, 07:44 AM

Jan 2019

and their party, wants to keep it.

LastLiberal in PalmSprings

(12,595 posts)

4. After 9-11 Congress passed a law giving the pres. the power of declaring a national emergency.

Reply to SoCalDem (Original post)

Wed Jan 30, 2019, 06:49 AM

Jan 2019

If they could get enough votes to override the inevitable veto the law could be modified to state that absent war or natural disaster the president must have congressional approval to declare a national emergency.