Non-binding resolutions: a refuge for the spineless

I may be kicking a dead horse by now, here, but I'm kind of annoyed by the Senate's non-binding resolution expressing disapproval for Bush's tactics for occupying Iraq. There are, after all, a number of things that our legislators could do to more effectively express their disapproval:

• Refuse to fund the additional troops. Deployment and combat pay cost more than the base pay our troops receive at home, and not funding those extra expenses would prevent the President from deploying the troops. Of course, this would require that Congress actually pay attention to how the Executive Branch is actually spending the money allocated to it (remember Iran-Contra?), and hold the President responsible for misallocation of funds. After all, the Congress is responsible for deciding how much to spend, and on what. It's no different than a hypothetical President taking money allocated for paying salaries of federal employees and using it to buy a yacht: the Executive Branch does not have the discretion to decide how to use money, but can only request funds for specified purposes from the Legislative Branch. If the President or the Administration decides to use it's own discretion on allocating funds, see the third option below.


• Repeal S.J. Res 23 and H.J. Res 114 from the 107th Congressional Session and replace them with actual and explicit authorization for the Executive Branch to impose a government on and maintain stability in Iraq -- or not. The President cannot carry out acts of war on his own discretion, but must have an explicit declaration of war to initiate such acts. I've said it before, but if S.J. Res 23 and H.J. Res 114 were actual declarations of war, Bush was violating the Constitution by not prosecuting that war in November 2002; if they weren't, he was violating the Constitution by prosecuting a war in March 2003. Even disregarding that, the assumptions made in the texts of the resolutions have all been proven false, requiring a reevaluation of those resolutions. If the President insists on using his discretion for initiating war, see the third option below.


• Debate articles of Impeachment for the abuse of Executive authority by Bush since 2002.

We don't pay Legislators to make themselves or us feel good: we hire them to pass laws that are demonstrably necessary and demonstrably effective in protecting individuals from the consequences of other individuals' actions -- and repeal laws that are no longer valid. Let them get their own blogs if they want to make statements: when Congress is in session, it's members should legislate.