Charles Hugh Smith  – The last time the U.S. Congress pushed back against the Imperial Presidency and the over-reach of the nation’s Security Agencies was 43 years ago, in 1975. In response to the criminal over-reach of the Imperial Presidency (Watergate) and to the criminal over-reach of the security agencies (FBI, CIA, et al.), the Church Committee finally resusitated the constitutional powers of the Congress to serve the interests of the citizenry rather than the interests of political elites and the rogue agencies of the federal government.

The erosion of congressional power (or more correctly, the surrender of power by Congress) long pre-dates 9/11. The rise of the Imperial Presidency and the Shadow State of “national security” agencies dates back to World War II. Those interested in tracing this long-term and troubling decline of the constitutional powers of the elected representatives may find value in these two books: The Imperial Presidency (Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.) and Takeover: The Return of the Imperial Presidency and the Subversion of American Democracy Continue reading →