War and the Rogue Presidency

War and the Presidency: Restoring the Republic from Congressional Failure discusses the limited role for the presidency that our nation's founders envisioned and its evolution into an out-of-control imperial position of power. Dr. Eland concludes that the presidency has gained more power through congressional timidity and abdication rather than through presidential overreach. The written Constitution enshrined Congress as the dominant branch of government. Thus, the dangerous imperial presidency is contingent and can be rolled back only with a congressional reawakening. To get Congress to do this, the author suggests ways in which internal congressional incentives can be changed to provide motivation for a legislative pushback. The author also outlines important actions Congress could take in order to reign in executive power as well as structural reforms that might limit the role of the imperial presidency.