Blog 4 History

Joyce Appleby and Gary Hart have written an interesting article posted on the History News Network this week. In it they argue that we face a constitutional crisis never seen before. In the piece they state that, “Bush has insisted that there can be no limits to the power of the commander-in-chief in time of war.”   Their position, it seems, really is the result of one party holding the House and the Senate, which the Republicans do, as well as the presidency.  Therefore these checks and balances really are negated, but legally and by the vote of the American people. This is more a case of political dominance than some kind of overriding of the constitution. They also say during their argument that “the ‘war on terror’ is more a metaphor than a fact. Terrorism is a method, not an ideology; terrorists are criminals, not warriors.”  Terrorism is indeed a method, but its very existence depends on fanatical ideologies to sustain it. Also, if those who employ those methods do so in a time of war, than they are indeed soldiers and are committing acts of war.  The real issue is whether you believe we are really at war with Islamic fundamentalists or not. You decide.