Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie wants to restore Congress’s power to declare war.
At Up From Chaos: Conserving American Security, a conference that the American Conservative and American Moment organized, the topic of the Russo-Ukrainian War was at the center of political discussion. This conference took a more restrained view on this conflict and its speakers have largely been critical of the way both parties and the corporate press have tried escalating tensions in this conflict.
Massie, himself, used his speech to make the case for returning to constitutional norms when it comes to the declaration of war. The last time that Congress issued a formal declaration of war was during World War II, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Massie reminded conference attendees of Congress’s traditional war declaration powers, which American Moment’s Twitter account noted:
“Congress has the sole authority to declare war, and this also means to make acts of war.
@RepThomasMassie just now at #UpFromChaos discussing #Ukraine”
“Congress has the sole authority to declare war, and this also means to make acts of war.”@RepThomasMassie just now at #UpFromChaos discussing #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/mVo8q0SHtY
— American Moment (@AmMomentOrg) March 31, 2022
Constitutional norms should be respected because America is a nation of laws. However, for debating the merits of certain foreign policy actions, the most effective arguments will come in the form of realist critiques of interventionism. These arguments demonstrate that most of the interventionist ideas being conjured up by the ruling class harm American interests.
We live in a post-constitutional era and liberty conservative elected officials should adjust their strategies to maximize their efficiency in this new political context.
