The Constitutional priciples of seperation of powers and checks and balances have resulted in frequent power struggles between the legislative and executive branches of government. Discuss the contemporary balance of power between the Congress and the Presidency with respect to both domestic and foreign policy. Do the two branches share power on a relatively equal basis, or are there policy areas in which one branch appears to exert more control.

Question

http://www.constitutioncenter.org/explore/BasicGoverningPrinciples/SeparationofPowersandaSystemofChecksandBalances.shtml

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=&q=congress+and+president

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I think the legislative branch has more control over foreign and domestic policies than the executive branch. I think the legislative branch has more control because the Congress has the authority to rise and support an army and to declare war. I think the Congress also carries out laws but I'm not sure. The President who is the executive branch is Commander in Chief . Am I correct in saying that the legislative branch has more control than the exectuive branch?

Your question asks you to discuss the contemporary balance of power. Although the Constitution states that only Congress can declare war, wars have been fought on the authority of the President, the Commander-in-Chief of the military. When President Bush wanted to invade Iraq, Congress approved going to war if Hussein didn't give up weapons of mass destruction. Although the U.N. inspectors found no such weapons, the President still initiated the war. Because the majority of Congress members are the same party as the President, the Executive Branch has exercised more power in foreign affairs than the Legislative Branch.

I suggest you do some more research on this question. You might want to start with this site.

http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/10/11/iraq.us/