Serious question: Can one co-equal branch of government

[malaise]

summon the other?

[unblock]

1. some branches are more co-equal than others

congress cannot even get the white house to honor subpoenas.


on the other hand, tradition has it, no matter who you are, if the president invites you to the white house, you accept.

[BlooInBloo]

2. What does "can" mean here?

[malaise]

3. Well Bush summoned Congress

so does he have the authority? On the other hand Congress is still waiting for Rove and they do have the authority to summon him.

[Romulox]

4. I don't think the President has any power (other than the bully pulpit,) to "summon" Congress. nt

[onenote]

5. who (other than the media) has said that anyone was summoned?

even chimpy simply said he's "invited" Obama, McCain and the leadership to the WH.

[Romulox]

7. Ummm, it's in the OP. nt

[Pab Sungenis]

10. Yes, he does.

Constitution, Article II Section 3.

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information on the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

It comes from the British tradition of the monarch calling Parliament. This is how FDR got his 100 days plan passed in 1933. The Congress back then didn't meet until much later in the year, so he called them into special session as one of his first acts on March 4.

[onenote]

6. when did bush summon congress?

[malaise]

8. That's what I'm hearing on the greedia n/t

[onenote]

11. like I said. Just because the media characterizes it as chimpy "summoning" Congressional leaders

doesn't mean that's what actually has occurred.

He's invited them. Obviously, from a political standpoint, there would be no sense in turning down the invite, so if that makes it a "summons" I guess its a summons.

[suston96]

9. "Co-equal branches of government"? No such thing. Please find where that phrase comes from.....

Please link to any founding document that defines or styles the three branches of the federal government as "co-equal".