THEY TOLD ME IF I VOTED FOR JOHN MCCAIN, WE’D SEE LAUGHABLE LEGAL HAIRSPLITTING IN DEFENSE OF UNDECLARED AND UNPOPULAR WARS — AND THEY WERE RIGHT! When Is a War Not a War? When President Obama Says So.

Related thoughts from Jonathan Adler. Including this: “Another interesting aspect of this conflict is that, in the past Republicans were the ones to be dismissive of the War Powers Act, often claiming it impermissibly interfered with the executive’s commander-in-chief power. Today, however, some seem all too happy to rely upon the Act if they think it can hamstring a Democratic president, just as some Democrats seem to forget the limits on executive authority they championed under Presidents named Reagan or Bush.”

I prefer to think of it as “heightening the contradictions.” And if President Obama were to defend his actions by arguing that the War Powers Act is unconstitutional, many people might agree with him. But if he’s not willing to do that, then why shouldn’t he have to follow the Act? Fish, or cut bait.

This comment gets to the root of what’s going on: “It sucks that the President may have to pay a political price for declaring war all by himself.”