Indeed, the presidential and judicial misconduct so rampant in recent years would have been impossible if Congress asserted its authority. And we also have a supine legislature ultimately responsible for these usurpations. They are all contingent upon congressional countenance, tacit or otherwise. Neither of the other two branches can touch a member of the Congress. Of course, it s ludicrous to suggest that Congress invoke its mandate and restore the rule of law.
Congressional dereliction entails more than ethical poverty, however.
In executive war-making, the upshot is thousands of deaths, fractured families, and trauma transcending human comprehension. To paraphrase Richard Weaver, negligence has consequences. More than bogus, it serves to legitimate lawless conduct. It instills the belief that the federal government is not hierarchical but horizontal, and therefore Congress has no right to crack down on rogue peers.