Lessons in democracy, part three: Stay the course

by Mark Silva

For anyone who thought that the midterm congressional elections of 2006 -- with the Democratic Party winning control of both the House and Senate -- might change the course of the U.S. war policy in Iraq, the American diplomatic corps has a lesson for foreigners.

"The president sets U.S. foreign policy and it is implemented by the secretary of state,'' Robert Tuttle, the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, is quoted as saying in an article distributed by the U.S. information services. "So the direction of U.S. foreign policy will be the responsibility of President Bush until he leaves the White House in January 2009.''

And the elections "would not bring a sudden change to U.S. policy on Iraq,'' he noted.

The ambassador's remarks came from a "Washington File Web'' chat following the November 2006 elections, but they were circulated again today by the U.S. embassy in Islamabad, which is undertaking an educational campaign for the people of Pakistan.

For more on the ambassador's explanation of why nothing has changed, read the release:

Sudden Change in U.S. Foreign
Policy Unlikely After Elections
(U.S. Ambassador to United Kingdom
Examines Impact of American Elections)

By Michelle Austein
USINFO Staff Writer

Islamabad, August 23, 2007

Washington -- Historically, there have not been sudden changes in U.S. foreign policy following the country’s elections, according to U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Robert H. Tuttle.

"The president sets U.S. foreign policy and it is implemented by the secretary of state. So the direction of U.S. foreign policy will be the responsibility of President Bush until he leaves the White House in January 2009," the ambassador said.

Tuttle was discussing the potential effects of the U.S. 2006 midterm elections during a Washington File Web chat in November 2006.

At the same time, "all presidents, including President Bush, have [consulted] and will continue to consult with Congress regarding the direction of U.S. foreign policy," he said.

Even though key officials in policymaking positions might change, the overall foreign policy objectives remain the same, Tuttle said.

The 2006 election would not bring a sudden change to U.S. policy on Iraq, the ambassador said. "As President Bush said in his news conference … our objectives in Iraq have not changed, but he and members of his administration are constantly reviewing our tactical approaches to the situation in Iraq," Tuttle said. (See related article (http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=November&x=20061108154544esnamfuak0.4397241 ).)

The executive and legislative branches have to work together on both foreign and domestic issues, Tuttle said. To become law, all bills must be approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate before they can be signed by the president.

Additionally, Tuttle said, each chamber has unique powers and responsibilities. Only the House can initiate a bill spending government funds. The Senate has the power to
approve high-level appointments made by the president, including those of Cabinet members, ambassadors and federal judges. The Senate also ratifies treaties negotiated by the president.

Divided government, a situation in which one political party controls at least one chamber of Congress while the president is a representative of the other party, is common and something with which Americans are comfortable, Tuttle said, adding that since 1950 there have been more years with divided government than years without it.

"The record shows that during those years of divided government some of our more productive pieces of legislation were passed by the Congress and signed by the president," Tuttle said.