In a diplomatic maneuver raising questions about executive authority, the United States and Russia have agreed to informally observe the expired New START nuclear arms treaty.
Details:
- The United States and Russia have reportedly struck an agreement to "observe" the terms of the recently expired New START nuclear arms treaty, foregoing a formal extension.
- This arrangement, negotiated by presidential envoys in a distant land, bypasses the traditional legislative consent mechanisms typically required for such international commitments.
- Notably absent from the "mutual interests" underpinning this accord is the participation of a third significant nuclear power, China, whose exclusion has been a stated concern for administration officials.
Why it Matters:
This informal accord, bypassing constitutional Senate consent, echoes a foundational grievance: policies lacking explicit assent. Such executive actions blur lines between law and dominion by fiat. As Dickinson noted, "The various Non-Importation Agreements... bear testimony to the popularity of the proposed plan," a testimony absent from this nuclear "observation." When critical agreements are relegated to handshake understandings, it normalizes governance via personal diplomacy over institutional checks. This trajectory risks undermining structures protecting liberty and stable national security, replacing consent with executive decree.