Since the beginning of our country's history, the separation of powers has been a hallmark of our system. It can be frustrating at times, and result in progress coming in fits and starts, dotted among long passages of inaction and gridlock. The very nature of it, though, is to prevent one branch from usurping the powers of the others. It's always galling, though, when one branch tries to sidestep others.
All the way back to President Washington, the Executive branch has managed our relationships with foreign powers. The Secretary of State is one of the longest-existing, powerful, and venerated positions in the Executive branch, and 4th in line in succession to the presidency. It's an important job, and requires tact, diplomacy, and a deep knowledge of foreign cultures and political situations.
Republicans in Congress, however, think they know better. Despite their inability to even agree on a Department of Homeland Security funding bill, they feel that inviting a foreign head of state to speak to them about negotiations that our SOS is actively working on will somehow improve the situation. This is shoving a bull into the operating room while a doctor is performing open-heart surgery.
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