Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review Volume 8 Number 3 Article 2 9-1-1975 Executive Agreements, the Treaty-Making Clause, and Strict Constructionism Lee B. Ackerman Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/llr Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Lee B. Ackerman, Executive Agreements, the Treaty-Making Clause, and Strict Constructionism, 8 Loy. L.A. L. Rev. 587 (1975). Available at: https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/llr/vol8/iss3/2 This Notes and Comments is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Reviews at Digital Commons @ Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School. It has been accepted for inclusion in Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. EXECUTIVE AGREEMENTS, THE TREATY-MAKING CLAUSE, AND STRICT CONSTRUCTIONISM* I It is often the case that the strongest points supporting one's claim can become the very basis for the strongest arguments against it. So it is when the arguments justifying presidential power to enter into executive agreements are examined.1 A "strict construotion" of the Constitution, be it an interpretation either in terms of the intent of the Framers, or a search for the meaning of the words actually employed,2 affords no basis of support for expanded executive prerogatives in the area of foreign relations. The Constitution is explicit in its terms de- lineating the powers assigned to each branch of government, and fidel- ity to those terms, the tenet of "strict constructionism," leads one to doubt, if not reject, the claims made for adaptation through use and practice.3 Leading advocates of expanding presidential power, albeit writing a number of years prior to the new wave of literal interpretation of the Constitution, would no doubt reject -the legal philosophy of an ad- ministration that seemingly implements -the very proposals they de- mand.