Presidents of the United States have since used this or that crisis to try to bypass the normal legislative procedure. Wilson used WWI to do just about anything to circumvent Congress or the Constitution (e.g., "OMG the Krauts are taking over!!!!), and it's happened many times ever since. The National Emergency Act was written, not to GIVE the president powers to declare emergencies, but to define and limit his powers to do so.
So, what constitutes a "real" emergency, one that is "appropriate" to circumvent the normal legislative and legal processes due to some sort of exigency? When is it right for the president to declare an emergency, and when does it amount to a power grab by, or a political convenience for, the president?
Excuse the photo below, I just thought it was terribly appropriate for this discussion.
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