Beyond One Voice

93 Pages Posted: 11 Jun 2013 Last revised: 9 Jun 2015

See all articles by David H. Moore

David H. Moore

Brigham Young University - J. Reuben Clark Law School

Date Written: January 27, 2014

Abstract

The one-voice doctrine, a mainstay of U.S. foreign relations jurisprudence, maintains that in its external relations the United States must be able to speak with one voice. The doctrine has been used to answer critical questions about the foreign affairs powers of the President, Congress, the courts, and U.S. states. Notwithstanding its prominence, the one-voice doctrine has received relatively little sustained attention. This Article offers the first comprehensive assessment of the doctrine. The assessment proves fatal.

Despite broad use and value in certain contexts, the one-voice doctrine is fundamentally flawed. The doctrine not only is used to address divergent questions concerning the allocation of foreign affairs authority, but masks different theories of constitutional interpretation; conflicts with constitutional text, structure, and history; diverges from actual practice; and fails to account for functional reasons why the United States might benefit from more than one voice in foreign affairs. In light of these failings, this Article concludes that it is time to discard the one-voice doctrine. At best, the doctrine might linger in the form of functional arguments that the need for one voice is compelling in particular cases. Unfortunately, even in this stripped down form, the one-voice notion faces steep hurdles as the courts, in contrast to the political branches, lack competence to identify the contexts in which the United States should speak with one voice in foreign affairs.

Keywords: one voice, president, separation of powers, foreign relations law, sole organ, constitutional law

Suggested Citation

Moore, David H., Beyond One Voice (January 27, 2014). 98 Minn. L. Rev. 953 (2014), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2277088

David H. Moore (Contact Author)

Brigham Young University - J. Reuben Clark Law School ( email )

430 JRCB
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602
United States
801-422-8549 (Phone)
801-422-0391 (Fax)

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