Quote Originally Posted by graymatter
How can an entire U.S. CONGRESS conspire to give LBJ a blank check based on the Gulf of TonkinWar Declared incident/non?
I'll have a go at that...and say...momentum, persuasion, manipulation, and then a really nice one...doing what they believe will secure their seat in an upcoming election.

Have a look at the historical records of every publicly known war/confrontation ever since such things went 'formal'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declara..._United_States

Out of 24 declarations, 5, (Iraq, Afghanistan, Persian Gulf, Mexican American War, and the war of 1812- two of those two centuries ago), received any contention from opposed members of either the House or The Senate.

Food for thought eh.