Reply #10: The issue was whether Washington had the right to [View All]

[JDPriestly]

move the Congress out of D.C. due to the yellow fever epidemic. Alexander Hamilton's answer was that he did. Congress, I believe, then agreed that he could set the time and place of the session of Congress.

The government also found itself changed, both on the state and national level. Because many thought it was unconstitutional to meet outside of Philadelphia (this based on the fear of a future autocratic president, like the king of France at Versailles), the Congress didn't meet in the time of the plague, when its nation needed it the most. To avoid any future problems, congress granted the president the power to move a meeting in a time of grave danger and threat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Fever_Epidemic_of_1793

In addition

On 27 occasions, presidents have called both houses into session to deal with a crisis. The most recent of these special sessions -- and the first one since 1856 -- met at the behest of President Harry S. Truman on this day in 1948.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0707/5104.html

Joint sessions of Congress - with both houses present - occur when the president gives his State of the Union address or otherwise appears before Congress. They are also held to conduct formal business or to count electoral college votes in a presidential election.

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/congsessions.htm

Obama is within his rights in convening a joint session of Congress at a time and place of his choice. Of course, he cannot be unreasonable about it, but he is not being unreasonable. Congress is full of Tea-Party crazies. If it weren't Obama would not have to convene the joint session.