Section 7: Just how powerful is the president of

the united states?

Section 7: Just how powerful is the president of

the united states?

Presidential “Rules”

• 1. Move it or lose it -

• do everything early in your term

• 2. Avoid details

• keep only a few top priorities, if you try to do too much you get bogged down

• 3. Cabinets don’t get much accomplished, people do

• Give well designed responsibilities to Cabinet members and watch them closely

Why presidential power has grown

• 1. Champions of a stronger presidency have almost always prevailed

• 2. Provides unity - a single, commanding head

• 3. The US has become more industrialized and technological over time, thus people have demanded of it a more central role in life

• 4. The need for extraordinary, decisive action in times of national emergency

• 5. Congress has passed thousands of laws that expand the powers of the national government and delegates authority to the executive branch

• 6. Use of the mass media to attract attention

• 7. A more international world so easier to have one person dealing with other countries

Weak Presidency Arguments

• “Pitiless, helpless giant”

• Carter Arms Limitation with USSR not passed by Congress

• Reagan couldn’t try anti-satellite Arms

• Weak cont.

• Clinton health care plan ignored, House voted to impeach him

• Subordinates can leak info and undercut programs

Strong Presidency Arguments

• Strong Presidency: “Imperial Presidency”

• JFK and LBK - Vietnam without war declaration

• Bush Sr. - Saudi Arabia and First Persian Gulf War

• Strong cont.

• Clinton - Kosovo without war declaration

• GW Bush - Military tribunals and anti-terrorist laws

• Lame Duck Period

• Approval Ratings and mid-term elections

Presidents and their parties, Post WWII

• FDR - D

• Truman - D

• Ike - R

• JFK - D

• LBJ - D

• Nixon - R

• Ford - R

• Carter - D

• Reagan - R

• Bush - R

• Clinton - D

• Bush - R