Constitutional Basics
Normative ?-- Normative ?-- Hamilton, Fed No. 70. Hamilton, Fed No. 70. Energy in the Executive Energy in the Executive one person officeone person office elected for a fixed termelected for a fixed term national constituencynational constituency Vague formal powers from ConstitutionVague formal powers from Constitution
Evolution of the Presidency
1800-1933 Period of Congressional 1800-1933 Period of Congressional SupremacySupremacy Main federal policies were very Main federal policies were very
individualized or particularisticindividualized or particularistic E.g. -roads or canals, tariffs for particular E.g. -roads or canals, tariffs for particular
industriesindustries President is chief clerkPresident is chief clerk
The Modern Presidency, FDR
PolicyPolicy Wins World War IIWins World War II Ends the Great DepressionEnds the Great Depression Ends economic insecurity with Social SecurityEnds economic insecurity with Social Security Fights for working man (unions, minimum wage)Fights for working man (unions, minimum wage) Fights for farmers (income supports etc)Fights for farmers (income supports etc)
Political RamificationsPolitical Ramifications Increased expectations of presidencyIncreased expectations of presidency Increased staff, resourcesIncreased staff, resources
Consequences of Modern Pres
Chief lawmakerChief lawmaker More uses of unilateral powerMore uses of unilateral power Shift in quality and quantity of attention Shift in quality and quantity of attention
paid to presidentpaid to president http://www.whitehouse.gov/nhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/newsews
What do presidents doWhat do presidents do
Hallmarks of the Modern Presidency Increased Popular Linkage with PublicIncreased Popular Linkage with Public Increased institutional powersIncreased institutional powers
Presidential Approval
Going Public StrategyGoing Public Strategy Gallup Poll since 1948Gallup Poll since 1948
““Do you approve or disapprove of the Do you approve or disapprove of the way ___ is handling his job as president”way ___ is handling his job as president”
Why the Framers would be horrifiedWhy the Framers would be horrified
Public Approval of President
HoneymoonHoneymoon General declineGeneral decline EconomyEconomy Rally events and scandalsRally events and scandals Beyond Presidential ControlBeyond Presidential Control
Bush’s Strategy
How does Bush compare to Clinton?How does Bush compare to Clinton? How successful was Bush in going public How successful was Bush in going public
on tax cuts?on tax cuts?
Does PopularitySuccess?
Clinton’s uneven recordClinton’s uneven record
Truman, “A man who is influenced by the Truman, “A man who is influenced by the polls or is afraid to make decision which polls or is afraid to make decision which may make him unpopular is not a man to may make him unpopular is not a man to represent the welfare of the country”represent the welfare of the country”
Institutional Presidency
Jefferson in 1900 had 2 assistantsJefferson in 1900 had 2 assistants Brownlow CommitteeBrownlow Committee
““The president needs helpThe president needs help”” President not Congress should be in charge President not Congress should be in charge
of executive branchof executive branch
Implications of Instit. Pres
Radical change in system of government?Radical change in system of government? Increased presidential control of policy Increased presidential control of policy
making and centralization of the decision making and centralization of the decision makingmaking
Increases potential for screw upsIncreases potential for screw ups Iran ContraIran Contra
Reduced accountabilityReduced accountability
Ranking Post WW II Presidents
Good/GreatGood/Great TrumanTruman EisenhowerEisenhower JFKJFK
– LBJLBJ– ReaganReagan– ClintonClinton
Bad/FailuresBad/Failures NixonNixon FordFord CarterCarter BushBush
World’s Greatest Clerkship
Neustadt, Presidential Power (Al’s prof)Neustadt, Presidential Power (Al’s prof) power of president do not flow from power of president do not flow from
literary reading of constitutionliterary reading of constitution ““presidential power is power to bargain”presidential power is power to bargain” Decisions are not self executing JFK, Decisions are not self executing JFK,
Cuban Missile CrisisCuban Missile Crisis
Transition from Historical to Modern Presidency Historic PresidencyHistoric Presidency
President is a clerkPresident is a clerk Congress #1Congress #1
Modern PresidencyModern Presidency Increased popular expectationsIncreased popular expectations President #1President #1 No change in formal powersNo change in formal powers
Modern Presidents Response
Have immense staff of political, policy, and Have immense staff of political, policy, and partisan expertspartisan experts Institutional presidencyInstitutional presidency
Devote tremendous time and resources to Devote tremendous time and resources to manipulating public image manipulating public image going publicgoing public Clinton and Oklahoma City bombingClinton and Oklahoma City bombing
Are presidents stronger– YES, but expectations Are presidents stronger– YES, but expectations outstrip capacityoutstrip capacity
Limited formal powers=constant bargaining President canPresident can
Nominate judges, butNominate judges, but Propose trade treaties, butPropose trade treaties, but Propose popular legislation, butPropose popular legislation, but Propose spending less on military golf courses,Propose spending less on military golf courses, Propose executive priviledge for aides, but Propose executive priviledge for aides, but
court court Will Presidents keep their promises?Will Presidents keep their promises?
Constitutional odds are stacked against them!Constitutional odds are stacked against them!
Neustadt- President is the most distinguished office clerk Have limited formal powers, decisions are not self Have limited formal powers, decisions are not self
executingexecuting Gays in the MilitaryGays in the Military
CongressCongressSam Nunn on the submarineSam Nunn on the submarineDon’t ask, don’t tell in budget billDon’t ask, don’t tell in budget bill
C in C of MilitaryC in C of MilitaryCruising chat rooms and gay barsCruising chat rooms and gay bars3 x as many expelled3 x as many expelled
Lessons Learned
Formal powers are minimalFormal powers are minimal Can propose legislation, C in CCan propose legislation, C in C Dependent on other institutions Dependent on other institutions
Informal powers are crucialInformal powers are crucial Presidential power is power to persuadePresidential power is power to persuade Presidents have to bargainPresidents have to bargain
Informal Powers
Professional reputationProfessional reputation Electoral resultsElectoral results Bargaining with legislatorsBargaining with legislators
Personal appealsPersonal appeals The Carrot The Carrot the stick in Alabama!the stick in Alabama!
Truman, Marshall PlanTruman, Marshall Plan
Is a strong president good?
FramersFramers Can a president represent an entire nationCan a president represent an entire nation Woodrow Wilson/Teddy Roosevelt critiqueWoodrow Wilson/Teddy Roosevelt critique
Presidential Power- 2 views
It is not only the president’s "right, but his duty to It is not only the president’s "right, but his duty to do anything that the needs of the nation demanded do anything that the needs of the nation demanded unless such action was forbidden by the Congress." unless such action was forbidden by the Congress." T. RooseveltT. Roosevelt
The president can exercise no power which cannot The president can exercise no power which cannot be fairly and reasonably traced to some specific be fairly and reasonably traced to some specific grant of power .. either in the federal constitution or grant of power .. either in the federal constitution or in an act of Congress. There is no undefined in an act of Congress. There is no undefined residuum of power which he can exercise because it residuum of power which he can exercise because it seems to him to be in the public interest. William seems to him to be in the public interest. William Taft 1916.Taft 1916.
Informal Powers
Professional reputationProfessional reputation Electoral resultsElectoral results BargainingBargaining
Carrot and the stickCarrot and the stick Marshalling public opinion (going public)Marshalling public opinion (going public) Truman, Marshall PlanTruman, Marshall Plan Clinton, Gays in the MilitaryClinton, Gays in the Military
Presidential Power
Empirically, presidential power is Empirically, presidential power is increasingincreasing Increased popular linkagesIncreased popular linkages Increased institutional resourcesIncreased institutional resources
Presidents have incentive and capacity to be Presidents have incentive and capacity to be as powerful as possibleas powerful as possible
Presidential Power- 2 views
It is not only the president’s "right, but his duty to It is not only the president’s "right, but his duty to do anything that the needs of the nation demanded do anything that the needs of the nation demanded unless such action was forbidden by the Congress." unless such action was forbidden by the Congress." T. RooseveltT. Roosevelt
The president can exercise no power which cannot The president can exercise no power which cannot be fairly and reasonably traced to some specific be fairly and reasonably traced to some specific grant of power .. either in the federal constitution or grant of power .. either in the federal constitution or in an act of Congress. There is no undefined in an act of Congress. There is no undefined residuum of power which he can exercise because it residuum of power which he can exercise because it seems to him to be in the public interest. William seems to him to be in the public interest. William Taft 1916.Taft 1916.
Textbook President
Formal powers– president is unconstrainedFormal powers– president is unconstrained Normative- president ought to be powerfulNormative- president ought to be powerful President is activist, has a program, sets President is activist, has a program, sets
agenda, accepts responsibility for what agenda, accepts responsibility for what happens. happens.
Good issue based elections, unified Good issue based elections, unified government government
Normative Question
FDR, JFK, Savior model- 1950s and 60sFDR, JFK, Savior model- 1950s and 60s LBJ, Nixon Satan model, or Imperial LBJ, Nixon Satan model, or Imperial
PresidencyPresidency Ford, Carter Sampson modelFord, Carter Sampson model Reagan– partisan presidencyReagan– partisan presidency