The Presidency on TrialThe Presidency on Trial

Assessing the Limits of Assessing the Limits of Presidential PowerPresidential Power

"Just so you know, we're "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the ashamed the President of the

United States is from United States is from Texas."Texas."

~Natalie Maines, lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, at a concert in London (March 10, 2003)

"Just so you know, we're "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the ashamed the President of the

United States is from United States is from Texas."Texas."

~Natalie Maines, lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, at a concert in London (March 10, 2003)

The Dixie Chicks in concert, 2003 President Bush delivering the State of the Union Address, 2003

Not Ready to Make NiceNot Ready to Make NiceRecorded by the Dixie Chicks, 2006Recorded by the Dixie Chicks, 2006

Forgive, sounds good.Forget, I'm not sure I

could.They say time heals

everything,But I'm still waiting

I'm through, with doubt,There's nothing left for

me to figure out,I've paid a price, and I'll

keep paying

I'm not ready to make nice,I'm not ready to back down,I'm still mad as ****And I don't have timeTo go round and round and

roundIt's too late to make it rightI probably wouldn't if I couldCause I'm mad as ****Can't bring myself to do what

it isYou think I should

I know you saidWhy can't you just get

over it,It turned my whole world

aroundand I kind of like it

I made my bed, and I sleep like a baby,

With no regrets and I don't mind saying,

It's a sad sad storyThat a mother will teach

her daughter

that she ought to hate a perfect stranger.

And how in the worldCan the words that I saidSend somebody so over the

edgeThat they'd write me a letterSaying that I better shut up

and singOr my life will be over

I'm not ready to make nice,

I'm not ready to back down,

I'm still mad as ****And I don't have timeTo go round and

round and round

It's too late to make it right

I probably wouldn't if I could

Cause I'm mad as ****

Can't bring myself to do what it is

You think I should

(Repeat)

Forgive, sounds good.Forget, I'm not sure I could.

They say time heals everything,But I'm still waiting

The Dixie Chicks & The Dixie Chicks & George W. BushGeorge W. Bush

Questions for Questions for DiscussionDiscussion

The Dixie Chicks & The Dixie Chicks & George W. BushGeorge W. Bush

Questions for Questions for DiscussionDiscussion

What do you think this song is about i.e. what’s going on?

What do you think is the overall message of the songwriter?

What do you think this song is about i.e. what’s going on?

What do you think is the overall message of the songwriter?

The Dixie Chicks & George W. BushThe Dixie Chicks & George W. Bush

Questions for DiscussionQuestions for Discussion

The Dixie Chicks & George W. BushThe Dixie Chicks & George W. Bush

Questions for DiscussionQuestions for Discussion

In your opinion, did the Dixie Chicks have a right to criticize the president in a time of war?

Do country music stations and fans have a right to boycott Dixie Chicks’ music?

How does this song, as well as other actions taken by entertainers and the media, serve as a check on presidential power?

In your opinion, did the Dixie Chicks have a right to criticize the president in a time of war?

Do country music stations and fans have a right to boycott Dixie Chicks’ music?

How does this song, as well as other actions taken by entertainers and the media, serve as a check on presidential power?

Formal Checks on Formal Checks on Presidential PowerPresidential Power

Congressional Checks on the Congressional Checks on the PresidentPresident(Article I)(Article I)

Make laws (ex: War Powers Resolution)

Override presidential vetoesPower to declare warPower of the purse (taxes and

funding)Regulation of the land and naval

forces

Congressional Checks (cont.)Congressional Checks (cont.)

• Impeachment Power (House)

• Impeachment Trial (Senate)

President Clinton’s impeachment trial, January, 1999

Limits on Presidential Power Limits on Presidential Power (Article II)(Article II)

President elected indirectly by the people through the Electoral College

Selection of president (House) in case of no majority of electoral vote

President must deliver State of the Union address

Senate approves treaties and ambassadors

Limits on Presidential Power Limits on Presidential Power (Article II)(Article II)

• Senate approves department appointments• “Advice and consent” of federal judge

appointments (Senate)

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice testifies at her Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing, January, 2005.

Nominee for Chief Justice, John Roberts is sworn in at his Senate Judiciary committee confirmation hearing, September, 2005.

Judicial Checks on the PresidentJudicial Checks on the President

Judicial review (Marbury v. Madison)

Chief Justice presides over presidential impeachment trial (Article I)

Constitutional Constitutional AmendmentsAmendments

12th – Choosing president & vice- president on separate ballots

20th – Presidential succession

22nd – Presidential term limits (2 terms; 10 years total)

25th – Presidential disability and succession

Limits on Presidential Power: Limits on Presidential Power: Informal ChecksInformal Checks

Public OpinionPublic Opinion

In a televised address in March, 1968, President Johnson announced he would not seek the Democratic nomination for president due to sagging public support for his administration and the war in Vietnam.

Though he enjoyed record public support during the Persian Gulf War, President George H. W. Bush saw his numbers dip dramatically in the polls and he lost his re-election bid to democrat Bill Clinton in 1992.

The MediaThe MediaThe MediaThe Media

PartisanPartisan PoliticsPoliticsPartisanPartisan PoliticsPolitics

Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee and vigorous critic of the Bush administration, May, 2005

Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R) battles President Bill Clinton (D) over the nationalbudget resulting in the shutdown of the federal government in 1995

Congressional Congressional InvestigationsInvestigations

Oliver North testifies before Congress at the Iran-Contra hearings during the Reagan administration (1987)

Senate Banking Committee begins itsinvestigative hearings on the Whitewater scandal during the Clinton administration(1994)

Former FEMA director Michael Brown testifies before the House Select Committee on Hurricane Katrina, Sept., 2002

Interest Groups & NGO’sInterest Groups & NGO’sInterest Groups & NGO’sInterest Groups & NGO’s

The National Organization of Women, Cindy Sheehan, and others protest the war in Iraq, April, 2006

The National Right to Life Committee and other pro-life interest groups spoke out against President Clinton’s veto of the ban on partial birth abortion, 1996

Title: "Bill Clinton's Christmas present from the U.S. House."

Artist: John PritchettDate: unknownSource: http://www.pritchettcartoons.com/gift.htm

Title: “The Madness of King George"

Artist: Drew Sheneman, The Newark Star Ledger Date: December, 2005Source: http://www.cagle.com/news/DomesticSpying/1.asp

Title: "I Don't Need No Stinking Congress"

Title: “Bye Bye Congress"