Presidency Formal powers of the president POLS 206 TEST 2 A M o Examples of o Command of armed forces o Veto o Execute e pardons o Rights and responsibilities o Negotiate trades and treaties o Executive agreements o How are presidents constrained in their formal powers o Cannot make law by decree o Congress can override veto o Senate approves president s appointments o Before GD government viewed as having limited responsibility for regulating economic o After 1930s Americans increasingly demanded government do something to ensure activity prosperity o Unemployment and inflation seen as gov responsibility Informal Inherent powers of the president o Examples of o Conduct foreign policy o Nominate federal judges o Reflect and shape public opinion o Provide direction and leadership for congress o Chief partisan for political party while remaining representative of all Americans o How why did they evolve o Unilateral Powers Signing statements Executive orders Executive agreements Carry weight of law even though congress not endorsed They need 2 3 votes to override or declare unconstitutional President is basically daring others to counter him Different views of presidential leadership o How have presidents construed their broad constitutional provisions differently o Presidents have increased roll in making budget decisions o Congress followed public and turned to president to provide leadership o As a result public has come to expect all chief executives to be presidents of action o Active Presidents invest good deal of personal energy into the office and their personal needs and skills translate well into political leadership o Passive Presidents devote less time and effort to being president and neither inclination nor the ability to effectively exercise political power o Positive vs Negative Presidents gain personal satisfaction from serving and others who serve because of compulsion or sense of duty but little pleasure o Constitutionally Limited Powers Separate institutions sharing powers o President proposes laws Congress passes them 1 Bureaucracy implements them Supreme Court interprets them o Decentralization o Federalism States have the power to determine policy for themselves 10th Amendment Constitutional powers of the vice president o Leader of Senate power to cast a vote to break a tie o No formal executive powers or responsibilities in constitution o Only gets powers if president is disabled can no longer functions Cabinet o Consists of heads of executive agencies and other officials designated by president o Role has declined over time o Not necessarily close to president and contrast to white house staff members Contradictions of the president o High expectations but few formal resources o Ordinary but extraordinary good college but easy communicator o To listen to the American people but also lead them o Most visible icon of his party but supposed to be non partisan o Some suggest these ideas set pres up for failure Why has presidential power grown o Congress delegates a lot of power to them o He has become center of America politics and has the power to persuade Take care clause of the Constitution o Presidents shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed o What powers have arisen from this clause o President has responsibility of making sure fed bureaucracy is fulfilling its responsibilities as designated by law o Pres appoints individuals to fill important positions in executive branch but confirmed by senate o Pres cant determine organization and structure of executive branch Commander in chief clause of the Constitution o What does this enable the president to do o President shall be commander in chief of army and navy of us and of militia of states o Broad grand of power to president o One view acting as civilian head of military with authority for policy direction and commander of armed forces o Other View provision empowers president to take direct operational command o George Washington Whiskey Rebellion supports other view o Congress has sole authority to declare role and president cant commit troops without congress approval but largely unsuccessful Troops must be withdrawn after 60 days unless congress declares war or passes Why would Congress ever delegate authority to the executive branch resolution authorizing the troop usage o Examples of EPA OSHA safe work place FDA food and drugs should be safe Financial Crisis o To avoid details and avoid taking sides o Delegate if controversial issue loath unpopular decisions 2 o Technical issue lack policy experience and expertise o Don t want to decide winners and losers especially dealing with economy o By delegating they increase president power so president influences what each agency does by appointing heads of agencies with similar interests Troubled Asset Relief Program after 2008 financial crisis Line item veto 1990 allows president to easily eliminate pork Eventually declared unconstitutional o DHS Persuasion techniques o Inside Beltway Bargaining Bargaining with Washington DC insiders Mutual accommodations and reciprocity Don t use force and common in 19 and early 20 centuries The Johnson Treatment Using peoples personal space to get uncomfortable and for people to do what you want o Why is it important for presidents to be persuasive You need to be persuasive to get anything done If you don t have support then president cannot accomplish anything Executive office of the President o Who is a part of the EOP o Closest and most influential advisors o Established after Brownlow Committee committee appointed by FDR o Recommended organizational changes to make executive branch more efficient o NSC National Security Council o OMB Inform and recommends on matters of national security Reviews budget that fits in with president s objectives o CEA Council of Economic Advisors Advises on monetary and fiscal policy current and future economic trends o What are their duties o How are they selected o All hand selected by president and confirmed by senate White House staff o Who is a part of the WH staff o Chief of staff Hiring and firing individuals Gate keeper to president and understands centers of power Hires and supervises WH staff o Press Secretary Field questions and runs damage control President s public face of administration Holds press conferences Always on message in positive light Don t give up and ground or raise questions o What are their duties o Key aids to president daily o Problems
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