I The President As Legislator 1 President can often be referred to as the chief legislator because of his involvement with Chapter 10 Congress and the President congressional decision making 2 Article II Second 3 directs the President to give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient 3 Because of the strength of the White House Congress often delegates authority to the President 4 Crises partisan considerations and the public expectations all make the President important in congressional decision making 5 The power of constitutional veto ensures that the views of the White House will be heard 6 Legislative presidency came after World War II 7 The partnership model means that presidents consult regularly with lawmakers and involve them directly in policy and political affairs 8 The independent model presidents should minimize their involvement with Congress and strive on their own A The Power to Persuade 1 The style of the president can greatly influence the involvement with Congress 2 Congress expects the White House to outline its legislative program in the State of the Union address and other formal and informal presidential messages 3 Reaganomics tax and spending cuts during the Reagan administration 4 Obama was under valued with his successes during his first term a Obama may have misinterpreted the meaning of his historic victory b His agenda was seen as too much spending too much government and too little success in creating economic growth c Public expectations were too high d Clash between the president s agenda of choice and the agenda of necessity 5 During this time the 113th Congress was facing holdover issues that needed attention early on a The president and congressional leaders spend a lot of time trying to avoid the March 1st spending cuts between defense and nondefense b Congress enacted a new continuing resolution before the March 27th deadline that prevented a government shutdown c Another hike in the debt ceiling programs B Going Public The Rhetorical President 6 Presidents often withhold patronage resources to persuade members to support their 1 Rhetorical presidency how and when a chief executive strategically employs contemporary campaign techniques and the technology of the mass media to promote himself and his policies in Washington to the America public 2 The objective is to produce an outpouring of public support that encourages lawmakers to push the ideas of the president through Congress 3 Going public may alienate legislators who feel that the president is going over their head or disregarding their constitutional role 4 The president can also raise expectations that cannot be met make inept appeals or stiffen the opposition 5 Also legislators are often more popular in their home districts than the president 6 Factors such as mood of the country the state of the economy the president s popularity and the president s partisan strength in Congress largely accounts for legislative success 7 George W Bush the reticent president he did not seize the public spotlight stayed on message carefully staged appearances verbal gaffes 8 President Obama has expanded the public spotlight on the president and believes that the president must stay up to date with the way citizens are receiving their news social media talk shows C The Administrative President 1 Core goal is to win policy goals 2 Administrative Presidents use things like naming loyal political appointees to supervise and monitor agency activities reorganizing executive departments to advance presidential goals use the budget process to reduce unwanted programs or increase favored one and employ executive orders 3 By using executive orders and reorganization plans presidents can create new administrative entities 4 Executive orders a form of administrative lawmaking using the authority of the legislative branch to achieve goals not authorized by Congress 1 Two presidencies one is for domestic affairs and the other is for foreign policy 2 President tend to have high support in the international arena 3 This worked to Bush s advantage after 9 11 when his approval rate but even before that Bush was successful by staking out an aggressive policy making approach combined with bipartisan and partisan governing strategies D The Two Presidencies E The Veto Power 1 Article 1 Section 7 requires the president to approve or disapprove bills passed by Congress disapproving is a veto and then can be over turned by a 2 3 vote in both chambers 2 Reasons such as the bill is unconstitutional it encroaches on the president s independence unwanted public policy cannot be administered or cost too much as reasons to veto 3 Public signing ceremonies closer to November is used as a method to energize the electoral base F Veto Options 1 Once given a bill the President has ten days to chose one of the four options a Sign it and can give a signing statement that expresses his interpretations of the provisions of the new law b Return the bill with a veto message c Take no action and the bill becomes law after ten days d Pocket veto G Veto Strategies early and stuck by them 1 George H W Bush very successful with vetoes because he announced his intentions 2 Clinton Did not veto his first two years because of the Democratic Congress 3 George W Bush said he would use vetoes but never did threatened them 145 times 4 Earmarks special interest provisions in measures that benefit members districts or states H Post Veto Action I J 1 Congress does not need to act on all veto bills can be sent back to committee or tabled 2 Veto bills cannot be amended and votes to override a veto must be on record Signing Statements 1 Signing Statements have provided concerns because it can be seen as an unofficial line item veto 2 Signing statement objections that the legislation contained provisions that infringed on the constitutional prerogatives of the president Pocket Vetoes 1 The framers wanted to ensure that presidents would not be forced into signing last minute legislation and that Congress would have time to consider and perhaps override the president s objections 2 Kennedy v Sampson 1974 made it so pocket vetoes could only be used after Congress s final adjournment at the end of the second session 3 Neither an intra nor intersession pocket veto prevents its return to Congress K The Line Item Veto 1 Line Item Veto Act gave the fifth veto