To Accompany Comprehensive, Alternate, and Texas Editions

American Government: Roots and Reform, 10th edition

Karen O’Connor and Larry J. Sabato

Pearson Education, 2009

Chapter 8

The Presidency

How does this cartoon illustrate Nixon’s comment that “Those on the right can do what only those on the left can only talk about”?

Roots of the Presidency

No chief executive under Articles of

Confederation.

Natural-born citizen, 35 years old.

Two four-year terms, per Twenty-Second

Amendment.

Little attention to vice president.

Can be impeached by Congress.

Order of succession in Twenty-Fifth Amendment.

Constitutional Powers

More limited than Article I powers of Congress.

Appointments to executive, Cabinet, and

judiciary.

Convene Congress.

Make treaties or executive agreements.

Veto legislation; no line-item veto.

Act as commander in chief of armed forces.

Pardon individuals accused of crimes.

Constitutional Powers

More limited than Article I powers of Congress.

Appointments to executive, Cabinet, and

judiciary.

Convene Congress.

Make treaties or executive agreements.

Veto legislation; no line-item veto.

Act as commander in chief of armed forces.

Pardon individuals accused of crimes.

Executive Orders and Signing Statements

• 1978 Presidential Records Act to ‘need to know basis’

• Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Obama– E.O. on stem cell research and freedom of

conscience provision in Hyde Amendment, and federal funding of Planned Parenthood

• Youngstown Sheet and Tube V. Sawyer– Truman seized mills, mines and factories– Crucial to continue war efforts in Korean War

Presidential Qualifications• Age 35• 14 Years residency• Natural born citizen

– Diplomats were often out of country• Two terms standard established by Washington

– Fear of constitutional monarch– 22nd Amendment – due to FDR four term election

• 2 – 4 year terms• Vice President can serve for 10 years• Ratified 1951

• Ben Franklin supported impeachment– Without, assassination would be more prevalent

Executive Privilege

• Executive Privilege invoked first by Washington

• U.S. v. Nixon (1974)– Watergate - Court rules E.P. cannot be

exercised• Must comply with court order for evidence in a

crime

Roles of the President

Chief law enforcer.

Leader of the party.

Commander in chief.

Shaper of domestic policy.

Player in legislative process.

Chief of state.

Establishing Presidential Power

George Washington sets precedent.

Claimed inherent powers for national

government.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson follow lead.

Andrew Jackson asserts power through veto.

Abraham Lincoln uses Civil War to expand office.

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal ushers in new

era.

George Washington

• Chief Executive– Whiskey Rebellion

(taxes)• Est.Federal

Supremacy– Cabinet System

• Chief Diplomat– Foreign Relations

• England v France War• Established idea of

strict neutrality• Inherent powers

Thomas JeffersonInformal Exercise of Power

• Chief Executive• Louisiana Purchase

– Inherent power to acquire territory• Over objections of

Congress– Congress has duty

of admitting new states to the Union

Theodore RooseveltInformal Exercise of Power

• Stated the President has the right and duty to “do anything that the needs of the Nation demanded, unless such was forbidden by the Constitution or by the laws.”

Andrew Jackson

• Chief Legislator– 12 vetoes– Appointed members of

Congress to cabinet positions as reward

• Chief Executive– 12 states added to

Union– Expanded Post Office

• Communicator– Common man’s man– Jacksonian Democracy

Abraham LincolnImmediate Needs of the Nation

• Chief Executive– Wartime president

• Did what was necessary to preserve the union

– Ignored Congress• Suspended habeas corpus• Expanded army passed

Congressional limits• Blockade of southern

ports (act of war)• Closed U.S. Mail to

treasonable correspondence

Franklin Delano RooseveltImmediate Needs of the Nation

• Legislator/Economic Planner– Expanded role of

government due to Great Depression

– New Deal legislation• Social and economic

programs to create jobs

– Established Executive Office of the President

– Set up Federal Agencies to regulate industry• 600,000 employees 1933

to 3 million in 1945

Lyndon Johnson (LBJ)

• Commander in Chief– Gulf of Tonkin

Resolution• Congress grants

power to escalate Viet Nam War

• Legislator– Civil Rights

Legislation– Great Society

Harry S. Truman• Legislator

– Issued executive order to desegregate the military

– Seized the steel industry

Ronald ReaganUse of the Media

• Television, radio, newspapers, White House Website

• Medial provides a forum for presidential messages

• “The Great Communicator”

Jimmy Carter

• Judicial Power– Amnesty to draft

dodgers from Viet Nam War

• Chief Diplomat– Panama Canal

• Returned to Panama

George W. Bush

• Commander-in-Chief– Iraq Resolution– Axis of Evil (Korea,

Pakistan, Iraq, Iran)• Chief Executive

– Department of Homeland Security

• Legislator– Patriot Act

Presidential Establishment

Growing power of the vice president.

Cabinet advisors to deal with a variety of issues.

First ladies act as informal advisors.

Executive Office of the President.

White House staff directly responsible to

president.

Presidential Leadership

Leadership ability and personality can be key.

“Power to persuade.”

Bully pulpit and going public.

Approval ratings can help or hinder.

President as Policy Maker

FDR is first president to send policy to Congress.

Very difficult to get presidential policies passed.

Ability to get desired budget passed helps.

Office of Management and Budget plays key role.

Use of executive order to avoid Congress.

AV- Presidential Approval

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Table 8.1- U.S. Presidents

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Table 8.2- Presidential Succession

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25th Amendment

• Followed 1947 Presidential Succession Act – See Table 8.2

• Assured continuation of Act• New V.P. appointed by President w/Senate

Approval• Incapacitation of President

– V.P. appointed as President– President Bush makes Dick Cheney President

Temporarily in 2002• Underwent colonoscopy

Table 8.3- Women on Presidential Teams

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Table 8.4- Treaties

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Table 8.5- Presidential Vetoes

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Table 8.6- Best and Worst Presidents

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Table 8.7- U.S. Cabinet

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Table 8.8- Presidential Personalities

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