The Presidency (ch. 11)

Presidential Myth  The myth of the all-powerful president  Many feel the President is responsible for all problems  “We need a Lincoln or FDR”  Do we expect too much of our Presidents?  The myth of the all-powerful president  Many feel the President is responsible for all problems  “We need a Lincoln or FDR”  Do we expect too much of our Presidents?

Early Presidents  Washington  Everything set a precedent  Broad interpretation of executive power  Helped formulate legislation  Dominated foreign policy  Washington  Everything set a precedent  Broad interpretation of executive power  Helped formulate legislation  Dominated foreign policy

Early Presidents  Jefferson  Wanted to restrict national government  Enlarged power of Pres.  Planned legislation  LA. Purchase  Jefferson  Wanted to restrict national government  Enlarged power of Pres.  Planned legislation  LA. Purchase

Early Presidents  Jackson  Personally popular w/voters  Used this to strengthen Pr.  Vetoed 12 Acts of Congress  Congress complained about “elected monarchy”  Jackson  Personally popular w/voters  Used this to strengthen Pr.  Vetoed 12 Acts of Congress  Congress complained about “elected monarchy”

Early Presidents  Lincoln  Expanded Pres. power  “national emergency” gives President great powers  Often didn’t consult Cong.  Lincoln  Expanded Pres. power  “national emergency” gives President great powers  Often didn’t consult Cong.

Modern Presidency  T. Roosevelt  Stewardship theory: duty is to take any action not specifically forbidden by Constitution  Coal strike example  T. Roosevelt  Stewardship theory: duty is to take any action not specifically forbidden by Constitution  Coal strike example

Modern Presidency  Franklin Roosevelt  Established powerful modern Presidency-4 terms  Great Depression & WWII  “presidential hero” saves democracy  Franklin Roosevelt  Established powerful modern Presidency-4 terms  Great Depression & WWII  “presidential hero” saves democracy

Modern Presidency  Lyndon Johnson  Unpopular war weakened Pr.  Nixon abuse of power-- Watergate scandal  Many distrusted strong Pres.  Lyndon Johnson  Unpopular war weakened Pr.  Nixon abuse of power-- Watergate scandal  Many distrusted strong Pres.

Modern Presidency  George W Bush  911 & war allowed reassertion of powerful Pr.  Hurricane Katrina, economic recession, & lengthy war weakened  George W Bush  911 & war allowed reassertion of powerful Pr.  Hurricane Katrina, economic recession, & lengthy war weakened

Modern Presidency  Barack Obama  Weak economy weakens  Controversial legislation  Presidency remains very powerful  Barack Obama  Weak economy weakens  Controversial legislation  Presidency remains very powerful

Presidential Election (p 214)  Electoral College  President chosen by EC  EC is a special “body of electors” chosen by voters  Electoral College  President chosen by EC  EC is a special “body of electors” chosen by voters

Electoral College  Each state receives  1 for each U. S. Senator and  1 for each U. S. Represent.  3 is the minimum  Each state receives  1 for each U. S. Senator and  1 for each U. S. Represent.  3 is the minimum

Electoral College Originally  Each elector casts 2 votes  Person receiving most votes becomes Pres.  Person receiving 2nd most votes becomes Vice-Pres.  Pres. ties go to House  Each elector casts 2 votes  Person receiving most votes becomes Pres.  Person receiving 2nd most votes becomes Vice-Pres.  Pres. ties go to House

Electoral College  Electors chosen by states  Electors were to be distinguished citizens from each state  Electors chosen by states  Electors were to be distinguished citizens from each state

Electoral College  Originally worked as intended  Washington elected twice with unanimous support  Originally worked as intended  Washington elected twice with unanimous support

Election of 1789

Election of 1796

Election of 1800

Electoral College  1800 Tie resulted in  12th Amendment  Major change was to choose President and VP as a team  1800 Tie resulted in  12th Amendment  Major change was to choose President and VP as a team

Electoral College  538 Votes  Iowa has 7 votes  Majority (270) needed to win  Most states winner-take-all  Popular vote in each state chooses electors  538 Votes  Iowa has 7 votes  Majority (270) needed to win  Most states winner-take-all  Popular vote in each state chooses electors

Electoral College

Electoral College Weaknesses  Winner-takes-all system  Results like 2000 election  Gore won popular vote by 537, 000 votes  Bush won electoral vote by  Winner-takes-all system  Results like 2000 election  Gore won popular vote by 537, 000 votes  Bush won electoral vote by

Winner Takes All 2000  State Rep Dem Fl 2,912,790 2,912,253  IA 634, ,517  Total 3,547,163 3,550,770  Electoral 257  State Rep Dem Fl 2,912,790 2,912,253  IA 634, ,517  Total 3,547,163 3,550,770  Electoral 257

Electoral College Weaknesses  Electors can vote for anyone they choose  Can ignore popular opinion in their state  Electors can vote for anyone they choose  Can ignore popular opinion in their state

Who are the electors?  Politically involved citizens chosen to represent their party.  Winner takes all mean they are all members of the party that wins their state  Pr. candidate wins their state gets all electoral votes from that state  Politically involved citizens chosen to represent their party.  Winner takes all mean they are all members of the party that wins their state  Pr. candidate wins their state gets all electoral votes from that state

Electoral College Weaknesses  3rd Defect: House of Rep. decides winner, if there is none  House votes by state  3rd Defect: House of Rep. decides winner, if there is none  House votes by state

Electoral College Reform  Direct Popular Election Simply let the people decide with the candidate receiving the most votes being the winner

Electoral College Reform  District Plan  Electors divided by Congressional district  Winner of the state gets 2 votes  Nebraska and Maine  District Plan  Electors divided by Congressional district  Winner of the state gets 2 votes  Nebraska and Maine

Presidential Election  Electoral College Support  It almost always works: 2000 was the exception rather than the rule  Large states are less dominant  Electoral College Support  It almost always works: 2000 was the exception rather than the rule  Large states are less dominant

Election of 2008

Election 2000

Presidential Roles  Chief of State  President symbolizes gov’t  Prestige  Chief of State  President symbolizes gov’t  Prestige

Presidential Roles  Chief Executive  Manages 4m people  Chief Executive  Manages 4m people

Presidential Roles  Chief Executive  Appoints 2,000 to positions  Presidential pardon: Ford pardoned Nixon  Executive Privilege: right to withhold information from Congress  Chief Executive  Appoints 2,000 to positions  Presidential pardon: Ford pardoned Nixon  Executive Privilege: right to withhold information from Congress

Presidential Roles  Chief Diplomat: Foreign Policy  Treaties: require 2/3 Senate  Executive Agreements: no requirement of Sen. Approval  Diplomatic appointments  Chief Diplomat: Foreign Policy  Treaties: require 2/3 Senate  Executive Agreements: no requirement of Sen. Approval  Diplomatic appointments

Presidential Roles  Commander in Chief  Congress has power to “declare war”  Pres. Frequently commit troops w/o Cong. Approval  Major actions require funding from Congress  Commander in Chief  Congress has power to “declare war”  Pres. Frequently commit troops w/o Cong. Approval  Major actions require funding from Congress

Presidential Roles

 Vietnam war brought major political conflict  Watergate scandal weakened Nixon’s political position  Watergate scandal involved “abuse of power” by Ex. branch  Vietnam war brought major political conflict  Watergate scandal weakened Nixon’s political position  Watergate scandal involved “abuse of power” by Ex. branch

Presidential Roles

Commander-in-Chief  War Powers Act of 1973  Con. Approval of military action  Consultation required  Questionable effectiveness  War Powers Act of 1973  Con. Approval of military action  Consultation required  Questionable effectiveness

Presidential Roles  Chief Legislator  Public expects “leg. Program”  Budget must be presented  Pres. Initiative expected  No guarantee Congress will approve  Chief Legislator  Public expects “leg. Program”  Budget must be presented  Pres. Initiative expected  No guarantee Congress will approve

Chief Legislator  Veto power is used  Seldom overridden by Con.  Not used much recently  Threat is always there  Line item veto  SC declared unconstitutional in Clinton v City of NY  Veto power is used  Seldom overridden by Con.  Not used much recently  Threat is always there  Line item veto  SC declared unconstitutional in Clinton v City of NY

Presidential Roles  “The Seamless Web”  Difficult to subdivide the Pres. into separate roles  Chief Ex. & Chief Leg.  CINC and Chief Diplomat  “The Seamless Web”  Difficult to subdivide the Pres. into separate roles  Chief Ex. & Chief Leg.  CINC and Chief Diplomat

Institutional Presidency  President is “boss” to 3m  Impossible to supervise  Many “advisors” for that purpose  President is “boss” to 3m  Impossible to supervise  Many “advisors” for that purpose

Institutional Presidency  Cabinet--extra Constitutional  Heads of major departments who meet to advise Pres.  No longer a major role  Individual members are often important advisors  Cabinet--extra Constitutional  Heads of major departments who meet to advise Pres.  No longer a major role  Individual members are often important advisors

Executive Office of Pres.  Located in West Wing  Umbrella for several organizations  Located in West Wing  Umbrella for several organizations

Executive Office of Pres.

 Office of Management & Budget (OMB)  Prepares budget presented to Congress  Advocates for Pres. Priorities  Office of Management & Budget (OMB)  Prepares budget presented to Congress  Advocates for Pres. Priorities

Executive Office of Pres.  Council of Economic Advisers  3 professional economists  Advise Pres. On major economic issues & policy  Council of Economic Advisers  3 professional economists  Advise Pres. On major economic issues & policy

Executive Office of Pres.  National Security Council  Key organization  Foreign and defense policy  Pr, VP, Sec. of State, Defense, CIA, Joint Chiefs  National Security Adviser  National Security Council  Key organization  Foreign and defense policy  Pr, VP, Sec. of State, Defense, CIA, Joint Chiefs  National Security Adviser

Presidential Management Style  Access to Pres. Tightly controlled  Pres. May hear only what his aides allow him to hear  VP role varies  Cheney powerful  Access to Pres. Tightly controlled  Pres. May hear only what his aides allow him to hear  VP role varies  Cheney powerful

Presidential Management Style  Vice Presidential role varies  Constitution says little: breaks ties in Senate  Pres. Determines role: Biden influential on For. Pol.  Cheny powerful until 2006  Vice Presidential role varies  Constitution says little: breaks ties in Senate  Pres. Determines role: Biden influential on For. Pol.  Cheny powerful until 2006

Presidential Influence