1. Growth of Power
The President

2. Why has the president’s power expanded over time?
Presidency
intro
Why has the president’s power expanded over time?

3. Reason Power Grows
The President

4. Presidency Growth of Power Presidential Powers
Have expanded over time with each president
Presidential power is open to interpretation
No matter how they campaign, every person who becomes president interprets their powers as wide ranging
It is to the advantage of the POTUS & his staff to claim a wide range of powers

5. Presidency Growth of Power Reasons
The powers given in Article 2 are vague – open to interpretation
Each president expands the power of the presidency a little more
Incrementalism - Anytime a president does something, the next president also assumes they have that power, plus a little more

6. As the bureaucracy grows – the president is in charge of more.
Presidency
Growth of Power
Reasons
As the bureaucracy grows – the president is in charge of more.
During national emergencies, people are willing to let POTUS have power to fix the problem
People want a strong leader, so we are more willing to tolerate a president with expanded powers than another part of the government
Presidential power will expand when there is a threat – a security threat or an economic threat

7. This would describe a president who acts without consulting Congress
Presidency
Growth of Power
Imperial Presidency
In the 1960s & 1970s, “the imperial presidency” was used to criticize POTUS
Critics claimed the presidency had become uncontrollable and it had exceeded its constitutional limits
This would describe a president who acts without consulting Congress
He’s described like an emperor because that would be unappealing in our democracy

8. Presidency Growth of Power Imperial Presidency
As staffs for POTUS grow, more people are personally loyal to him than the office of the president
New bodies developed around the president that had little oversight
(EX: National Security Council
More offices were created that did not require Senate approval for the appointments
The president’s foreign policy powers expanded drastically during the Cold War

9. Executive Orders
The President

10. Presidency Executive Orders Passing a Law
The president wants to pass major legislation, he will need Congress
He’ll recommend a law to Congress and try to persuade them to pass something that he likes.
Laws come from Congress and can only be repealed by Congress

11. Presidency Executive Orders Passing a Law
POTUS recommends a law to Congress
POTUS works to persuade law makers to pass the law
Congress writes a bill & passes it
(How a bill becomes a law)
POTUS signs the bill into law and begins implementing or enforcing it

12. Presidency Executive Orders Executive Order
The president can issue executive orders
It is a directive issued by the president that tells the bureaucracy how it will implement something
Since the president is in charge of the bureaucracy, he can change the way they do things without Congress
Any president can overturn the previous president’s executive orders without Congress
Congress can pass a law to overturn an executive order

13. Presidency Executive Orders Executive Orders
Congress won’t cooperate with POTUS
POTUS Issues an executive order
Govt agencies automatically implement the changes
The same effects are felt, even though no law was passed.

14. The president is often criticized for using executive orders
Presidency
Executive Orders
Executive Order
The president is often criticized for using executive orders
The president is more likely to resort to executive orders when Congress is controlled by the opposition party
Reagan
381 EOs
(8years)
Bush
166 EOs
(4 years)
Clinton
308 EOs
(8 years)
Bush
291 EOs
(8 years)
Obama
276 EOs
(8 years)
Trump
57 EOs
(1 year)

15. Presidency
Executive Orders

16. Presidency Executive Orders Number of Executive Orders
Congress won’t cooperate with POTUS
POTUS Issues an executive order
Govt agencies automatically implement the changes
The same effects are felt, even though no law was passed.

17. Executive agreements are like executive orders, but for treaties
Presidency
Executive Agreement
Executive Agreement
Executive agreements are like executive orders, but for treaties
If the president knows that the Senate will not ratify the treaty, he can make an executive agreement
An agreement between two world leaders is the same as a treaty as long as they both implement it.
The president makes executive agreements and implements them, and it has the same impact as a treaty.

18. Bully Pulpit
The President

19. The president has an advantage over everyone else in the government
Presidency
Bully Pulpit
Bully Pulpit
The president has an advantage over everyone else in the government
The office itself is seen as a position of authority that no other office can match
The position gives POTUS opportunity & credibility to speak to the public
Teddy Roosevelt made up the term using the word “bully” to mean wonderful

20. Presidency Bully Pulpit Oval Office Address
The president lets major networks know he plans on addressing the nation
Networks postpone their programming and broadcast his message
This gives him an opportunity to speak directly to the public about an emergency or a new policy
He sits at his desk and speaks directly
to the camera

21. Presidency Bully Pulpit Bully Pulpit The president can ask Congress
to pass a certain policy
He uses the bully pulpit to get public opinion on his side
He may even encourage people to pressure their Congressmen to pass the policy he wants
Congressmen need to be popular for reelection and cooperate

22. War Powers
The President

23. Presidency Commander in Chief War Powers
Congress has the power to raise and support the army
Congress declares war and controls the war funding
The president is commander in chief – he is responsible for leading the military
It was designed this way to prevent the president acting alone

24. The United States has not declared war since 1941 to enter WW2
Presidency
Commander in Chief
War Powers
The United States has not declared war since 1941 to enter WW2
The US has fought several wars since then but Congress has not declared war
The president calls these “police actions” or “hostilities” so they don’t need Congress
Congress became concerned it was losing its authority to decide when the US was involved in a war

25. After 60 days, Congress must vote to authorize this action
Presidency
Commander in Chief
War Powers Act
(1973)
The law requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of sending troops into action
After 60 days, Congress must vote to authorize this action
Without an authorization or declaration of war, the military action will end
Congress would essentially stop funding the military action to force it to end

26. Presidency Commander in Chief War Powers Act (1973)
This was passed by Congress at the end of the Vietnam War
Richard Nixon vetoed this Act because it limited his powers
Congress was able to override the veto with 2/3 vote
Congress could agree because it gave them power to limit the president – was not about Republicans & Democrats

27. Presidency Commander in Chief War Powers Act (1973)
Presidents argue this law is unconstitutional because it creates a “legislative veto”
This would give the legislative branch a veto over presidential action
The constitution does not grant a veto to Congress, only to POTUS
Congress has never attempted to stop the president using this law, so it has never gone to the Supreme Court

28. Bigly Ideas
Beliefs & Behaviors

29. Reasons why power grows
Presidency
Wrap Up
Reasons why power grows
Executive Orders
Bully Pulpit
War Powers Act
Focus on these things: