1. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The Presidency Powers and Practice Chapter 13

2. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Presidential Constituencies Presidents find it challenging to find the right balance between –Their national constituencies created by the general election –And their partisan constituencies, shaped by the presidential primaries. –Both are important and both play a role in presidential decision making.

3. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 National Constituency President’s unique political asset: –Fill a position elected by a national constituency. –But it can create problems as well. Voters hold presidents responsible for many events and conditions over which they have little control. Given credit when times are good, but blamed when things go bad.

4. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Partisan Constituencies Must be responsive to their partisan constituency. Keep support of those who work in and finance their campaigns. Problem: party constituencies usually take a more extreme issue position than the national constituency. Difficult to balance.

5. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Partisan Support in Congress Presidents must consider the their level of support in Congress. Cannot take action on pledges without it. –When they have large majorities in Congress, the yare more likely to get their proposed legislation approved. –Divided government: the control of the presidency by one party and the control of one or both houses of Congress by the other.

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7. Separate Institutions Sharing Power Presidents also face the fundamental divisions of power between the executive and legislative branches. –Cannot force members of Congress to support presidential initiatives. Must persuade.

8. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The Power to Inform and Persuade The President “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union.” State of Union Address –Given annually –President outlines his legislative and foreign –policy priorities for the coming year. Bully Pulpit –The nature of presidential status as an ideal vehicle for persuading the public to support the president’s policies.

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10. The Veto Power Before any law “shall take effect”, it must be “approved” by the president. Congress can check this power with an override: congressional passage of a bill by a two-thirds vote over the president’s veto. Pocket veto: Presidential veto after congressional adjournment, executed merely by not signing a bill into law. Line item veto: presidential authority to negate particular provisions of a law granted by Congress in 1996 but struck down by the Court in 1998.

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12. The Appointment Power The president “shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls…and all other Officers of the United States. President is checked in this power by Congress because his appointments are subject to the “Advice and Consent of the Senate.” President appoints thousands of public officials to positions of high responsibility within their administration. Cabinet: top administrative officials; mostly head of departments in the executive branch. Cabinet less significant role in providing advice to president. Today that function is carried out by the White House Office.

13. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The Power to Recommend The president may recommend to Congress for “their consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” Congress, however, is the only body that may enact measures into law. –While the president can initiate and set the political agenda, Congress can ignore or modify any presidential proposals. Presidents make most new proposals at the beginning of their first term, when their popularity is at a peak. –Transition period is important. –Reporters also tend to be more generous during the first months of an administration: the honeymood period.

14. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The President as Chief of State The President “shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers…and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.” Congress has no real check over this power. In many countries, the political leader and head of state are constitutionally separated. In the U.S., the president takes on both roles. –Combines the efficient aspect with the dignified aspect discussed by Walter Bagehot. –Some presidents are better at one aspect than the other.

15. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Inherent Executive Power The executive power shall be vested in a President. Inherent executive power: –Presidential authority inherent in the executive branch of government though not specifically mentioned in the Constitution. –Executive orders A presidential directive that has the force of law though it is not enacted by Congress. –Executive privilege The right of members of the executive branch to have private communications among themselves that need not be shared with Congress. –Power to Pardon Used at the president’s discretion. Can be controversial

16. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 The Impeachment Power Presidents may be impeached by a majority of the House of Representatives for “high crimes and misdemeanors.” –The president is removed from office if the Senate convicts by a two-thirds vote. –Seldom used but not dead. –Clinton impeached but Senate voted for acquittal. Role of independent counsel controversial. Has implications for –presidents being sued by political opponents –and the question of government attorney and presidential client privilege.

17. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Presidential Expectations and Presidential Performance Presidents expected to be strong. But presidential powers are limited. Cloak of dignity not as useful today to cover actions when presidential life is very public.

18. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Presidential Reputations Presidents must protect their professional reputation among members of Congress and other beltway insiders. –Reputations are shaped by who they hire to serve them –How well they perform in elections –On their ability to let go of issues that cannot be won.

19. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Presidential Popularity Evaluations of the president by voters, usually as measured by a survey question asking the adult population how well they think the president is doing the job. All presidents experience fluctuations in their popularity. Generally tends to decline over time. Difficult to hold the public’s attention on policy matters.

20. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2005 Great Presidents Some presidents are remembered as great presidents. Why do some succeed and others fail? Barber: certain personality traits make for successful presidents. –Effective presidents both like their job and readily adapt their policies to changing circumstances. –Active-Positives –Franklin Roosevelt the ideal. Clinton also an active-positive. –Criticism of his theory is that it concentrates too much on presidential activity rather than outcomes. Skowronek: Circumstances are likely to play a role. –Presidents only become “great” when political circumstances allow them to – when they can break from the past.

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