The Presidency:

Leading the Nation

Chapter 12

Foundations of the Modern

Presidency Formal powers are modest

Power changes with national conditions, political circumstances, and

personal capacities and policy choices of the president

Imperial presidency

Article II contains general statement on the powers

Foreign policy – Congress would define it

President has sent troops over sees over 200 times and wars have

not always been declared

Executive agreements are more common than treaties

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Executive power – interpret the meaning of this

Legislative authority – intent was limited

Two features – national election and singular

authority have had the most impact

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Foundations of the Modern Presidency

Asserting a claim to national leadership

Andrew Jackson was first president to assert his

power

Whig theory: presidency was limited or restrained

office

Stewardship theory: strong, assertive presidential

role

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The need for presidential leadership of an

activist government

Foreign policy leadership

Isolationism to internationalism

WWII fundamentally changed the US

Chief diplomat and military commander

Domestic Policy Leadership

Congress was supposed to be the leader

Progressive Era and the New Deal changed this

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Electoral College

Jackson’s reform – separate slate of electors based

on popular vote

National convention – delegates sent by the party

Primary election – choosing delegates who select

the nominees

Open party caucuses

Super delegates

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Choosing the President

The primary elections – momentum in the

early primaries

Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 regulates

the raising of money

First $250 of each donation provided he/she raises

$5000 or more and $250 in 20 or more states

Candidates can receive matching funds

The national party conventions Officially nominate president and VP, adopt a party platform

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The campaign for election

Election strategy – 270 out of the 538 electoral votes

House of Representatives

Unit rule – except Maine and Nebraska

Battleground or swing states

Media and money

10 second sound bites, tv commercials, and debates

Federal funding is available

The winners – governors are the most popular

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Staffing the Presidency

Presidential appointees – significant source of power

The executive office of the President (WHO, OMB, and NSC)

No constitutional power to the VP but this position has grown over the

years

The President’s cabinet – Secretary of State is the most prestigious

Other Presidential appointees – up to 4000 during a term

The problem of control

Most severe with appointees working outside the White House – loyalty of

agency is more than loyalty to president

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Cabinet (Executive) Departments

Figure 13-1

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Factors in Presidential Leadership

Congress holds the key to presidential success

The force of circumstance- (FDR, LBJ, and

Reagan)

The stage of the President’s term

Honeymoon period

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Factors in Presidential Leadership

The nature of the issue:

Foreign – congress defers to the president for several reasons

Domestic

Relations with Congress

Seeking cooperation from Congress – more constitutional authority for

Congress

Veto is a sign or weakness and strength

Benefiting from partisan support in Congress

Colliding with Congress – the power of impeachment

The War Powers Act

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Factors in Presidential Leadership

Public support

Events and issues – economy is the most

influential

The televised presidency – bully pulpit

Twice as much coverage as Congress

The illusion of presidential government –

presidents get too much credit when things go well

and too much blame when things go bad

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