Presidential Powers in USA, Slides of Political Science

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What were the U.S. Framers

Concept of a President?

• National Leadership
• Statemanship in foreign affairs
• Command in time of war or insurgency
• Enforcement of laws

How has the role of the President Changed? Evolution of the Modern President

• 200 + times the President has sent troops into military action abroad (To curb Presidents ability the War Powers act was passed by Congress)
• Principal architect of U.S. foreign policy and can make executive agreements – that serve as treaty like arrangements with other countries (Framers expected the Congress to define the countries foreign policy)

War Powers (1973 instituted by

Congress to curb Presidential

Power)

• President must notify Congress of reason for committing troops within 48 hours of their deployment
• Hostilities must end within 60 days unless Congress grants an extension of 30 days or less
• Does the War Powers Act infringe upon the constitutional role of the president to be Commander and Chief?

Which Presidents and Factions Thought the Power of the President Should be Limited?

• Whig Theory – power of the president was to be limited
• James Buchanan “My duty …is to execute the laws…. and not my individual opinions.”
• Herbert Hoover felt he lacked the constitutional authority to establish public relief programs for jobless Americans.

Which Presidents Expanded the Power of the President? How?

• Theodore Roosevelt attacked business trusts, pursued aggressive foreign policy agenda (Panama Canal), and domestic policy i.e.. created the Department of the Interior
• Franklin D. Roosevelt – Great Depression following collapse of Wall St. ABC programs to rebuild the economy (The New Deal)
• Harry Truman – nuclear weapons use against Japan in 1945, Marshall Plan to rebuild European economy after WWII
• Bill Clinton – devolution of Welfare, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy, Defense of Marriage Act, executive orders
• George W. Bush – war on terror after Sept. 11

Has President Obama expanded the power of the President?

President as Executor

• Presides over the administration of the government with the help of 4 million civilian and military personal
• Vice President
• The First Lady
• The Cabinet (name 6 departments in the U.S.) What is the responsibility of each cabinet? How many exist all together? What is the most recent cabinet position added?

President as Executor

What is the role of each?

• The Executive Office a. National Security Council b. Council of Economic Advisors c. Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
• The White House Staff – personal staff of president, Examples a. Chief of staff d. National Security b. Congressional Liaisons Assistant c. Press Secretary

The President as Chief Legislator

• Lyndon B. Johnson
• http://www.learner.org/courses/democracyi namerica/dia_7/dia_7_video.html