Growth of Power The President

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

Reason Power Grows The President

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

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

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

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

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

Executive Orders The President

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 Laws come from Congress and can only be repealed by Congress

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

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

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.

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)

Presidency Executive Orders

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.

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.

Bully Pulpit The President

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

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

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

War Powers The President

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

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

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

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

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

Bigly Ideas Beliefs & Behaviors

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