Constitutional Basics Normative ?-- Hamilton, Fed No. 70. Energy in the Executive Normative ?-- Hamilton, Fed No. 70. Energy in the Executive  one person office  elected for a fixed term  national constituency  Vague formal powers from Constitution

Evolution of the Presidency Period of Congressional Supremacy Period of Congressional Supremacy  Main federal policies were very individualized or particularistic  E.g. -roads or canals, tariffs for particular industries President is chief clerk President is chief clerk

The Modern Presidency, FDR Policy Policy  Wins World War II  Ends the Great Depression  Ends economic insecurity with Social Security  Fights for working man (unions, minimum wage)  Fights for farmers (income supports etc) Political Ramifications Political Ramifications  Increased expectations of presidency  Increased staff, resources

Consequences of Modern Pres  Chief lawmaker  More uses of unilateral power  Shift in quality and quantity of attention paid to president   What do presidents do

Hallmarks of the Modern Presidency Increased Popular Linkage with Public Increased Popular Linkage with Public Increased institutional powers Increased institutional powers

Presidential Approval Going Public Strategy Going Public Strategy Gallup Poll since 1948 Gallup Poll since 1948  “Do you approve or disapprove of the way ___ is handling his job as president” Why the Framers would be horrified Why the Framers would be horrified

Public Approval of President Honeymoon Honeymoon General decline General decline Economy Economy Rally events and scandals Rally events and scandals Beyond Presidential Control Beyond Presidential Control

Bush’s Strategy How does Bush compare to Clinton? How does Bush compare to Clinton? How successful was Bush in going public on tax cuts? How successful was Bush in going public on tax cuts?

Does Popularity  Success? Clinton’s uneven record Clinton’s uneven record Truman, “A man who is influenced by the polls or is afraid to make decision which may make him unpopular is not a man to represent the welfare of the country” Truman, “A man who is influenced by the polls or is afraid to make decision which may make him unpopular is not a man to represent the welfare of the country”

Institutional Presidency Jefferson in 1900 had 2 assistants Jefferson in 1900 had 2 assistants Brownlow Committee Brownlow Committee  “The president needs help” President not Congress should be in charge of executive branch President not Congress should be in charge of executive branch

Implications of Instit. Pres Radical change in system of government? Radical change in system of government? Increased presidential control of policy making and centralization of the decision making Increased presidential control of policy making and centralization of the decision making Increases potential for screw ups Increases potential for screw ups  Iran Contra Reduced accountability Reduced accountability

Ranking Post WW II Presidents Good/Great Good/Great  Truman  Eisenhower  JFK –LBJ –Reagan –Clinton Bad/Failures  Nixon  Ford  Carter  Bush

World’s Greatest Clerkship Neustadt, Presidential Power (Al’s prof) Neustadt, Presidential Power (Al’s prof)  power of president do not flow from literary reading of constitution  “presidential power is power to bargain”  Decisions are not self executing JFK, Cuban Missile Crisis

Transition from Historical to Modern Presidency Historic Presidency Historic Presidency  President is a clerk  Congress #1 Modern Presidency Modern Presidency  Increased popular expectations  President #1  No change in formal powers

Modern Presidents Response Have immense staff of political, policy, and partisan experts Have immense staff of political, policy, and partisan experts  Institutional presidency Devote tremendous time and resources to manipulating public image Devote tremendous time and resources to manipulating public image  going public  Clinton and Oklahoma City bombing Are presidents stronger– YES, but expectations outstrip capacity Are presidents stronger– YES, but expectations outstrip capacity

Limited formal powers=constant bargaining President can President can  Nominate judges, but  Propose trade treaties, but  Propose popular legislation, but  Propose spending less on military golf courses,  Propose executive priviledge for aides, but court Will Presidents keep their promises? Will Presidents keep their promises?  Constitutional odds are stacked against them!

Neustadt- President is the most distinguished office clerk Have limited formal powers, decisions are not self executing Have limited formal powers, decisions are not self executing Gays in the Military Gays in the Military  Congress  Sam Nunn on the submarine  Don’t ask, don’t tell in budget bill  C in C of Military  Cruising chat rooms and gay bars  3 x as many expelled

Lessons Learned Formal powers are minimal Formal powers are minimal  Can propose legislation, C in C  Dependent on other institutions Informal powers are crucial Informal powers are crucial  Presidential power is power to persuade  Presidents have to bargain

Informal Powers Professional reputation Professional reputation Electoral results Electoral results Bargaining with legislators Bargaining with legislators  Personal appeals  The Carrot  the stick in Alabama! Truman, Marshall Plan Truman, Marshall Plan

Is a strong president good? Framers Framers Can a president represent an entire nation Can a president represent an entire nation Woodrow Wilson/Teddy Roosevelt critique Woodrow Wilson/Teddy Roosevelt critique

Presidential Power- 2 views It is not only the president’s "right, but his duty to do anything that the needs of the nation demanded unless such action was forbidden by the Congress." T. Roosevelt It is not only the president’s "right, but his duty to do anything that the needs of the nation demanded unless such action was forbidden by the Congress." T. Roosevelt The president can exercise no power which cannot be fairly and reasonably traced to some specific grant of power.. either in the federal constitution or in an act of Congress. There is no undefined residuum of power which he can exercise because it seems to him to be in the public interest. William Taft The president can exercise no power which cannot be fairly and reasonably traced to some specific grant of power.. either in the federal constitution or in an act of Congress. There is no undefined residuum of power which he can exercise because it seems to him to be in the public interest. William Taft 1916.

Informal Powers Professional reputation Professional reputation Electoral results Electoral results Bargaining Bargaining  Carrot and the stick Marshalling public opinion (going public) Marshalling public opinion (going public) Truman, Marshall Plan Truman, Marshall Plan Clinton, Gays in the Military Clinton, Gays in the Military

Presidential Power Empirically, presidential power is increasing Empirically, presidential power is increasing  Increased popular linkages  Increased institutional resources Presidents have incentive and capacity to be as powerful as possible Presidents have incentive and capacity to be as powerful as possible

Presidential Power- 2 views It is not only the president’s "right, but his duty to do anything that the needs of the nation demanded unless such action was forbidden by the Congress." T. Roosevelt It is not only the president’s "right, but his duty to do anything that the needs of the nation demanded unless such action was forbidden by the Congress." T. Roosevelt The president can exercise no power which cannot be fairly and reasonably traced to some specific grant of power.. either in the federal constitution or in an act of Congress. There is no undefined residuum of power which he can exercise because it seems to him to be in the public interest. William Taft The president can exercise no power which cannot be fairly and reasonably traced to some specific grant of power.. either in the federal constitution or in an act of Congress. There is no undefined residuum of power which he can exercise because it seems to him to be in the public interest. William Taft 1916.

Textbook President Formal powers– president is unconstrained Formal powers– president is unconstrained Normative- president ought to be powerful Normative- president ought to be powerful President is activist, has a program, sets agenda, accepts responsibility for what happens. President is activist, has a program, sets agenda, accepts responsibility for what happens. Good issue based elections, unified government Good issue based elections, unified government

Normative Question FDR, JFK, Savior model- 1950s and 60s FDR, JFK, Savior model- 1950s and 60s LBJ, Nixon Satan model, or Imperial Presidency LBJ, Nixon Satan model, or Imperial Presidency Ford, Carter Sampson model Ford, Carter Sampson model Reagan– partisan presidency Reagan– partisan presidency