Homework: Assignment 10 for tomorrow

Unit 4: President AP Government and Politics

 Establishing Presidential Authority: First Presidents  Incremental Expansion of Presidential Powers:  Creating the Modern Presidency – FDR to the present 7.3

 George Washington  Puts down Whiskey Rebellion  Asserted presidential power to conduct foreign policy  Idea of Inherent powers – dealing with neutrality in French/British war  Thomas Jefferson  Louisiana purchase another good example of inherent powers 7.3

 Andrew Jackson Democratization of the presidency Surpassed all vetoes combined before him  Abraham Lincoln Extraordinary war powers – Suspends habeas corpus Needs of the nation = inherent powers 7.3

 General trend –  Moves from a strong Congress (up to 1865) to more assertive presidents  Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) Dealing with crises - Great Depression, New Deal, World War II 7.3

Perhaps the lesson to be taken from the presidents since Kennedy is one Arthur Schlesinger suggested almost 40 years ago, writing about Nixon: “The effective means of controlling the presidency lay less in law than in politics. For the American President ruled by influence; and the withdrawal of consent, by Congress, by the press, by public opinion, could bring any President down.” - Robert Dallek Power and the Presidency, From Kennedy to Obama “He’ll sit here and he’ll say, ‘Do this, do that’, and nothing will happen. Poor Ike, it won’t be a bit like the army” - Harry Truman

Why are Republicans often unable to challenge what they consider “executive fiats”? Is the “imperial presidency” the only option in a divided government? If Obama has continued and “improved” upon the use of executive action, are we destined to see increasing use by subsequent presidents, especially if divided government remains the norm? Is there any recourse for a president who uses executive orders to the extreme?