1. Chapter 12: The Presidency

2. The Constitutional Basis of Presidential Power
Requirements for the presidency
U.S. born citizen
At least 35 years of age
Has lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years
*Political Experience i.e governor, senator, military
Wealthy, Law Degree, Business Owner, young??
Male, healthy, public relations skills, clean family background, past family member in politics

3. The Constitutional Basis of Presidential Power
Powers of the presidency
Act as administrative head of the nation
Serve as commander in chief of the military
Convene Congress
Veto legislation
Appoint top officials
Make treaties
Grant pardons

4. The Expansion of Presidential Power
Formal Powers
Involved in policymaking through:
Veto power
Reporting to Congress on state of the Union
Commander in chief
Presidents have become more aggressive in their use of these powers

5. The Expansion of Presidential Power
Inherent Powers
Inherent powers: authority claimed by the president that is not clearly specified in the Constitution
Forces Congress and the courts to acquiesce or restrict the power
Success in claiming power leaves legacy of expanded authority
Executive orders: presidential directives that create or modify laws and public policies, without the direct approval of Congress
Executive agreements: similar to executive order, but used in foreign policy

6. The Expansion of Presidential Power
Congressional Delegation of Power
Delegation of powers: the process by which Congress gives the executive branch the additional authority needed to address new problems
Example: FDR and the New Deal
Congress can enact legislation to reassert authority

7. The Executive Branch Establishment
The Executive Office of the President
White House office: the president’s personal staff
Chief of Staff
National Security Adviser
Council of Economic Advisers

8. The Executive Branch Establishment
Below top aides are the large staffs that serve them and the president
Executive Office of the President: the president’s top aides and their staffs; the extended White House executive establishment
Employs almost 1600 people; $374 million annual budget

9. The Executive Branch Establishment
Major types of presidential advisory systems
Competitive (FDR)
Hierarchical (Eisenhower)
Collegial (Clinton)
Most presidents use a combination of styles

10. The Executive Branch Establishment
The Vice President
Most important duty of the vice president is to take over the presidency in the case of presidential death, disability, impeachment or resignation
Has traditionally carried out political chores

11. The Executive Branch Establishment
The Cabinet
Cabinet: a group of presidential advisers; the heads of the executive departments and a small number of other key officials
Modern presidents do not rely on the cabinet to make policy

12. Presidential Leadership
Leadership is a function of the president’s own character and skill and the current political environment

13. Presidential Leadership
Presidential Character
Difficult to judge character, but it does matter
Voters claim to care about traits like integrity, competence, empathy

14. Presidential Leadership
The President’s Power to Persuade
Neustadt, “Presidential power is the power to persuade”
President’s political skills can affect outcomes in Congress
President’s influence is related to professional reputation and prestige

15. The President and the Public
Presidents are in a better position to persuade when their public popularity is high
President makes efforts to mobilize public support
Presidents pay close attention to their standing in public opinion polls

16. The President and the Public
Fluctuations in Presidential Popularity
Affected by economic conditions
Affected by major events
Typically lose popularity when involved in war with heavy casualties
Concern with public opinion can be defended as furthering majoritarian democracy

17. George W. Bush’s Presidential Approval Rating

18. The Political Context Partisans in Congress
One of the best predictors of presidential success is the number of fellow partisans in Congress
Divided government: the situation in which one party controls the White House and the other controls at least one house of Congress

19. The Political Context Elections
By running for office, candidates align themselves with particular segments of the population
Winning candidate wants to claim a mandate: an endorsement by voters

20. Legislative Leadership

21. The President as National Leader
Chief Lobbyist
Presidents have become increasingly active in all stages of legislative process
Legislative liaison staff: those people who compose the communications link between the White House and Congress, advising the president or cabinet secretaries on the status of pending legislation
Tries to build consensus by working cooperatively with legislators
White House also works with interest groups to build support
When agreement cannot be reached, president may veto a bill

22. The President as National Leader
Party Leader
President has informal duty to lead his party
President is “fundraiser in chief”

23. The President as World Leader
Foreign Relations
For 40 years, the president’s priority as world leader was to contain communism
New Era – 4 Fundamental Objectives
National Security
Fostering a Peaceful International Environment
Protection of U.S. Economic Interests
Humanitarian Concerns and Protection of Democracy Throughout the World

24. The President as World Leader
Crisis Management
The president may face a grave situation in which conflict is imminent or a small conflict threatens to explode into a larger war
Guidelines for crisis management
Drawing on a range of advisers and opinions
Not acting in haste
Having a well-designed formal review process with thorough analysis and open debate
Rigorously examining the reasoning underlying all options to ensure that assumptions are valid
Guidelines do not guarantee mistakes won’t be made; each crisis is unique