1. The President and Congress: A Strategic Relationship Part II

2. What should the relationship between the president and Congress look like? To what degree should Congress look to the president for policy leadership? To what degree should Congress look to the president for policy leadership? To what degree should partisanship govern the president’s relationship with Congress? To what degree should partisanship govern the president’s relationship with Congress? Under what circumstances do you think the president and Congress should compromise? Under what circumstances do you think the president and Congress should compromise? You will turn in notes for participation credit.

3. To what degree does partisanship govern the president’s relationship with Congress? Unified and divided government Unified and divided government –Mayhew’s argument An advantage An advantage Not a total advantage Not a total advantage

4. Under what circumstances will the president and Congress compromise? Logic of compromise: Logic of compromise: When a party to a negotiation prefers any improvement over the status quo to the status quo itself. When a party to a negotiation prefers any improvement over the status quo to the status quo itself.

5. Under what circumstances will we see the president and Congress compromise? Unified government Unified government Issue is good for one party and bad for the other Issue is good for one party and bad for the other Long time until the next election Long time until the next election Major legislation Major legislation

6. Under what circumstances will the president and Congress fail to compromise? Logic of the failure to compromise: Logic of the failure to compromise: Hard to explain to enthusiastic supporters Hard to explain to enthusiastic supporters Parties wish to maintain differences Parties wish to maintain differences Reduces chances of getting more later Reduces chances of getting more later

7. Under what circumstances will the president and Congress fail to compromise? Divided government Divided government Issue is subject of intense interest by active pressure groups Issue is subject of intense interest by active pressure groups Issue is good for one party and bad for the other Issue is good for one party and bad for the other Elections are close Elections are close

8. Veto bait Divided government only Divided government only Congress passes an uncompromising bill Congress passes an uncompromising bill Veto imposes costs on the president Veto imposes costs on the president Can lead to game of successive approximations Can lead to game of successive approximations How can the president win? How can the president win?

9. Bush’s vetoes July 19, 2006: Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 July 19, 2006: Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 May 1, 2007: U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007 May 1, 2007: U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007 June 20, 2007: Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 June 20, 2007: Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 October 3, 2007: Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 ("SCHIP") October 3, 2007: Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 ("SCHIP") November 2, 2007: Water Resources Development Act of 2007, veto overridden November 2, 2007: Water Resources Development Act of 2007, veto overridden November 13, 2007: Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 November 13, 2007: Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 December 12, 2007: Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 December 12, 2007: Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 December 28, 2007: Pocket Vetoed, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 December 28, 2007: Pocket Vetoed, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008

10. Bush’s vetoes March 8, 2008: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 March 8, 2008: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 May 21, 2008: 2007 U.S. Farm Bill, veto overridden May 21, 2008: 2007 U.S. Farm Bill, veto overridden June 2008: 2007 U.S. Farm Bill, re-passed by Congress to correct a clerical error, veto overridden June 2008: 2007 U.S. Farm Bill, re-passed by Congress to correct a clerical error, veto overridden July 15, 2008: Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act, veto overridden July 15, 2008: Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act, veto overridden

11. Revisit the main questions: To what degree is the president a better representative of the people? Should he take the lead in domestic policymaking? Does he have the upper hand in domestic policymaking?

12. Under what circumstances will Congress be more likely to check the president? To rein in an expansion of power? To impeach him?