2 presidency
GHOST HAM
Presidency1--IntroductiontoPresidentialPower.pptxThe Presidency
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Standard and Unilateral Powers Models of Presidential Power
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The President doesn’t control gas prices but is blames for them
Americans tend to be unhappy with the president when gas prices rise.
But why?
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Expectations outpace reality
The president is often seen as the stand-in for the government. In reality:
The president is not the government
The president is not the presidency
Voters and the media often exaggerate what presidents can do alone
Example of President is not presidency
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Example of President is not Presidency, 2
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“In Gun Bill Defeat, a President’s Distaste for Twisting Arms” NYT, 4/22/13
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“Standard Model” of Presidential Power
Premise: the president is not as powerful as people think, particularly in domestic politics. Some reasons:
Cannot fully control own executive branch (president v. presidency)
Cannot control actions of other branches
Party polarization has made things worse (though also created some new opportunities)
Presidents oversell their own power, creating inflated expectations
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Dissenting View: Unilateral Powers Model
Premise: the president’s unilateral powers have increased over time and will continue to do so, endangering democracy
Congressional inaction, fragmentation, polarization presidents doing more unilaterally, sometimes breaking norms or laws
Increased use of executive orders, rule-implementation
Example: immigration policy
Congress unwilling to push back
Increased unilateral action in foreign policy
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Big Questions for Module
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What are the sources of presidential powers?
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“formal” and “informal”
How much control does the president have over the executive branch?
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Where is the president weaker than people expect, and where he is strong?
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