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The President’s power can best be
understood as shared with other branches of
government as part of the Madisonian system
of checks and balances.
The founding fathers envisioned a Presidency
that would have fewer responsibilities than
today’s Presidency.
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“two Presidencies” refers to national security
and domestic policy.
The President has to balance both of these
jobs at all time. Which is more important?
A large number of studies have concluded
that the news media are slightly biased
toward the Democrats.
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What is the principal reason that Presidents
have trouble getting things done is that?
◦ other policymakers with whom they deal have their
own agendas, interests, and sources of power.
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Richard Neustadt:
◦ Argued Presidential power is probably best
understood as the power to persuade.
◦ Wrote presidential power thesis.
◦ Argued presidents would be best advised to
accomplish their agenda early in their 1st term as
president.
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25th Amendment:
-clarifies what happens if the president
becomes disabled.
◦ the recuperated President can reclaim the Oval
Office through a set procedure.
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The President has the constitutional authority
to make treaties with other nations,
subject to the agreement of 2/3 Senate.
A primary resource available to Presidents for
controlling the bureaucracy is control of the
federal budget.
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Consists of the head of each executive
department, plus any additional government
officials the President designates.
• Presidential advisors, not in Constitution
• What is the role of the cabinet?
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The part of the executive branch of
government that the President sees daily and
relies heavily on for information, policy
options, and analysis is the White House Staff.
Some work for White House, not the
president.
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A Presidential veto of legislation passed by
Congress can be overturned by a two-thirds
vote of both the House and the Senate to
override the veto.
The pocket veto can only be used when
Congress is adjourned.
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The Constitution gives the President the
power to influence the legislative process
through his responsibility to recommend
legislation and make appointments.
The primary obstacle to party unity in
Congress is the lack of consensus on policy
issues among party members.
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Presidential coattails refers to presidential
favors to those who support the President’s
policies.
A mid-term election is a Congressional
election that is not accompanied by a
Presidential election.
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The political resource that has the most
potential to turn a situation of stalemate
between the President and Congress into one
supportive of the President’s legislative
proposals is public approval.
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The President’s powers as the nation’s chief
diplomat:
◦ extending diplomatic recognition to a nation
◦ mediating disputes between nations other than the
Untied States
◦ negotiating treaties with other nations
◦ negotiating executive agreements which do not
require Congressional approval
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may be considered unconstitutional because
its use of the legislative veto may be
considered a violation of the doctrine of
separation of powers.
Passed in 1973 due to presidents going to
war without Congress approval.
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Social Security payments are an example of
an entitlement program.
An “uncontrollable” expenditure in the federal
budget is defined as an expenditure that is
required by current law or a previous
government obligation to people
automatically eligible for some benefit.
The biggest uncontrollable expenditure in the
federal budget is the Social Security system.
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Before the President submits her budget to
Congress, the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) coordinates the requests of
executive agencies.
According to the Constitution, all federal
appropriations must be authorized by
Congress.
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One of the important purposes of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is to force
Congress to consider the budget as a whole
rather than in terms of individual
appropriations.
The main purpose of the Congressional
Budget Office is to advise Congress on the
consequences of its budget decisions.
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An authorization bill is an act of Congress
that establishes a discretionary government
program or an entitlement, or that continues
or changes such programs.
Failing to meet its own budget timetable,
Congress has frequently resorted to
continuing resolutions, which are laws that
allow agencies to spend at the previous year’s
level.
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The rationale for all civil service systems is
based on the merit principle.
The Hatch Act, passed in 1940, prohibits
federal Civil Service employees from active
participation in partisan politics.
The Interstate Commerce Commission and
the Federal Reserve Board are examples of
independent regulatory agencies.
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Independent regulatory agencies have
powerful rule-making, dispute-settling, and
enforcement authority.
Once a policy decision has been made, such
as by passing a legislative act or issuing an
executive order, the bureaucracy is
responsible for its implementation.
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An obstacle to the successful implementation
of public policy is unclear policy goals and
poorly designed policies.
The authority of administrative actors to
select among various responses to a given
problem is called administrative discretion.
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Executive orders are issued by the president.
Congress tries to control the bureaucracy
through rewriting laws and budgets and
holding hearings.
An “iron triangle” consists of a bureaucratic
agency, an interest group, and a
Congressional committee or subcommittee.
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Issue networks are a growing participatory
force in bureaucratic decision making whose
members’ interest in issues is intellectual or
emotional rather than material.
Federalist #70 suggests a Hamiltonian view of
government that backs strong and energetic
executive power.
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Presidential press conferences are not very
useful means of eliciting information.
One solution to the problem of the
proliferation of regulatory agencies and
policies has been deregulation.
As the oversight powers of Congress in
regard to the bureaucracy have become more
vigorous, they have also become more
fragmented.
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Administrative discretion is greatest when
rules do not fit a case.
The use of government authority to control or
change some practice in the private sector is
known as regulation.