July 3 2010

Saturday, July 03, 2010

9:12 AM

Lost notes

Role of president and powers of president

Presidential Power
a. Head of state
b. Chief executive
c. Commander in chief of armed forces
d. Chief diplomat
e. Chief legislature
f. Party chief

How presidents have power…

Media: connect with many people and get your message across
1. President dominates the news more than any other person in the country
2. FDR one of firs t presidents to use media
1) Fireside chats - acted more like a friend than president
Reputation

Party Leadership: support of party and can focus on creating a bipartisan leadership

One type of president, but two types of presidencies

Foreign: Republican presidents more focused

Domestic: Democratic presidents more focused

IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE CURRENT EVENTS OF TIME

Theory of/on presidential power: http://classes.maxwell.syr.edu/hst341/prezpower.htm

a. Prerogative - Lincoln
1. carries the role of the president into more assertive and aggressive areas, often going
outside the Constitution and the nation's laws. This theory of "paramount necessity" as
defined by Abraham Lincoln and used by Franklin Roosevelt and Richard Nixon pushes the
direction of presidential exercise of power into imperial or dictatorial areas, raising legal and
ethical questions regarding its use.

Pasted from <http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072401885/student_view0/chapter12/chapter_outline.html>

a. FOR PUBLIC GOOD

Government AP course Page 1

 a. FOR PUBLIC GOOD
b. Making laws cause of tired of waiting for Congress to pass laws
c. Flexibility that must be extended to president, so the public can benefit
d. "Must violate constitution at times to save the constitution"
e. Plays off the vigor and energy of president, to make decisions to defend the
continuing rights of the people

b. Stewardship - Teddy Roosevelt

1. It claimed that "the executive power was limited only by specific restrictions appearing in
the Constitution or imposed by Congress under its constitutional powers."
Pasted from <http://www.americanforeignrelations.com/O-W/Presidential-Power-The-stewardship-theory.html>

a. "I decline to adopt the view of what is imperative necessary for action can't be done
by president unless I can find some authorization I can do it.
c. Literalist - Taft
1. Strict interpretation of constitution, President only had powers explicitly stated by
constitution
a. Can't do things that aren't in the constitution
b. Since so much is unsaid in constitution, the president wouldn't have much of a
job

Non-institutional (systematic) checking : Divided government

1. Create gridlock
2. Having in power of presidenc of one party and congress controlled by another party

Government AP course Page 2