Consider: How have presidential powers changed over time?

Homework: Assignment 10 for tomorrow

Consider: How have presidential powers changed over time?

Homework: Assignment 10 for tomorrow

Unit 4: President

AP Government and Politics

Development and Expansion of

Presidential Power

Development and Expansion of Presidential Power

Establishing Presidential Authority: First Presidents

Incremental Expansion of Presidential Powers: 1809-1933

Creating the Modern Presidency – FDR to the present

7.3

Establishing Presidential Authority: First Presidents

George Washington Puts down Whiskey

Rebellion Asserted presidential

power to conduct foreign policy

Idea of Inherent powers – dealing with neutrality in French/British war

Thomas Jefferson Louisiana purchase

another good example of inherent powers

7.3

Incremental Expansion of Presidential Powers: 1809-1933 Andrew Jackson Democratization of the

presidency Surpassed all vetoes

combined before him Abraham Lincoln

Extraordinary war powers – Suspends habeas

corpus Needs of the nation =

inherent powers

7.3

Creating the Modern Presidency

General trend – Moves from a strong

Congress (up to 1865) to more assertive presidents

Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) Dealing with crises - Great

Depression, New Deal, World War II

7.3

An Imperial Presidency?Perhaps the lesson to be taken from the presidents since

Kennedy is one Arthur Schlesinger suggested almost 40 years ago, writing about Nixon: “The effective means of controlling the presidency lay less in law than in politics. For the American President ruled by influence; and the withdrawal of consent, by Congress, by the press, by public opinion, could bring any President down.” - Robert Dallek

Power and the Presidency, From Kennedy to Obama

“He’ll sit here and he’ll say, ‘Do this, do that’, and nothing will happen. Poor Ike, it won’t be a bit like the army”

- Harry Truman

Why are Republicans often unable to challenge what they consider “executive fiats”?

Is the “imperial presidency” the only option in a divided government?

If Obama has continued and “improved” upon the use of executive action, are we destined to see increasing use by subsequent presidents, especially if divided government remains the norm?

Is there any recourse for a president who uses executive orders to the extreme?

Questions on the reading