George W. Bush (43)

The 2000 Race

Al Gore (D) Ralph Nader (G)

2000 Election• 2000 election results

Florida 2000

• 537 votes

• Legal Documents

Bush Background

Senator Prescott Bush Pres. GHW Bush

(with Ike)

His Administration

• Foreign Affairs advisers: Bush II

• Domestic Policy advisers: W I

• Policies: Reagan III

But: “Compassionate Conservatism”

No Child Left Behind

Post-Modern Presidency?

• 1789-1933: Pre-Modern• 1933-1989: Modern or Crisis Presidency• 1989: End of the Crisis Presidency• Post-Modern?

– Bush-Clinton-Bush– Weak executive– Madisonian model– “Governor of the USA”

Return to Crisis Presidency9/11/01

Pentagon

Post-September 11

• New Crisis Presidency• Return to Modern Presidency• Bush Address to Congress 9/20/01

Unitary Executive Theory

• Executive Power

• National Security

• Theme in Republican Presidencies– Nixon - Impoundment– Nixon - Watergate– Reagan – Iran-Contra

Bush and Presidential Power:New Imperial Presidency?

1. Office of Homeland Security

2. Congress rolls over

1. AUMF 9/18/01

2. Iraq Resolution of 2002, 9/16/02

3. Terrorist Surveillance Program (2001)

4. Detainees: Military Order of 11/13/01

Bush and Presidential Power: Checks and Balances

1. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

2. But Bush asks for authority1. AUMF 9/18/01

2. Iraq Resolution of 2002, 9/16/02

3. Protect America Act 2007 and FISA Amendments Act 2008

4. Military Commissions Act, 2006 and Military Commission Act 2009

5. Signing Statements

Standard US Governmental Process

Congress introduces bill

negotiation begins Exec-Leg Bill becomes

agreement lawPresIntroduces bill Exec-Leg

disagreement

Congress passes bill

Pres vetoes

Congress overrides

Standard Process with Signing Statement

P. implements

his versionCongress of lawintroduces bill Exec-Leg

negotiation agreement Bill becomes begins law

PresIntroduces bill Exec-Leg

disagreement

Pres. signs bill anyway;Adds interpretationin signing statement

The Language in the Bush 43 Signing Statements

“The executive branch shall construe {reference to the bill} in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President to supervise the unitary executive branch.”

Executive Orders

By President•Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation 9/22/62•FDR’s Orders 1937•Carter creates FEMA 7/20/79•Bush creates HSC and OHS 10/8/01•Bush Military Order on Unlawful Enemy Combatants 11/13/01•Obama Executive Order on Immigration 11/20/14

The Current Battle

House Lawsuit against Obama Actions on Affordable Care Act

•The Resolution Authorizing the Lawsuit

•New York Times

•Wall Street Journal

Bush 43: The Slide

• Iraq

• Hurricane Katrina

• The Great Recession

Hurricane Katrina

US public opinion turns against the war

Source: Scott Keeter, Trends in Public Opinion about the War in Iraq, 2003-2007, March 2007: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/431/trends-in-

public-opinion-about-the-war-in-iraq-2003-2007

The Great Recession

Bush Public Approval