2. Separation of powers
Checks and balances
Limited government
President must lead, bargain, compromise,
and persuade
3. Propose legislation – State of the address.....
Submit an annual budget
Sign bills into law
Veto legislation – bargaining tool
Nominations – Supreme Court, executive
appointments
Treaties
4. Popularity of the President eg. size of the
President’s election victory, opinion polls
Divided government – Bush 2006 mid term
elections;Obama 2010
United government..................
Filibuster proof majority............
Crises – post 9/11, Patriot Act. Gulf ofTonkin
5. Tactics – offering pork, nationalTV............
Vice President – tied vote – 2003 350 billion
dollar tax cut
Use of EXOP – work the corridors and
committee rooms of Capitol Hill
Cabinet eg.Treasury Secretary – tax/fiscal
stimulus
Party leaders in Congress
6. United government
Popularity of the President
Honeymoon period
Lame duck
Charismatic authority – Clinton. Obama.
Congress – reasserts itself –Watergate.
Vietnam.
7. Bennett – ‘A President who uses a
combination of formal powers, informal
persuasion, popularity and legislative
skill, and is fortunate enough to be in
favourable circumstances, a clear mandate
and united government, can hope to get
many proposals through Congress’.
