2. Imperial Presidency
• Growth of federal power – New Deal
• U.S. World’s policeman – foreign policy now
largely the domain of the president and Congress
usually defers to the White House in this area
• The Nixon presidency (1968 -1974) generally seen
as the culmination of the growth of presidential
power
• Schlesinger called this the ‘imperial presidency’ in
1973
• Because of this growth it contained more
possibility for abuse – which happened during
Vietnam War, Cambodia and the Watergate scandal
3. Imperilled Presidency
• Increasing congressional resources to make Congress more
effective in oversight, such as setting up Congressional Budget
Office
• Passing the Case Act of 1972, forcing the president to inform
Congress of all executive agreements made with other states
• Allowing the passage of the War Powers Resolution in 1973
(vetoed by Nixon but overridden), restricting, in theory, the
president’s powers to commit troops into hostilities.
• Passing the budget & Impoundment Control Act in 1974 to prevent
the president from impounding money agreed by Congress
• The threat of impeachment leading to resignation of ‘imperial’
president.
