The document discusses the expansion of presidential power in the United States over time. It identifies four key factors that help explain this expansion: vague constitutional provisions, changing public expectations, energy of individual presidents, and congressional delegation of power and authority to the president. The document also outlines several roles and powers of the modern American presidency, including as chief of state, commander-in-chief, chief executive, and chief legislator.

1. The Presidency
Dr. Christopher S. Rice

3. Setting precedents
Early US presidents & their actions…

11. What explains the
expansion of
presidential power?

12. 4
Factors

13. Expansion
of
Presidential
Power

14. Energy
Expansion
of
Presidential
Power

15. Vague
Constitutional
Provisions
Energy
Expansion
of
Presidential
Power

16. Vague
Constitutional
Provisions
Energy
Expansion
of
Presidential
Power
Changing
Public
Expectations

17. Vague
Constitutional
Provisions
Energy
Expansion
of
Presidential
Power
Changing
Public
Expectations
Congressional
Delegation of
Power, Authority

18. Roles and Powers of
the President

19. Chief of State

20. The Power to Persuade

21. The
“Bully Pulpit”

22. State of the Union Address

23. Success!
FAIL
The Importance of Approval Ratings

24. Chief Diplomat

25. Treaty Power
Power to negotiate treaties,
official agreements with other
countries

26. The Need for Senate Ratification

28. Executive Agreement
Legal contracts with foreign
countries that require only a
presidential signature

29. Manager of the Economy

31. Employment Act of 1946

32. The Budgetary Process
(c) 2008 L.A. Times

33. Office of Management and
Budget (OMB)

34. Congressional Budget
Office (CBO)

35. Commander-in-Chief

36. Conveys significant authority
over foreign affairs

37. Congress
1861 - U.S. Civil War - 1865
Action on
Military
Matters
President

38. 1861 - U.S. Civil War - 1865
Congress
Action on
Military
Matters
President

39. United States vs.
Curtiss-Wright (1936)

40. Youngstown Sheet &
Tube Co. v Sawyer
(1951)

41. War Powers Resolution
(1973)

42. Chief Executive

43. Appointment Power

44. Constitution allows presidents
to “appoint Ambassadors, other
public ministers and Consuls,
Judges of the supreme Court…
and all other Officers of the
United States.”

45. Advice & Consent

46. Inherent
Executive
Power

47. Executive Orders
directives to government
employees which carry the weight
of law unless they contradict acts
passed by Congress

48. Executive Privilege
right of the president to deny
Congress the information it
requests

49. Chief Legislator

50. Power to Recommend
Constitution encourages presidents to
recommend for Congressional
“consideration such Measures as he
shall judge necessary and expedient.”

51. I’m in ur Congress
Ignorin’ ur President

52. The “Honeymoon Period”
(and the importance of approval ratings)

53. Presidential Action
• There are FOUR (4) possible actions
the president may take:
–
–
–
–
Sign the bill and it becomes law.
Veto the bill and return it to Congress.
Take no action and the bill will become
law after ten (10) days.
Pocket Veto – Take no action and if
Congress adjourns within ten (10) days,
the bill dies without his signature.

54. Presidential Action
• There are FOUR (4) possible actions
the president may take:
–
–
–
–
Sign the bill and it becomes law.
Veto the bill and return it to Congress.
Take no action and the bill will become
law after ten (10) days.
Pocket Veto – Take no action and if
Congress adjourns within ten (10) days,
the bill dies without his signature.

55. Presidential Action
• There are FOUR (4) possible actions
the president may take:
–
–
–
–
Sign the bill and it becomes law.
Veto the bill and return it to Congress.
Take no action and the bill will become
law after ten (10) days.
Pocket Veto – Take no action and if
Congress adjourns within ten (10) days,
the bill dies without his signature.

56. Veto Power
Most important FORMAL presidential power

57. Vetoes are a NEGATIVE option,
not a POSITIVE method

58. Presidential Action
• There are FOUR (4) possible actions
the president may take:
–
–
–
–
Sign the bill and it becomes law.
Veto the bill and return it to Congress.
Take no action and the bill will become
law after ten (10) days.
Pocket Veto – Take no action and if
Congress adjourns within ten (10) days,
the bill dies without his signature.

59. Presidential Action
• There are FOUR (4) possible actions
the president may take:
–
–
–
–
Sign the bill and it becomes law.
Veto the bill and return it to Congress.
Take no action and the bill will become
law after ten (10) days.
Pocket Veto – Take no action and if
Congress adjourns within ten (10) days,
the bill dies without his signature.

60. Reagan
and the
Pocket
Veto

62. The Vice-Presidency

63. What does the Vice-President
DO, anyway?

64. “…the most insignificant
office that ever the
invention of man contrived
or his imagination
conceived.”
John Adams, the first VicePresident

65. “…not worth a pitcher of
warm piss.”
John Nance Garner, the 32nd VicePresident

66. “Once there were two
brothers. One went away to
sea; the other was elected
Vice-President of the United
States. And nothing was ever
heard of either of them
again.”
Thomas R. Marshall, the 28th VicePresident

67. What does the Vice-President
DO, anyway?

68. A Heartbeat Away...

69. Constitution:
Should the President die or become
disabled while in office, "powers
and duties" of the office transferred
to the Vice President.

70. 25th Amendment
to the Rescue!

71. And the
First
Runner-Up
is...
(cc) 2005 Flickr user feastoffools

72. 12th Amendment
(1804)

73. 25th Amendment
(1967)

74. Okay, so I AM your
Stepping Stone
(cc) 2007 Flickr user .Gladius

75. The Modern Vice-Presidency