The President

1
The President

• Outline
• An American Invention
• Formal and Informal Powers
• Evaluating Presidents
• The Selection Process

2
The President

• An American Invention
• a. No historical precedents
• b. Two unique aspects of U.S. presidency

3
The President

• 1. Very powerful yet weak
• - Power due to broad constitutional
• authority
• - Weakness due to Congress and
• federalism
• - Neustadts Power to Persuade

4
The President

• 2. Both Head of State and Head of
• Government
• - Head of State
• - Head of Government
• - Somewhat Problematic

5
The President

• II. Formal and Informal Powers
• 1. Formal Powers
• - Veto Power
• - Appointment Powers
• - Commander-in-Chief The War
• Powers Resolution Act of 1973
• - Negotiate Treaties
• - Executive Orders personal values
  

6
The President

• 2. Informal Powers
• - Popularity Reasons for Variation
• - Bully Pulpit
• - Agenda Setting
• - Status of the Office
• - Party Leader
• - Personality

7
The President

• III. Evaluating Presidents
• a. Problem of limited observations
• b. The publics opinion
• c. Common theories
• - Barber and Presidential Personalities
• - Skowronek and Succession

8
The President

• IV. The Selection Process
• a. Basic Steps
• b. Nomination Process
• - Goal Win Majority of Delegates
• - Primary vs. Caucus
• - Party Convention

9
The President

• c. Electoral College
• - Basic Mechanics
• - In defense of the College
• - Complaints about the College