Operation: The Institutional Presidency

1
Session 24

• Operation The Institutional Presidency
• The Cabinet

2
The Presidents Cabinet

• How departments are created
• enabling legislation
• A horse of a (slightly) different color
• the independent agencies
• Origins
• Interior (1849) Education (1979)
• Agriculture (1889) Veterans Affairs (1989)
• HEW (1953) Homeland Security
• HUD (1965) (2001)
• Transportation (1966)
• Energy (1977)

3
The Evolution of the Presidents Cabinet The
Constitutional Debates

• Operational Role
• Advisory Role
• British Heritage
• U.S. origins and history
• The Constitution and terminology
• Washingtons model

4
Cabinet Meetings

• Frequency varies
• Subject matter is not universally relevant
• The Cabinet Secretary is responsible for the
  agenda
• Early in the presidents term - building personal
  relationships with each other and with the
  president
• Later in the presidents term meetings for
  emergencies or for political reasons
• Cabinet secretaries comments are advisory and
  have no formal weight in decision-making but
  meetings allow for communication and discussion

5
Cabinet-Building Strategies

• Appointments from the other party
• Geographic diversity
• Agriculture
• Interior
• Treasury
• Inter-party bridge building
• Gender and Ethnic Diversity