POL 101: U.S. Government

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POL 101 U.S. Government
Presentation by Dr. Kevin Lasher
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Major Functions of Congress

• Running for re-election
• Representation
• Constituency Service
• Policy-making and law-making
• Oversight

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BILL INTRODUCED
SUB- COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE
RULESCOMMITTEE
FLOOR VOTE
PRESIDENT SIGNS/VETOES
FINAL FLOOR VOTE
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
HOUSE
OVERRIDE VETO with 2/3 VOTE
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BILL INTRODUCED
SUB- COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE
FLOOR VOTE
PRESIDENT SIGNS/VETOES
FINAL FLOOR VOTE
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
SENATE
OVERRIDE VETO with 2/3 VOTE
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BILL INTRODUCED
SUB- COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE
FLOOR VOTE
RULESCOMMITTEE (House Only)
PRESIDENT SIGNS/VETOES
FINAL FLOOR VOTE
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
OVERRIDE VETO with 2/3 VOTE
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Which branch should dominate?
?
Congress
President
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Periods of Congressional-Presidential Relations

• 1787-1932 Congressional Dominance
• 1932-1974 Presidential Dominance
• 1974-present Congressional-Presidential
  Balance

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Congressional Dominance, 1787-1932

• Founders intended Congress to be primary branch
• National government was limited in scope during
  much of this period (Madisonian federalism)
• National govt fight wars, administer
  territories, diplomacy, few domestic programs
• Strong Presidents in this era Jackson, Lincoln,
  T. Roosevelt, Wilson

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Andrew Jackson, 1829-1837
Abraham Lincoln, 1861-1865
Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1921
Theodore Roosevelt, 1901-1909
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Presidential Dominance, 1932-1974
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Presidential Dominance, 1932-1974

• Constitution does not change but circumstances
  change
• Expansion of presidency along with the expansion
  of the power of the national government
• Eventually came a backlash to imperial
  presidencies of Johnson and Nixon
• Congress begins to reassert its authority at end
  of this period

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Presidential Dominance, 1932-1974

• WHY?
• Executive branch management of US economy
• US as world superpower changes importance of
  foreign policy and urgency of central control
• New roles for federal government civil rights,
  environment, education, others
• New media focuses on single individual
• No new constitutional powers

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Congl-Presl Balance, 1974-present
Richard Nixon
Lyndon Johnson
Imperial Presidents
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Congl-Presl Balance, 1974-present

• Congress begins to reassert its authority after
  Vietnam and Watergate presidency had become too
  powerful
• Ford and Carter as weak/failed Presidents
• Rough balance between legislature and executive
  not absolute equality
• Reagan and Bush 43 much more powerful for a part
  of their presidencies
• Presidents more powerful on foreign policy

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Congl-Presl Balance, 1974-present

• What is a powerful President?

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Presidential Powers Modern Powers

• Power over foreign policy
• Power through bureaucracy
• Power over legislation
• Power through leadership/persuasion
• Power through party

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The End