The US Presidency
formal sources of presidential power
informal sources of presidential power
interpretations and debates around the US presidency
comparing the UK and US executive branches
FORMAL SOURCES OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER
ROLE AS HEAD OF STATE
- chief public representative of the USA including diplomatic and ceremonial duties
- central focus point in times of national crisis eg. GW Bush's positive approach to
this role after 9/11 when he addressed the nation from the Oval Office and at
the prayer service in Washington National Cathedral to lift fallen spirits / Trump
played this role less successfully during the Covid 19 epidemic when he took
minimal national action
- this role allows the president to exert lots of authority as they are seen as the national
leader, with the opportunity to direct national/international US policy
- national media allows them to deliver US-wide messages and exert influence over
public opinion and Congress, providing them a national mandate to carry out policy
goals
LIMITATIONS
- it is a formal power in itself but there are not really any formal powers attached to it
- intangible power (but important to have public support, informally gives the president
the power of influence)
ROLE AS HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
- president is head of the executive branch by virtue of the formal powers granted by
the Constitution (enumerated powers)
- can use the executive branch to develop political goals and put them into practice by
using the 15 cabinet depts and E(X)OP
- the POTUS makes roughly 3,000 appts to federal posts to 'serve at the President's
pleasure' - they can be appointed or dismissed at any time
LIMITATIONS
- many posts require senate approval
- cabinet members and depts may have their own agendas
, SUBMITTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
- potentially the most important piece of legislation
- drawn up by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), part of the president's
bureaucracy (Executive Office of the President - EXOP)
LIMITATIONS
- the budget proposal is followed by a lengthy bargaining process, especially during
divided govt
- Congress has power of the purse
- this can lead to gridlock and even shutdowns
LEGISLATIVE POWERS
PROPOSING LEGISLATION
can do this either via the annual State of the Union address (Trump used this in 2018 to
announce his promise to crackdown on immigration), a press conference or
announcement
LIMITATIONS
- the legislative powers of Congress give no guarantee that any proposed legislation
will pass, and if it does it could take a radically different form than originally desired
- only about proposing legislation
SIGNING LEGISLATION
A bill will eventually arrive on the President's desk, if they do nothing it will become law in ten
days as long as Congress is still in session. If they want to take credit for the bill they can
sign it, possibly with an elaborate ceremony
VETOING LEGISLATION
A regular veto, or even the threat of it, is a powerful way to bargain with Congress
- a pocket veto, only available at the end of a congressional session, cannot be
overridden by Congress
LIMITATIONS
- congress can override a regular veto with a ⅔ majority
- GW Bush's success rate of 64% with vetoes was the third lowest of any
President
- but it takes a supermajority and 64% still means more were vetoed than not
formal sources of presidential power
informal sources of presidential power
interpretations and debates around the US presidency
comparing the UK and US executive branches
FORMAL SOURCES OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER
ROLE AS HEAD OF STATE
- chief public representative of the USA including diplomatic and ceremonial duties
- central focus point in times of national crisis eg. GW Bush's positive approach to
this role after 9/11 when he addressed the nation from the Oval Office and at
the prayer service in Washington National Cathedral to lift fallen spirits / Trump
played this role less successfully during the Covid 19 epidemic when he took
minimal national action
- this role allows the president to exert lots of authority as they are seen as the national
leader, with the opportunity to direct national/international US policy
- national media allows them to deliver US-wide messages and exert influence over
public opinion and Congress, providing them a national mandate to carry out policy
goals
LIMITATIONS
- it is a formal power in itself but there are not really any formal powers attached to it
- intangible power (but important to have public support, informally gives the president
the power of influence)
ROLE AS HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
- president is head of the executive branch by virtue of the formal powers granted by
the Constitution (enumerated powers)
- can use the executive branch to develop political goals and put them into practice by
using the 15 cabinet depts and E(X)OP
- the POTUS makes roughly 3,000 appts to federal posts to 'serve at the President's
pleasure' - they can be appointed or dismissed at any time
LIMITATIONS
- many posts require senate approval
- cabinet members and depts may have their own agendas
, SUBMITTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
- potentially the most important piece of legislation
- drawn up by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), part of the president's
bureaucracy (Executive Office of the President - EXOP)
LIMITATIONS
- the budget proposal is followed by a lengthy bargaining process, especially during
divided govt
- Congress has power of the purse
- this can lead to gridlock and even shutdowns
LEGISLATIVE POWERS
PROPOSING LEGISLATION
can do this either via the annual State of the Union address (Trump used this in 2018 to
announce his promise to crackdown on immigration), a press conference or
announcement
LIMITATIONS
- the legislative powers of Congress give no guarantee that any proposed legislation
will pass, and if it does it could take a radically different form than originally desired
- only about proposing legislation
SIGNING LEGISLATION
A bill will eventually arrive on the President's desk, if they do nothing it will become law in ten
days as long as Congress is still in session. If they want to take credit for the bill they can
sign it, possibly with an elaborate ceremony
VETOING LEGISLATION
A regular veto, or even the threat of it, is a powerful way to bargain with Congress
- a pocket veto, only available at the end of a congressional session, cannot be
overridden by Congress
LIMITATIONS
- congress can override a regular veto with a ⅔ majority
- GW Bush's success rate of 64% with vetoes was the third lowest of any
President
- but it takes a supermajority and 64% still means more were vetoed than not
