The Growth of Presidential Power

THE GROWTH OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER

Libertyville High School

Structure of the Constitution Article I makes Congress

strong17 enumerated powersCommerce ClauseNecessary and Proper Clause

Many argue that the Founders intended Congress to be strongest branch of government – why?B/c it represented the people!

Article II much more vagueOnly seven enumerated powers

Growth in Presidential Power Why has presidential

power grown?Unity of office (one person)Strong willed presidents

○ Washington; Lincoln; FDR; Reagan

War time = power to president as C in C

Congressional delegationExpansion of Federal

Government & Growing public expectations

President’s use of “bully pulpit”

Limits on Presidential Power

ConstitutionArticle II’s enumerated

powers limit authority of president to those 7 pwrs

BUT presidents argue for “executive powers” of presidency (exec. orders)

State of the unionThenAnd Now

Limits on Executive Power

CongressSets policy, makes

laws (designed to be strongest branch)

BUT what if they delegate their authority away to the President, for political reasons? (war powers)

Limits on Executive Power

US Supreme CourtInterprets ConstitutionBUT someone must file

a case to get the judicial branch involved (inherently reactive)

And who appoints US Supreme Court Justices, and all other federal judges?

How Should America be Governed?

Strong Executive, Weak Congress?

Strong Congress, Weak Executive?

Strong Executive, Strong Congress (with lots of conflict)?