RELEVANCE:
The president is the most visible and powerful individual in the American political system. It is vital that any student of American Government understand the power and role of the president.
SUMMARY:
The Framers’ ambivalence toward executive power has created a “gray area” in which the strength of the presidency is primarily determined by the individual skills of presidents and the support of the public. By using the powers of their office to the max, presidents attempt to shape public policy. In foreign policy, in particular, Presidents have succeeded at obtaining near dominance. But in many areas Congress and the Courts continue to constrain the President, sometimes pushing back successfully against efforts by Presidents to change the policy status quo. Harry S. Truman (President from 1945 to 1953) reflected that “Being President is like riding a tiger. A man has to keep on riding or be swallowed.” And Theodore Roosevelt once told his relative Franklin (fists clenched) “Sometimes I wish I could be President and Congress too.” With enormous powers come even more enormous expectations. Presidents often struggle to fulfil those expectations in the face of a separation of powers system that limits presidential options, and their popularity often suffers as a result.
Presidential power expanded greatly from the 19th century to the 20th century as presidents both strengthened their connections to the people and expanded their institutional power. Congress responded in a variety of ways, aiming to maintain influence while delegating some powers to the president. By some measures the expansion of presidential power leveled off by the 1970s, with modest declines or relative stability since.
The key source of expanding presidential power was the expansion of the role of the federal government. As Congress passed laws to expand federal activities across many areas from public works to environmental regulation to health care, and many more, Congress often delegated a portion of this authority to the president. Increasing regulatory and administrative power gave presidents more opportunities to shape public policy, often without direct subsequent involvement from Congress. Thus, a growing executive administration empowers the President as the “Chief Executive.” Presidents use appointment powers, executive reorganization, and executive orders to make policy through executive action.