Chapter 7

Question 1

The Historical Presidency

Answer 1

• Few Powers in the Executive Branch
• Few White House-based Staff
• Precedents of Power Expanded Slowly
• Party Influence is Key, but Applies Both Ways

Question 2

Rough Historical Highlights

Answer 2

-Washington: Basic administrator and nominal figurehead.
-Jackson (1830s) more modern political parties and the Spoils system begins in earnest.
-Power expanded with national emergency (Lincoln and the Civil War).
-Radical expansion of economic power under FDR in Depression.
-Radical expansion of all power under FDR during WWII.
-Comprehensive legislative agendas after FDR
Nixon’s Imperial Presidency

Question 3

There was a radical expansion of power during depression/war years.

Answer 3

• President now viewed as tied to the economy whereas he or she has no such formal powers.
• War created massive bureaucracy under President’s direct control.
• In an emergency, Congress began to get used to taking directions from a co-partisan executive.
• FDR kept getting reelected (no term limits) and as such was never a “lame duck”
• WWII re-emphasized presidential primacy in foreign affairs

Question 4

Led to congressional backlash later, but much of the power stayed in the hands of the president.

Answer 4

• Congressional Reorganization Act of 1946

- Bureaucracy reduced, but still remained at historically high levels.

Question 5

The Modern Presidency

Answer 5

• Presidents are now powerful executives able to both influence lawmaking and administer laws.
• The modern presidency really begins with FDR who expanded the role and power of the presidency.
• Presidents use their influence and their party leader status to guide legislation.
• Expanded powers has led to an expanded need for staffing and advisors.

-The modern presidency is often called the Institutionalized presidency.

Question 6

The Brownlow Committee Report (1937)

Answer 6

• called for staff increases and reorganization to contend with the new duties and expanded powers of the president.
• After the Brownlow, FDR dramatically increased the staff size of the executive branch and created the EOP.

Question 7

An Institutionalized Presidency

Answer 7

• is much larger, with both the number of agencies etc, and their respective staff sizes, increased.
• Centralized with a bureaucratic hierarchy.

Question 8

Presidential power continued growing after FDR.

Answer 8

Truman seizures of the steel mills and engagement in Korean War.
Eisenhower’s use of federal troops to desegregate.
LBJ’s legislative agendas: Great Society and Civil Rights.

Question 9

Nixon expanded powers to an uncomfortable level

Answer 9

• He “impounded” agency funds in order to destroy congressional initiatives that he disagreed with.
• He used the IRS to investigate enemies.
• Aggressive foreign policy with Vietnam and China.
• He took the US off of the gold standard (1971) which threatened the global economy.
• CREP – broke into Watergate hotel to help win reelection.
• Watergate backlash gave rise to a new congressional resurgence to thwart the Imperial Presidency.