3.4 Interpretations and debates on US Presidency Flashcards
2
Give an example of Bill Clinton failing to achieve his aims
- Failed to fulfill campaign promise to end discrimation against gay people in military
- Compromise policy ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ satisfied neither side
2
Give an example of Bill Clinton achieving his aims
- Supported trilateral trade bloc with Canada and Mexico
- Won bipartisan support in both House and Senate for NAFTA Implementation Act 1993 (ratification deadline had expired)
2
Give an example of George W Bush achieving his aims
- Sought No Child Left Behind policy to expand equality of opportunity
- No Child Left Behind Act 2001 increased funding for federal education by $13.5bn
3
Give an example of George W Bush not achieving his aims
- Promised FP with no nation building
- Invasion in Afghanistan and Iraq would seek to create liberal democracies
- National crisis of 9/11 changed entire agenda
1
Give an example of Obama achieving his aims
- Obamacare - expanded healthcare insurance
1
Give an example of Obama failing to achieve his aims
- Failed to close Guantanamo Bay
1
Give an example of Trump achieving his aims
- Tax Cuts and Jobs Act - $2trn tax reductions
1
Give an example of Trump failing to achieve his aims
- Failed to fully build Mexico-border wall
1
Give an example of Biden achieving his aims
- Appointed Black female SC justice (Ketanji Brown Jackson) in 2022
1
Give an example of Biden failing to achieve his aims
- Continued construction of Trump wall
2
Describe an imperial presidency
- Overly powerful presidency due to unused or ineffective checks and balances from other branches
- President may evade congressional checks through issuing executive orders
2
Describe an imperilled presidency
- President struggles to excercise constutional powers due to overly-effective checks and balances
- ‘lame duck’
3
Describe a formal ‘lame duck’ President
- Period between November Presidential Election and January inaugration
- Either lost re-election or new President elected after end of 2-term limit of incumbent
- Lost electoral mandate, so excercise essentially no constitutional powers
2
What determines whether a presidency is imperilled or imperial
- The factors that determine the relationship between the President and Congress/SC
Essentially the same as ‘describe the argument that the President is the most powerful branch of government’, but add in a greater consideration of how these factors (e.g. electoral mandate) change over time
3
Give examples of the imperial presidency under Obama
- Executive orders of DACA and DAPA for immigration reform
- commutation of Chelsea Manning sentence
- used recess appointments following Congress’ refusal to ratify some of his nominations
1
Give an example of the imperial presidency under Trump
- Claimed executive priviledge several times to protect information from January 6 Committee
2
Give examples of the imperial presidency under Biden
- used ‘drawdown authority’ to provide military assistance for Ukraine
- used veto 12 times
3
Give examples of an imperilled presidency under Obama
- Congress refused to pass immigration reform bills
- SC ruled extension to DACA and DAPA policy was unconstitutional - USA v Texas 2016
- SC struck down Obama use of recess appointments in 2014
2
Give examples of an imperilled presidency under Trump
- Trump had to divert $3.8bn of defence budget spending to fund border wall after House refusal to fund project
- Bipartisan agreement in Congress led to override of Trump’s final veto during formal ‘lame duck’ period
2
How does the policy focus of the President generally change throughout their term
- Years 1-2 - domestic focus
- Years 3-4 - FP focus
Describe the arguments that Congress/President controls FP
- Constitution
- Public opinion v SC
- Legilslative agenda
3
Describe the argument that Congress controls FP, not the President - constitution grants significant powers
- Treaties, appointments subject to Senate confirmation
- Presidential power in aid or troop deployment subject to Congress willingness to allocate funding
- difficult for President to enact controversial FP, especially during divided government
4
Describe the argument that the President controls FP, not Congress - formal/informal powers
- bypass Congress in FP
- deploy troops in active combat without congressional approval (do not declare war)
- makes key appointments e.g. NSA - does not require Senate confirmation
- Congress unlikely to refuse funding for already deployed troops due to fear of media backlash
5
Describe the argument that Congress controls FP, not the President - FP shaped by public opinion
- Congress more responsive to public opinion due to shorter election cycle
- especially prevalent during election year where Congress members more concerned with re-election than placating President’s contoversial FP
- e.g. Chuck Schumer
- accentuated by media focus which shapes opinion
- President may therefore request congressional support to increase legitimacy
3
Describe the argument that the President controls FP, not Congress - SC confirms President’s powers
- SC ruled that executive agreements hold same legal status as treaties
- therefore Presidents increasingly using executive agreements which bypass 2/3 ratification by Senate
- without fear of being deemed unconstitutional
3
Describe the argument that Congress controls FP, not the President - checks power through committee system
- committees investigate issues with influential recommendations e.g. Benghazi
- expertise of Senate Foreign Relations Committee makes it more confident in challenging President’s FP
- approval or rejection of funding proposals puts pressure on President
3
Describe the argument that the President controls FP, not Congress - influences legislative agenda
- Congress deferential during national crises e.g. Patriot Act 2001
- Committee recommendations can be ignored
- power of veto e.g. Obama - Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act 2016
3
Give an example of a Treaty rejected by the Senate
- Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (1999) - ban nuclear weapon testing
- 48-51 defeat
- GOP controlled Senate
1
Give an example of the President obtaining approval for military action
- Iraq Resolution 2002 - authorised use of military forces against Iraq government for Operation Iraqi Freedom OR Syria
3
Describe the outcome of the United States House Select Committee on Benghazi
- Terrorist attack killed American diplomats and CIA contractors
- Published 2016 (election year)
- Criticised Secretary Clinton for failing to recognise inadequacy of secuirty measures
2
Describe the USMCA
- Successor to NAFTA
- 2020, bipartisan Senate ratified by 89-10
2
Describe the powers of the President derived from the Commander in Chief of the Army (with examples)
- Conduct military action (not war) – e.g. drone strike on Qasem Soleimani (Iranian military general)
- Hold power to move troops - all 21st C Presidents, including Biden, have moved troops to Mexico border
3
How has the President’s powers over FP increased in recent times?
- Development of modern weaponry (drones, cyber-attacks, nuclear weapons)
- Decline of conventional war
- Increasing usage of exec agreements/orders (e.g. Paris Climate Agreement)
1
Give an example of a President bypassing congressional approval for military action (Clinton)
- Clinton - bombing in Kosovo conducted without congressional authorisation
2
Give an example of a President bypassing congressional approval for trade agreements (Trump)
- Used executive order to pull the US out of TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership)
- Signed exec order to renegotiate NAFTA
4
Describe relations with Cuba under Obama and Trump
- Obama - restored diplomatic relations with Cuba through presidential policy directive and exec order (e.g. lifting sanctions)
- Trump repealed this
- Re-designated Cuba as sponsor of terrorism in ‘lame duck’ period (Jan 2021)
- Powerful over FP even when supposedly imperilled
3
Describe the arguments that the rise of presidentialism has reduced federalism
- Informal powers v constitution
- federal spending
- domestic platforms v temporary phenomenon
4
Describe the argument that the rise of presidentialism has reduced federalism - increased informal powers that affect states
- more executive orders to bypass Congress and states (‘rule by decree’)
- states struggle to resist federal agency expansion, especially when popular
- not subject to checks and balances in constitution
- SC appeals are costly and timely
4
Describe the argument that the rise of presidentialism has not reduced federalism - constitution
- Constitution enshrines state powers
- 10th amendment allows states to assume powers not explicitly granted to states
- states challenge govt action on range of issues, even when President circumvents congressional action
- SC cases e.g. NFIB v Sebellius, Dobbs confirmed state rights
3
Describe the argument that the rise of presidentialism has reduced federalism - increase in federal spending
- increases due to economic crises, yet Presidents have continued change
- e.g. IRA 2022
- little consultation of states
3
Describe the argument that the rise of presidentialism has not reduced federalism - federal spending
- States have considerable power over restricting federal spending
- may diminish federal programmes e.g. sanctuary cities
- 9 states lack income tax
3
Describe the argument that the rise of presidentialism has reduced federalism - extensive domestic platforms
- enforced national policy in areas that contradict state rights
- vagueness in constitution
- e.g. Obamacare
3
Describe the argument that the rise of presidentialism has not reduced federalism - temporary phenomenon
- Growth of presidential action over states a temporary phenomenon
- reactive to national crises, rather than attack on state rights
- e.g. federal stimulus packages during COVID
