Informal sources of presidential power and their use Flashcards
what are informal powers
powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution
they are political rather than constitutional
they have a massive impact on foreign and domestic policy
examples of informal powers
cabinet
executive orders
powers of persuasion
public approval
the cabinet historical background
cabinet is an advice giving group selected by the president - 15 heads of executive departments
cabinet isn’t mentioned in constitution - founding fathers created a singular executive (no councils or cabinets)
BUT the con does say in article 2 that the pres ‘may require an opinion in writing of the principal officer in each of the executive departments upon any subject’
why do presidents have a cabinet and are they important
president washington thought it would be helpful to have meetings with secretary of war, treasury and the state - the press called them ‘cabinet meetings’
important? as individuals yes - key figures who have a lot of autonomy in their areas
as a group no - meetings are barely ever held so as a group they are unimportant
how are cabinet appointments confirmed
simple majority in the senate - unusual to reject pres nominee
last time it happened it was in 1989 - rejected BUSH’s nom of JOHN TOWER as secretary of defense
what is a balanced cabient
presidents since 1992 have liked to have a balanced gender in terms if gener, race, religion and political ideology
BUT trump’s cabinet: 82% MALE , 86% WHITE, 14% BILLIONAIRES, 55% GOV EXPERIENCE
compared to OBAMAS: 65% MALE, 52% WHITE, 0 BILLIONAIRES, 87% GOV EXPERIENCE
are cabinet meetings productive?
meetings with a full cabinet are not productive - so many people sat around a table are policy experts in just ONE area so have little to nothing to contribute to other areas
functions of cabinet meetings x2
create team spirit - important in a new administration, help the pres get to know and advance the pres agenda. after the first year, this function is complete which explains the decrease in number from that point
create media coverage - important for pres to appear consultive, good photo opportunity, can be a public relations exercise and opp for the pres to make comments that will get coverage
how did trump use his cabinet meetings
he opened the entire cabinet meetings to the media and took qs from the pres
but this was to show his dominance more than cabinet togetherness
negatives to cabinet
- the con gives ‘all exec power’ to pres so cabinet officers have no power given to them directly
- no doctrine of collective responsibility: the pres isnt first among equals but instead just first eg Prof King said ‘he doesn’t sum up the end of a cabinet meeting; he is the meeting’
what are powers of persuasion
informal power where they can use the prestige of the job and other bargaining methods to get people to do as they wish - in party polarisation its less effective
why is powers of persuasion difficult
- the system of ‘separated institutions sharing powers’ almost every power the pre has is checked by congress
- congress have become more assertive since 1992 which makes power of persuasion difficult to get through to the legislature
how can power of persuasion be made easier
if both houses in congress are controlled by the presidents own party - called a unified gov
BUT there is still no guaranteed success
an example of when persuasion didn’t work
Bill Clinton in failed attempt to pass healthcare reform 1993 where he had control over both houses - this was made even more complicated when the republicans took control over both houses in 1994 which was very rare
Richard Neustadt said ‘what the constitution separated, the political parties do not combine’
why does the president need to use powers of persuasion
because the pres can do very little without agreement from congress
this was on purpose by the founding fathers who made it difficult for the pres to always get their way
