The Evolution of the Presidency Flashcards
What are the 5 stages of the evolution of the presidency?
Modern Presidency Imperial Presidency Imperilled Presidency Post-Imperial Presidency Partisan Presidency
When was the modern Presidency coined?
FDR
What two things does the modern presidency refer to that we now take for granted?
1) vastly expanded size and scope of the federal government
2) Establishment of EXOP
What does the the modern Presidency coincide with?
The USA taking on the role of global superpower since WW1
The pendulum of power swings where during the modern Presidency?
towards the President
What does the Imperial presidency mainly refer to?
foreign policy
What does Schlesinger say about the Imperial presidency?
Essentially the creation of foreign policy
When was the imperial presidency coined and to when does it refer?
1973 but it refers to the Presidencies of Truman, Eisenhower, Johnson and Nixon
What does the imperial presidency suggest that the president is behaving like?
An emperor in his dominance of foreign policy, suggesting high handed approach to power or even abuse of it
What is the first event of the Imperial Presidency?
1950 Truman sends troops to South Korea without congressional authorisation but congress does nothin
What event of the Imperial Presidency happens in 1961?
Bay of Pigs
What event of the Imperial Presidency happens in 1970?
Nixon bombs Cambodia and congress didn’t even know
Though the imperial presidency started with foreign policy, what was the implication of this?
It started to creep into domestic policy
What are the three Nixonian actions that signal that the Imperial presidency had entered the domestic policy area?
1) Stamping out vietnam war protests
2) Pyramid structure to the White House
3) Watergate
What signalled the end of the imperial presidency?
Nixon was forced out by not having a strong enough congressional base
What did congress do to the imperial presidency?
Reacted against it
How did congress react against the Imperial presidency?
Stuff such as the 1973 War Powers Act which meant that the President could only deploy troops with congressional approval
What comes after the imperial presidency?
Imperilled presidency
Why and by whom was the imperilled presidecny term coined?
ford to suggest that congress had too much power
To which presidents does the imperilled presidency refer?
the poor, one term presidencies of Carter and Ford
Between which two dates does the post-imperial presidency come?
1982-2006
Which four presidents does the post-imperial presidency refer to?
Reagan
Bush
Clinton
Bush
Why does the collapse of the USSR lead to the post-IMperial presidency?
It meant that the USA returned to being the only global superpower
The pendulum of power swings where during the post-imperial Presidency?
back to the president
How did Bush Snr bring a degree of weakness to an otherwise very strong period of Presidents?
He was not great himself and served only one term
How did Clinton bring a degree of weakness to an otherwise very strong period of Presidents?
Monika Lewinsky though he was generally very strong
What was the evolution of Bush Jnr in order for him to be categorised as post-imperial?
He originally looked weak and feeble but the post- 9/11 era greatly augmented his own power
What comes after the Post-imperial presidency?
Partisan
What characterises the parties in the Partisan presidencies and what is the implication for the president?
parties are more homogenous so congress is more partisan so the President has a more difficult job getting his own way
In the Partisan presidency the president gets more united support from his own party but…
more united opposition from others
What are there reduced opportunities for in the partisan presidency?
The president to use his persuasive powers
Before the presidency, what was interesting about voting?
The president used to be elected not only but votes from their own party but also by a good proportion of voters from the other party
What fact shows that the president used to be elected not only but votes from their own party but also by a good proportion of voters from the other party?
Reagan elected by 86% of the GOP but also by 26% of Democrats
How does voting happen in the Partisan Presidency and what is the impact for campaigning?
Nowadays it’s almost exclusively through one’s own party’s supporter’s votes. This means campaigning is less about conversion and more about activation
What fact shows that voting for the President is now almost exclusively though one’s own supporters?
Obama elected by 92% of the Democrats, but by just 6% of the GOP
What is the implication of the Partisan presidency on polling?
Just the same as in elections, they receive almost unanimous support from their own party and almost unanimous opposition form those who identify with the other party
What fact shows the implication of the Partisan presidency on polling?
2012 86% of Democrats approved of the job that Obama was doing, but Just over 10% of the GOP did.
2012 86% of Democrats approved of the job that Obama was doing, but Just over 10% of the GOP did. What is special about this fact?
the 76% gap was the largest ever
What has been the impact of the partisan presidency, particularly with Trump, for the Whitehouse staff?
They are no long impartial honest brokers but much more Partisan
What shows that the Whitehouse staff are no long impartial honest brokers but much more Partisan with Trump?
Jared Krushner
What shows that the Whitehouse staff are no long impartial honest brokers but much more Partisan with Obama?
Rahm Emmanuel
What kind of media drives the Partisan presidency?
Ideologically driven websites, cable TV and blogs
