The American Presidency

Congress's Power: Congress holds the power of the purse and makes decisions on taxes and expenditures.
Example: Extending tax cuts for the wealthy may lead to cuts in Medicaid, affecting access to healthcare for low-income individuals.
Understanding the Legislative Process: Knowing the basics of how a bill becomes a law is essential to understanding and following current events.

Focus on Meaning: Instead of just memorizing, understand what the words and steps actually mean.
Vocabulary: Look up unfamiliar words to enhance comprehension.

Historical Context: Over the past 200 years, power has shifted from Congress to the President.
Executive Discretion: Presidents have accumulated more ability to make decisions independently.

Analogy: Executive discretion is like the increasing independence a person gains from childhood to adulthood.
- Childhood: No discretion; reliance on parents.
- Elementary School: Limited discretion (10%).
- Middle School: Increased discretion (20%).
- High School: 50/50 discretion due to some lying.
- Adulthood (18+): Full discretion with responsibility.
Presidential Discretion: Presidents have accumulated more discretion, requiring less Congressional approval for actions.

Scenario: Professor (acting as chief executive) has to carry out a decision made by the class (congress) to get coffee.
Details to Consider:
- How to take complex orders (coffee regular, with sugar, milk, etc.).
- Importance of accuracy to avoid dissatisfaction.
Relevance: As the country and laws grew more complex, presidents needed more discretion to execute laws effectively.

Significance: Understanding presidential history is interesting for its crazy characters, administrative insights, and institutional development.

Constitutional Powers: Commander in chief, diplomatic powers, power to grant pardons, legislative powers (signing/vetoing legislation), and executive powers.
Vagueness: These powers are vaguely defined in the Constitution due to the founders' fears of creating a monarchy.

Historical Context: The founders were wary of a powerful executive, fearing a repeat of figures like Julius Caesar.
George Washington's Role: Washington aimed to establish a democratically accountable chief executive.
- He was passive and differential to Congress initially.
- Limited use of veto power (only when Congress interfered with his constitutional powers).

Definition: A presidency that adheres strictly to Article II of the Constitution with limited expansive powers.
Olive Garden Analogy: The president acts as a server, executing the orders of Congress (the diners) without overstepping.
Public Presence: Early presidents like George Washington kept a low public profile.

George Washington: Declared neutrality in the conflict between England and France without consulting Congress, claiming diplomatic power.
Jefferson: Negotiated the Louisiana Purchase secretly, doubling the size of the U.S.
Andrew Jackson: Vetoed the bill to renew the National Bank's charter and fired his treasury secretary for disagreeing, asserting presidential authority.
Lincoln: Took war-like actions (blockade, raising army) without Congress at the start of the Civil War.

Progressive Movement: Teddy Roosevelt was a progressive who wanted to break up corporate monopolies and reform American society.
Stewardship Theory: The president's primary job is to take care of the emergency and act as a steward of the American people.
Constitutional Interpretation: Roosevelt believed that if Constitution did not forbid it, he could do it.
- Teddy Roosevelt essentially did whatever he needed to do to save the country from falling off the cliff.

Mass Media: Utilization of mass circulation newspapers, moving pictures, and sound recordings to connect with the public.
Public Presidency: Direct interaction with the public, unlike George Washington.
Agenda Setting: Modern presidents tell Congress what to do rather than asking what Congress wants.
Woodrow Wilson: As a political scientist, he admired the parliamentary system and sought to lead Congress more forcefully.
Federal Bureaucracy: The expansion of the federal bureaucracy in the 20th century increased presidential power.

Curtiss Wright Corporation Case: Established that executive orders have the power of law as long as they don't contradict existing laws.
Implications: Allows the president to make laws without Congressional approval.

Historical Context: In the War of 1812, President Madison had to request funds from Congress for troops.
Modern Context: The standing army and draft allowed president to rapidly deploy troops without needing immediate congressional approval.