The President of the

1. The President of the United States of America

2. Task 1 Draw a Picture on A4 paper depicting the 3 listed US Presidents based upon your current conceptions of each one…..

4. The President is……. The SUPERSTAR of the American Political game, as important as the flag and the National Anthem But, What do we mean by PRESIDENTIAL POWER?

5. The Role (as outlined in the Const.) • Article 1: • To veto congressional legislation • Article 2: • To act as Commander in Chief • To grant pardons • To make treaties • To appoint ambassadors • To make judges • To appoint members of the executive • To comment on the State of the Union • To recommend legislation to congress • To summon special sessions of Congress

6. Task 2 • How important should the President be to the US Political Process? A hinderance than an asset Where would the people be without them?

7. So what did the Founding Fathers have in mind? • Basically…… • A President who stands above the political process • Act as a symbol of national unity • He would not depend on a national party for his support • A Gentleman/Aristocrat, with Congress as a supreme Government

8. So what went wrong? • Presidential Power • Presidents filled the vacuum caused by the inertia of congress • If a President sets a series of identifiable goals and achieves them, they are considered successful

9. The Imperial Presidency 1933-1970’s • The Great Depression caused a fundamental change in US Politics • Sheer scale of economic dislocation ad hardship overwhelmed the states. • Read John Steinbecks ‘Of Mice & Men’ • The Public turned to the Federal Govt. for help – Franklin Delanor Roosevelt • Helped lead the President to more power and less accountability.

10. Interventionalist Foreign Policy • Following Pearl Harbour and with the onset of the Cold War, US Presidents became more interventionalist in World Affairs. • Modern Presidents are much more visible than any before 1933.

11. Issues that allowed Presidents to gain more power • The New Deal • Post-war expansion • Growing confidence over the management of the economy • Federal Govt. should have a significant role in the nations economy and maintaining a Welfare State

12. Abuses of Presidential Power • Vietnam (Kennedy/Johnson/Nixon) • Attempts to stop Communism spreading from the North to the Sth, US withdrew, 1973 and Vietnam became a United Communist Country, 1975. • Watergate – 1972 (Nixon) • A break-in at the Democrat HQ at Watergate as part of an attempt to find the Democrat election plans • A feat of political espionage, which implicated the President, when faced with impeachment resigned in 1974.

14. The 1970s were sooooo dull! • Ford and Carter followed Nixon • Neither very inspirational or importantly Imperial and both were voted out after one term…… • Yawn………

15. Ronnie (Republican) to the rescue… • Ronald Reagan 1979-1988 • The first President since Eisenhower to win 2 terms. • Americans loved this former film star • Now has highways, an airport and aircraft carrier named after him

16. Ronnie Loves Maggie

17. Reagan’s Foreign Policy • Cold War: Deeply suspicious of the ‘evil empire’ • Yet worked with Gorbachev to bring about the end of the cold war in 1988 • Irangate: The major crisis of his career • Iran-Contra – Selling arms to Iran in return for the release of USA hostages • Proceeds used to fund the overthrow of the left wing Sandinista Govt. in Nicaragua • John Poindexter and Oliver North

18. Reagan’s internal agenda • Reduce the role of Govt. in the lives of ordinary Americans. • A New Right philosophy as advocated by Thatcher • Return power to the States and downplay the influence of Fed. Govt. • A Commitment to tax cuts • Yet the balance of payments deficit increased and non-military expenditure, such as education was cut

19. George Bush Snr (Rep.) 1988-1992 • Reagan’s Vice President, success based on the nations patriotic feeling and confidence in the state • Forced to increase taxation to pay for the budget deficit • Despite success of Gulf War, did not enjoy involvement in domestic policy and was hit at the ballot box in 1992

20. Muppet

21. Bill Clinton (Democrat) 1992-2000 • Despite a Democrat dominated Congress still found many ideas rebuffed • After 1994 problem exacerbated by Republican dominated Congress (House of Reps and Senate!!) • In eyes of many Americans he remained a likeable and attractive figure despite Lewinsky and impeachment • Hilary likely to benefit in 2008

23. Clinton – an assessment • Too much time spent on lying, sexual and financial misconduct than actually setting an agenda • However America entering new millennium with good economic prosperity and social peace. • Economic growth spectacular, inflation negligible and unemployment lowest for years • Dow Jones Index soared, crime figures down and murder rate at it’s lowest – Americans had never had it sooo good

24. Poll of American history Professors • Ranked Clinton 21st out of 41 US Presidents • Strong: • Pursuit of equal justice • Economic Management • Persuasion skills • Weak: • Relations with Congress • Bottom of the pile (below Nixon) • Moral Authority

25. George W Bush (2000-2008*) – avoiding assassination or impeachment • A no-nothing, verbally challenged and not industrious President who has risen well beyond his capabilities • But, US Politics has shifted firmly to the right, a far cry from his original Self styled ‘Compassionate Conservatism’ • Surely as election soo close George W would have to rule from the centre, a man of the consensus….errrr……nah!

26. http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blbushismsaudio.htm

27. Bush technique • Covers a radically Conservative agenda • Appointed Colin Powell (moderate) as Secretary of State and a black woman Condaleeza Rice as national security advisor • Selected an ethnically diverse cabinet • Meeting black American political leaders and visiting black churches and schools • Democrat endorsed educational policy, improving provision of the poorer areas

29. More partisan and controversial agenda • Redistributing wealth in favour of the rich, changing the tax system • Aid to churches to help with social work • Opposing patients bill of rights • Repudiating Kyoto • Relaxing environmental controls on old power plants • Costly national missile defence system, renouncing anti-ballistic missile treaty, and the nuclear test ban treaty

30. Assertive Presidency – Post Sept 11th • Did not act off the cuff • Assembled an International coalition with Britain as major partner • War aims – Find Bin Laden and destroy his network (Long term) • Bush reorganised Washington around the Executive • Persuaded Congress to approve a substantial recovery package to allow for the strengthening of the intelligence • Anti-Terrorism Bill strengthened hand of the Executive

31. Presidential Leadership today • President has stacked up much informal power and influence • A National Leader • Leader of the Western World – represents USA on a global stage • But, if Iraq turns into another Vietnam then what would be his legacy?

32. Summary • Factors in the growth of Presidential Power • The growth in Big Government • The importance of Foreign Policy • The personality of the President • The inertia of Congress and the erosion of balance • The Mass Media