Chapter 9

Presidential Leadership

State of the Union Address

• Speech given by President in January relaying his hopes and fears to the American people.

• Sets goals for upcoming Congress in spending $.

President’s Role in legislation

• Describes Legislative Program in State of the Union Address to Congress. Thru year president presents this ideas thru his bills written by his staff. Ex: Budget.

• Tools of Presidential lawmaking– Different parties makes legislation difficult

– Political favors—visit re-election campaign

– Veto power—threat may cause change in bill.

– Clinton v. City of New York—struck down Line-veto

President’s role as Judicial leader

• Grants pardons—total forgiveness• Grants reprieves—postponement of

sentence.• Famous pardon—Ford pardoned Nixon• Grants Amnesty—group offense against the

government. Jimmy Carter—draft dodgers.• Appoints Supreme Court judges and other

Federal Judges.

Formal and Informal Sources of Power

• Formal—Article II• Commander-n-Chief• Executive—appoints• Foreign Policy-treaties• Judicial Powers-judge• Laws “Faithfully

Executed”• Proposes legislation

• Informal—Expanded• Several presidents

have expanded their powers by excising their power.

• Thomas Jefferson• Franklin D. Roosevelt• Abraham Lincoln• George W. Bush

LIMITS ON PRESIDENTAL POWER

• LIMITS BY CONGRESS– Congressional override, War Powers Act, Appt.

• LIMITS BY FEDERAL COURTS– Limits actions of president.

• LIMITS BY BUREAUCRACY– Obstruct programs, interpret what pres means.

• LIMITS BY PUBLIC OPINION– LBJ—didn’t handle war well, no re-election.

ROLES OF PRESIDENTS

• HEAD OF STATE

• CHIEF EXECUTIVE

• CHIEF LEGISLATOR

• ECONOMIC LEADER

• PARTY LEADER

• CHIEF DIPLOMAT

• COMMANDER N CHIEF