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1. The executive office the Constitutional framers perceived had more

limited authority, fewer responsibilities, and much less organizational

structure than todays presidency. The Founders feared both anarchy and

monarchy. They wanted an independent executive but disagreed about

both the form the office should take and the powers it should exercise. In

the end, they created an executive unlike any the world had ever seen.

2. The Executive Office of the President consists of the immediate staff of

the President, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting to the

President. The executive office houses a collection of offices and

organizations. Three major policymaking bodies are in the executive

office the National Security Council, the Council of Economic Advisors,

and the Office of Management and Budget along with several other units

that serve the president.

3. The Presidents three most useful resources area are the party leadership,

public support, and their own legislative skills.

4. Presidential coattails occur when voters cast their ballots for

congressional candidates of the presidents party because they support

the president. Recent studies show that few races are won this way.

5. In government, the line-item veto is the power of an executive to cancel

specific provisions of a bill, usually budget appropriations, without vetoing

the entire legislative package. I dont think the president should be given

the power of the line-item veto. The proposal would give the President

significant new leverage over Congress, providing him with a tool to try to

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strong-arm Congress into supporting his requests. He could threaten to

line-item veto items favored by particular Members of Congress unless

they agreed to back him on other, unrelated matters, such as new tax

cuts, judicial nominees, or proposals benefiting special interests close to

the Administration.

6. Presidents who enjoy the backing of the public have an easier time

influencing Congress. If the president is high in the publics esteem, the

presidents party is more likely to be responsive, the public is more easily

moved, and legislative skills become more effective. Widespread support

gives the president leeway and weakens resistance to presidential

policies. Lack of public support strengthens the resolve of the presidents

opponents and narrows the range in which presidential policies receive

the benefit of the doubt.

7. The War Powers Resolution of 1973 hasnt been enforced because

presidents view the resolution as unconstitutional. Under the

Constitution, war powers are divided. Congress has the power to declare

war and raise and support the armed forces, while the president is

Commander in Chief. It is generally agreed that the Commander in Chief

role gives the president power to repel attacks against the United States

and makes him responsible for leading the armed forces.

8. Before the 1970s, many people were in favor of a powerful presidency.

However, this view changed after two major incidents. The unpopularity

of the Vietnam War, under the presidency of Lyndon Johnson, made

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people reassess the role of presidential power. Also, Richard Nixon and

the Watergate scandal heightened public distrust. Many argue that the

presidency has become too powerful for the nations own good.

9.

Presidential power has certainly increased since the Founding Fathers first

conceived our country. As a matter of fact, they feared the augmentation of

presidential power and made various checks and balances to avoid it. However,

looking back at our modern presidents, one can see and inevitable increase in

presidential power. Presidential power has increased through the expansion of the

federal government and their utilization of the privilege of being Commander in

Chief.

Expanding the federal government has made more offices come into the

control of the president. This has allowed his power to increase. The cabinet, the

Executive Office of the President, and the White House staff all assist todays

presidents. This allows them to help the president spread his scope of power (more

followers foster presidential support better). They help assist the president in areas

of decision making and executing policies. Because the president chooses most of

his federal staff, he makes sure to pick the people who support him, though

sometimes those same people might oppose him in policy or another.

As the Commander in Chief, the president is responsible for commanding

arms forces and declaring war. Thus, the president has increased his power through

the privilege and honor of being Commander in Chief. One can clearly see the

strength of presidential power in the example of the current president, George W.

Bush, who declared war on Iraq withstanding public disapproval of his action.

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Former president, Lyndon B. Johnson also showed his hand over power through

continuing the Vietnam War despite publics censure. One must wonder if the

modern-day presidents are taking this privilege too far.