January 16, 2013Presidential Powers

Current Event Presentation

Psychobiography Outline

Psychobiography aims to understand historical individuals such as artists or political leaders, through the application of psychological theory and research. It is, in essence, a form of case study.

Thesis statement: You may choose one single action of your chosen president.

CFU: Explain to your partner the benefit of narrow focus (i.e. one action or one character trait).

Constructing Your Analysis

Personality traits (stubborn, kind, harsh, optimistic, etc.)

Family life Socioeconomic status Interests Educational

background Love life

Identify 2-3 resources you can use in order to research the traits listed above.

A decision the president made in office that had large impacts (war, New Deal, Health Care, Diplomatic Recognition of China)

Political influence (Neustadt)

Congressional influence (was he able to get support in Congress?)

Public support or non-support

Sample Intro Paragraph

According to Richard Neustadt, a president derives his power from his ability to influence. George Bush, Jr., as demonstrated in his first term in office with the decision to execute a continuous war against terror, embodies this presidential influence. Bush’s overall stubborn nature, and constant comparison to his fathers’ success concerning educational achievement and political success, explain his decision to wage a long-lasting war, largely supported by Congress, in the Middle East.

Identify one praise and one polish of the writing sample above. Write 1-2 sentences to justify each.

Annotated Bibliography

When collecting information, write down every source you use and the information you got from that source (this helps your works cited page)

Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New York: Anchor Books, 1995. Print.

Lamott's book offers honest advice on the nature of a writing life, complete with its insecurities and failures. Taking a humorous approach to the realities of being a writer, the chapters in Lamott's book are wry and anecdotal and offer advice on everything from plot development to jealousy, from perfectionism to struggling with one's own internal critic. In the process, Lamott includes writing exercises designed to be both productive and fun.

MLA Citation

GIST Summary (Info you may use)

Critical Thinking

Another aspect of political power is the president's professional reputation in Washington and abroad. The idea of the president's reputation concerns how the Washingtonians as Neustadt refers to them, view the president. Some Washingtonians for example are governors, military leaders, leading politicians, foreign ambassadors and Congress. The president's reputation comes into play by how reliant the government's infrastructure has on the president to carry out his legislation. The better the reputation of the president, the easier it will be to facilitate negotiations to implement policy.

According to the statement above, what creates a strong president? Explain the impact our two-party system has on the President’s

power, according to the statement above.

January 16, 2013 Objective: SWBAT identify and explain the major roles/sources

of power of the presidency.

Given a multiple choice exit ticket, SW (80% accuracy) Identify the role the president fulfills Write a 1-2 sentence justification for each

Relevance: The presidency, as we covered last week, covers an array of duties not specifically mentioned in our Constitution. Now we vote the president that is going to have the most beneficial impact on our own personal situations. According to Neustadt, it is most important to examine the roles of the presidency, or the duty he fulfills, rather than the candidate him/herself. Today, and the next couple of days will outline the major powers granted to the presidency so we can become more effective voters in the 2016 election.

Neustadt: Presidential Power. . . Although we all make judgments about presidential leadership, we often base our judgments upon images of office that are far removed from the reality. We also use those images when we tell one another whom to choose as president. But it is risky to appraise a man in office or to choose a man for office on false premises about the nature of his job. When the job is the presidency of the United States the risk becomes excessive . . .

1) What does Neustadt warn American citizens while choosing the presidency.

2) Write 1-2 sentences to analyze Americans’ tendency to vote based on personal attributes rather than the office of the president.

Presidential Powers

What proposals does Reagan pose to Congressmen and women in his State of the Union Address?

Based on Reagan’s proposals, identify and explain the purpose of the State of the Union Address.

Chief Legislator

Examine the following quote: 

“It is within our power to change this picture, and we can act with hope…based on this confidence in a system which has never failed us, but which we have failed with a lack of confidence and sometimes a belief that we can fine tune the economy and get it tuned for our liking, I am proposing a comprehensive four-point-program.”

Identify the power the president has adopted in the Legislative Process. Is this role allowed under the Constitution?

Line-Item Veto [0-5]

The act of vetoing a single component of a bill.

Did the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allowed a one-House veto of executive actions, violate the separation of powers doctrine?

“The prescription for legislative action in Art. I, § 1 -- requiring all legislative powers to be vested in a Congress consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives -- and § 7 -- requiring every bill passed by the House and Senate, before becoming law, to be presented to the President, and, if he disapproves, to be re-passed by two-thirds of the Senate and House -- represents the Framers' decision that the legislative power of the Federal Government be exercised in accord with a single, finely wrought and exhaustively considered procedure. This procedure is an integral part of the constitutional design for the separation of powers.”

Define the president’s role in the process a bill takes to become a law.

Based on the opinion of Supreme Court Justice Burger, is the president allowed to veto a single component of a bill? Cite specific evidence to justify your response.

Signing Statements [0-5]

A statement made by the president when he passes a bill into law. Read document: “Signing

Statements” and answer accompanying questions.

Argue: Are signing statements within the scope of presidential powers as stated in the Constitution? Justify using 2-3 pieces of evidence.

Write 1-2 sentences to explain the impact signing statements can have over presidential power as defined by Neustadt.

Chief Economist [0-5]

Responsible for overall health of the economy Proposes the federal budget to Congress Impoundment [0-5]

Decision of the president not to spend money appropriated by Congress.

Read “1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act” and answer supporting questions. Explain how Congress can limit the power of the

president as the chief economist.

Chief Executive [0-5]

Enforce laws, treaties, and court decisions

Appoint/fire officials

Executive orders [0-5] Acts that have the force of laws

but are not deliberated in Congress.

Read handout: “Obama’s Executive Order on Gun Control.” Argue the Constitutionality of

Obama’s declaration. Justify using 1-2 pieces of evidence.

CFU: Identify and explain powers Congress and the Supreme Court have to limit a president’s ability to execute executive orders:

1) Congress: Reduce spending

2) Senate reject appointments and treaties

3) Impeachment (House) and removal (Senate)

4) Supreme Court can strike down executive orders (unconstitutional)

Chief Diplomat [0-5]

Set overall foreign policy Diplomatic recognition [0-5]▪ Establish/terminate relationships with foreign

governments Create treaties with foreign countries Executive agreements

Chief of State [0-5]

Ceremonial head of our nation

In Great Britain there is a separation between the chief of state (the king/queen) and the chief executive (the prime minister). Should the US adopt a similar model to Great Britain? Justify using 2-3 pieces of evidence.

Chief Jurist

Appoints federal judges

Issues pardons [0-5] Forgiveness

Grants amnesty [0-5] An official pardon for

people who have committed a political offense.

1) True/False: Obama grants amnesty to undocumented minors in the US.

2) Justify how Obama’s executive action grants amnesty to undocumented minors in the US.

3) Argue: Does Obama overstep his constitutional boundaries?

Non-Constitutional Roles

Head of the political party [0-5] Selects party

chairman of the National Committee and Vice president

Political patronage [0-5] Grant positions in

government according to party lines.

1) Identify one Constitutional institution that the president cannot appoint members based on patronage.

2) Explain ways that a president can influence both Democrats and Republicans in Congress.

DOL:

1) A2) D3) B4) B5) A6) D7) D8) C