US Presidency (ft. UK Comparison) notes - Edexcel A Level Politics
19 views 0 purchase
Course
USA Politics (9PLO)
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
This document is for people who study Politics with Edexcel and it's a comprehensive guide for everything you need to know condensed: it has examples, arguments, counterpoints, recent information, debates, comparisons with the UK side and lots of explanations. For this specific upload, every single...
The US Presidency
formal sources of presidential power
informal sources of presidential power
interpretations and debates around the US presidency
comparing the UK and US executive branches
FORMAL SOURCES OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER
ROLE AS HEAD OF STATE
- chief public representative of the USA including diplomatic and ceremonial duties
- central focus point in times of national crisis eg. GW Bush's positive approach to
this role after 9/11 when he addressed the nation from the Oval Office and at
the prayer service in Washington National Cathedral to lift fallen spirits / Trump
played this role less successfully during the Covid 19 epidemic when he took
minimal national action
- this role allows the president to exert lots of authority as they are seen as the national
leader, with the opportunity to direct national/international US policy
- national media allows them to deliver US-wide messages and exert influence over
public opinion and Congress, providing them a national mandate to carry out policy
goals
LIMITATIONS
- it is a formal power in itself but there are not really any formal powers attached to it
- intangible power (but important to have public support, informally gives the president
the power of influence)
ROLE AS HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
- president is head of the executive branch by virtue of the formal powers granted by
the Constitution (enumerated powers)
- can use the executive branch to develop political goals and put them into practice by
using the 15 cabinet depts and E(X)OP
- the POTUS makes roughly 3,000 appts to federal posts to 'serve at the President's
pleasure' - they can be appointed or dismissed at any time
LIMITATIONS
- many posts require senate approval
- cabinet members and depts may have their own agendas
, SUBMITTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET
- potentially the most important piece of legislation
- drawn up by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), part of the president's
bureaucracy (Executive Office of the President - EXOP)
LIMITATIONS
- the budget proposal is followed by a lengthy bargaining process, especially during
divided govt
- Congress has power of the purse
- this can lead to gridlock and even shutdowns
LEGISLATIVE POWERS
PROPOSING LEGISLATION
can do this either via the annual State of the Union address (Trump used this in 2018 to
announce his promise to crackdown on immigration), a press conference or
announcement
LIMITATIONS
- the legislative powers of Congress give no guarantee that any proposed legislation
will pass, and if it does it could take a radically different form than originally desired
- only about proposing legislation
SIGNING LEGISLATION
A bill will eventually arrive on the President's desk, if they do nothing it will become law in ten
days as long as Congress is still in session. If they want to take credit for the bill they can
sign it, possibly with an elaborate ceremony
VETOING LEGISLATION
A regular veto, or even the threat of it, is a powerful way to bargain with Congress
- a pocket veto, only available at the end of a congressional session, cannot be
overridden by Congress
LIMITATIONS
- congress can override a regular veto with a ⅔ majority
- GW Bush's success rate of 64% with vetoes was the third lowest of any
President
- but it takes a supermajority and 64% still means more were vetoed than not
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller simranvaria. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $8.78. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
