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The President and Congress:

The President and Congress:. A strategic relationship. Is the president a better representative of the people than Congress is? Who should take the lead in domestic policymaking?. How can the president take the lead in Domestic policy?. Proposals. The power to “propose”.

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The President and Congress:

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  1. The President and Congress: A strategic relationship

  2. Is the president a better representative of the people than Congress is?Who should take the lead in domestic policymaking?

  3. How can the president take the lead in Domestic policy? • Proposals

  4. The power to “propose” “He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient” (II:3).

  5. How can the president take the lead in Domestic policy? • Proposals • Bully pulpit • Party leadership & loyalty

  6. How can the president take the lead in Domestic policy? • Proposals • Bully pulpit • Party leadership & loyalty • Veto threats (more Weds.) • Budgeting

  7. President’s 2002 Budget, Discretionary Spending

  8. Discretionary domestic spending • Energy • Homeland Security • Commerce • Agriculture • Science • Natural Resources • Justice • Education • Transportation • Veterans Affairs • Health

  9. How can the president take the lead in Domestic policy? • Proposals • Bully pulpit • Party leadership • Veto threats (more tomorrow) • Budgeting • Executing the laws with discretion (more on that later)

  10. How does Congress take the lead in domestic policy? • Writing the laws

  11. Congress’ Legislative Powers “All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives (I:1)…. The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States …To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.” (I:8)

  12. How does Congress take the lead in domestic policy? • Writing the laws • Deciding which bills to act upon • Overseeing the bureaucracy (more on that later)

  13. What affects the president’s ability to successfully lead Congress?

  14. What affects the president’s ability to successfully lead Congress? • Presidential popularity?

  15. Does public approval affect success in Congress?

  16. What affects the president’s ability to successfully lead Congress? • Presidential popularity? • Size of electoral victory?

  17. Does size of electoral victory affect success in Congress?

  18. What affects the president’s ability to successfully lead Congress? • Presidential popularity? • Size of electoral victory? • Skill?

  19. “Skills” that can help • Personal charisma • Strategic thinking

  20. What affects the president’s ability to successfully lead Congress? • Presidential popularity? • Size of electoral victory? • Skill? • Structures in Congress? • Size and strength of party coalitions?

  21. Average percent of House Democrats who vote with the president

  22. Average percent of House Republicans who vote with the president

  23. What should the relationship between the president and Congress look like? • To what degree should Congress look to the president for policy leadership? • To what degree should partisanship govern the president’s relationship with Congress? • Under what circumstances do you think the president and Congress should compromise? You will turn in notes for participation credit.

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