The Presidency
The PresidencySince the twentieth century, the executive branch has become the central institution of the United States government. The President of the United States is one of the most widely known, powerful, and respected political figures in the world- an icon of America. The constitution defines the presidency as head of state. He is the commander in chief, has the power to grant pardons, and has strong diplomatic powers. The president is an essential part of the government today.
There are several major sources of presidential power. These sources can be divided into two different types: institutional and political. Institutional sources of power are the formal tools used by, and allotted to the president. One source of political power is patronage. Patronage is the ability to appoint members of the same party to offices, and to do special favors for supporters. Patronage gives the president power by filling high management positions with political allies and powerful interest group leaders. Along with this is the appointment of the cabinet, the major department heads; White House staff, made up of advisors and analysts; and the Executive office of the President, a.k.a. the institutional presidency. The EOP was created by FDR to help perform management tasks for the president. Major agencies in the EOP include the National Security Council, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Council of Economic Advisors. Yet another minor institutional source of power is the vice presidency. The VP presides over the Senate and casts tie-breaking votes, and succeeds the president in the case of death or other vacancy.
There are also several informal sources of presidential power. These political sources are elections, mandate and popularity, mass public opinion, party politics, the media, and interest groups. Elections can be a source of presidential power in that they reflect the President’s popularity. Presidents who win by a considerable margin have more public support for their programs, and this also makes congress tend to go along with them. Presidents who win by a large majority are also likely to have a majority of their party in congress. For current President George W. Bush, this is not a significant source of power because he won the election by such a small margin. Some people might even argue that he is not the rightful president. Closely related is public opinion. Mass public opinion, according to Lowi & Ginsberg, is the president’s most potent resource of power. Public opinion can give insight into public interests, but can also be dangerous because the president can end up making decisions based on public opinion, rather than trying to shape public opinion.
The media is also another key source of presidential power. Television gives people a chance to witness live debates and press conferences. Television gives the public a more intimate relationship...
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