294 CHAPTER 10|THE PRESIDENCY
These dissenting opinions refl ect the fact that the reliance on unmanned
drones is actually a compromise among different strategies for fi ghting the war
on terror—between aggressive strategies that rely on ground forces and more
defensive approches that focus on preventing attacks against Americans. Drone
attacks are an intermediate option, allowing attacks on terrorist groups without
putting U.S. troops in harm’s way. This compromise helps the president obtain
the support of Congress and the American public. While such support is not
necessary to order individual attacks, in the long run presidents generally need
congressional and public support in order to carry out their decisions.
The president’s power to order American forces into combat is only one
example of presidential power. As we discuss in this chapter, America’s
presidents have considerable power over foreign and domestic policy and have
used this power to make real, signifi cant changes in government policy that
have had real consequences for the lives of ordinary Americans. For example,
Barack Obama’s fi rst term in offi ce was marked by the enactment of landmark
health care legislation, new fi nancial regulations, economic stimulus, and the
appointment of two Supreme Court justices. Accomplishments such as these are
often cited as evidence that presidential power has gotten out of control—that
presidents are virtual dictators, able to do almost whatever they want without
congressional consent or judicial review.
This chapter offers a different interpretation of presidential power. U.S.
presidents face decisions that are highly confl ictual, with many people holding
strong opinions on both sides of the question. Although some Americans
approved of Obama’s accomplishments, many others were opposed. Success for
presidents is not automatic; they face the problem of reaching their own policy
goals while at the same time trying to satisfy the demands of their supporters
in Congress and among the American people—and seeking to avoid alienating
people who disagree with presidential decisions.
To put it another way, while presidents are powerful, they are not dictators:
in most cases, their actions either require congressional consent to take
effect or can be undone by subsequent congressional action. Presidents must
also cultivate public opinion in order to get re-elected or to elect members of
Congress from their party, and must monitor the bureaucracy to make sure
that their decisions are faithfully implemented. And sometimes, as with health
care reform for Obama or George W. Bush’s failed 2005 Social Security reform
initiative, presidents must decide whether to scale back their proposals in an
effort to get them enacted or risk completely failing to accomplish their goals.
Accordingly, one of the fundamental questions we ask in this chapter is,
what are the limits of presidential power? When are presidents able to prevail
in the face of confl ict in the country, in Congress, or in the bureaucracy? Has
presidential power grown over time? How does confl ict affect the decisions that
presidents make and the ways they try to implement their policy goals?
The second fundamental question we ask is, what are the sources of
presidential power? The answer lies in the idea that political process matters. In
some situations, the powers allocated in the Constitution enable the president to
change government policy unilaterally. However, there are limits on this power.
Congress and the Supreme Court can and at times do overturn presidential
actions. Moreover, many policy changes require explicit congressional approval.
This chapter shows that all presidents face opportunities and constraints, and
their success in offi ce depends on the particular challenges that arise, their
personal policy goals, and their skill at using the power of the presidency.|THE PRESIDENCYCHAPTER goals
Trace the evolution of
presidential power over
time.
¾ PAGES 295–97
Describe the constitutional
and statutory powers of the
president today.
¾ PAGES 297–311
Explain how the Executive
Offi ce of the President
(EOP), the vice president,
and the Cabinet help the
president.
¾ PAGES 311–14
Explain how Americans
evaluate presidents.
¾ PAGES 314–16
Analyze why presidents
have become much
more powerful since the
Founding.
¾ PAGES 316–18