The president’s job description 423a critical factor in their failed reelection bids. The experiences of Ford and Carter
highlight that presidents often face situations for which there are no good solutions.
Given the realities of the American economy in the 1970s, it is hard to imagine policies
that would have improved on Ford and Carter’s performance.
The political and policy importance of presidential actions continued to increase
during the presidency of Republican Ronald Reagan, despite the fact that he ran
on a platform of tax cuts, fewer regulations, and smaller government. Reagan and
his staff also negotiated important arms control agreements with the Soviet Union.
Reagan’s successor, Republican George H. W. Bush, led American and international
participation in the Persian Gulf War during 1990 and 1991, which succeeded in
removing Iraqi forces from Kuwait with minimal American casualties.
Democrat Bill Clinton’s presidency was marked by passage of the North American Free
Trade Agreement, welfare reform, arms control agreements, and successful peacekeeping
efforts by U.S. troops in Haiti and the Balkans. His presidency also was distinguished by
having one of the longest periods of economic growth in U.S. history and the first balanced
budgets since the 1960s. President George W. Bush won congressional approval of his tax
cuts and education reforms, but he is remembered for managing America’s response to the
September 11 attacks, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
President Obama secured several notable changes in domestic and foreign policy,
including the enactment of health care reform, economic stimulus legislation, new
financial regulations, and the appointment of two Supreme Court justices. However,
because of strong Republican opposition in Congress after 2010, Obama had to
compromise in enacting many of these new policies, and in areas such as immigration
reform and gun control he was largely unsuccessful in achieving his policy goals.
Obama’s experience highlights a fundamental limit on presidential power: in many
areas, presidents require congressional support in order to achieve their policy goals.“Why
Should
I Care?”
After presidents leave office, their performance is often evaluated as though their
powers and foresight during their term had been unlimited. The history of presidential
successes and failures reminds us that, in fact, presidents are often constrained
by circumstances. Many of the problems past presidents have faced were totally
unanticipated or had no good solutions. Other times, attempts to address national
needs failed because of congressional resistance. Thus, before we make judgments
about presidential performance, we need to understand the president’s job and the
resources available to accomplish it.The President’s Job Description
This section describes the president’s constitutional authority (powers derived from
the provisions of the Constitution), statutory authority (powers that come from laws),
and the additional capabilities that presidents derive from their position as the head
of the executive branch of government. Nuts & Bolts 12.1 summarizes the president’s
constitutional and statutory powers. As the box indicates, some presidentialDESCRIBE THE
CONSTITUTIONAL AND
STATUTORY POWERS OF
THE PRESIDENT TODAYconstitutional authority
(presidential)
Powers derived from the provisions
of the Constitution that outline the
president’s role in government.
statutory authority
(presidential)
Powers derived from laws enacted by
Congress that add to the powers given
to the president in the Constitution.Full_13_APT_64431_ch12_418-453.indd 423 16/11/18 10:33 AM