In this chapter we dealt with our most monarchic branch of national government—the presidency. In this effort, we first examined the historical precedents for our presidency by looking at the colonial-Crown relationship and the early state governors of the revolutionary era. These were basically viewed as models to not follow, and so the men that gathered at the Constitutional Convention created a chief executive all their own. In general, a strong model version of the presidency was crafted after the deliberative efforts of people like James Wilson. The Convention produced compromises like the Electoral College as a device for indirect but legislatively independent selection of the president.
The historical development of the presidency, in particular juxtaposed with its policy making partner/rival the Congress, has seen a steady if slow rise of executive power, largely through the interpretation of inherent powers as well as those deriving from its constitutional prerogatives, especially in wartime. As the presidency has grown in governmental stature and responsibilities, the Cabinet has both expanded in size but lost power to the centralizing tendencies of the White House Staff created along with the EOP during FDR’s administration. The 20th century, in particular the administrations of the two Roosevelts and Wilson, created the modern presidency we now know where the president is the true chief executive, chief legislator, chief trade negotiator, chief diplomat, chief of party, nation, and perhaps most of all, the commander-in-chief. Executive management styles have varied overtime, with Republican presidents following a more hierarchical style relative to Democratic presidents. However, the presidency is and will remain the most visible office of our national government both at home and abroad, especially in the uncertain world as presented to us by the War on Terror. |
