Week 8: The Presidency and the Bureaucracy Lecture 2: The Office and the Person May 17

I. Topics for today Million Mom March vs. the NRA's television ad U.S. v. Morrison: A sharply divided Supreme Court struck down a law allowing suit in national courts for violence against women. The Court ruled 5-4 that Congress overstepped its power when it gave women a right to sue their attackers. Congress had no power to legislate in this area under either the "interstate commerce" clause nor the "equal protection" clause of the 14th Amendment Remedies for such cases must be sought in state courses. Yesterday's visitors from Latvia and Lithuania Stressed the difference between parliament and congress Stressed the importance of parties in socializing people into the system Noted that public opinion in both countries would favor the death penalty Stressed their admiration of our presidency II. The OFFICE of the presidency must be distinguished from the PERSON of the president. Consider the design of the office according to the Constitution. The presidency embodies a UNITARY rather than a PLURAL executive. One person has sole responsibility for all executive functions. Compare this situation with the many executive offices usually independently elected in state government. The unitary office provides more potential for majoritarian government than a plural executive. The office of president is also regarded as the HEAD OF GOVERNMENT. Unlike a prime minister, the president heads a separate but coordinate branch of government. A prime minister heads both law-making and law-implementing and is thus in a more effective position to command the government. Thus, the design of the presidency clearly reflects limitations on government. However, the president derives his power as head of government from other features of the office denied prime ministers. The president is in charge of the military. He is popularly elected by a national constituency. His term of office is longer than popular branch of the Congress. He also has some legislative authority. 3. Unlike a prime minister, a president has additional authority from being HEAD OF STATE. The president is the nation's ceremonial leader and authority figure. The president is also the national symbol and personification of nation, especially in foreign relations. One can't imagine a member of congress treating the president like the House of Commons treated the Prime Minister. The presidency has both executive and legislative functions within our governmental system. The presidency also exercises the function of LEADERSHIP within the political system.