The presidential authority was something that had to
be established over time because presidential authority meant very little at
the beginning of our nation. During Washington’s presidency, the entire federal
budget was only about $40 million or approximately $10 for every citizen in
America. Our country has come a long way since then. Now the federal budget is
$3.55 trillion, or $11500 for every man, woman and child. The executive branch
has become more powerful over time. In actuality, the drafters of the Constitution
did not expect the executive branch to wield the amount of power it wields
today. In fact, James Madison, the Constitution's principal architect, worried
that the "balance of powers" tilted toward the House of
Representatives. Madison believed that its control over taxes and spending and
its ability to make laws that narrowed the powers of the executive and the
judiciary made the legislative branch the real center of national power.
But from the start, presidents worked to protect and expand their turf—and they generally succeeded. George Washington set several precedents for future presidents. He took every opportunity to establish the primacy of the national government. In 1794, Washington used the militia of four states to put down the whiskey rebellion. He began the practice of regular meetings with his adviser, thus establishing the cabinet system. He also asserted the role of the chief executive in the conduct of foreign affairs. When Congress requested documents pertaining to the controversial Jay Treaty, he refused to turn them over, introducing the doctrine of executive privilege and making a point about the autonomy of the executive branch. Washington made it clear that the Senate’s function was limited to approval of treaties and did not include negotiation with foreign powers. Over the course of the nineteenth century, other presidents added new weapons to the office's arsenal of powers. Andrew Jackson was the first to make extensive use of the veto and Abraham Lincoln read broadly into his wartime powers as commander-in-chief. Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus, expanded the size of the US army, ordered a blockade of southern ports and closed the U.S. mail to treasonable correspondence. Lincoln argued that the inherent powers of his office allowed him to circumvent the constitution in time of war. But it was with Teddy Roosevelt and the arrival of a new, more complex century, did the office's power grow at an even faster pace.
Part of this growth in the presidency might be classified as natural—the inevitable result of the historical process. As the nation's economy grew, the government needed to assume a larger regulatory role. As the world shrank, enabling the United States to increase its international presence, the federal government needed to expand its diplomatic presence. And many of the new demands placed on government could not be easily met by Congress. Congress often is unable to respond to fast-changing events- especially in foreign affairs. In a crisis, the president is the only individual that can act quickly and decisively on behalf of the entire nation. For example, FDR took office in 1933 in the midst of a major crisis, the great depression. To jump start the American economy, FDR asked the congress for “broad executive power.” He set up the New Deal, which profoundly and permanently changed the institution of the presidency as new federal agencies were created to implement it. FDR established the modern presidency of today, including a burgeoning federal bureaucracy, an active and usually leading role in both domestic and foreign policy and legislation, and a nationalized executive office that used technology to bring the president closer to the public.
But from the start, presidents worked to protect and expand their turf—and they generally succeeded. George Washington set several precedents for future presidents. He took every opportunity to establish the primacy of the national government. In 1794, Washington used the militia of four states to put down the whiskey rebellion. He began the practice of regular meetings with his adviser, thus establishing the cabinet system. He also asserted the role of the chief executive in the conduct of foreign affairs. When Congress requested documents pertaining to the controversial Jay Treaty, he refused to turn them over, introducing the doctrine of executive privilege and making a point about the autonomy of the executive branch. Washington made it clear that the Senate’s function was limited to approval of treaties and did not include negotiation with foreign powers. Over the course of the nineteenth century, other presidents added new weapons to the office's arsenal of powers. Andrew Jackson was the first to make extensive use of the veto and Abraham Lincoln read broadly into his wartime powers as commander-in-chief. Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus, expanded the size of the US army, ordered a blockade of southern ports and closed the U.S. mail to treasonable correspondence. Lincoln argued that the inherent powers of his office allowed him to circumvent the constitution in time of war. But it was with Teddy Roosevelt and the arrival of a new, more complex century, did the office's power grow at an even faster pace.
Part of this growth in the presidency might be classified as natural—the inevitable result of the historical process. As the nation's economy grew, the government needed to assume a larger regulatory role. As the world shrank, enabling the United States to increase its international presence, the federal government needed to expand its diplomatic presence. And many of the new demands placed on government could not be easily met by Congress. Congress often is unable to respond to fast-changing events- especially in foreign affairs. In a crisis, the president is the only individual that can act quickly and decisively on behalf of the entire nation. For example, FDR took office in 1933 in the midst of a major crisis, the great depression. To jump start the American economy, FDR asked the congress for “broad executive power.” He set up the New Deal, which profoundly and permanently changed the institution of the presidency as new federal agencies were created to implement it. FDR established the modern presidency of today, including a burgeoning federal bureaucracy, an active and usually leading role in both domestic and foreign policy and legislation, and a nationalized executive office that used technology to bring the president closer to the public.
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