POLI 2100: The American Presidency

Abstract

On President Truman’s desk sat a small sign that read simply: “The buck stops here.” For Truman, this meant that presidents must make decisions on their own but it is often presumed to signify the extent to which the public holds the president broadly accountable for the state of the union – the extent to which the United States has peace and prosperity. Successful presidents, it is assumed, will bring about major changes that promote national flourishing. Yet, time and again, Americans feel that their presidents do not deliver upon their promises. Most recently, President Trump’s to build a wall on the US-Mexico border have gone largely unfulfilled, even with a Republican majority in Congress during his first two years. In drafting the US Constitution, the framers created an arrangement in which governance is divided and shared among other branches and thus, despite vast popular expectations, presidents are far from omnipotent. They indeed lack the legislative leverage that is common among prime ministers in parliamentary democracies. In spite of these institutional hurdles, presidents nonetheless struggle mightily to succeed – and some achieve great accomplishments. ¶Here is our motivating question: how can we explain why some presidents successfully enact bold agendas while others seem impotent in mastering the currents around them? To answer this question, we begin with a basic introduction to US politics and the changing dominance of partisan coalitions. Then, after a review of presidential powers, both formal and informal, we consider how presidents determine their agenda and set priorities. At all times, we will seek to understand our current historical moment – which seems fraught with profound implications for the country and the world. As the United States reels from the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol, a critical reflection on the presidency and this historical moment could not be more timely. In brief, then, students will gain not only a working knowledge of the office of the presidency, its relationship to other branches of government, and national policymaking, but also appreciate the broader sweep of political history that has brought us to this pivotal moment. ¶Course Objectives. By the conclusion of the semester, you should be able to: ➢ Comprehend the presidential selection process; ➢ Identify the formal and informal powers of the president; ➢ Appreciate the limitations on presidential action and understand how presidential leadership is contingent; ➢ Analyze presidential decision-making and policymaking in domestic and foreign affairs; and ➢ Describe the changes in major political party coalitions from the New Deal to the present Course Instruction and Requirements: ¶This course includes multiple elements to promote student mastery of thematic and substantive content. All the course content can be found on Canvas in dated “modules.” If you do not see this structure at the home screen, then select the Modules tab to view the course sessions in order by dated (e.g