Political Science Final Notes.docx

Political Science Final Notes The Presidency in American Political Development The Progressive view of the Presidency why the presidency mattered to them wanted to make the president relevant why Congress was insufficient took to long to accomplish something why the Constitution was problematic limited the presidents power The modern view of the Imperial Presidency the president has too much power Nixon sent troops to Vietnam ? people argue he had to much power Bush sent troops the Middle East ? people argue he had to much power This is just the progressive view in the negative light the LBJ/Bush presidencies The importance of the politics of leadership the case of FDR and Ronald Reagan Two great presidents of 20th century The two had almost NOTHING in common. LEADERSHIP ? was the about the only thing these two shared FDR ? used the radio to make himself relevant Ronald Reagan ? used TV medium to make himself relevant The making of political agency All presidents are burdened by the constrictions of the constitution. ?Let?s sit down and have a beer.? The making of presidential authority Power is different than authority Power is given to him by the constitution Authority Legitimizes his presidency Some presidents have power and no authority The problem of the presidency (see examples on pg. 11) The case of John Adams and George Washington To repudiate or to affirm pg 20 Secular time or political time Take each president as they go along. Presidential Leadership in Political Time Is being a good leader only about personal character, acumen and ability? No We don?t judge only on intellect If so Then we would have a lot of GOOD presidents, but this is not how we judge presidents. Understanding the political system ?leadership? works in Sequence of change in the political system political breakthroughs political breakups political breakdowns Difference between Eisenhower/Nixon versus Kennedy/Johnson FDR through Reagan are breakthrough or affirming what they did. Kennedy/Johnson are trying to affirm what FDR did because they are in the same party Eisenhower/Nixon are repudiating what FDR did and they were apart of the breakdown Carter was at the end of the FDR dominance there for having being the final piece of the breakdown. The great ones (Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, FDR, Reagan) the result of breakdowns all come after a break down Washington Jackson John Q Adams disaster Lincoln After the wigs FDR Reagan After the democratic breakdown Jefferson Madison Monroe Quincy Adams Jackson After Jefferson there was only democratic alliances Quincy Adams 1824 ? race with Andrew Jackson who won popular vote but the electoral college was split. Clay dropped out of the race, Q. Adams won the congressional vote. Jackson pounded Quincy Adams in 1828 All Presidents after AJ wrestled with his shadow until Lincoln. AJ was 1st president that was not from elitist family or New England aristocracy. How to be a breakthrough president serving the interests of the faithful Andrew Jackson throws party in white house after inauguration and trashes the White House Loyalty to those that are loyal to him keeping the agenda timely and responsive to changing demands AJ fixes banking problem Reagan addresses communism When Katrina hits New Orleans GWB didn?t respond well. South Carolina tired to succeed in 1832 and AJ sent troops to SC and told them if you try we will destroy you. ameliorating factional divisions within the rank GWB didn?t have a strong Republican Faction All breakthrough presidents fix factional divisions with in their rank. The similarities of Andrew Jackson and Franklin Roosevelt - both Breakthrough major political upheaval Carter had the opportunity to be a breakthrough. After the Nixon scandal. long established party dominance flounders all breakthroughs come after and break party dominance. the old ruling party suffered a stunning defeat 2006 Republicans didn?t realize that they would loose what they did Reagan won all states accept his competitions home state The problem of creating a new political order James K. Polk was the best at retaining Jacksonian Democracy The Politics of Leadership at the End of the Twentieth Century Six Distinct Periods in the American Presidency Federalist nationalism (1789-1800) Jeffersonian democracy (1800-1828) Decentralizing Power Making it about rural/agrarian economies rather than industrialized Jacksonian democracy (1828-1860) Andrew Jackson Republican nationalism (1860-1932) Abraham Lincoln Centralizes gov?t New Deal liberalism (1932-1980) FDR The Reagan Revolution (1980-???) Fundamental problem of the presidency solve the legitimation problem of authority Jimmy Carter and the Politics of Disjunction trying to salvage a lost idea became ?Jimmy Hoover? ? a technician in need of an overhaul an impossible leadership position all one-termers Ronald Reagan and the Politics of Reconstruction opposition leaders the ?Great Communicator? two-termers George H.W. Bush and the Politics of Articulation being plagued by comparison the ?double-bind? of acting usually one-termers (seven refrained from seeking reelection) the problem of ?personalized? politics Bill Clinton and the Politics of Preemption the promise of the Third Way all elected to second term Leadership by Definition: First Term Reflections on George W. Bush The ?reaction? to the Bush presidency George Bush wanted to define himself early George Bush as ?leadership by definition? the lessons of his father - ?read my lips, no new taxes? a Texas boy in New England Andover, top prep school. Attended Yale Joined Skull and Bones the lessons of his first congressional race 1976, mid 20?s Runs as Republican in a district that had never had a republican Looses after being talked about like a Yale prep school boy. Requires unwavering commitment Once we start something we have to finish it. the anti-Clinton trying to achieve a third way. ?I don?t do nuance? ties back into the unwavering commitment you know what you are going to get. The oxymoron of ?compassionate conservatism? Doesn?t repudiate Reagan I am going to affirm Reagan and repudiate the old way. Political persona over ideological precision They people must believe more in ?you? the person more than your ideology Stalwart over purist Stalwart ? going against the grain and convince people you are right Purist - ?Even when we don?t agree you know where I stand? GWB in a nutshell The importance of leadership by definition the importance of TV Nixon vs Kennedy Radio thought Nixon won and if you watched it JFK won Crafting the publics image of you the 24/7 news cycle Michelle Obama = next Jackie Kennedy The creation of ?orthodox innovation? itself an oxymoron the circumstance of 9/11 event that allows GWB ?Leadership by Definition? to really start Polk, Theodore Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson (what does he share with them? Pg. 140) First orthodox innovation president to be re-elected The surprise of getting reelected. Why? 9/11 Organization of Republican Party Until Obama the Republicans have always been better at organizing their grass roots The exhaustion of orthodox innovators the last days of the Bush presidency Bush?s persona is exhausted One persona was exhausted they start to look at policy and no one like his policies