The 21 st century has experienced a new age of presidency in contrast to that formulated at the conclusion of the 1700s, and thus there have been debates on the proper scope of the executive branch (Cost, 2012). The provisions in the constitution restricted the early presidency even though the first three presidents molded it into a more influential position by the 1800s. The president’s powers that had been assigned by the constitution include military powers as the commander in chief of the armed forces, diplomatic powers to make treaties with foreign countries, appointment powers to appoint public ministers, judges, ambassadors, and other US Officers, as well as legislative powers to veto legislation, although the Congress can work its way around it. Until the 1930s, Congress was the most influential segment of the national government. However, throughout the 20 th century, this was not the case as the balance of power was shifted toward the executive, and presently, they are arguably on the same level of power. The powers of the modern presidency have been a result of both constitutional and evolutionary powers.
One of the main reasons why the president’s power expanded over time is as a result of the expansion of his constitutional powers. Among the presidents that signify these developments are Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, as each aided in expanding the powers of the executive (The Evolution of the Presidency, 2020). For instance, President Roosevelt worked closely and hand-in-hand with Congress, sending them messages in regards to the definition of his legislative capacities. Similarly, he took the lead in the development and formulation of the US’s global powers. In addition, President Woodrow Wilson aided Congress in formulating some critical bills which they considered. Besides, the First World War gave him the platform to assume a leading role, particularly in international issues, and thus some of these constitutional developments slowly expanded the president’s role and responsibilities.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
In elucidating some of the evolutionary aspects of the expansion of the president’s powers, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt are ideal examples. Because of the emergence of the civil war, Abraham Lincoln assumed powers that had been unprecedented. For instance, he suspended the Habeas Corpus, which is the right to a court appearance, and jailed those that were culpable for disloyalty. Similarly, he ignored Congress by expanding the army and ordering southern port blockades without Congress’ consent. Franklin Roosevelt gained power as a result of the events during his tenancy as he led the nation via the Second World War as well as the great depression. Specifically, he gained power via the New Deals programs in order to control the economy, and the war necessitated that he lead the nation via foreign affairs. Thus, some of the executive powers were evolutionary as what was once perceived as innovations became norms and were transferred onto the subsequent presidents.
However, there are some claims that the executive branch’s powers are limited, especially when it comes to the economy, and that they have no control over the demographic and technological forces that influence the economy (Irwin, 2017). However, this is not the case because the executive has significant powers to control the economy. For instance, during mild fluctuations of the economy, the tasks of maintaining stable growth are contingent upon the actions of the federal reserves. Similarly, the chair of the Fed, who is often appointed by the president, has a momentous impact, especially regarding how monetary policy is undertaken (Thoma, 2016). This showcases the expanding role of the president in affecting the mechanisms of the economy.
Conclusively, the expanding powers of the presidency have resulted from a mixture of evolutionary and constitutional extensions. Some of the current presidents are continuing to push the boundaries of their restrictions, and it is thus anticipated that the president’s role will keep expanding unless there are active measures and controls to regulate the expansion and attain the balance in power.
References
Cost, J. (2012). The Expanding Power of the Presidency. Retrieved 23 February 2021, from https://www.hoover.org/research/expanding-power-presidency
Irwin, N. (2017). Presidents Have Less Power Over the Economy Than You Might Think. Retrieved 23 February 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/upshot/presidents-have-less-power-over-the-economy-than-you-might-think.html
The Evolution of the Presidency. (2020). Retrieved 23 February 2021, from https://www.ushistory.org/gov/7a.asp
Thoma, M. (2016). How much impact can a president have on the economy? CBS Retrieved 23 February 2021, from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-impact-can-a-president-have-on-the-economy/
