The Wayward Course of American Presidential Democracy

1. 

Renowned political scholar Stephen Skowronek provides valuable insights into American politics and how the American presidency has been altered over the years. Presidents usually reckon with the works of their predecessors, situate their power with current political events and direct their service into bringing change. 

According to Skowronek, the major problem with the current state of the American presidency is the executive bureaucracy that creates a "deep state," and the method of selecting the president stipulated in the Constitution. From the start, presidential democracy was designed to be managed without political mobilization to strengthen the presidency (Skowronek, 2021). The executive function of the president is challenged by federal institutions created to promote shared interest through deliberation and expertise. The problem has been made clear during Trump's administration based on his critique of the notion of "the deep state." The institutionalization of the president has made it possible for presidents like Trump to put his executive authority against the executive branch. When Trump ascended into power, he was willing to disregard administration by passing executive orders and policies aimed at executive partisan agendas. However, the leadership and departure of Trump from the presidency reveal the long-running trends in the American presidency. President Trump tried to seize control of the executive bureaucracy, but he was unsuccessful. 

The executive bureaucracy remains a significant problem in the current state of America and has its origin from the Reagan Revolution. As noted by Trump, there exists a "deep state" where the military monitors political leadership and establishes conditions that control the actions of the president hence threatening good leadership (Skowronek, 2021). Several cadres of administrators present in the executive who threatens the authority of the sitting president. These problems threaten the president's administration, making it challenging to fulfill the will of Americans who elected him. These deep states are embedded in every sector and have massive support from the media and other interest groups. Bureaucrats have their interests and resources and skills in administration, knowledge, and competency, which they use to control the executive. According to Article II of the Constitution, "The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America." Unitary executive theory interprets this to show the president possesses absolute executive power and that administrators, cabinet secretaries, and other officials function at the sufferance of the president. Presidents like Trump who follow unitarian believe the Constitution protects them from doing whatever they want as the president. In contrast, those who follow the Constitution like Joe Biden believe in presidential populism, in which elections have consequences. 

I agree with Skowronek that the significant problem with the current state of America is the executive bureaucracy that creates a "deep state" that controls the leadership of the sitting president. Also, the current method of selecting the president leaves the executive vulnerable to abuse, especially in promoting the president's political partisan agenda. In an attempt to ensure America is ruled by populism and charismatic leadership, the Constitution leads to an assault of the executive branch leading to a persistent problem in the current state of the American presidency. 

2. 

Skowronek argues that the best way to resolve the current problem in the American presidency is by establishing institutional reforms. There is a need to reconcile political mobilization with an acceptable system of presidency. The presidency should be surrounded by institutions that serve its broader purpose of serving the public interest. Some of the remedies recommended by the Republicans include accommodating electoral mobilization and political parties, easing the separation of powers, build power-sharing, and shifting it towards collective responsibility ad cooperative management. 

Congress has for years established several ways of enlisting the presidency among other institutions to establish good government. Congress enacted several ways, including making the president responsible for agenda-setting, especially in budgeting. Several agencies were created around the executive branch to increase presence expertise in making policies. The decision fused the interest of the three arms of government executive, legislature, and judiciary (Skowronek, 2021). The three arms should be willing to reform their institutions. Trump's administration messed up the judiciary by appointing judges who support unitary executives, making it hard to achieve reforms. Congress should focus on enlisting the presidency effectively as a partner in governance. The approach taken by Biden will effectively solve the current problem in the presidency since it requires respect for the independence of the Justice Department. 

Reference 

Skowronek. S. (2021, March, 4). ‘ The Wayward Course of American Presidential Democracy ’[Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPoFHoYDuy0&t=1s .