The Evolution of Presidential Power

While presidents were initially given limited power, they have utilized constitutional loopholes and national events in order to leverage that higher; however, they are still limited by public opinion and the congress. During the course of the initial framing of the constitution, Alexander Hamilton, a renowned Federalist during the American Revolution, wrote about the executive branch. In Federalist No. 67, Hamilton cited that the presidency was meant to be a weaker branch of government with limited power. The example of a monarch and the differences between the US presidency were shown to limit the president’s power (Hamilton). Surely, the early presidency was a duty where the leader played a passive role in upholding the constitution. 

The way in which the constitution was written gave power for the rise of the modern presidency. For example, the president in this day and age has the power to engage the legislature in setting new policy. Fred Greenstein remarked that “the open-mindedness of the characterization in Article 2 of the president’s responsibilities leaves him much latitude for the initiative in national affairs…” (Greenstein 38). That is, he can propose new legislation and have the power to veto legislation that he does not like. Because of that, his role has matured into the president is the “chief agenda-setter in federal-level policy-making” (Greenstein 39). So, the presidency has shifted from being a passive role to one where the president actively proposes policies that are then pushed through congress. This initiative is a power that has always existed but was never truly exercised in the early presidency.

The need for government intervention in the 20th century has also contributed to the modern presidency. For instance, during the Great Depression, the American people needed help getting back on their feet with jobs. Because of that, there was pressure on the American president to put together policies to fix the economy. Indeed, there was a strong “public demand [for] a more positive government approach to the economy…” (Pfiffner 2). As a result, the president became more engaged in the 1950s to make policies and work towards changing the state of the nation (Pfiffner 4). Finally, by the 1960s, this newly defined role of the president as an agenda-setter became institutionalized. This resulted in changes to the oval office, agencies that report to the president and what he did on a daily basis. Clearly, presidential power has grown as a result of national events that required intense attention. The governmental programs that were created forever changed the way that the executive branch operated.

As we have seen, the presidential power of today is much stronger than before. However, this does not mean that there are no limitations. In fact, the president faces limitations in the form of public opinion. If public opinion is wholly negative towards an action, then they must pay attention to it or the constituent representatives will not pass their legislation into law. Finally, there must be a consensus in Congress for laws to be passed. Without that, the president’s power of initiative is a moot point. The president must, therefore, deal with his own politics within the governmental structure. Not only does this wholly limit the president’s power, but it also negates his influence on the public if he can’t initiate legislation that will go through. 

Presidential power was shown to be initially limited and then expanded through history. The early framers sought for the presidency to be a weaker branch of the government. However, the constitution was written in a way that allowed the president to exercise more power, especially with regard to initiating legislation. Moreover, national crises like the Great Depression (as depicted in the Grapes of Wrath) and Cold War allowed the president to develop new agencies, organizations, and means for exercising greater control over the nation. These institutions created a new form of leverage for the modern president. Finally, public opinion and the need for consensus in congress still heavily limits the president’s power.

Works Cited

Greenstein, Fred. "Toward a Modern Presidency." Historical Perspective on the Presidency, vol. 10, 1988, pp. 37-40. 

Hamilton, Alexander. "The Avalon Project: Federalist No 67." Avalon Project - Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy. 11 Mar. 1788. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed67.asp.

Pfiffner, James P. The Modern Presidency. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1994.