The American Presidency
I. 	The analysis here is whether the presidency is a strong office or a weak one.
	A. 	At the mythic level the office is hugely powerful; at the ideological level 
		it is surprisingly weak.
		1. 	The ongoing dynamic pattern is that the national myth heaps power 
			upon him while the ideological processes continually drain his power.
	B. 	By connecting so directly the powers of the office to the interests of its 
		occupant, [Neustadt] was purely Madisonian.
		1. 	It assumes a permanently fragmented pluralism led by it's own elite.
			a. 	 It further presupposes that power is so fragmented any and 
				all have access to some power.
	C. 	Rossiter established the tradition of the powerful president; thus he and 
		Neustadt are diametrically opposed.
		1. 	 For Rossiter the president's first responsibility is to proclaim the 
			myth of his greatness.
			a. 	In proclaiming this he masks his weakness and failures.
		2. 	Rossiter is representing with some exactness our national myth 
			of the presidential office, one nation.
			a. 	The office is highly personal; each has left his imprint on the 
				office; this is a cumulative process
				(1) 	Symbols such as the White House, Libraries, Air 
					Force One, staff, etc. help maintain the myth.
		3. 	The weakness of the office is not a personal weakness;
			a. 	it is rooted in the logic of Madisonian/Aristotelian mixed 
				government theory that would pit throughout the government 
				ambition against ambition.
				(1) 	More deeply, it is the Lockean/Hobbesian war of all 
					against all, caged within the sovereign limits of the law.
					(a) 	Competition with Congress is also a result of 
						this same logic.
				(2) 	The process has casualties:
					(a) 	coherent, cohesive policy seeps away;
					(b) 	president lowers his sights;
					(c) 	progress becomes episodic;
					(d) 	focus on controllable events.
						i) 	This last results in an exceptionalism:
						ii) 	the administration can resort to acts 
							above the law.
	D. 	the president pursues his higher calling alone, without the bureaucracy.
		1. 	However, when these get large, Watergate, Iran contra, they must 
			be seen as extreme versions of politics as usual and not exceptions. 
II. 	Development/Growth of the Office:
	A. 	presidential constitutional authority: 
		1. 	is unitary 
			a. 	substantively he is Chief Executive;
 	B. 	Inherent powers have brought an expansion of power, e.g., the Cuban 
		missile crisis;
	C. 	role expectation has increased:
		1. 	Cronin— president sets the national agenda; 
			a. 	crisis management necessitates
			b. 	coalition building to combat problems and deliver solutions.
			c. 	leads to institutional growth which is a result of expectations.
		2. 	Neustadt— because of separation of powers the president lacks 
			power and authority; 
			a. 	he does have influences and persuasion.
				(1) 	The president must use the presidency as an individual 
					basis to succeed. 
				(2) 	He must use his skill to persuade people to go along 
					with his policies.
		3. 	Lowi — The office has expanded to meet the growing expectations.
			a. 	But, presidents are also trapped by these powers. 
				(1) 	The increased expectations and responsibilities 
					are increasingly difficult to fulfill.
III. 	Presidential Character
	A. 	Barber: active-passive; positive negative.
	B. 	Responsiveness
		1. 	material: substantive change, e.g., economy, foreign relations.
	C. 	Symbolic: symbols of the office affect presidential success. 
		1. 	It allows leeway for the president to pursue policies.
IV. 	Determinants of presidential popularity
	A. 	performance: 
			a. 	economy and foreign policy are crucial.
	B. 	image: 
			honesty, competence, trust;
	C. 	party identification: 
			a. 	the backing and general support of party.
		2. 	Performance— 
			a. 	the president is the only person in government held 
				responsible for performance. 
				(1) 	Most important is the performance of the economy,
					(a) 	not the individual's personal economics but 
						the overall performance of the economy.
		3. 	Party ID— the president's party accounts for a great deal 
			irrespective of the economy. 
			a. 	But, at election time, party ID lessens to economic conditions.
V. 	Resources for control: President (less powerful)
	A. 	hire/fire but not deeply, just at the managerial levels.
	B. 	Appointments, but this is shared with the Senate;
	C. 	budget but this is shared with Congress 
		1. 	there are entitlements and off-budget items;
	D. 	reorganization but it is limited.
	E. 	Congress (more powerful)
		1. 	tenures are longer which helps with agency relations.