Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Name________________________
Read the two articles under Presidency on Blackboard/Class Materials and answer the
following questions.
Neustadt: Presidential Power and the Modern President
1.
2.
3.
4.
6.
Cairo:ImperialPresidencyTriumphant
1. Whatisunilateraldecisionmaking?
Makingaonesideddecision,withoutconsultantfromtheothergroup.
2. AccordingtoCairo,whatinstitutiondidtheFoundersintendtohaveprimacyin
militarymatters?Why?
Theconstitutionalambiguityofwarpowershasproducedtensionbetweenthe
executiveandlegislativebranches.TheClintonandGeorgeW.Bushadministrations
haveabusedthepresidentialpowerintheuseofforceandexacerbatedthealready
existingtension.Theframerswerereallyambiguousaboutmilitarymattersbecause
theywantedtokeepthenotionofchecksandbalances.
HowhastheUnitedNationsbeenusedbymodernpresidentstosupport/justifymilitary
intervention.DiscusseitherBillClintonorG.W.Bushandhowtheyaccomplishedthis.
WellGeorgeW.BushledthewaronterrorisminIraqandAfghanistanafterthe9/11
attacks.TheBushadministrationpushedtheboundariesonpresidentialuseofforceand
threatenstheconstitutionalbalancebetweentheexecutiveandlegislativebranches.
3. ExplaintheBushdoctrine.
Itdescribesvariousforeignpolicyprinciplesofthe43rdpresident.After9/11the
phrasedescribedthepolicy that the US had the right to secure itself against counties
that harbor or give aid to terrorist groups. This one particular principle, which is the
most controversial of all, was used to promote the spread of democracy around the
world, especially in the Middle East, as a strategy for combating terrorism; and a
willingness to unilaterally pursue U.S. military interests.
4. HowhavetheAmericanpeopleacceptedPresidents,unilateralusesofforceoversees
inthelasttwentyyears.Explain.
Somepeopleareagainstit,mostlyliberalsareagainstthepresidentsuseofmilitary
forceoverseas.
5. HasObamaspresidencybeenimperialeitherinitsexecutionofdomesticor
foreignpolicy.Explainyourrationale.
Ibelieveboth,butObamasmostsignificantroleishealthcare,soIbelievedomestic.
Thepresidentalsoistryingtoendthewaronterrorismbypullingsoldiersoutofthe
middleeast.
*AdaptedfromA.Serow,&Ladd,E.(2007)TheLanahanReadingsintheAmericanPolity.
Baltimore:LanahanPublishers