The Rise of Presidential Power

American History Hit

History Hit

America, History

4.5 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 15 July 2024

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Right from independence, a question has hovered over the government of the United States. How much power should the President have? Not too much, lest they become a monarch. But not too little, they are elected to do a job and that job must be done.

In this episode of American History Hit, Don is joined once again by Professor of Political Science, Graham G Dodds. Graham is author of 'The Unitary Presidency' and, together, he and Don discuss the power of the President.

Can they commit a crime? How has the unitary executive been used in domestic, and foreign, spaces? And where was this theory born - with the Constitution, Hamilton, Reagan or Bush?

Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Think of the US government as a tree in a field, swaying in the windy course of human events.
0:08.0	This tree has three bows, or branches.
0:12.0	Two of these branches, the legislative and the judicial,
0:15.0	are divided into ever smaller branches and then twigs.
0:19.0	So many members, departments, committees, judges.
0:23.2	But the third branch is different, a limb more solid and singular.
0:28.4	This is the executive branch.
0:31.2	And though its structure includes cabinet secretaries and departments and the entire military,
0:36.7	all of this is somehow contained within the authority of the figure the unified branch represents, the President of the United States.
0:46.0	According to the Constitution, uniquely empowered as the Chief Executive to be more
0:51.0	nimble and ultimately decisive, thus more accountable to the electorate.
0:57.2	But there is danger in this unitary idea.
1:00.9	With great power comes great control perhaps too much.
1:04.0	One can easily imagine this executive branch growing far apart from the others and expanding,
1:09.3	seizing more power, more control. It could then become twisted and naughty, heavy, and
1:15.8	imbalanced, and without the stability of the greater tree it relies upon.
1:22.0	The executive branch of the US government, so much the source of stability and
1:26.3	strength for so long, is also potentially its greatest weakness and liability. Good day, it's Don Wildman and this is American History hit.
1:46.0	247 years ago in 1777 the Articles of Confederation were approved by the Second Continental Congress of the United States,
1:55.2	coming into force in 1781. Very broadly, the Articles of Confederation set severe limitations
2:01.6	on the role and effectiveness of the federal government.
2:04.0	Consequently, the articles would be replaced, eventually, by the US Constitution.
	...

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