1. Discuss

2. “I sit here all day trying to persuade people
to do the things they ought to have sense
enough to do without my persuading
them...that‟s all the power s of the president
amount to”

3.  The Vice President – as presiding officer of
the Senate, he has a foothold in Congress (
All of the last 6 VPs have formerly been
members of Congress too).
 Cabinet officers – these work in their own
policy related area
 Party leaders in Congress – House Speaker,
Majority and Minority leaders in both houses,
whips, committee chairs

4.  Make phone calls to selected members of
congress
 Offer help with legisaltion that benefit‟s
members constituents
 Offer help with federal/executive
appointments of interest to constituents
 Invite members to a meeting/photo op at
White House
 Go to Capitol Hill to address a selected group
of members
 Offer to campaign for members of his own
party

5.  President can go on national television to a
appeal directly to the people.
 This is what President Johnson called
„putting Congress‟s feet to the fire‟- Civil
Rights Act 1964

6.  The President is dependent on Congress for all
legislation and money
 Powerful committee chairs, Speaker of the House can
thwart a President‟s agenda if it conflicts with their
won
 Separation of powers means congressmen have their
own mandate , and their willingness to support the
president is more conditional than in a parliamentary
system...”will it aid my own re-election?”.
 Even a Congress controlled by his own party may
ignore – e.g. The Bush second term - or defeat – e.g.
the Clinton health care reforms – the president‟s
agenda
 Consequently the president needs to persuade
members of Congress that support for him is in their
interests

7.  Mandate of the President may be such – e.g.
President Johnson in 1964 – that the president does
not need to persuade Congress to adopt his agenda
(Great Society)
 Ability of the President to circumvent Congress
through executive orders, executive agreements and
recess appointments (Clinton made a recess
appointment of Bill Lann Lee as Assistant Attorney
General for civil rights, when it became clear that
Lee's strong support of affirmative action would lead
to Senate opposition).
 Use of signing statements to implement legislation as
the president directs, sometimes in direct
contravention of Congress‟ expressed intent
 If the persuasion fails, the president can veto
legislation
 In several aspects of foreign policy, the presidency
can act unilaterally (Nixon – Cambodia)

8.  However! Congress CAN override a
presidents veto...even if it is controlled by
the same party!
 2 of Carter‟s vetoes were overriden by a
Democrat controlled Congress. In 1980
Congress passed a bill repealing a $4.62 oil
import fee.
 Later that year Congress also overrode his
veto of a Veteran‟s healthcare bill.