Presidential Powers: A Comparsion of Predencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama

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As the President of the United States, a president have powers that other members of the government do not. Presidential power can be defined in numerous ways. Political scientists Richard Neustadt and William Howell give different views on what is presidential power. These polarized views of presidential powers can be used to compare and contrast the presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Richard Neustadt stated in his book Presidential Power that “Presidential power is the power to persuade.”(Neustadt, pg.11) Persuasion and bargaining are techniques that presidents can use to influence policy. Neustadt explains how persuasion can help a president get laws passed and to get favorable public opinion.Neustadt explains that bargaining is important in order to influence other politicians in Congress and inside of the executive branch. He stated that "The essence of a President's persuasive task is to convince such men that what the White House wants of them is what they ought to do for their sake and on their authority" (Neustadt, pg.30). Neustadt believes that a president should use persuasion than commanding because it is more effective.Commanding shows that a president is weak. Commanding is only effective in certain situations. Neustadt believes that a persuasive president is a powerful president but in William Howell book Power Without Persuasion, he attacks Neustadt’s point about persuasion in a president. Howell argues that a president does not need to be persuasive in order to be powerful. He believes that a president can become a powerful leader without using persuasion. Howell states that “... effect policy change outside of a bargaining framework" (Howell, pg. 13). He states that the president can create la... ... middle of paper ... ...agree with President Obama’s tactic of addressing Congress and persuading them to pass the Affordable Care Act. Neustadt stated in his book one of the effective ways presidents can bargain with other members of government which is “ …the bargaining advantages inherent in his job with which to persuade other men that what he wants of them is what their own responsibilities require them to do.” President Obama addresses Congress’s responsibility to represent the interest of the people in order to pass the legislation. Both President Bush and President Obama had very different ways of running the country during their presidencies. Overall, President Bush used less persuasion on major domestic and foreign policies than President Obama. With these differences among the presidents, they both passed and approved laws that would try to better the nation and it’s citizens.

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