Define The Imperial Presidency By Arthur Shlesinger

Zainab Rafiq POLS 1001 Introduction to American Government

Question 1/ (Length: one page) What is the electoral college? What is its role in the election of the U.S. president? Find how many Electoral College Votes does New York State, Pennsylvania, Montana, Texas, Georgia have. The electoral college is the system established by the Constitution to elect the president; each state has a group of electors (equal in size to that of its congressional delegation in the House and the Senate); today, the public in each state votes for electors who then vote for the president. the convention simply left this question to the states. At first, the state legislature took the job of voting for the electors. but in the late 1820s the states ceded this

Arthur Schlesinger was an American historian. He was an assistant and adviser to President John F. Kennedy. He is also known for his works on American history and politics. b/ What is the main topic of the article? The main topic of the article "The Imperial Presidency" by Arthur Schlesinger is the expansion of presidential power beyond its intended limits as outlined in the Constitution. c/ How did he define the imperial presidency? Schlesinger defined the imperial presidency as a presidency that has gathered unequal power, often exceeding the constitutional checks and balances designed to limit executive authority. He argued that this shift towards an imperial presidency poses a threat to democratic principles and the balance of power within the government. d/ What are the main arguments developed by the author? In his article, Schlesinger maintains that a pronounced change in the balance of power between the government branches has taken place with the predominance in favor of the executive branch. This is due to the accumulation by the presidency of greater authority and influence at the expense of Congress and the judiciary throughout its development. Also, Schlesinger points to occasions when presidents have gone too far in asserting their prerogatives beyond what is constitutionally permissible. These have included such measures as issuing executive orders and acting on unilateral military interventions. The author looks at how war, national security issues, and crises have historically been reasons for expanding presidential power. Schlesinger advises us to be cautious as he considers uncontrolled executive power to be a threat to democratic principles and undermining the rule of law. Schlesinger further adds that the growth of power towards the president and presidency is considered a threat to