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Does The Presidency Become Too Powerful

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In the past 100 years, the power of the presidency has increased immensely. Many presidents have expanded upon the rights given to the executive branch in the Constitution, usually to push topic and issues important to them. These expansions of power beg the question: Has the presidency become too powerful? This is what I will explore in my essay. I will dive into some specific instances in which the power of the president has been questioned, and explore how the power has grown, and where the executive branch still has limitations on power. The executive power has grown but still is checked by the other branches of government. One specific president that has expanded upon the powers of the executive branch is George Bush. In one of the most …show more content…

Critics argue that to pass a bill, lawmakers must pass through a series of checks and balances created by the Framers, which inhibit efficient policymaking in times of emergency or achieving the President’s agenda. One recent example of this occurred three months ago, with the confirmation of Loretta Lynch as Attorney General. “In the country has been now sitting there longer than the previous seven Attorney General nominees combined. And there’s no reason for it. Nobody can describe a reason for it beyond political gamesmanship in the Senate. On an issue that’s completely unrelated to her. This is the top law enforcement job in the country… And I have to say, that there are times where the dysfunction in the Senate just goes too far. This is an example of it. It’s gone to far. Enough. Enough. Call Loretta Lynch for a vote, get her confirmed, put her in place, let her do her job.” (CNN) This quote highlights the mutual frustrations inside of the government regarding the struggle of sharing powers. One would think that one way to remedy this problem would be to concentration more power in the executive branch. This struggle of power is a problem that is found in many countries. Where do you draw the line for executive powers? When does a system become tyrannical? These two questioned were explored by the Framers, and continue to be the point of contentious debate among …show more content…

During 1972, the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Hotel was tapped by burglars hired by none other than Richard Nixon, the president at that time. This secret eventually was released to the general public, who were understandably outraged. Nixon had over-extended his powers of president and had tried to illegally expand upon his control of the government. Congress responded with a swift and decisive response. The House of Representatives created an “Articles of Impeachment” and was set to have him impeached, until he resigned in 1974. “RESOLVED, That the Committee on the Judiciary acting as a whole or by any subcommittee thereof appointed by the Chairman for the purposes hereof and in accordance with the Rules of the Committee, is authorized and directed to investigate fully and completely whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its constitutional power to impeach Richard M. Nixon, President of the United States of America. The committee shall report to the House of Representatives such resolutions, articles of impeachment, or other recommendations as it deems proper.” (Watergate) In this quote, I wanted to show that even when the President tries to expand upon his powers, Congress still has the power to depose a president they feel is unfit. Despite the power-lust of Nixon, Congress ultimately found him violating the laws

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“We need powerful leaders, we fear powerful leaders (Monroe, p.365),” This quote explains exactly how I feel when I comes to the president’s powers, The debate between the president having expansive or restrictive power is a difficult one, they both have their strengths and weaknesses. Although, if I had to choose, I think the safest option for our country would be to keep the president with restricted powers. To be fair neither option is a perfect one they both have their flaws. I understand why people would want the president to have expansive powers, for example in an issue of national security.

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