US Presidential Powers and Foreign Policy

Expansion of Presidential Powers

• John Adams waged an undeclared war against the French in the Quasi-War (1798-1800)
• Thomas Jefferson oversaw the purchase of Louisiana from France, rationalizing that his lack of impeachment charges constituted Congress's tacit approval of his actions

The Monroe Doctrine

• James Monroe declared in his 1823 annual message that the United States would consider European intervention in Western Hemisphere affairs as an intolerable act of aggression
• This declaration of principles, known as the Monroe Doctrine, laid the foundation for the growth of American power in the 20th century

Andrew Jackson's Presidency

• Andrew Jackson used the veto as a policy tool to block legislative initiatives he disagreed with
• He issued 12 vetoes, more than all prior presidents combined, based on policy disagreements rather than to protect against congressional encroachments
• Jackson's actions changed the way vetoes would be used in the future
• He acted unilaterally in depositing federal funds in local banks instead of the Bank of the United States

Presidential Powers

• The president is responsible for ensuring the laws are faithfully executed
• The president has the power to pardon individuals convicted of federal offenses, with one exception
• The exception to the pardon power is officials removed from office through the impeachment process
• The president is required to present information to Congress about the state of the union
• The president has the authority to call Congress into session when necessary
• The president can veto legislation, but a two-thirds supermajority in both houses of Congress can override the veto
• The president can make recommendations for legislation and policy
• The president can request reports and opinions from the heads of various departments

Presidential Powers

• The president is responsible for ensuring the laws are faithfully executed
• The president has the power to pardon individuals convicted of federal offenses, with one exception
• The exception to the pardon power is officials removed from office through the impeachment process
• The president is required to present information to Congress about the state of the union
• The president has the authority to call Congress into session when necessary
• The president can veto legislation, but a two-thirds supermajority in both houses of Congress can override the veto
• The president can make recommendations for legislation and policy
• The president can request reports and opinions from the heads of various departments

Public Policy and Goods

• Public policy determines the distribution, allocation, and enjoyment of public, common, and toll goods within a society.
• Policymakers must consider two broad questions: who pays the costs of creating and maintaining the goods, and who receives the benefits of the goods.

Distributive Policy

• Distributive policy collects payments or resources from many but concentrates direct benefits on relatively few.
• Examples of distributive policy include:
  • Highway development
  • Higher education subsidies (e.g., Pell grants)
  • The Transcontinental Railroad (1860s)
  • Incentives for achieving "the American Dream" (e.g., home ownership, business startups)

Regulatory Policy

• Regulatory policy features concentrated costs and diffuse benefits.
• Examples of regulatory policy include:
  • Policies designed to protect public health and safety
  • Environmental regulations (e.g., preventing pollution)
  • The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) and the creation of the FDA
  • Financial regulations to improve market transparency and prevent monopolies

Redistributive Policy

• Redistributive policy redistributes resources in society from one group to another.
• Examples of redistributive policy include:
  • Need-based programs (e.g., Head Start, Medicaid, SNAP)
  • Incentives for specific behaviors (e.g., Pell grants for college attendance, tax credits for home ownership)
  • Transferring income and wealth from the wealthy and middle class to low-income individuals and families

Policy Categories

• Distributive policy: collects payments or resources from many but concentrates direct benefits on relatively few.
• Examples: highway development, higher education, and the Transcontinental Railroad.

Distributive Policy

• In the 1860s, the US government recognized the value of building a robust railroad system to connect California and other western territories to the rest of the country.
• The solution was to charter two private corporations (Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads) and provide them with resources and land grants to facilitate construction.
• Publicly owned land was distributed to private citizens, who could then use it for their own gain, while providing a broader public gain of a nationwide transportation network.

Agricultural Sector

• Federal programs help farmers and food producers through price supports and crop insurance, among other forms of assistance.
• These programs help individual farmers and agriculture companies stay afloat and realize consistent profits, while also providing plenty of sustenance for the people of the United States.

American Dream

• The government provides incentives to encourage citizens to achieve the "American Dream" through education and acquiring high-cost private goods like homes and businesses.
• Examples include grants (Pell grants), tax credits and deductions, and subsidized or federally guaranteed loans.

Regulatory Policy

• Regulatory policy features concentrated costs and diffuse benefits.
• Examples: policies designed to protect public health and safety, and the environment.
• Prevents manufacturers or businesses from maximizing their profits by excessively polluting the air or water, selling products they know to be harmful, or compromising the health of their employees during production.

History of Regulatory Policy

• Nationwide calls for a more robust regulatory policy first grew loud around the turn of the 20th century and the dawn of the Industrial Age.
• Investigative journalists (muckrakers) exposed abuses, such as unsanitary working conditions and unsavory business practices in the meat-packing industry.
• The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) and the creation of government agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were a result of these exposés.

Redistributive Policy

• Redistributive policy redistributes resources in society from one group to another.
• The costs are concentrated and so are the benefits, but different groups bear the costs and enjoy the benefits.
• Examples: Head Start (education), Pell Grants (higher education), Medicaid (health care), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF, income support), and food programs like the Supplementary Nutritional Aid Program (SNAP).