T. M. Moe and W. G. Howell, “The Presidential Power of Unilateral Action,” Journal of Law Economics & Organization 15, no. 1 (1999): 132–79.
Discusses one aspect of presidential power: the ability of the executive to act unilaterally without Congressional approval. Such power is a result of Constitutional ambiguities. The authors argue that presidents can and do take advantage of this power without the Congress and judiciary stopping them.
John E. Owens, “Presidential Power and Congressional Acquiescence in the ‘War’ on Terrorism: A New Constitutional Equilibrium?” Politics & Policy 34, no. 2 (2006): 258–303.
Analyzes the relationship between the executive branch and Congress during times of war or other external crises. This article argues that there are historical precedents of Congressional retreats during these times of crisis, granting the executive increased power.
Andrew Rudalevige, “The Contemporary Presidency: The Decline and Resurgence and Decline (and Resurgence?) of Congress: Charting a New Imperial Presidency,” Presidential Studies Quarterly 36, no. 3 (2006): 506–24.
Presents a history of the rise of presidential power since Vietnam and Watergate using Schlesinger and Sundquist’s theories of presidential power. It argues that those two crises prompted Congressional action that led to more power being restored to the legislature. However, Congressional fragmentation emerged once more, even before September 11. The author identifies a “new imperial presidency” and discusses the possibility of the reemergence of a stronger Congress to respond to this crisis. This article bridges the gap between older and current scholarly discussions on the topic.
Databases
The following databases provide the most comprehensive coverage of American presidential power literature in a wide variety of disciplines. When using these databases, “executive power” and “presidential power” are the most effective search terms.
- Academic Search Premier. Ipswich, Mass.: EBSCO Pub. Coverage: 1965–present.
- America: History and Life. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. Coverage: 1964–present.
- InfoTrac. Detroit, Mich.: Gale Group. Coverage: 1980–present.
- International Political Science Abstracts. Norwood, Mass.: SilverPlatter International. Coverage: 1989–present.
- PAIS International. Bethesda, Md.: Cambridge Scientific Abstracts. Coverage: 1972–present.
- Sociological Abstracts. Bethesda, Md.: Cambridge Scientific Abstracts. Coverage: 1952–present.
- Web of Science. Philadelphia, Pa.: Thomson Scientific. Coverage: Varies.
- Worldwide Political Science Abstracts. Bethesda, Md.: Cambridge Scientific Abstracts. Coverage: 1975–present.
Government Information
Current and retrospective government information is now widely available for free on the Internet. Such primary sources can assist researchers with understanding American presidential power from the actual actions of the president and not just scholarly interpretations. Included in this section are online sources that can be used to find government information related to American presidential power.
Internet Sources
The White House official website
Main source for finding information on the current administration. Includes links to all Cabinet webpages, nominations and appointments, current information on Iraq, Homeland Security, the USA PATRIOT Act, and press briefings. All executive orders and proclamations from the current administration are available.
National Archives and Records Administration
Presidential documents can be searched through this site. Full text is available for some documents, including executive orders, beginning in 1993; older documents are indexed. The Federal Register and Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents can also be searched beginning with the Clinton administration.
Presidential Libraries
Links to all presidential libraries. The National Archives and Records Administration oversees the presidential library system. The amount and number of documents available from each library differs. Most include papers, speeches, executive orders, and proclamations. Personal papers are sometimes available.
GPOAccess: Executive Branch Resources
Offers a list of executive branch resources, subdivided into three categories: The Regulatory Process: Implementing Laws Passed by Congress; Presidential Materials: Remarks, Speeches, & Executive Orders; and Executive Publications: Reports, Investigations, Findings, Etc. Although this site can be difficult to navigate and requires some knowledge of the structure of government and what types of sources are wanted, it is an excellent place to find sources related to the executive branch.
The American Presidency Project
Covers the Messages and Papers of the Presidents (Washington to Taft), the Public Papers of the Presidents (Hoover to Bush), and the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (Clinton to George W. Bush). This is an excellent source for finding full-text executive documents. Examples of information are executive orders and proclamations, State of the Union addresses, and news conferences. Data regarding popularity, Congressional concernment with the president, and vetoes is also available. Some audio files of presidential speeches are included.
Online Guides to Government Information
The following online guides are included because they are useful in understanding where to start with government information related to the presidency. They can assist researchers with finding relevant electronic and print documents.
- Federal Government Resources: President of the United States, The University of Michigan Documents Center
- Guide: Presidential Information, Indiana University: Government Information, Microforms & Statistical Services
- Government Information: President/Executive Branch, University of California Berkeley Library