The American presidency is often called the most powerful office on earth. This is so not only because the nation which elects the president is the most powerful nation on earth, but also because the American Founders designed the office to be strong and effective. However, the Founders also placed certain restraints on this power, which are necessary to maintain liberty and protect citizens’ rights. The modern understanding and structure of the presidency are a threat to freedom due to the accumulation of all three powers—legislative, executive, and judicial—in the executive branch and the breakdown of constitutional restraints.
Discussion Questions
How can we understand the presidency as a response to the weakness, and ultimately the failure, of the Articles of Confederation?
How is the presidency fundamentally limited by the Framers' Constitution? How have such limits been broken, and can they be restored?
Does the constitutional design of the presidency require that a person of virtue hold the office?
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