Question

The power of the American presidency has grown over time, particularly during times of war. In this activity, you read about the actions of six presidents: Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Lyndon B. Johnson, and George W. Bush. You will now write a 200- to 300-word journal entry reflecting on their actions. Your journal entry should address these questions:
Do their actions represent appropriate uses of presidential power, or examples of presidents overstepping the authority they were granted by the Constitution?
How do you think the framers of the Constitution would respond to the presidency's expanded powers?
In your opinion, do U.S. presidents today have too much power or not enough?
Make sure to include specific evidence to support your response.

Answer 1

I will use the example of Woodrow Wilson. I believe that Woodrow Wilson used the presidential power in an fair way. Moreover, I also think that Wilson cannot be accused of overstepping the authority that was granted to him by the Constitution.

Although Wilson enjoyed more power than early presidents did, I believe that the framers of the Constitution would agree with his actions. Wilson was a remarkable leader to have in times of war. Moreover, there were many instances of Wilson's power being limited by other branches of government. For example, Wilson had to ask Congress for an official declaration of war in 1917. Another example would be the fact that he was unable to get the United States to join the League of Nations because Congress refused to accept such notion.

I believe that U.S. presidents today have too much power. Presidents today can exercise power and take actions in ways that were unimaginable in the past. For example, presidents often engage in war without the need for an official declaration of war. Moreover, presidents are able to enter treaties in an easier and faster way than ever before.