The Imperial Presidency Redux Summary

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Ian T. Ashley Reading Summary: The Imperial Presidency Redux Schlesinger argues that perennial threats, real or fabricated, in the field of foreign affairs, have given rise to the Imperial Presidency with the redux being the most recent Bush administration. The author argues that up until the cold war the presidential power cycle occurred normally. During wartime and international conflict presidential power was at its height but after a confict subsides or a war ends presidential power is descreased. The author points out that this cycle was disrupted and changed most notably by the Cold War, saying it “generated a climate of sustained and indefinite crisis”. In addition presidential power was increased again with the ability to wage war being transferred from congress to the presidency. This growing presidential power was highlighted when “Nixon and John Mitchell, using national security as a justification, set up a secrete White House posse to burglarize officers, forge historical documents, and wiretap officials, embassies, newspapermen, and enemies”. The author also makes the argument that resurgent presidential power is based on the selection of the attorney general who over time has been the one to concoct or drum up support for war. Schlesigner then goes on to make the argument that just before George W. Bush took office the power of the “imperial president” was at an all time low and sets up the argument that George W. Bush expanded the presidential power and implemented an imperial presidency like no other before him had. The author argues that president Bush expanded presidential power and secrecy by narrowing the scope of the Presidential Records Act by issuing an executive order that would allow him to cancel the release of documents that the previous administration had made releasable. Schlesinger also argues that the passage of the U.S. Patriot

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