Teaching Ideas for Chapter 13:
The Presidency
Republicans have long supported the adoption of the line item veto as a means of controlling spending. President Clinton was the first president to exercise the use of the line item veto during the summer of 1997. Ask students to research the president's actions, and Congress' response. How did his actions affect the final budget? The deficit? What factors do you think influenced the president's choice of what, and how much, to veto? How might the use of the line item veto change in the future?
Commentators on the presidency often refer to it as a "bully pulpit," implying that presidents can persuade or even mobilize the public to support their policies if only they are skilled enough communicators. Ask your class to try to determine the skills that are needed to make a president an effective communicator. How has the concept of the "bully pulpit" changed since Theodore Roosevelt referred to the idea?
It is often said that the American people are ideologically conservative and operationally liberal. Have your class write short essays in which students explain why voters choose presidents and congresses that appear to reflect different policy positions. Is this a negative or a positive factor of the American form of government?
Ask students to use the Internet to locate a recent presidential speech. Describe the speech's main points and its intended audience. Discuss whether the speech is consistent with the broad policies and values espoused by the president.