Evolution of the Imperial Presidency from Fdr to Obama

he Evolution of the Imperial Presidency from FDR to Obama, and How it Has Changed the Fabric of American Society. When the Constitution was first written by America’s founding fathers, they intended for the executive branch to serve the nation’s citizenry by keeping their best interests at heart, but stated that in no way should this branch be more powerful than any other—it be constantly checked and balanced by the legislative and judicial branches..

In James Madison’s Federalist Number 48, he states that in a representative republic, “the executive magistracy is carefully limited; both in the extent and the duration of its power”1. The founding fathers never intended for the role of President of the United States of America to become ‘imperialistic’, meaning that the government takes too much control, and is too involved in the affairs of the nation.

However, during the time of the Great Depression and after Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated, the government became progressively more involved in American society; this trend has continued through Barack Obama’s presidency in present-day politics. Each new presidential term is faced with new dilemmas, which vary and have evolved significantly from issues of the past, and after each one, the federal government becomes more and more involved and, as a result, increasingly ‘imperialistic’.

From the beginning of his inauguration on March 4, 19332, Franklin Delano Roosevelt opened the nation’s curtains to the new dawn of presidential imperialism, starting with his ‘One Hundred Days Congress’ as a response to the tragic state of America’s economy and general well-being as a result of the Great Depression. He started by passing the Emergency Banking Relief Act, where all remaining banks were closed in order to stop loans and to inspect each one to ensure that it was stable enough to reopen.

If it wasn’t, it was remained closed until it was given enough money by the federal bank to reopen3. This was the first government bank bailout, giving the government more power by interfering with state and city banks. FDR enacted a number of changes to the executive branch within this initial period of his term collectively known as the New Deal, which was designed to help the nation out of an economic depression; however it was later recalled because the Supreme Court believed the federal system was controlling too many aspects of the economy.

Some acts within the New Deal were the National Industrial Recovery Act, which allowed the executive branch to regulate all prices, wages, and working conditions within the labor force, and soon became national law(72)4, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a government funded project to put men aged 18-25 to work on building infrastructure for the nation, and the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which gave money to farmers for not using certain amounts of land, which raised crop prices and lowered production.

Although all of these were beneficial to the nation’s economy, the AAA was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, stating that state government had to power to regulate agriculture, not the federal government. Roosevelt knew that if this ruling was to be applied to all his New Deal policies that it would soon crumble, however when the Supreme Court tried the Tennessee Valley Authority Act, the Wagner Act, and the Social Security Act, they ruled in favor of Roosevelt3.

The effects of these programs on the fabric of American society then, and today, are important to note becasue they have also transformed the citizenry’s relationship with the government. The executive branch certainly seemed to over-extend its power and authority, however FDR was merely responding to the unique situation of his time – the Great Depression. Every time a crisis occurs within the nation, the government becomes more and more powerful in order to solve it. If the government doesn’t act appropriately, the people will see it as a failure on the government’s part.

After FDR’s presidency, the nation expects more and more out of the government once a problem occurs, such as during the financial crisis and the government bailouts. In November, 1936, FDR was given a second chance at presidency by an overwhelmingly large majority vote. After he experienced the disapproval by the Supreme Court, Roosevelt took matters into his own hands, and created a “court-packing” plan, which stated that for every justice above the age of 70, he was allowed one new justice – of his approval, meaning that he (female justices were not present in the Supreme Court just yet) would pass all acts that Roosevelt created.

After this act, he placed 5 new justices on the Supreme Court, bringing the overall make up of justices in his favor3. Many citizens thought this was Roosevelt’s way of increasing the executive power, and portraying a dictatorship-like government, claiming that “Stalin had governed his country for 17 exacting years, Roosevelt his for 12 years nearly as exacting” (168)5. Franklin Delano Roosevelt finished 3 terms as president, and died of a cerebral hemorrhage during his 4th, putting Harry Truman, his Vice President at the time, in charge.

FDR believed in a “New Deal” America, containing social welfare and unemployment, Medicare, government involvement within the economy to help regulate and set standards. Both of these presidencies changed the fabric of American society by bringing the country as a whole through incredibly difficult issues, and showing how, with government intervention, the economy can be brought back up even through the toughest of times. For example, it was primarily because of FDR’s CCC plan that millions of men received jobs during the Great Depression, and millions were able to keep those jobs as maintenance for the infrastructure built.

Harry Truman, inaugurated April 12, 1945, also pushed the power executive branch, but during a time of social and political crisis, rather than a financial one. During the beginnings of the Cold War, many people within the country were terrified of a Communist takeover in America. To be a Communist has never been illegal in the United States, however Truman treated those who were as if they were committing a crime. In 1947, Truman created his Loyalty Oath, where the federal government would interrogate and investigate every official, applicant, and employee to the executive branch.

In the official regulations, Truman wrote, …although the loyalty of by far the overwhelming majority of all Government employees is beyond question, the presence within the Government service of any disloyal or subversive person constitutes a threat to our democratic processes; and Whereas maximum protection must be afforded the United States against infiltration of disloyal persons into the ranks of its employees, and equal protection from unfounded accusations of disloyalty must be afforded the loyal employees of the Government. He made an executive decision to eliminate all those suspected of being a Communist, even though it is completely legal under the judicial and legislative branches to be a part of the Communist party. Those being tried were not able to view the evidence that was held against them. By doing this to the citizens of the United States, Truman was practicing the same government styles as any other dictatorship would have: punishing those against the country’s form of government, telling people what they can and cannot practice, and violating citizen’s civil liberties.

Truman changed the way American’s viewed the country as a whole, as constitutional rights were being violated, people had to watch what they said around neighbors and friends, in constant fear that they would be turned into the government. It brought about distrust in one another, and especially in the government. Truman’s ‘imperialist’-style of presidency therefore changed people’s perceptions of the government—in the past, people used the laws previously created to determine whether the actions they were taking were legal or not. Truman showed the public that when the government makes an executive decision, it becomes the new law.

The ‘Red Scare’, altered the fabric of society by reminding people of the true power that the American government can wield at any given time. Even though Truman violated the rights of Communists in the country, he did help African Americans integrate into society. Truman thought of blacks in the same way most white men did during his time, but he still stuck to the Constitution when it clearly states, “All men are created equal”. Truman spoke out against lynching, became the first president to address representatives of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and took many of these cases to court.

Truman’s advances to help African Americans, for instance, by putting an end to Southern lynching practices, changed the way society viewed blacks and changed the way that blacks viewed themselves. By allowing blacks to come together in organizations such as the NAACP, American society was forever changed. A new view on racism throughout the country took hold, forcing non-blacks to consider the way they treat African Americans, as well as creating new opportunities for black men and women living the country.

One might argue that these small stepping stones paved the way for the country to one day elect a black President. After Kennedy and Johnson served their terms, Richard M. Nixon, inaugurated January 20, 19692, was the next president to really carry on the imperialistic ideals of government, as well as change American society. Nixon’s largest mistake in office was the infamous Watergate Scandal of 1972. After Nixon’s first term as president, he wanted to ensure that he would win his second term as well, so, “[He] imbued his staff with a determination to do whatever it took to win.

This came to mean an insatiable need for political intelligence, sabotage, smearing, and bugging” (4)8. Nixon’s plan was to break into the Democratic headquarters in the Watergate building with the Committee to Re-Elect the President – the group of people within the executive branch Nixon called together. While this was taking place, many American citizens knew that political espionage existed, but they never expected the federal government to violate their fourth amendment right, “No unlawful search and seizure”.

This was why Watergate was so serious: it was the first known time the federal government tampered with the voting process, and this threw the idea of a democracy where the people choose their leaders out the window. After this was revealed, the “voting” process had been completed, and he was already one year into his presidency. Nixon was forced to be the first and only president to ever resign. Nixon’s craving for power led him to make a terrible mistake, which cost him the presidency, and the respect of millions of Americans.

The late president Nixon and his Watergate Scandal changed American society because it was the first time the citizens saw how corrupt the federal government was. It caused citizens to lose all faith within the executive branch as a whole, and it encouraged people to question the motives and techniques of the federal government much more. Over a period of thirty-three years, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush Senior, and Clinton have served their terms and then a well known George W Bush came to power in the United States on January 20, 2001.

Bush passed one main act during his presidency which places him firmly on the timeline of the evolution of the imperial presidency: the infamous Patriot Act. 45 days after September 11, 2001, America was still in shock after the attack, and was desperate to build up defenses against any enemy nation. Bush then responded to this attack by passing the Patriot Act, or Uniting and Strengthening America by “Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001”, which was a complete violation of citizens’ civil liberties.

The Patriot Act increases the discretionary power of federal agents to collect information about individuals, to search their homes, to inspect their reading habits and their Internet queries, to review their credit reports, to conduct wiretaps without warrants, to overhear lawyer-client telephone conversations without court orders, and to reduce judicial supervision and to spy on domestic organizations and advocacy groups (xviii) 8 This act was passed as quickly as possible, with flying colours through the senate and the house.

Bush was bypassing all federal laws in order to spy on the citizens of the US, and to have complete control over what was said and done within the country. He was extending his powers as an executive of this country to violate the rights we have as citizens – to have court orders and warrants when our phones are being tapped and our records looked through. It violates the first, fourth, and the fifth amendments in the Constitution. Similarly to Nixon’s presidency, this changed American society because it caused people to seriously question the motives and the actions of the government, as well as divide the country racially.

Furthermore, Bush’s alterations to the extension of the executive branch were so expansive and so obvious to the public that many people wondered if the government was getting too out of control and was actually damaging to society. For example, the Patriot Act filtered through every level of people’s daily lives—many Arab Americans, Sikh Americans, or any Middle Eastern and Middle-Eastern resembling citizens were targeted by the remaining citizens of the country who were convinced that everyone was a terrorist. Many people began to believe that if the government can do this to the citizens of America, then so can we.

A wave of fear washed over the nation as people began to question the motifs of their neighbors, their friends, simply because of what the government has said about their race or religion. Those who questioned the government was deemed ‘un-American’. Bush’s policies changed the fabric of American society because he proved that the government can really tap into the minds of people, making them more fearful, more racist, more skeptical. Those who are more aware of what the government was doing began to seek out alternative sources not necessarily exposed by the executive branch, allowing them to take matters into their own hands.

One might argue that political activists like Michael Moore, social commentary shows like the Colbert Report and the Daily show are indicators of way American society has changed—people, now, more than ever, are demanding alternative news sources because the relationship with their leaders in power has altered. Barack Obama, predecessor of George W. Bush, was the first African American to become president, and was inaugurated on January 20, 2009. So far, it does not appear that President Obama has contributed to the evolution of the imperial presidency, but this remains to be seen.

Of the presidents since the Great Depression – Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Richard M. Nixon, and George W. Bush were, perhaps, the main presidents that brought about the evolution of the imperial presidency. All of them extended their powers while serving their term, whether it was violating state rights, tampering with justice, and taking away citizens’ civil liberties or if they were working to help minority groups and aiding in economic recovery. Each power-hungry president has changed the way American society functions.

FDR’s term marked the beginning of stepping over the executive power line, causing other presidents to follow his lead. These imperialist presidents displayed how the government could be too involved in citizens’ lives, whether they agreed to it, or not. Truman acted out of fear, and punished all those who practiced Communism during the Red Scare of the Cold War, showing citizens how the government can take away civil liberties, and how the country is not entirely ‘free’. Nixon changed the way citizens viewed the government overall – many were aware of the corruptness of the government, but never to this extent.

Bush junior acted similarly to Truman, he was so fixated on protecting the country against another 9-11 attack that passed one act that violated the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendment rights! The line of presidencies from FDR to Obama has demonstrated an imperialistic style of governing the nation, which has changed the fabric of American society in their own unique and individual ways, for better or for worse. Regardless of each president’s effect on society, they have all created new trends for successive presidents to follow.

Because of FDR, never again will the executive branch be limited to the powers originally stated by the Founding Fathers. The role of the President has become so great that most of the world considers the position of the American leader to be the most powerful of any other head of government of any other nation. Bibliography (Numbers correlate with subscripts) 1)Madison, James. United States. The Federalist. Cong. Doc. #47. Web. 2)”Presidential Inaugurations: Menu of All Presidents. ” Global Gateway: World Culture & Resources (Library of Congress). Web. 29 Mar. 2011. . 3)”American Experience . The Presidents | PBS. PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 30 Mar. 2011. . 4)Healy, Gene. The Cult of the Presidency: America’s Dangerous Devotion to Executive Power. Washington, D. C. : Cato Institute, 2009. Print. 5)Schlesinger, Arthur M. The Cycles of American History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. Print. 6)United States. Truman Loyalty Oath. 1947. H-Net: Humanities and Social Sciences Online. Web. 01 Apr. 2011. . 7)Emery, Fred. Watergate: the Corruption of American Politics and the Fall of Richard Nixon. New York: Touchstone, 1995. Print. 8)Schlesinger, Arthur M. The Imperial Presidency. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004. Print.