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The Law : President O bama's Signing Statements and the Expansion of Executive Power
Author(s) -
Crouch Jeffrey,
Rozell Mark J.,
Sollenberger Mitchel A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
presidential studies quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.337
H-Index - 5
eISSN - 1741-5705
pISSN - 0360-4918
DOI - 10.1111/psq.12071
Subject(s) - presidential system , presidency , political science , legislature , executive power , law , power (physics) , executive branch , separation of powers , law and economics , sociology , politics , physics , quantum mechanics
Barack O bama campaigned for president of the U nited S tates on a promise of fidelity to the C onstitution and stated that he would not issue any signing statements to revise legislative intent. His vision of the presidency stood in marked contrast to President G eorge W . B ush's actions and seemed to suggest a reversal of the trend toward increased executive powers. We will analyze how and why President O bama has largely continued the unilateral presidential action of his predecessor, despite earlier promises to the contrary, outline why signing statements are not useful governing tools, and offer a solution to abuses of constitutional signing statements that impact appropriations.