THE LEGISLATIVE PRESIDENCY

1
THE LEGISLATIVE PRESIDENCY

• Where do presidents legislative proposals come
  from?How do we measure legislative success?What
  variables explain presidential success over time
  and across proposals?

2
Coming up with a legislative program

• Make or buy?(Design in WHO/EOP or get from
  bureaucracy?)
• Advantages and disadvantages of EOP design
• Trend in reliance on EOP over time?
• Does where they come from influence whether
  they succeed? Why?

3
Measuring success

• 1.) CQ Presidential Boxscore
• --pros focuses on presidents own program,
  covers entire legislative process
• --cons difficulties in defining proposals and
  success
• 2.) CQ Presidential Victory Percentage--pros
  includes congressional initiatives, easier to do
  time or member subsets
• --cons identifying presidential positions,
  inflation factor
• 3.) CQ Presidential Support Scorebased on same
  roll calls as 2, computed annually for
  individuals or groups

4
Measuring success contd

• Anomalies--Same average presidential support
  score (51) can be consistent with anywhere
  between 51 and 100 victory percentage
  (depending on of close votes)
• --President might win on congressional
  initiatives, but not his own

5
Factors Explaining Success

• 1.) Numbers and party majority status (House v.
  Senate)2.) Ideological factions base,
  opposition, cross-pressured3.) Popularity among
  mass public?? Not clear
• 4.) Focusing/Agenda-setting skills5.)
  Bargaining skills (Neustadt)
• 6.) Rhetorical skills---redefining issues7.)
  Helpfulness and strength of party leadership in
  Congress
• 8.) Timing skills policy windows
• 9.) Strategic skills Kenny Rogers