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Since Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. popularized the term \"imperial presidency\" as the title of his influential book, it has become a central concept in debates over the balance of power within the U.S. government. The discussion has intensified in recent decades, especially since the presidency of George W. Bush, when advocates of expanded executive authority, such as Dick Cheney, gained significant influence. Many critics argue that the very foundation of the Constitution is at risk due to these shifts in presidential power.
In their thought-provoking book, *The Executive Unbound*, legal scholars Eric Posner and Adrian Vermeule challenge conventional wisdom regarding the need to curb presidential authority. They contend that a strong presidency is an inevitable feature of the modern world. While most scholars criticize the current level of executive power for deviating from the framers\' original vision, Posner and Vermeule emphasize that the U.S. system of checks and balances does not inherently produce order or positive governance.
The authors explain that the increasing complexity of contemporary society naturally leads to a concentration of power, particularly within the White House. They trace the rise of executive authority through recent history, culminating in the Obama presidency. According to them, political, cultural, and social restraints have historically been more effective in preventing dictatorship than any legal safeguards. They argue that the executive-centered state tends to generate political checks that serve as substitutes for the legal checks envisioned by Madisonian constitutional design.
- Brand: Oxford University Press, USA
- Author: Eric A. Posner
- Title: ABIS_BOOK
- Genre: Law
- Format: Paperback
- Language: English
- Publication Date: 2013
- Pages: 249
