The Presidential Difference by Greenstein Fred - Book Report/Review Example

The Presidential Difference by Greenstein Fred The book that is authored by Greenstein provides the account of the ability of Americans presidents to rule, the author takes a keen observation of the modern American presidency. Connectively, he takes the liberty of providing a fascinating, instructive account of the qualities that have been involved in serving the American people in the office of president. Additionally, he notes that there are those who served well and other like expected served poorly in what is commonly referred to as oval office in the white house. The author surveys each president’s record in public his communication, organizational capacity, vision, political skill, political skill emotional intelligence where he argues that the most important aspect in predicting presidential success is emotional intelligence. The author notes that the work of the civilians is to determine the next tenants to the white house whom when they do not perform as according to the expectations of the citizens the tenants are evicted from the white house. Starting with President Franklin D. Roosevelt first hundred days in office the author the author notes that there are peoples who are considered to be of interest than others. These groups consist of a broad development that creates new demands and define the old ones in different ways, large unions for workers who came together to form this union. However the author says that these groups did not exist secondly, the state policy also is a stimulator to interest group formation where war veterans ask for a pension as well as other benefits as the army demanding land of some large amount of money to have a new start with a new life after the war. Additionally political parties always shave a foundation where they came from this mainly are young people who are drawn to the need of change hence caught up in a social movement where they are inspired by political or religious doctrines. The author defines federalism as a political system in which there are local units of governmental activities and whose existence is special protected. The presidents being the sovereign ruler in the United States have to subdue the rivalry among the states. States are known to always been competing among themselves for the largest share of it. The federal government which distributes its funds to its states, as required some states claim to have more expenses than others while others are allocated fewer funds as compared to others, federal taxes and regulatory policies make it difficult or expensive for state and local government to raise its revenues to keep its projects going. However, the federal laws also aids the government to expose state and local government to financial liability and also the federal court decisions and administrative regulations require state and local governments to do various things that may be by statute or implied constitutional obligation. During the antislavery period which were created in the 1830s and 1840s by enthusiastic young people who influenced by a religious sweeping the country from 1890 to 1920 this time many organizational were created was a time when many colleges middle class was growing rapidly. However many worry that the presence of many political parties and monies have significantly resulted to more having as the way Senator Edward Kennedy put it that the finest congress that a money can buy. With many PACs, it makes it easy for anyone to enter and also easy to from it is now probable that the money will be also available on every side of almost every receivable issue. This means that congress members can take the money themselves and decide on how to vote, however, still there are no evidence that money came is used to but the congress. Presidents shall have difficulties to control such a congress which is money oriented as compared to service orientation. The state is left worrying that this revolving door may give private interests a way in which improper influence of government decisions, where a person may use his federal position to do something for a corporation in exchange for a cushier job after leaving the state work. Also, a person may use his personal contacts in the federal government to acquire favors for his own private interest which may compromise the public interest at large. American government is the considered the leakiest in the world which is more facilitated with the highly bureaucratic nature of the members of congress wand the white house staff is known to leak stories for their own interest not having a public interest in mind. It is common knowledge to people that the press and politicians never sleep in the same bed due to doubt that emanated during the Vietnam wars, the Watergate scandal and the Iran-contra affair where the press and politician have had more doubt than never. Connectively, as a result member is of pressure reluctant in facing politicians to have a direct statement from the said elected official as they always consider the statements to be doctored. Alternatively, this makes them look for a person within the circle who will leak the real story which they find more convincing, therefore, always the word a secret informant who requested for discretion will always be heard in the media. Gender and race are also contravening factor that the author has addressed in the book where he argues that the congress is swiftly becoming less male and also less white it is recorded tat in 1950 and 2011 the number of women in the house increased from nine to75 and the number of African Americans from two to 42 were also it was said that there were 30 Latino member is the house of congress. Residents are also responsible for choosing the cabinet members from outside the congress since, under the constitution, no member of the congress can hold an executive branch. George W. Bush administration only had four members of congress whereas the rest was just customary where most presidents choose their close friends or their campaign aides representatives. By comparing president bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair who were the main powers that managed the Iraq war. It is well known that when bush decided to go to fight he had to consult with the congress even though it was controlled by his own party to support him. However, when Blair decided to go to fight he had no any meaningful resistance from parliament. When Barrack Obama became the president in 2009 it was the first time from 1969 that whereby state house was controlled by the same party and the congress which created unified state. However eight year earlier during the inauguration of President Bush it marked the first time since 1953 that the republicans were fully in charge of both branches of government where they controlled both the white house and the house of congress. On the budget matters, it is not easy to tell whether a unified government or a divided government produce a fewer worse policies that unified ones. Scholars say that there is no significant difference with production between the two types of state. Prominent presidents in American history like Lincon who is considered to have been sufficient attentive to the potential that comes with the power of being a president were found to be somewhat ambiguous. Presidential public communications have become more and more important especially since 20th century president Woodrow Wilson. Good communication skill are also required in the presidency to enable him to rule effectively, the information may be with the media and press which is the most trusted source of information about the state by people. President Obama is well known for his eloquence and ability to hammer in a point where he makes himself well understood. Additionally, good communication skill leads to effective, timely decision making which matters to the federal government ruling. Nevertheless there are those presidents who have had bad communication skill that sometimes they required their assistants to explain a simple point to the president. A president also influences the voter turnout mostly among the youth, this is mainly due to the Fact that they are the main people in the country, therefore, the president goes down to them to seek votes from them. There have been a recorded prove of decline in voter turnout from 1860 where it is found that most registered voters are unwilling to vote for their favorite presidential candidate. Different political parties, however, have not been immune difficult situations associated with them, for example, the republicans in 1964 nominated Barry Goldwater whose beliefs placed him well to the right of most voters this made him lose the votes. The American founding father perceived that political parties were the best vehicles to win an election; this is because they bring out similar ideas to the people which make them make a good manifesto which is used by the politician during the campaigns The author also notes that what a presidential candidate favors most is mainly what makes him win or lose an election in 1968 Richard Nixon who seemed to support anticrime measures than his rival .in 1976 Jimmy Carter seemed to favors honesty in the state than his opponents, alternatively Ronald Reagan also seemed to be identified with a strong economy than his opponent while in 1988 George H.W. Bush also seemed more closely linked to patriotism than his opponent in the campaign. This can be explained that voters perceived them as winners due to their character traits. The book clearly explains how the president is expected to perform in the oval office giving vivid examples of how some of these presents perfumed given different conditions with time (Greenstein 1-329). Work cited Greenstein Fred. The Presidential Difference. U.S.A. Princeton University Press, 2009, 1-329. Print Read More