The Debate on the Presidency - Essay Example

From the creation of this legal document, and including today, there has always been squabbling between the branches of power as to who has more authority, thus entitling them as they saw it to greater political recognition and distinction. That has most definitely been the case with the discussion over the role of the Presidency, or otherwise referred to as the Executive Branch of power. In his text “American Government: Brief Version”, James Wilson writes that such instrumental leaders from the Revolution like George Washington and Alexander Hamilton had decided that as far as they were concerned, the nation was in need of a strong governmental system.

The first talks, Wilson says, began in 1785 in Mt. Vernon, and it would be at this meeting that a later meeting would be scheduled. Wilson explains this by writing that, “A small group, conferring at Washington’s home at Mount Vernon in 1785, decided to call a meeting to discuss trade regulation, one of the many seemingly insoluble problems facing Congress,” Further elaborating that, “That meeting, held at Annapolis, Maryland, in September 1786, was not well attended, so another meeting was called for May 1787 in Philadelphia- this time for the more general purpose of considering ways to remedy the defects of the Confederation,” (Wilson p.12). The Articles of Confederation were the governing documents used until the creation of the Constitution.

Like present day, the political system of the 18th century, while in its infancy, was still in constant formulation and change. The steps taken towards the forming of such a document(s) is never without argument or heated discussion. As for the intentions, as well as the desires of the signers, Wilson explains that, “As in 1776, their objectives were still the protection of life, liberty, and property, but they had no accepted political theory that