This course is an examination of the relationship between the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Presidency. Several dimensions of this relationship will be explored. Primarily, this course will focus upon the institutional and conceptual development of this relationship over time. Secondarily, this course will focus upon comparative analysis of executive and legislative institutions in different political and historical contexts. In the end, this course is aimed at obtaining deeper insights into the fundamental similarities and differences of the executive-legislative relationship as defined between King and Parliament; between Congresses and Presidents--during the early national period, the early twentieth century, and the modern era--and between governors and state legislatures.

Required Texts
The Federalist, Clinton Rossiter, ed., Mentor, (1961).
Young, Washington Community, 1800-1828, Columbia, (1966).
Davidson and Oleszek, Congress and Its Members, 4th ed., CQ Press, (1994).
Jones, The Presidency in a Separated System, Brookings, (1994).
Skowronek, The Politics Presidents Make, Harvard, (1994).
Fisher, Constitutional Conflicts Between Congress and the President, 3rd ed., Kansas, (1991).

On Clemons Reserve/Packet
Betty Kemp, King and Commons, (1957), pp.7-103.
Woodrow Wilson, Congressional Government, (1907), chs. 3, 4, 5, 8.
Nelson Polsby, "The Institutionalization of the U.S. House of Representatives," APSA, (1968).
Kromkowski and Kromkowski, "Why 435?: A Question of Political Arithmetic," Polity, (1991).
PS "Divided Government" symposium, (1991).
Mark Petracca, "Divided Government and Risks of Constitutional Reform,"
David Mayhew, "Divided Party Control: Does It Make A Difference,"
Gary Jacobson, "Explaining Divided Government: Why Can't the Republicans Win the House,"
David Menefree-Libey, "Divided Government as Scapegoat,"
Morris Fiorina, "Divided Government in the States,"
John Leonard, "Divided Government and Dysfunctional Politics,"
James A. Thurber, "Representation, Accountability, and Efficiency. . ."
Alan Rosenthal, Governors and Legislators, (1990), Chs. 7, 8.

Recommended Texts
Mayhew, Divided Government, (1991), Yale.
James M. Lindsay, Congress and the Politics of U.S. Foreign Policy, Johns Hopkins, (1994).
R. Kent Weaver, Automatic Government, Brookings, (1986).

Aug. 31 Introduction, Organization, and the Chaos Theorem

Historical Legacies

Sept. 5 A) King and Parliament Kemp, [Packet]

Sept. 7 B) American Revolution Federalist: #1, 10, 14, 39, 51

Constitutional Principles Federalist:

Sept. 12 A) Legislature: # 52-63

Sept. 14 B) Executive: # 67-77

Institutional Development

Sept. 19 A) Early National Era Young, chs. 1, 8-11

Sept. 21 B) Early Twentieth Century Wilson, [P]

The Modern Congress:

Sept. 26 A) Elections Davidson/Oleszek, chs. 3, 4, 5

Sept. 28 B) Institutional Structure Davidson/Oleszek, ch. 2, 6, 7

Oct. 3 C) Policymaking Davidson/Oleszek, chs. 11, 12

Oct. 5 D) Comparative Historical Development Polsby, [P]; Kromkowski, [P]

Davidson/Oleszek, ch. 10

The Modern Presidency:

Oct. 10 (Fall Break)

Oct. 12 A) Elections Jones, ch. 2, 4, 5

Oct. 17 B) Institutional Structure Jones, chs. 3

Oct. 19 C) Policymaking Jones, chs. 6, 7

Oct. 24, 26 D) Comparative Historical Development Skowronek

Oct. 30 MIDTERM PAPER DUE

Oct. 31 Congress-President Relations: Cooperation and Conflict Fisher, ch. 1, 4

Nov. 2 A) Government Appointments: Fisher, ch. 2, 3

Nov. 7 B) Legislative Process: Fisher, ch. 5; Davidson/Oleszek, chs. 8

Nov. 9 C) Policy Implementation, Oversight, Davidson/Oleszek, ch. 9; Fisher,

Congressional Investigations ch. 6

Nov. 14 E) Divided Government PS symposium, [P], [Mayhew, passim]

Nov. 16 F) Federal Budget Process Davidson, ch. 13; Fisher, ch. 7

Nov. 21 G) Federal Budget Redux [Weaver, passim]

Nov. 23 (Thanksgiving)

Nov. 28 H) Foreign Policy Fisher, ch. 8, 9; Davidson, ch. 14

[Lindsay, passim]

Nov. 30 Executive-Legislative Relations in Comparative Perspective

A) U.S. States Rosenthal, [P]

Dec. 5 Conclusions

Course Requirements
Attendance is required.

Grading
Participation 20%
Midterm paper 40% Due: October 30
Final Exam 40% As Scheduled by University

Office Hours: 3-4 T,TH, and by appointment.