The Shifting Twenty-First-Century Presidency - by Tevi Troy

About the Book

"The presidency has undergone significant changes in the twenty-first century, with George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and now Joe Biden transforming the office in distinct ways. Part of these changes stem from the numerous crises of this young century: 9/11 and the resulting War on Terror, Katrina, the Great Recession, the coronavirus pandemic, and the urban unrest of 2020. Crisis always brings with it rapid change. But there are other factors at work as well. Increased polarization has led presidents of both sides of the aisle to press existing rules and norms to their limits in the short windows allotted to them. And advances in technology, with the development of America as an impatient nation, means that leaders feel the pressure to get more done during their tenures, norms and rules be damned. The result is a lot of policy and structural change in a short period, including new cabinet departments, new election rules, and significantly increased spending and debt, among other things. For the most part, these changes have occurred with little thought to what it all means for the functionality and stability of our democratic institutions and processes and, consequently, our nation's capacity to address the needs as well as aspirations of the American people"--

Book Synopsis

The role and range of the American presidency has undergone significant changes in the twenty-first century, with George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and now Joe Biden transforming the office in distinct ways. Many but not all of these changes stem from the numerous crises of this young century: 9/11 and the resulting war on terror, Hurricane Katrina, the Great Recession, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the social unrest of 2020.

While crisis brings rapid change, there are other factors at work as well. Increased polarization has led presidents of both parties to press existing rules and norms to their limits in an attempt to accomplish more during their brief tenures. The result is a lot of policy and structural change in a short period, including new cabinet departments, new election rules, and significantly increased spending and debt, among other things. For the most part, these changes have occurred with little thought to what it all means for the functionality and stability of our democratic institutions and, consequently, our nation's capacity to address the needs as well as the aspirations of the American people.

The Bipartisan Policy Center's Tevi Troy has brought together a group of presidential scholars and political experts to address these important issues and to reflect on how the presidency has changed and what it might mean for the future. Contributors include Elaine Kamarck (former aide to President Clinton), Jonathan Burks (former chief of staff to Speaker Paul Ryan), Kenneth Baer (former aide to presidents Clinton and Obama), and Kristen Soltis Anderson (Republican pollster and radio host).

Review Quotes

"Recommend[ed] to anyone interested in arguably the most powerful political office in the world, in the challenges that the presidency will continue face in the twenty-first century, and to learn from the vantage points of those who worked in the White House."--Congress & the Presidency

"Today, the American presidency is the first among equals in our reformulated constitutional form of government. This book, with its first-class series of contributors, offers a comprehensive look at a presidency transformed. From presidential transitions, to policymaking, to the changed relationships between Congress and the White House, and the relationship between presidents and publics, this book is a timely contribution to the scholarly literature. A must-read!"--John Kenneth White, author of Grand Old Unraveling: The Republican Party, Donald Trump, and the Rise of Authoritarianism

"This important contribution to the presidency literature offers an accessible presentation of contemporary issues related to the state of the presidency as an institution as well as topics relevant to recent presidents and the challenges they faced while governing. This book is an excellent combination of real-world and scholarly perspectives on the American presidency."--Lori Cox Han, author of Advising Nixon: The White House Memos of Patrick J. Buchanan and coauthor of Presidents and the American Presidency

"With instructive insights from scholars and policy practitioners, this volume explains how the American presidency has changed in the twenty-first century. It examines the importance of crises, polarization, and technology for presidential leadership expectations, both within the White House and from multiple constituencies. Complementing academic perspectives with commentary from journalists and former administration officials illuminates contemporary executive opportunities and challenges."--Meena Bose, author of The Paradoxes of the American Presidency

"An invaluable contribution to the presidency and the American people, Troy's book provides a balanced assessment of how contemporary crises--terrorism, wars, recessions, and pandemics--have expanded presidential power, while rendering presidents less able to solve such challenges to the satisfaction of an electorate riven by polarizing social media. Whether future presidents will eschew further accrual of power, as Troy recommends, remains unknowable, but the scholars and practitioners included in this volume have prompted a timely discussion of whether the presidency can survive the twenty-first century if it strays too far from its eighteenth-century roots."--Barbara A. Perry, coeditor of 42: Inside the Presidency of Bill Clinton and 41: Inside the Presidency of George H. W. Bush