The A* Politics Blueprint : The US Presidency

Is the President imperial or imperilled?

The Presidency is one of the most debated topics in US Politics. This guide shows you how to argue both sides with concrete evidence.

What's inside:

👔 Formal Powers – What the Constitution gives the President (commander-in-chief, veto, appointments)
🔥 Informal Powers – Executive orders, executive agreements, signing statements
⚖️ Imperial vs Imperilled Debate – Arguments for both sides with modern examples
🏛️ Relationship with Congress – Divided vs unified government, veto overrides, budget battles
📊 Factors Affecting Presidential Power – Popularity, party control, policy area
💡 Evaluation Framework – When is the President powerful? When are they constrained?

Key evidence included:

✅ Biden's student debt relief blocked by Supreme Court
✅ Trump's Muslim travel ban upheld (third version)
✅ Obama's Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (2015)
✅ Government shutdown over Trump's border wall (2018-19)
✅ Ketanji Brown Jackson appointment (2022)

Perfect for questions like:

• "Evaluate the extent to which the President is imperial"
• "Assess the importance of informal presidential powers"
• "To what extent does Congress effectively check the President?"