The President Who Would Not Be King

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This work offers vital insights into the framers' intentions regarding presidential power amidst today's contentious political landscape. A central challenge for the framers was establishing a strong, independent executive without creating a monarchy. The text navigates through the complexities of presidential authority, revealing the Constitution's true implications. Michael McConnell meticulously details the drafting process of presidential powers, emphasizing the need to analyze the framers' drafts due to the absence of formal records from their discussions. He illustrates how the framers, influenced by the powers of the British monarch, intentionally omitted certain authorities to prevent tyranny. Each power is examined in its historical context, providing a framework to assess separation of powers claims. This framework distinguishes between powers subject to congressional oversight and those where the president retains full discretion. Based on the Tanner Lectures at Princeton University, the work restores the framers' original vision, demonstrating how the Constitution curtails the potential for an imperial presidency while empowering the executive to govern effectively.