“the essence of decision is choice; and, to choose, it is first necessary to know.” # # The President has two additional advantages that have tipped major policy initiatives toward the White House. [SLIDE] One is the fact that the president is the country’s only truly national elected official. The president is chosen by the country as a whole, whereas members of Congress are elected from individual states and districts. As a result, Americans naturally look to the president rather than Congress for national leadership. The public’s expectation of presidential leadership positions the president to substantially shape the nation’s policy agenda. Theodore Roosevelt famously described the presidential office as “a bully pulpit.” No member of Congress has anything like the public platform that the president enjoys. # #
“the essence of decision is choice; and, to choose, it is first necessary to know.” # # The President has two additional advantages that have tipped major policy initiatives toward the White House. [SLIDE] One is the fact that the president is the country’s only truly national elected official. The president is chosen by the country as a whole, whereas members of Congress are elected from individual states and districts. As a result, Americans naturally look to the president rather than Congress for national leadership. The public’s expectation of presidential leadership positions the president to substantially shape the nation’s policy agenda. Theodore Roosevelt famously described the presidential office as “a bully pulpit.” No member of Congress has anything like the public platform that the president enjoys. # #
example_case_lecture_-_president_and_domestic_politics_1.docx