The Imperial Presidency : Imperative or Dangerous?

Abstract

The question of the “Imperial Presidency” is one of longstanding in United States (US) politics, but it has become especially controversial since the “Great Debate” over the Korean War. This debate has intensified due to the actions of the Bush and Obama administrations after September 11th 2001. A presidency becomes “imperial” when it relies on powers beyond those allowed by the Constitution of the United States This study asks whether executive imperial powers are necessary in the modern international system or whether they undermine US and global security. It concludes with suggestions for how the Executive’s imperial powers might be curtailed.