The study of the presidency—the power of the office, the evolution of the executive as an institution, the men who have served—has generated a great body of research and scholarship.What better way to get students to grapple with the ideas of the literature than through conflicting perspectives on some of the most pivotal issues facing the modern presidency? Richard Ellis and Michael Nelson have once again assembled a cadre of top scholars to offer a series of pro/con essays that will inspire spirited debate beyond the pages of the book.

Each essay—written in the form of a debate resolution— offers a compelling yet concise view on the American executive. In essays that are new to this edition, contributors debate the repeal of the 22nd Amendment, the abolition of the vice presidency, the extent to which presidential signing statements threaten the separation of powers, and whether the fighting of the war on terror should require relaxing checks on presidential power. Ellis and Nelson introduce each pair of essays, giving students context and preparing them to read each argument critically, so they can decide for themselves which side of the debate they find most persuasive.

The study of the presidency—the power of the office, the evolution of the executive as an institution, the men who have served—has generated a great body of research and scholarship.What better way to get students to grapple with the ideas of the literature than through conflicting perspectives on some of the most pivotal issues facing the modern presidency? Richard Ellis and Michael Nelson have once again assembled a cadre of top scholars to offer a series of pro/con essays that will inspire spirited debate beyond the pages of the book.

Each essay—written in the form of a debate resolution— offers a compelling yet concise view on the American executive. In essays that are new to this edition, contributors debate the repeal of the 22nd Amendment, the abolition of the vice presidency, the extent to which presidential signing statements threaten the separation of powers, and whether the fighting of the war on terror should require relaxing checks on presidential power. Ellis and Nelson introduce each pair of essays, giving students context and preparing them to read each argument critically, so they can decide for themselves which side of the debate they find most persuasive.

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1. Resolved, the framers of the Constitution would approve of the modern presidency
Pro: David Nichols | Con: Terri Bimes

2. Resolved, political parties should nominate candidates for the presidency through a national primary
Pro: Michael Nelson | Con: Andrew E. Busch

3. Resolved, the president should be elected directly by the people
Pro: Burdett A. Loomis | Con: Byron E. Shafer

4. Resolved, the 22nd Amendment should be repealed
Pro: David Karol | Con: Thomas E. Cronin

5. Resolved, the media are too hard on presidents
Pro: Matthew R. Kerbel | Con: Bartholomew H. Sparrow

6. Resolved, the president is a more authentic representative of the American people than is Congress
Pro: Marc J. Hetherington | Con: Richard J. Ellis

7. Resolved, presidents have usurped the war power that rightfully belongs to Congress
Pro: Nancy Kassop | Con: Richard M. Pious

8. Resolved, fighting terrorism requires relaxing checks on presidential power
Pro: John Yoo | Con: Louis Fisher

9. Resolved, presidential signing statements threaten to undermine the rule of law and the separation of powers
Pro: Peter Shane | Con: Nelson Lund

10. Resolved, the president has too much power in the selection of judges
Pro: David A. Yalof | Con: John Anthony Maltese

11. Resolved, the vice presidency should be abolished
Pro: Douglas L. Kriner | Con: Joel K. Goldstein

12. Resolved, a president’s personal attributes are the best predictors of performance in the White House Pro: Fred I. Greenstein | Con: Stephen Skowronek

13. Resolved, great presidents are agents of democratic change
Pro: Marc Landy | Con: Bruce Miroff

“Debating the Presidency, Second Edition, contains an important set of readings for any undergraduate presidency course which seeks to stimulate student thought. The debate question format moves students away from rigid ideological thinking and forces attention to different sides of the important questions surrounding the presidency. This book is required reading for my undergraduate presidency course. In addition, students are assigned a particular side (pro/con) for each issue and regularly participate in class debates based on the materials in this text.”

“Debating the Presidency is a staple in my undergraduate presidency course because it clearly debates such pivotal topics as war power, presidential selection, and the role of the media. Ellis and Nelson have assembled a distinguished roster of scholars for this fine second edition, and the result is an accessible, yet sophisticated, collection of essays that students will enjoy.”

“The second edition of Debating the Presidency has updated and improved an already excellent resource that is unrivaled in its ability to spark lively discussion in undergraduate presidency classes. In this new edition, Richard Ellis and Michael Nelson present timely new debates that marshal compelling evidence on both sides of important questions, spurring readers to think critically and analytically about the complexities of the American presidency.”

Richard J. Ellis is the Mark O. Hatfield Professor of Politics at Willamette University. Among his recent books are Presidential Travel: The Journey from George Washington to George W. Bush and To the Flag: The Unlikely History of the Pledge of Allegiance. In 2008 he was named the Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching Oregon Professor of the Year.

Michael Nelson is the Fulmer Professor of Political Science at Rhodes College and a Senior Fellow of the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. His recent books include: The Presidency and the Political System, 9th Ed., The American Presidency: Origins and Development, 1776-2011, 6th Ed. (with Sidney M. Milkis); and The Elections of 2008. More than fifty of his articles have been reprinted in anthologies of political science, history, music, and English composition, including articles on subjects as varied as baseball, C. S. Lewis, and Frank Sinatra.