Presidential performance, the Electoral College, and the balance of power between Congress and the president are discussed in every presidency text. But now you can expose your students to alternate points of view on these critical topics, incisively argued by today’s leading presidential scholars. Moving far beyond a broad synthesis of the literature, this provocative reader will actively engage your students with conflicting perspectives, inspiring spirited debate beyond the pages of the book.
Each pro and con essay--written in the form of a debate resolution--offers a compelling yet concise view on the most pivotal issues facing the modern presidency: whether the framers of the Constitution would approve of the modern presidency, the media scrutinize the president too much, or the president is a better representative of the people than Congress. Ellis and Nelson introduce each pair of pro/con 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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Debating the Presidency: Conflicting Perspectives on the American Executive Table of Contents Preface Testimonials "Debating the Presidency is a fine book for undergraduate presidency classes. Its innovative format provides a vehicle for a number of top scholars of the executive branch to face off on crucial issues relating to the presidency and presidential power. These debates highlight many of the most contentious aspects of national politics and will help students develop a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the American presidency." - Irwin L. Morris, University of Maryland"Two gifted American Presidency scholars, Richard Ellis and Michael Nelson, provide here a superb set of debates—provocative, accessible, lively and instructive. These critical issues deserve to be revisited and debated by every generation." - Thomas E. Cronin, Colorado College"This is a timely volume edited by two recognized scholars of the American Presidency. Numerous controversies about the office are explored in a careful and thoughtful manner. Readers are exposed to scholarly debate—a refreshing departure from the partisanship, talking points, and sound bites that typically surround discussion of these issues." - Dennis M. Simon, Southern Methodist UniversityBio(s)
Richard J. Ellis, Willamette University Richard J. Ellis teaches American politics at Willamette University. He has written widely on the history of the American presidency and American political culture. His most recent books are To the Flag: The Unlikely History of the Pledge of Allegiance (2005) and Democratic Delusions: The Initiative Process in America (2002). Michael Nelson, Rhodes College Michael Nelson teaches courses on U.S. politics, presidency, and the Constitutional Convention at Rhodes College. In addition, he participates in the college's humanities course: The Search for Values in the Light of Western History and Religion. Before coming to Rhodes in 1991, he taught at Vanderbilt University for thirteen years and was the editor of The Washington Monthly. His most recent books are The Presidency and the Political System, 8th ed. (2006), The Elections of 2004 (2005), The Evolving Presidency, 2nd ed. (2004), The American Presidency: Origins and Development, 1776-2002, 4th ed. (with Sidney M. Milkis, 2003), Governing Gambling: Politics and Policy in State, Tribe, and Nation (with John Lyman Mason, 2001), and Celebrating the Humanities: A Half Century of the Search Course at Rhodes College (1996). |