Who Needs Congress? POTUS as Chief Executive 

Who holds the real power in Washington's sprawling federal bureaucracy? In this episode, Savannah Eccles Johnston and Matthew Brogdon explore the President's role as Chief Executive. How does a single individual manage thousands of appointments, oversee countless agencies, and navigate the fine line between legislative and executive power?

From historical controversies like Andrew Jackson's firing of the Treasury Secretary to modern debates over the administrative state's autonomy, this episode dives into the constitutional principles and political realities that shape executive power.

Curious about who truly controls the levers of power in Washington’s sprawling bureaucracy? Tune in to explore the President’s role as Chief Executive and challenge your understanding of executive authority in America.

In This Episode

• (00:27) Introduction to the President as Chief Executive
• (01:10) Understanding presidential appointments and Senate confirmations
• (02:10) Historical precedents: Andrew Jackson and Andrew Johnson
• (07:05) The growth of the federal bureaucracy and administrative state
• (13:28) Rulemaking and Congress’s oversight powers
• (16:54) The balance between political accountability and agency independence
• (21:25) Modern challenges with independent agencies like the Federal Reserve
• (28:14) The broader implications of executive orders and rulemaking
• (30:45) The evolving role of Congress and public accountability

Notable Quotes

• "[00:04:34] Any executive power wielded by others is on behalf of the President." — Matthew Brogdon

• "[00:11:40] The President’s power to fire members of the executive branch is settled—controversial politically, but constitutionally clear." — Savannah Eccles Johnston

• "[00:21:58] When you say an agency is 'independent,' what you're saying is it's independent of political accountability." — Matthew Brogdon

• "[00:28:43] Much of the growth of the presidency’s power is rooted in the Chief Executive’s role, not as Commander in Chief, but as a rule maker." — Savannah Eccles Johnston

Resources and Links

This Constitution  

• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-constitution/id1771900485

Savannah Eccles Johnston

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/savannah-eccles-johnston-515a72198/
• https://www.instagram.com/savypolitics/

Matthew Brogdon

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-brogdon/
• https://www.uvu.edu/ccs/people/matthew_brogdon.html