Critical Thinking: Has the presidency become too powerful in comparison to Congress? Explain your answer.

From the founding of the American state until the beginning of the 20th century, the US Congress, i. e., legislature was the dominant branch of power. However, at the beginning of the 20th century, and especially in the 30s, the main trend in the development of the state mechanism was the strengthening of the role of the executive branch in it. This was due to the flexible redistribution of powers between the legislative and executive powers, mainly through the self-restriction of Congress in favor of the federal government.

Strengthening the role of the president and his administration was observed. The most striking manifestation of this trend is the expansion of the prerogatives of the American president. Along with the exclusive powers of the president, which are prescribed in the Constitution, the US Congress in the 20th century transferred delegated powers to him and legislated them.

The growing number of economic, social, and political problems of the 20th century required an effective nationwide leadership, which the Americans found in the person of the President. The US presidency did not usurp power - to a large extent, this power was "presented" to the President by Congress, which in difficult times tends to delegate its responsibility and some executive powers.

US Presidents became the main initiators of large-scale reforms of American society: The New Deal by F. Roosevelt, The Great Society by L. Johnson, Reaganomics.

Given the difficult political circumstances, the US Constitution provided the president with formal means of interaction in lawmaking with Congress. In addition, Congress expanded the legislative powers of the president (and federal institutions subordinate to him) by granting him the right to issue executive orders having the force of law.