A Presidential Nation

In theory, at least, the United States is constitutionally designed as a republic with a limited executive balanced by equal branches of government represented by the Congress and the courts. In practice, Genovese (political science, Loyola Marymount U.) writes, we have developed into a presidential nation with a near imperial presidency that is more closely compared to a monarchy than to a country still holding to the constitutional power granted the presidency in 1787. He traces the development of the office from its constitutionally limited origins through rising presidential power over the course of American history, with a particular focus on the impact of the September 11th, 2001, attacks on presidential power. He then considers responses to the issues of centralized executive power, arguing for a strong and constitutional presidency that is cognizant of both the constitutional framers' intent to have a limited, republican executive as well as contemporary circumstances (e.g., US superpower status, the age of terrorism, etc.) that necessitate a strong presidency. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)