Political Science

Article I, Section 1, of the U.S. Constitution provides that
“The executive Power shall be vested in a President of
the United States of America.” Historically, Congress and
the president have interpreted the meaning of the
words, “executive Power” differently. For Congress,
“executive Power” is defined by the list of presidential
powers in Article II, Section 2; for presidents, “executive
Power” refers to powers in addition to those enumerated
in Article II, Section 2. In particular, presidents have
interpreted “executive Power” to mean that the
president can act without the consent of the Congress
when necessary to protect national security. Congress,
on the other hand, has argued that an unchecked
president creates the risk of abuse of presidential
authority.
Which interpretation is correct? Should presidents have
the authority to act without Congressional authorization
when necessary for the nation’s security, or should the
president seek Congressional authorization before
acting in order to preserve Constitutional checks and
balances?