Presidential Accountability: New and Recurring Problems

This book assesses the state of presidential accountability in the post-Reagan era. It looks at five major areas of concern for students of the presidency. These problem areas concern (1.) presidents, national security, and civil liberties; (2.) controlling the intelligence community; (3.) the politized nature of the Justice Department; (4.) celebrity politics and symbolic manipulation; and (5.) the popularity of the Reagan administration and its implications for accountability. The research concludes that in the post- modern presidency, we have lost the desire and power to keep presidents accountable for their actions.

After discussing the problem of presidential accountability in the opening chapter, the book turns to the checkered pasts of American presidents with respect to protecting civil liberties. It then examines the problems of presidential accountability that are posed by the intelligence community. Next, it looks at the exercises of the president's discretionary power in the criminal justice policy arena. The newer phenomenon of Celebrity Politics is explored next in terms of the consequences it has on citizens who want to keep the American president in check. Following this, the lessons of the popular Reagan presidency on presidential accountability are outlined. Finally, it concludes by lamenting the loss of presidential accountability in the American political system. This book should appeal to presidential researchers and anyone interested in the American presidency.