POL 240 Governors

1. POL 240-01
Fall 2015

4. What qualities should the
ideal politician possess?

7.  Governor expected to initiate legislation
 How can governors work to set agenda?
 1) Special Sessions
▪ Governor calls legislature back into session
 2) Media Attention
▪ Press conferences and other public events
▪ Catalyst for public support
 3) State of the State Address
▪ Report to legislature on state condition
▪ Tout policy agenda while reaching public / media

9.  Constitutions and “Take Care” Clause
 Difficult role offering few political rewards
 How can governors politicize bureaucracy?

10.  #1: Appointment Power
 Most powerful politicization tool
 How do governors employ this power?
▪ Loyalty vs. Competence
▪ Benefits to Naming Loyalists; Challenges to Competence
 #2: Budgetary Authority
 Governor submits state budget to legislature
 Can raise, lower funding for programs / initiatives
 Consequences: Legislative Oversight and
Bureaucratic Resistance

11.  #3: Reorganization
 What can governors do?
▪ #1: Replacement: Replace bureaucratic appointees
with those more suited to governor’s liking
▪ #2: Layering: Add political appointees above career
personnel to centralize control
▪ #3: Informal Methods: Leave post open and never fill
it; Recess appointments

13.  Symbolic and
ceremonial role
 Ribbon cuttings,
school openings,
state celebrations, etc.
 Governors like b/c
non-controversial
and gain attention Kentucky governors can bestow
status of Kentucky Colonel
on notable individuals.

15.  Governor candidates run under party labels
 How can governors strengthen party value?
 Constituency Services
 Aligning Agenda with Party Goals
 Campaigning with Party Members
 Majority party status helps governors get their
policy goals accomplished

18.  Represent state interests inWashington, D.C.
 NGA and regional organizations help
governors identify common policy issues

20.  Involves granting
pardons and commuting
sentences of criminals
 Governors can have
exclusive pardon power
or authority given to
clemency board
Former Gov. Beverly Purdue
of North Carolina issues a group
of pardons while in office.

22.  During natural disasters and other crises,
governor may declare state of emergency
 Powers include calling stateGuard into
service and directing evacuations as needed
New Jersey Governor
Chris Christie exemplified
this role in the wake
of Superstorm Sandy.

24. Formal Powers Informal Powers Unilateral Powers Partisan Powers

26.  Joseph Schlesinger (1965)
 Index of gubernatorial power
 Schlesinger’s Four Criteria:
 (1) Appointment Power
 (2) Budgetary Power
 (3)Tenure Potential
 (4)Veto Power

28. APPOINTMENT POWER
 Governor may insert
ideology into state politics
 Reward for campaign work
or used in exchange for
legislative support
 Strength of KY Governor
BUDGETARY POWER
 Set spending discussion
 Governor’s policies
enforced through veto and
administering budget
through state agencies

30.  Non-traditional power
 Power grows during governor’s tenure
 Impact of re-election
 Governor's tenure most important in Chief
Legislator Role

33.  Single most important gubernatorial power
 Veto override by legislature is rare
 MainVetoTypes:
 PackageVeto: Accept or reject legislation
 Line-Item Veto:Veto particular proposals
 AmendatoryVeto: Amend legislative bills
 PocketVeto: Bills die at end of legislative session

35.  Called “the power to persuade”
 #1: Personal and Professional Characteristics
 Knowledge vs. Schmoozing
 #2: Skill and Experience
 Training for Governor’s Office is state office
▪ State Legislator; Lieutenant Governor

36.  #3: Popularity
 Varies over time: “Honeymoon” to “Lame Duck”
 Findings of Cohen and King (2005)
▪ POTUS popularity Increases; Unemployment Decreases
 #4: Popular Mandate
 Only valid immediately after an election
 Use this to convince legislature to go along

37.  #5: The Media
 Governors use technology to “go public”
 Reinforces idea that governor is strong leader
 Influences public debate and molds public opinion
 Known as “Bully Pulpit” at national level
 How doesThad Beyle analyze governors?
 See Handout for Indicators

39.  1) Executive Orders
 Shape bureaucracy and other actors
 Imnterpretation of law
 2) States of Emergency
▪ Condition temporary granting executive wider
set of powers due to extraordinary
circumstances (e.g. emergencies)
▪ Seen with Crisis Manager Role

40.  1) Periodic Elections
 Necessity of popular support to stay in office
 2) Constitutional Limitations
 Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances
 Term Limits for ExecutiveTenure

42.  Represents executive’s leverage over same-
party legislators
 Power balance with legislature depends on:
 Individual: Controlling fortunes of legislators
 Institutional: Having strong majority in chamber