The Power of Presidential Ideologies

This study examines how presidents shape the way people think about political issues. In addition, it explores the limits that political ideology places on presidential action. Tracing the interplay between political philosophy, policymaking, and party politics from Franklin Roosevelt to George Bush, the work looks beyond the typical focus on personality and political tactics to the underlying ideological significance of presidential philosophies and actions. It develops new concepts that lend historical and comparative perspective to current debates about the role of government in American society, and it presents a new way of seeing and interpreting the presidency. Dennis Florig finds that presidential ideologies matter--but not in the way they seem to matter. Ideologies both illuminate and obscure political realities. And while presidential ideologies have had huge impacts on the way both ordinary citizens and policymakers understand the political world, they have also served to mystify the forces that drive decisionmaking, sometimes masking the real face of political power. This important new study will be of interest to scholars in American history, government, and politics.