The Logic of Presidential Signing Statements

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6340484
AutoresIan Ostrander (0000-0001-5248-1780, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA), James Sievert (0000-0002-7937-7024, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA)
Ano2013
Volume66
Fascículo1
Páginas141-153
Data de publicação2013-03-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoPolitical Research Quarterly (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1065-9129 • E-ISSN: 1938-274X
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1065912911434357
OpenAlexW1995266370
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas21
Referências citadas16

Signing statements constitute a salient executive power that has recently captured scholarly and political attention. Prior literature suggests that presidents use signing statements to gain additional policy concessions from Congress. Evidence of policy motivations are, however, difficult to demonstrate and policy motives fail to explain a wide range of existing statements. The authors propose an additional incentive mechanism based on defending traditional presidential authority. Using original data on approximately 8,500 public laws and 1,250 signing statements, the authors investigate when and why signing statements occur. They find presidents are likely to issue constitutional signing statements on bills traditionally falling under the president’s purview

Economics · Executive branch · Incentive · Law and economics · Political science · Politics · Power (physics · Presidential system · Public relations · Salient · American Constitutional Law and Politics · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Law · Legal and Constitutional Studies · Public Administration