Powers of the President: Constitution and Congress

Synopsis: The bulk of the programme consists of interviews of US presidents by Hugh Sidey, contributing editor of ‘Time’ magazine. The Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution made four programmes, with one president featured in each, which were originally broadcast in the USA on PBS in 1991 and 1992. The OU version intercuts the Commission’s programmes around subject areas in order to contextualise the interviews in terms of their historical context and the wider political debate. Some of the incidents mentioned are illustrated by archive materials.
This programme covers the presidents’ views on constitutional provisions concerning the office President and the terms of office of members of Congress; it also includes criticisms of Congress as no longer able to fulfil its constitutional role in the system of checks and balances. President Reagan proposes a line-item veto and a balanced budget amendment to enhance governability, and the others comment.
Series: United States in the Twentieth Century, The: Course D214
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 49 min.
Year of production: 1994
Availability: Off-air recording licence
Sale; 1998 sale: £195.00 (+VAT +p&p)
Subjects: Politics & government
Keywords: United States Congress; United States of America

Producer

Jeremy Cooper

Cast

Richard Maidment

Name: Open University Worldwide
Web: http://www.ouw.co.uk External site opens in new window
Phone: +44 (0) 1908 274066
Address: Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
Notes: NB. As of May 2016 Open University Worldwide are no longer distributing DVDs. They have posted this message on their website: ‘Unfortunately Open University Worldwide Limited has decided that product sales are no longer viable given the reduced funding to Higher Education institutions and diminishing demand for the products we have traditionally stocked. At present the Open University Students Association (OUSA) will continue to sell the "Good Study Guide", and we are in discussion with other possible distributors to continue to make The Open University’s products available for purchase. As soon as we have any information on other channels of distribution we will update this notice’. Some products are still available via second hand dealers on Amazon.co.uk

This record has been viewed 379 times.