Constitution Day & Presidential Power: Dr. Meena Bose on Executive Authority and Civic Literacy

What does the U.S. Constitution really say about presidential power and how has executive authority expanded since the Founding era? On this Constitution Day episode of The Civic Brief, host Dr. Isaiah “Ike” Wilson III sits down with Dr. Meena Bose, Executive Dean for Public Policy and Public Service Programs, Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs, and Director of the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, at Hofstra University. She also is the Peter S. Kalikow Chair in Presidential Studies and Professor of Political Science. 

Together, they unpack how the framers envisioned the presidency, Alexander Hamilton’s idea of “energy in the executive,” and the guardrails of checks and balances that are supposed to limit executive overreach. From emergency powers and executive orders to national security decision-making, this conversation examines how presidents from Eisenhower and Kennedy, from Reagan to Obama, have navigated the tension between decisiveness and constitutional process.

Listeners will also hear about the rise of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the growth of the administrative state, and the role of civic literacy in sustaining a republic. With historical insight and timely examples, Dr. Bose shows why understanding executive power is essential to American democracy today.

What you will learn in this episode:

✅ What Hamilton meant by “energy in the executive” and how it applies to today’s presidency

✅ How presidents from Eisenhower to Kennedy balanced national security with constitutional process

✅ Why the rise of the administrative state and OMB reshaped presidential policymaking

✅ How civic literacy and constitutional guardrails help preserve democracy in times of crisis

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And if you want to go deeper? Each week I match the episode with three essays from Compound Security, Unlocked — a companion set that turns one conversation into a civic curriculum.

Substack: https://compoundsecurityunlocked.substack.com/

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 Opening reflections on emergency powers and limits of executive action
• 00:58 Host introduction: Constitution Day as a civic stress test
• 02:15 Guest intro: Dr. Meena Bose, Hofstra University & presidency scholar
• 05:56 The importance of civic literacy and transcending partisanship
• 09:06 Insights from Sagamore Hill and Roosevelt’s presidency
• 13:46 Dr. Bose’s role at Hofstra University and presidency conferences
• 22:03 Foundations of power: framers’ intent, Hamilton’s Federalist 70, and “energy in the executive”
• 30:13 Norms, accountability, and presidential restraint
• 34:08 Eisenhower vs. Kennedy: structured decision-making vs. public communication
• 43:42 The rise of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the administrative state
• 50:05 Checks, balances, and Madison’s Federalist 51
• 53:39  Stress tests of power, unitary executive theory, and constitutional guardrails
• 01:07:41 Modern challenges: immigration, National Guard, administrative state, and civic responsibility
• 01:12:46 Closing remarks: civic engagement, trust, and Constitution Day reflections

Key Takeaways

💎The framers designed the presidency with both energy and limits, balancing unity with accountability.

💎Eisenhower relied on structured processes, while Kennedy emphasized communication, two models of executive leadership.

💎The administrative state and OMB centralized policymaking, expanding executive influence far beyond the framers’ vision.

💎Civic literacy is essential to holding leaders accountable and keeping executive power constitutional.

Guest Bio

Dr. Meena Bose is Executive Dean for Public Policy and Public Service Programs, Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs, and Director of the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, at Hofstra University. She also is the Peter S. Kalikow Chair in Presidential Studies and Professor of Political Science. A nationally recognized expert on presidential power, Dr. Bose has authored and edited landmark works on Eisenhower, Kennedy, and the modern presidency. She has directed Hofstra’s renowned presidential conferences, including those on George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and is a frequent commentator on the U.S. presidency.

Resources & Links

• Learn more about the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency
• Explore The Federalist Papers, especially Federalist 70 and Federalist 51
• Previous Civic Brief episodes on constitutional guardrails and executive power
• Website: https://wilsonwise.com/
• Think Beyond War: https://thinkbeyondwar.com/
• Substack: https://compoundsecurityunlocked.substack.com/

Keywords:

Constitution Day, Presidential Power, Executive Authority, Civic Literacy, Dr. Meena Bose, Hofstra University, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Obama Presidency, Emergency Powers, Office of Management and Budget, Administrative State, Federalist Papers