Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

2008

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Schwerin, Edward

Abstract

This research evaluates presidential legislative success with an analysis of roll call votes on which the president expressed a preference, 1953-2006. The dependent variables reflect presidential success, presidential support, and opposition party support. The analysis finds that the independent variable responsible for the greatest variance of presidential success in both chambers is divided government. Presidents generally are more successful on foreign policy legislation than domestic policy legislation in both chambers. However, the disparity between the two policy realms becomes less distinguishable during major foreign conflicts. Regression analysis indicates that the occurrence of major foreign conflicts is associated with increased presidential success and opposition party support on domestic policy in the House. Yet, the occurrence of foreign conflicts has a minimal effect on presidential success and opposition party support on foreign policy legislation in the House. In the Senate, the occurrence of foreign conflicts has a minimal impact on presidential success.

Extent

149 p.

Comments

Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters|Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

Identifier

FA00000928

Format

pdf

Download

Share

COinS