2
A growing group of scholars has begun to explore the
importance of presidential unilateral power, specifically,
executive orders (Deering and Maltzman 1999, Krause and Cohen
1997, Mayer 2001, Moe and Howell 1999, Ragsdale and Theis 1997,
Shull and Gomez 1997). These studies fall into two camps. The
“compensation camp” includes scholars like Richard Nathan and
Phillip Cooper
2
. In his pivotal study the
Administrative
Presidency, Nathan argues that presidents use administrative
policy when they are weak. When presidents have limited
resources and face a hostile political environment they can
“compensate” their power by using an administrative strategy.
The “enhancement camp” argues that presidents use executive
orders to enhance policy in conjunction with Congress in times of
strong congressional support (Shull and Gomez 1997, Krause and
Cohen 1997)
3
. Presidents can “enhance” their stature with the
administrative strategy when they have strong resources and a
cooperative political environment. The study of presidential
executive orders can expand to other unilateral powers. I would
like to examine these competing theories by extending the study
of the exercise of unilateral powers to proclamations.
The first proclamation in which George Washington set
precedent for its ceremonial use declared November 26
th
Thanksgiving Day. Todd Gaziano writes, “Heads of state had
issued proclamations commemorating victorious battles and
2
Deering and Maltzman refer to “enhancement” as the strategic model.
Convention