果冻传媒

Join Dr. Dan Stroup, 果冻传媒 Professor of Politics and Law Emeritus, as he places the role of the US President in its historical context.  Dr. Stroup will take participants through a discussion involving constitutional checks and balances as they relate to the theory of the Unitary Executive that is employed by the Trump administration. The second session will explore whether the President of the United States is limited, by either the law or U.S. Constitution, in the ability to dismiss individuals who work within the Executive branch. Dr. Stroup鈥檚 third session will discuss whether the President can constitutionally refuse to spend money appropriated by law. For the fourth and final session, Dr. Stroup will examine the boundaries of free speech in the context of the President's Executive Orders on a broad range of topics.  This timely and engaging course will include four lectures, each with built-in discussion time.

Tiered Enrollment Pricing:

• Adults (including alumni): $12 per content hour
  • Total package for 4 sessions =$48
• Students (Centre and individuals age <19) = $6 per content hour
  • Total package for 4 sessions =$24

Maximum number of course participants: 45
Minimum number of course participants: 13
 

Dr. Dan Stroup 鈥� Dr. Stroup is a Pierce and Amelia Harrington Lively Professor of Politics and Law Emeritus. His expertise encompasses American political history, the judicial and legislative process, and the Civil Rights Movement in America. Dr. Stroup has published in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, PS: Political Science, and Valparaiso Law Review. Dr. Stroup will guide the audience through presidential constitutional powers through a four-part class series. Each class session will be informal lectures with built-in discussion. 

Theories of Presidential Power

April 14, 2025

This class session would consider some of the views on the presidency debated at the Constitutional Convention. The class session aims to contrast the idea of constitutional checks and balances, particularly as articulated by Madison (Federalist ##47, 48 and 51) with the theory of the Unitary Executive that is employed by the Trump administration. Class session may also explore the unitary executive position using excerpts from the Supreme Court鈥檚 鈥淭rump v. United States鈥� presidential immunity case and Chief Justice Roberts鈥� opinion.

Presidential Removal Power

April 21, 2025

How much power does the President have? Is the President of the United States limited, by either the law or US Constitution, in their ability to dismiss individuals who work within the Executive branch? Participants will explore these questions with Dr. Stroup and collectively consider the US Founders intentions, historical debates, and Supreme Court opinions. 

Impoundment

April 28, 2025 

Federal budgets require careful consideration and majority votes to pass through Congress. Dr. Stroup will explore just how closely the President and Executive branch has to abide by the budget. Dr. Stroup and participants will discuss if the President can constitutionally refuse to spend money appropriated by law, also known as 鈥渋mpoundment鈥�. Recent events will be used to discuss the concept of impoundment and if/where historical precedence exists. 

Trump and Free Speech

May 5, 2025

Dan Stroup and participants will explore the boundaries of free speech. Within Trump鈥檚 first days of office, executive orders were signed 鈥渁gainst wokeness鈥� while other policies limited or prevented communication all together including DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs and federal agency external communications to the American people. Investigate the constitutional allowances, court challenges, and the implications of these orders.