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Presidential powers are not fixed but fluctuate, depending upon their disjunction or conjunction with those of Congress.
Robert H. Jacksonverified·Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer, 343 U.S. 579 (concurring)·June 2, 1952
The complete collection
Presidential powers are not fixed but fluctuate, depending upon their disjunction or conjunction with those of Congress.
While the Constitution diffuses power the better to secure liberty, it also contemplates that practice will integrate the dispersed powers into a workable government.
Our Government has no power except that granted it by the people.
We have long since made clear that a state of war is not a blank check for the President when it comes to the rights of the Nation's citizens.
I advance with obedience to the work, ready to retire from it whenever you become sensible how much better choice it is in your power to make
Government with insolence is despotism; but when contempt is added it becomes worse; and to pay for contempt is the excess of slavery.
The constitution of a country is not the act of its government, but of the people constituting its government.
A constitution is a thing antecedent to a government, and a government is only the creature of a constitution.
No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works.
Marshall's statement cannot be read to mean in any sense that a President is above the law
Our most dangerous tendency is to expect too much of government, and at the same time do for it too little.
When this corrupting passion once takes possession of the human mind, like the love of gold it becomes insatiable.
Never with my consent shall an officer of the people, compensated for his services out of their pockets, become the pliant instrument of Executive will.
Limited as are the powers which have been granted, still enough have been granted to constitute a despotism if concentrated in one of the departments.
If parties in a republic are necessary to secure a degree of vigilance sufficient to keep the public functionaries within the bounds of law and duty, at that point their usefulness ends.
The public officials charged with executing the law might do injustice in heated controversy through unconscious pride of opinion and obstinacy of conclusion.
Show me the government which can be maintained only by destroying the rights of a portion of the people; and you will indicate the duty of openly revolting against it.
We want no wars of conquest; we must avoid the temptation of territorial aggression.
The quality of advocacy turns on the depth of the conviction; and government has no power to invade that sanctuary of belief and conscience.
The Executive has authority to recommend (not to dictate) measures to Congress.
As indispensable to the preservation of our system of self-government, the independence of the representatives of the States and the people is guaranteed by the Constitution, and they owe no responsibility to any human power but their constituents.
I view it as an extreme measure, to be resorted to only in extraordinary cases, as where it may become necessary to defend the executive against the encroachments of the legislative power or to prevent hasty and inconsiderate or unconstitutional legislation.