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Establishing the Imperial Presidency: The War of 1812, John Lowell, and the Specter of Perpetual War.

  • Published In: Western Journal of Communication, 2023, v. 87, n. 1. P. 22 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Heidt, Stephen 3 of 3

Abstract

Contemporary attention to presidential war power focuses on the possibility of "perpetual war." This essay contextualizes that controversy by returning to the nation's first international crisis - the War of 1812 - to consider the ways James Madison's rhetoric established precedents that empowered presidents to act with rhetorical impunity in international affairs. Analyzing an overlooked but influential anti-war pamphlet written by John Lowell reveals public concerns about Madison's War and the dangers presidential rhetoric poses to the constitutional order. In doing so, this essay revises contemporary thinking about the imperial presidency, the rhetorical presidency, and the nature of perpetual war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Western Journal of Communication. 2023/01, Vol. 87, Issue 1, p22
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Military History and Science
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:1057-0314
  • DOI:10.1080/10570314.2022.2100472
  • Accession Number:161394739
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Western Journal of Communication is the property of Western States Communication Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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