What happened to America under previous 'hands-off' presidents? Civil war and financial collapse.

Why Franklin Pierce and Calvin Coolidge should be cautionary tales to Donald Trump

Calvin Coolidge addressing Congress in 1923.
(Image credit: AP Photo)

We don't yet know what kind of president Donald Trump will be, but early indications suggest he will be very comfortable delegating responsibilities. The man who once reportedly offered a rival the chance to be the most powerful vice president in history, in charge of both foreign and domestic affairs, is already outsourcing things like daily intelligence briefings and keeping factories open to Vice President–elect Mike Pence.

There is some precedent for treating the presidency like the chairman of the board instead of chief executive of the enterprise. George W. Bush, for example, ceded an unusually large amount of policymaking and power to his vice president, Dick Cheney, and other subordinates — think "Heckuva Job Brownie" and Hurricane Katrina — while his predecessor, Bill Clinton was less likely to think of himself as delegator-in-chief and much more prone to immersing himself in policy and the politics of governing.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.