As president of the United States, a president has powers that other members of the cabinet do not have. Presidential power can be defined in numerous ways. Political scientists Richard Neustadt and William Howell give different opinions on what presidential power is. These polarized views of presidential powers can be used to compare and contrast the presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Richard Neustadt stated in his book Presidential Power that "presidential power is the power to persuade." (Neustadt, pg. 11) Persuasion and bargaining are techniques that presidents can use to influence policy. Neustadt explains how persuasion can help a president pass laws and gain favorable public opinion. Neustadt explains that bargaining is important for influencing other politicians in Congress and within the executive branch. He stated that “The essence of a President's persuasive task is to convince these men that what the White House wants of them is what they should do for their own good and on the basis of their authority” (Neustadt, p.30). Neustadt believes that a president should use persuasion rather than command because it is more effective. Leading shows that a president is weak. The command is only effective in certain situations. Neustadt believes that a persuasive president is a powerful president, but in William Howell's book Power Without Persuasion, he attacks Neustadt's point about persuasion in a president. Howell argues that a president does not need to be persuasive to be powerful. He believes that a president can become a powerful leader without using persuasion. Howell states that “… effecting policy change outside of a contractual framework” (Howell, p. 13). He states that the president can create the...... half of the document ...... agree with the president Obama's tactic of going to Congress and persuading it to pass the Affordable Care Act, Neustadt, stated in his book one of the effective ways in which presidents can bargain with other members of government, namely “…the bargaining advantages inherent in his work with which to persuade other men. that what he wants from them is what their responsibilities require them to do.” President Obama faces the responsibility of Congress to represent the interests of the people to pass legislation. Both President Bush and President Obama had very different ways of running the country during their presidencies. Overall, President Bush used less persuasion on major domestic and foreign policies than President Obama. With these differences between the presidents, both passed and passed laws that would seek to improve the nation and its citizens.