Question

My view was that every executive officer . . . was a steward of the people. . . . I declined to adopt the view that what was imperatively necessary for the nation could not be done by the president unless he could find some specific authorization to do it.

What did President Roosevelt believe about the powers of the president?

Presidents should not follow Congress’s lead.
Presidents should act only if the Constitution specifically authorizes it.
Presidents are bound to the Constitution, not to the needs of the people.
Presidential power can extend beyond the Constitution when it is best for the nation.

Answer 1

President Roosevelt believed that presidential power can extend beyond the Constitution when it is best for the nation. He viewed executive officers, including the president, as stewards of the people, suggesting that they should take necessary actions for the welfare of the nation, even if those actions are not explicitly authorized by the Constitution.