---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Making recess appointments when the…"
description: "\"Making recess appointments when the Senate isn't in recess is neither rational nor moderate. It's a raw misuse of executive power by a president whose ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/john-podhoretz-4983_appointments_making-recess-appointments-when-the-sena_553514.jpg"
---

#  Making recess appointments when the Senate isn't in recess…

![“Making recess appointments when the Senate isn't in recess is neither rational nor moderate. It's a raw misuse of executive power by a president whose love of government is his most vulnerable spot with the electorate.” quote by John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/john-podhoretz-4983_appointments_making-recess-appointments-when-the-sena_553514.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/john-podhoretz-4983_appointments_making-recess-appointments-when-the-sena_553514.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/john-podhoretz-4983_appointments_making-recess-appointments-when-the-sena_553514.jpg)

> “Making recess appointments when the Senate isn't in recess is neither rational nor moderate. It's a raw misuse of executive power by a president whose love of government is his most vulnerable spot with the electorate.”

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Using recess appointments outside of Senate recess stretches constitutional limits and concentrates power.

**In simple terms:** Recess appointments can abuse executive authority.

Key Takeaway

Check executive overreach.

Themes

politics constitution power checks and balances

Mood

critical analytical

Type

political legal

When to use this quote

- legislative sessions
- presidential decisions
- court challenges

Key Concepts

separation of powers executive authority

Questions to Reflect On

- Is it ever justified to bypass procedural norms?
- How can safeguards be strengthened?

A Different Perspective

Political realities sometimes demand flexibility.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Electorate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electorate/) [Executive power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executive-power/) [Executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executives/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Recess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recess/) [Senate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senate/)

## Related quotes

> [ \[The reason a man has\] so much trouble with the Senate is that there isn't a man in the Senate who doesn't think he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/the-reason-a-man-has-so-much-trouble-with-the-senate-is-that-there/)

[Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/)

> [The floor of the U.S. Senate isn't a place that usually sees a lot of drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-klobuchar/the-floor-of-the-u-s-senate-isn-t-a-place-that-usually-sees-a-lot-of/)

[Amy Klobuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-klobuchar/)

> [I'm one of the only members of the U.S. Senate who isn't a millionaire. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with being a millionaire. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ-feingold/i-m-one-of-the-only-members-of-the-u-s-senate-who-isn-t-a-millionaire/)

[Russ Feingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ-feingold/)

> [The government's assertion that it must be unhindered in protecting our security can camouflage the desire to increase Executive power, while the press's cry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stengel/the-government-s-assertion-that-it-must-be-unhindered-in-protecting/)

[Richard Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stengel/)

> [Executive power is exercised by the President of the Governing Board who, with the title of President of the Republic of Chile, administers the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-pinochet/executive-power-is-exercised-by-the-president-of-the-governing-board/)

[Augusto Pinochet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-pinochet/)

> [“Dennis: Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis/dennis-oh-but-you-can-t-expect-to-wield-supreme-executive-power-just/)

Dennis

> [The most fearful phenomenon of these midcentury years is not the atom bomb; atomic energy does have its constructive possibilities… The most fearful event…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wheeler-mcmillen/the-most-fearful-phenomenon-of-these-midcentury-years-is-not-the-atom/)

[Wheeler McMillen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wheeler-mcmillen/)

> [ \[T\]hough individual oppression may now and then proceed fro the courts of justice, the general liberty of the people can never be endangered from… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/t-hough-individual-oppression-may-now-and-then-proceed-fro-the-courts/)

[Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/)

> [The constitution has divided the powers of government into three branches, Legislative, Executive and Judiciary, lodging each with a distinct magistracy. The Legislative it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-constitution-has-divided-the-powers-of-government-into-three/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [The image of a free constitution was preserved with decent reverence: the Roman senate appeared to possess the sovereign authority, and devolved on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-image-of-a-free-constitution-was-preserved-with-decent-reverence/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [Church, the spiritual power, and the executive power are working today united in a system that confronts people. This alliance or cooperation between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-zvyagintsev/church-the-spiritual-power-and-the-executive-power-are-working-today/)

[Andrey Zvyagintsev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-zvyagintsev/)

> [The Independent or Congregational theory includes two principles; first, that the governing and executive power in the Church is in the brotherhood; and secondly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hodge/the-independent-or-congregational-theory-includes-two-principles/)

[Charles Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hodge/)

> [Concentration of executive power, unless it's very temporary and for specific circumstances, let's say fighting world war two, it's an assault on democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/concentration-of-executive-power-unless-it-s-very-temporary-and-for/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [ I take the Constitution very seriously. The biggest problems that we're facing right now have to do with \[the president\] trying to bring more… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-take-the-constitution-very-seriously-the-biggest-problems-that-we/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Modern Democrats aren't the first political party to abuse power - far from it. Obama isn'€™t the first president to abuse executive power -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/modern-democrats-aren-t-the-first-political-party-to-abuse-power-far/)

[David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/)

## More by John Podhoretz

> [The great mystery is why robots come off so well in science-fiction films when the human characters are often so astoundingly wooden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/the-great-mystery-is-why-robots-come-off-so-well-in-science-fiction/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [The exit polls suggest that after a relatively disappointing first term, Obama managed to reassemble almost all of his 2008 electorate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/the-exit-polls-suggest-that-after-a-relatively-disappointing-first/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [For Obama to save himself, he should be thinking about the example of an unlikely Republican predecessor: Richard Nixon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/for-obama-to-save-himself-he-should-be-thinking-about-the-example-of/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [Your race and gender don't change, but you can choose to change your political affiliation at will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/your-race-and-gender-don-t-change-but-you-can-choose-to-change-your/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [Imagine his delight after it 'leaked' that he will propose raising taxes on the wealthy by $320 billion over the next 10 years, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/imagine-his-delight-after-it-leaked-that-he-will-propose-raising/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [Robots have a rich and storied history in movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/robots-have-a-rich-and-storied-history-in-movies/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [Aside from being bad sportsmanship - Romney basically said Obama won by cheating - he was displaying the same obtuseness about the wants and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/aside-from-being-bad-sportsmanship-romney-basically-said-obama-won-by/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [There is a new conservative establishment in America, made up of those who claim to be the anti-establishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/there-is-a-new-conservative-establishment-in-america-made-up-of-those/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [As the Republican nominee, it was Romney's job to find a way to speak to some of those groups of voters and offer practical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/as-the-republican-nominee-it-was-romney-s-job-to-find-a-way-to-speak/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [Memories of the last nine years have turned Ground Zero from a site of horror, to a reminder of grief, to an occasion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/memories-of-the-last-nine-years-have-turned-ground-zero-from-a-site/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [Some candidates need to say provocative things that make noise to break through the media muffle and get themselves noticed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/some-candidates-need-to-say-provocative-things-that-make-noise-to/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [Let us now praise Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/let-us-now-praise-barack-obama/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [All non-incumbent campaigns promise hope and change, but Obama took the promise to a new level of absurdity. He suggested that a vote for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/all-non-incumbent-campaigns-promise-hope-and-change-but-obama-took/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [By the time Obama came into office, Washington had already agreed over a period of a few weeks to a $700 billion government infusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/by-the-time-obama-came-into-office-washington-had-already-agreed-over/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

> [The defense of ObamaCare's constitutionality relies mainly on the truism that everyone is sure to get sick at some point in their lives, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/the-defense-of-obamacare-s-constitutionality-relies-mainly-on-the/)

[John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

[Explore all 104 John Podhoretz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/)

## More Appointments quotes

> [About one-half of the members of Congress are seekers for office at the nomination of the President. Of the remainder, at least one-half have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/about-one-half-of-the-members-of-congress-are-seekers-for-office-at/)

[John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/)

> [We're living in a time when parenting is not at all mirroring the way I was parented. For me, I just followed my parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-falco/we-re-living-in-a-time-when-parenting-is-not-at-all-mirroring-the-way/)

[Edie Falco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-falco/)

> [Mayor De Blasio's appointment of Bill Bratton as police commissioner is the height of hypocrisy. Asking Bratton to stop racial profiling and stop and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barron/mayor-de-blasio-s-appointment-of-bill-bratton-as-police-commissioner/)

Charles Barron

> [When the purpose of the appointment to ,cohabit with the widow bas been attained in accordance with the law, those two shall behave towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/when-the-purpose-of-the-appointment-to-cohabit-with-the-widow-bas/)

[Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/)

> [Prayer is a specific divine appointment, an ordinance of Heaven, whereby God purposes to carry out His gracious designs on earth and to execute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/prayer-is-a-specific-divine-appointment-an-ordinance-of-heaven/)

[Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/)

> [Not by appointment do we meet Delight And Joy; they heed not our expectancy; But round some corner in the streets of life, They,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/not-by-appointment-do-we-meet-delight-and-joy-they-heed-not-our/)

[Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/)

> [First, there's the job - where the goal is simply to earn a living and support your family. Then there's the career - where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bella/first-there-s-the-job-where-the-goal-is-simply-to-earn-a-living-and/)

Robert Bella

> [I have become convinced that if God stands a child before you, for even just a minute, it is a divine appointment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wess-stafford/i-have-become-convinced-that-if-god-stands-a-child-before-you-for/)

[Wess Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wess-stafford/)

> [I have a sense of urgency, of time. I am a woman and am always running between work, doctors' appointments, school meetings, filling up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segolene-royal/i-have-a-sense-of-urgency-of-time-i-am-a-woman-and-am-always-running/)

[Segolene Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segolene-royal/)

> [I worry about the lack of experience that Rex Tillerson has had on the diplomatic front and, frankly, I think that's true for many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-worry-about-the-lack-of-experience-that-rex-tillerson-has-had-on/)

[Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/)

> [No senator's vote, except for the declaration of war or the authorization for the use of force, is more important than the confirmation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/no-senator-s-vote-except-for-the-declaration-of-war-or-the/)

[Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/)

> [The night before, go over your schedule and see what you're going to do and what the purpose of what you're doing is. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pozen/the-night-before-go-over-your-schedule-and-see-what-you-re-going-to/)

[Robert Pozen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pozen/)

> [Jesus . . . wants us to see that the neighbor next door or the people sitting next to us on a plane or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-pippert/jesus-wants-us-to-see-that-the-neighbor-next-door-or-the-people/)

[Rebecca Pippert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-pippert/)

> [The muse holds no appointments. You can never call on it. I don't understand people who get up at 9 o'clock in the morning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-hansard/the-muse-holds-no-appointments-you-can-never-call-on-it-i-don-t/)

[Glen Hansard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-hansard/)

> [People are amazed to realize they can enjoy the moment rather than be stressed by it when hurrying to an appointment. You can enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/people-are-amazed-to-realize-they-can-enjoy-the-moment-rather-than-be/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

Browse all 203 Appointments quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Making recess appointments when the Senate isn't in recess is neither rational nor moderate. It's a raw misuse of executive power by a president whose love of government is his most vulnerable spot with the electorate.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Podhoretz"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/making-recess-appointments-when-the-senate-isn-t-in-recess-is-neither/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Appointments"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/making-recess-appointments-when-the-senate-isn-t-in-recess-is-neither/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/john-podhoretz-4983_appointments_making-recess-appointments-when-the-sena_553514.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/john-podhoretz-4983_appointments_making-recess-appointments-when-the-sena_553514.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/john-podhoretz-4983_appointments_making-recess-appointments-when-the-sena_553514.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Making recess appointments when the Senate isn't in recess is neither rational nor moderate. It's a raw…” — John Podhoretz",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Podhoretz",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Making recess appointments when the Senate...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/making-recess-appointments-when-the-senate-isn-t-in-recess-is-neither/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/making-recess-appointments-when-the-senate-isn-t-in-recess-is-neither/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
