The Executive Branch

The Executive Branch Chapters 13-15

Our Current President • Barack Hussein Obama II • 44th President of the United States • 49 years old • Democrat • Prior to Presidency was a Senator from Illinois • Vice President – Joe Biden

Presidential Requirements • Be a natural born citizen • Be at least 35 years of age – youngest president Theodore Roosevelt (42), oldest when elected Ronald Reagan (69) • Live in the United States for at least 14 years

Presidential Term • The President serves a four year term and the 22nd amendment (1951) limits the President to two terms (elected). • If a president was a Vice President, and the President died after two years in office, then the Vice President can be elected to a further two terms and serve a total of 10 years. • President Franklin Delano Roosevelt served 4 terms (1933 – 1945) died in office.

Presidential Perks • Pay – $400,000 a year • $50,000 a year expense account • White house – 132 house mansion • Air force One • Presidential Limousine • 5 full time chefs at the White House • Secret Service detail for the rest of their lives

Presidential Perks • A staff of 34 working at the White House • A staff known as the Cabinet to help him make decisions. • $150,000 a year retirement – for life!!!

Presidential Roles • Chief of State – Ceremonial Head of the Government • Chief Executive – Executive Power of the United States • Chief Administrator – Director of the Federal Government • Chief Diplomat – America’s chief spokesperson to the rest of the world.

Presidential Roles • Commander in Chief – Direct control of the United States military • Chief Legislator – main architect of public policies (domestic) • Chief of Party – Leader of the political party that got him in power • Chief Citizen – work for and represent the American people.

Presidential Inauguration and Succession • The president assumes his duties on January 20th at noon in the year after the election. • If the President dies in office the Vice President becomes President. If he dies, then the country follows the Presidential Succession act of 1947 – see page 359 in the text.

Election process – The road to the White House • Candidates go through primaries and caucuses. • New Hampshire always has the first Primary. (its State law sets this) • Iowa always has the first Caucus. • At the primaries the presidential candidates get noticed and begin campaigning. • At the caucuses, delegates are named for the national convention

Election process – The road to the White House • Once the primaries and caucuses take place, the national convention occurs. At the national conventions, the democratic and republican parties nominate one candidate to run for President. At the convention the candidate adopts his platform for the election.

The Election • The popular vote does not elect the President. The President is elected by electors in the electoral college. In short, each state votes for the President. Once the popular votes come in, whichever candidates wins the popular election in the state wins all the electoral votes for that state. To win a Presidency, a candidate needs to win 270 votes. Each state has a minimum of 3 electors.

Presidential POWERS • Power to Execute the Laws – it is his job to make sure that social security, the armed forces, gun control, minimum wage, immigration, taxes, etc. All work the way they are supposed to.

Presidential Ordinances • The President can give Executive Orders – a directive, rule or regulation that has the force of law. • The ordinance power is an implied power of the Constitution. • Congress has given some of its power to the President and his cabinet, to make decisions quickly.

Appointment Power • The President can appoint many national officials including: • Supreme Court Justices • Ambassadors and other diplomats • Cabinet Members • Officers in the armed forces • Heads of agencies like NASA, and EPA • All appointments are subject to approval by Congress.

Diplomatic Powers • The President has the powers to make treaties. The Senate must approve all treaties. • Executive Agreements can be made between the President and foreign powers without Senate consent. • The President can recognize other governments and refuse to recognize them.

Military Powers • The President is the Commander in Chief of Americas military might. • As Commander in Chief the President can send the military into battle without a declaration of war in order to protect American interests. • This has happened throughout the history of the United States, starting in 1798 and continuing to the modern day.

Legislative Powers • The President can recommend legislation to Congress and hope they act on it. • The Prez. can veto legislation it does not want to pass (subject to override) • Line Item Veto

Judicial Powers • Can issue reprieves – postponement of a sentence. • Pardons – can issue legal forgiveness for a crime.

The Presidents Cabinet • The cabinet is an informal advisory body that helps the President. • There are 15 positions in the cabinet, and all members are known as Secretaries. • The Cabinets job is to administer an executive department and to advise the President.

The Cabinet • There are 15 Departments that the executive Branch is divided into • State • Treasury • Defense • Justice • Interior • Agriculture • Commerce • Labor • Health and Human Services • Housing and Urban Development • Transportation • Energy • Education • Veterans Affairs • Homeland Security

The Cabinet • The Heads of the 15 executive departments form the Cabinet, the Presidents advisors. • Some of the more important Secretaries

State Department • Secretary – John Kerry

Department of Defense • Secretary – Chuck Hagel

Department of the Treasury • Secretary – Jacob Lew

The Executive Branch