1 / 33

Executive Branch Chapter 7 Section 1

Explore the unique responsibilities, background requirements, and constitutional powers of the U.S. President. Gain insight into the selection process, salary, benefits, and the line of presidential succession in case of unforeseen events. Learn about the 25th Amendment and the President's various roles as the Chief Executive, Chief Diplomat, Commander in Chief, and Legislative Leader.

agleason
Download Presentation

Executive Branch Chapter 7 Section 1

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Executive BranchChapter 7Section 1

  2. “The president of the United States carries with it a responsibility so personal as to be without parallel…No one can make decisions for him…Even those closest to him…never know all the reasons why he does certain things and comes to certain conclusions. To be President of the United States is to be lonely, very lonely at times of great decisions.” -Harry S. Truman

  3. Presidential Requirements • At least 35 years old • Native-born US citizen • Resident of US for at least 14 years (US Constitution, Article II, Section 1)

  4. Background Past Presidents have all been: • White (except Obama) • Male • Protestants (except for Kennedy) Other interesting facts: • 1st Pres: George Washington • 1st VP: John Adams • 1st Pres. to die in office: William H. Harrison

  5. Term of Office Term of Office • Four years • Two-term limit or 10 years (if began during another’s term) • Franklin D. Roosevelt & 22nd Amendment(1951)-Roosevelt was elected to a 4th term in 1944. Congress passed the 22nd Amendment, which limits each president to two elected terms in office or a maximum of 10 years.

  6. Election Process • Two steps of Election of President: • Popular Election: citizens vote for electors • Electoral College: electors vote for president

  7. Electoral College • 538 Electors (Washington, D.C. has 3) • The number of electors each state receives is the state’s number of senators + number of representatives How many electors does Alabama get? • Meet at state capitals after popular election • Most states use winner-take-all method (candidate who wins popular election receives all of the electors’ votes) • Must win 270 votes to be elected (one more than half) What are the consequences of president being elected by Electoral College, rather than popular election?

  8. Salary/Benefits • $400,000/year • White House (gym, bowling alley, heated pool) • Camp David (estate in Maryland) • Presidential Fleet of special cars, helicopters & airplanes

  9. Presidential Succession(1947 Presidential Succession Act) In 1947, Congress passed the Presidential Succession Act, which established a line of succession after the vice president if the president dies or leaves office. • Vice President • Speaker of the House • President Pro Tempore of the Senate • Secretary of State • Secretary of the Treasury • Secretary of Defense • Attorney General • Secretary of the Interior • Secretary of Agriculture • Secretary of Commerce • Secretary of Labor • Secretary of Health and Human Services • Secretary of Housing and Urban Development • Secretary of Transportation • Secretary of Energy • Secretary of Education • Secretary of Veterans Affairs • Secretary of Homeland Security

  10. 25th Amendment There were still questions about how to handle this situation, so 20 years later, in 1967, Congress passed the 25th Amendment. • If President dies or leaves office, VP becomes President and chooses another VP **(Senate & House must approve)

  11. 25th Amendment, continued • Has only been used 3 times: • 1973 VP Spiro Agnew resigned and was replaced by Gerald Ford • 1974 Nixon resigned; Ford became president and appointed Nelson Rockefeller as VP • 1985 Ronald Reagan underwent surgery, he appointed George H.W. Bush as acting president

  12. Chapter 7, Section 2The President’s Job

  13. “Frankly, being President is rather an unattractive business unless one relishes the exercise of power. That is a thing which has never greatly appealed to me.” -Warren Harding

  14. Constitutional Powers • Veto, or reject, bills • Call Congress into special session • Serve as Commander in Chief • Receive foreign leaders • Make treaties (requires Senate approval) • Make appointments • Cabinet • Supreme Court judges • Ambassadors • Pardon or reduce penalties of those convicted of federal crimes (This comes from Article II of the Constitution.)

  15. Roles of the President • Chief Executive • Gives executive orders, a rule or command that has the force of law. (Ex. Harry Truman issue executive order to integrate the armed forces in 1948) • May give pardon, reprieve or amnesty. • Pardon: declaration of forgiveness and freedom from punishment • Reprieve: delay person’s punishment until higher court hears case • Amnesty: pardon toward group of people • Chief Diplomat • Directs foreign policy • Commander in Chief • In charge of the army, navy, air force, marines and coast guard • Has power to order troops into action **Only Congress can “declare war.” This is an example of checks and balances. Also, president must get approval from Congress if troops are there for more than 90 days.

  16. Other Roles, cont. • Legislative Leader • Most of the bills Congress considers come from the President and his legislative program, or the laws that he wants Congress to pass • Head of State • Living symbol of nation (Ex. Lighting national Christmas tree) • Economic Leader • Plans federal budget • Party Leader • Gives speeches for other party members running for offices and helps raise money

  17. Chapter 7.3 Making Foreign Policy

  18. “We must have a policy to guide our relations with every country in every part of the world. No country is so remote from us that it may not someday be involved in a matter that threatens the peace....Who knows what may happen in the future? Our foreign policy must be universal.” -Harry Truman

  19. The President and Foreign Policy • Foreign policy- the nation’s overall plan for dealing with other nations

  20. Foreign Policy • Basic Goal • National security- ability to keep the country safe from attack or harm • Other goals • International trade • Promoting world peace • Promote democracy

  21. Tools of Foreign Policy • Creating treaties/executive agreements • Appointing ambassadors • Foreign aid • International Trade • Military Force

  22. Creating Treaties & Executive Agreements • Treaty- formal agreement between the governments of 2 or more countries • Ex. NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) • Executive agreement- agreement between the president and the leader of another country

  23. Appointing Ambassadors • Ambassador- official representative of a country’s government Must be: • Appointed by the president • Approved by the Senate John Bolt US Ambassador to the UN

  24. Foreign Aid • Money, food, military or other assistance sent to other countries • Example: Marshall Plan (program used to rebuild Western Europe after WWII) George Marshall won the Nobel Peace Prize for developing the Marshall Plan.

  25. International Trade • Ability to make agreements with other nations about the exchanging of products • Trade sanctions- efforts to punish another nation by imposing trade barriers • Embargo- agreement among a group of nations that prohibits them all from trading with a target nation

  26. America’s longest embargo CUBAN EMBARGO 1962-present

  27. Military Force • As commander in chief, president may use military to carry out certain foreign-policy decisions Ex. Washington used troops to put down Whiskey Rebellion; Clinton ordered cruise missiles to be launched at terrorist facilities in Afghanistan & Sudan in 1998; Bush used military to invade Iraq in 2003

  28. Chapter 7.4 Presidential Advisors

  29. Executive Office of President • “president’s administration” • Created by FDR’s administration in 1939 • 2,000+ employees • $100m budget • Responsibilities • Prepare reports on special projects • Help write bills • Check on other agencies

  30. Other Important EOP Agencies • Office of Management & Budget • Prepares federal budget and monitors spending • National Security Council • Assists president with military and foreign policy • Office of Administration • Council of Economic Advisers • Gives presidents advice about economic matters

  31. White House Office • ~500 people • President’s political advisors • Examples: • Deputy Chief of Staff • Assistant for Domestic Affairs • Counsel (lawyers) • Press Secretary

  32. Cabinet • 15 departments • Not mentioned in the Constitution • Heads must be approved by Senate • Examples: • Department of State • Department of Treasury • Department of Defense • Newest: Department of Homeland Security

More Related