Ch. 13 - The Presidency

1. Ch. 13 - The Presidency

2. The President?

4. The Many Roles of the President • Chief of State • Ceremonial head of the country • Acts as the “face of the U.S.” • Welcomes foreign dignitaries • For example…

6. The Many Roles of the President • Chief Executive • Ensures that the nation’s laws are enforced and carried out • Head of the executive branch

7. The Many Roles of the President • Chief Administrator • Head of the entire bureaucracy – people who work for the government to implement policies • Appoints everyone in the top levels of the bureaucracy, with approval of a majority of the Senate • May also fire any appointed person

9. The Many Roles of the President • Chief Diplomat • Develops the nation’s foreign policy stances • Spokesperson to the rest of the world • Meets and befriends leaders of foreign countries

10. BFF! I ♥ USA!

11. The Many Roles of the President • Commander-in-Chief • Top commander of all branches of the armed forces • All are subject to his immediate control

13. The Many Roles of the President • Chief Legislator • Proposes Laws to Congress • Chooses whether to sign bills into law or veto them • For example…

15. The Many Roles of the President • Chief of Party • He is the undisputed leader and face of the party that helped elect him • Plans future strategy and direction of the party

17. The Many Roles of the President • Chief Citizen • Work to help the public as a whole, rather than private interests • Represent what all American people should be (in terms of character)

21. Qualifications WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD?!?!

22. Qualifications • 35 years old • Natural Born U.S. Citizen • Could be born in another country to an American parent • Resident of the U.S. for 14 years

23. Terms • Pres. serves a 4 year term • Limited to 2 terms by the 22nd Amendment • If V.P. takes over less than half of President’s term, it doesn’t count against him • Thus, most possible years = 10

24. $ Perks $ • Salary of $400,000 per year for life • $50,000 in expenses • Free medical care for life • Live in the White House • Use of Air Force One, Marine One, other transportation

25. Presidential Succession • Constitution originally only provided that when Pres. becomes incapable, V.P. would become “acting president” • 25th Amendment fixed this and other issues

26. Presidential Succession • If president dies, resigns, is impeached, or is temporarily incapable, succession occurs • Pres. can be declared temporarily incapable by himself, or V.P. with a majority of the Cabinet

27. Presidential Succession • Order of Succession • Vice President • Speaker of the House • President Pro-Tempore • Secretary of State • Each Cabinet Dept. Secretary in the order they were created

28. But what if I die?!?!

29. Vice-Presidential Succession • If V.P. dies or resigns, president picks a new one • Majority of both houses of Congress must approve

30. What Does the Veep Do? • Take over if the Pres. dies • Preside over the Senate • These 2 jobs take no time, and allow Dick Cheney to spend time shooting old men in the face

31. So What do They Really Do? Reagan didn’t let me do anything. • They do whatever the president lets them do

32. How to Pick a V.P. • Balance the Ticket – pick a guy with qualities that will draw voters you wouldn’t

33. President Reagan From California (West Coast) Very conservative Idea man – not concerned with details (big picture) Vice-President Bush From Connecticut (East Coast) Moderate conservative Technocrat – obsessed with nuance/details Example of Balancing the Ticket

34. Presidential Selection • Constitution says – “president shall be chosen by a number of electors” • These electors are the electoral college

35. Because you’re an idiot. Why not by average citizens like me?

36. Original Plan The Election of 1800 • Each elector gets 2 votes • 1st Place becomes president • 2nd Place becomes vice-president • Then, a crisis occurs…

37. The Election of 1800 • Political Parties had just appeared • Jefferson and Burr – Democratic Republicans • Adams and Pinckney – Federalists • Each elector casts his 2 ballots for his party’s 2 candidates

38. The Election of 1800 • Final Result: • Thomas Jefferson - 73 • Aaron Burr - 73 • John Adams - 65 • Charles Pinckney - 64 • John Jay - 1

39. The Election of 1800 • Burr had run intending to become Jefferson’s Vice, then realized he had a legitimate claim to win! • Took 36 votes in the House of Reps. to settle the dispute and pick Jefferson

40. The 12th Amendment Darn straight, they did. • Requires presidential and V.P. elections to be separate

41. The Nominating Process • Candidates must win a majority of delegates at the party convention • Each state gets delegates at the convention based on the number of electoral college votes, plus a bonus for states loyal to the party • Each state has a different method of awarding delegates

42. State’s Options – How to Vote • Primary Election – election among the public to choose a nominee • Open Primary – all eligible voters may vote • Closed Primary – only party members may vote

43. State’s Options – How to Vote • Caucus – meeting of party members to debate and vote

44. State’s Options – How to Award Delegates • Winner-Take-All – winner of the state’s contest gets all of the state’s delegates • Proportional Representation – Each candidate gets delegates equal to the % of the vote they got

45. The Convention • Delegates “vote” – everyone knows who will win • President officially nominates his running mate

46. General Election • General Election – one candidate from each party run against each other for the presidency

47. General Election • Each state sets requirements for how a party gets qualified to be on the ballot

48. General Election • Traditionally, the Republican and Democratic Candidates will debate each other at least once

49. General Election • Winner of the election is determined by a majority of electoral college votes (270 out of a possible 538)

50. General Election • Electoral College is winner-take-all – whoever gets a plurality(not a majority) in the state gets all the state’s electoral college votes