By: Eve Nam & Kathy Hu Period 7

1. EXECUTIVE BRANCHIV. INSTITUTIONS OF NATIONAL GOVERNMENT: The Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Federal Courts (35-45%) By: Eve Nam & Kathy Hu Period 7

2. Executive Branch • sole authority • daily administration of the state • Consists of: • President • Vice president • 15 cabinet-level executive department

3. President • Head of state • Commander-in-Chief of armed forces • Responsible for enforcing laws written by congress • Appoints the heads • Power to: • Sign legislation • Veto bills • negotiate and sign treaties • Extend pardons and clemencies for federal crimes • 3 Qualifications for the presidency: • At least 35 years old • Natural born citizen • Lived in U.S. for 14 years • Informal Duties • Fulfills critical advisory role • Leader of his party; supporting candidates and the platform • National focal point during times of emergency and crisis • Works face-to-face with international leaders • Representing goals of a nation

4. Vice President • Be ready to assume the Presidency if President is unable to perform his duties • Elected by electoral college • Serves as president of the United States Senate

5. The Cabinet • Made up of heads of the 15 executive departments • Department of Agriculture • Department of Commerce • Department of Defense • Department of Education • Department of Energy • Department of Health and Human Services • Department of Homeland Security • Department of Housing and Urban Development • Department of the Interior • Department of Justice • Department of Labor • Department of State • Department of Transportation • Department of Treasury • Department of Veterans Affairs • Appointed by the president, confirmed by the state • Run major federal agencies

6. Relationship between Congress • Members of the executive branch can not be in congress • Equal under the constititution • The relationship changes every single day • In times of peace and prosperity, congress has been the more dominant institution • In times of war and danger, the executive branch is the dominant branch

7. Relationship with the Bureaucracy • Most of the departments are in the executive branch • President can appoint and remove agency heads; reorganize the bureaucracy • Make choices in budget proposals • Issue executive orders • Reduce and agency’s budget

8. Relationship between the Federal Courts • President appoints federal judges with “advice and consent” of senate • Usually consults senators or other elected officials concerning candidates for vacancies on federal courts • Department of Justice is most frequent litigator in federal court system

9. Public opinion and voting • Public Opinion: • ways that citizens of a republic evaluate leaders, candidates, issues or institutions that control the laws and government • Critical to the ability of the leadership to have supporters and voters willing to follow the laws • Voting • Parties pay careful attention to what voters want • Leaders adjust priorities based on what is on voters’ minds • Voters’ level of accuracy have given them power

10. Interest GROUPS • Exist to sway political leadership in order to have their issues heard • Allow citizens to: • Network • Fight for common goals • Influence government • Help members • Types of interest groups • Material Goals Group • Form in order to serve the needs of members • Issue Groups • Large numbers of people join together to help create changes or solutions • Ideological Groups • Organization comprised of voters of a given political persuasion to push groups’ overall agenda • Public Interest Groups • Provide services to the needy

11. POLITICAL PARTIES • Democratic and Republican Parties controls main political landscape in the U.S • Have been able to build coalition that address issues brought forth by growing minorities • Republicans are more focused on states’ rights • Democrats more on the national level

12. The Media • Media coverage shown a tendency toward biased political reporting for different candidates and parties • Supports the government • Level of free speech is severely diminished • Most media venues are owned by multimillion dollar corporations • Members of political parties or candidates use media • Internet as a major new source changes how facts are presented and shared

13. Subnational governments • A governing institution below the national level (state government) • Conduct elections • Select local officials • Select electors • Traditional rights held by the states • Business licenses • Marriage licenses • Legal practice licenses • Professional licenses • Civil laws not involving federal issues • Criminal laws not made federal • Education rules