The President of the USA

1. The President of the USA

2. The office of the President One ofthe most powerfulofficesofitskindintheworld. Thepresident, theConstitutionsays, must "take care thatthelawsbefaithfullyexecuted." To carryoutthisresponsibility, thepresidentpresidesovertheexecutivebranchofthefederalgovernment (about 4 millionpeople, including1millionactive-dutymilitarypersonnel)

4. Requirements Who can become the President? “No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States… shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.” The Constitution, Article II, Section One

5. Election • Election every 4 years. • Inauguration Day – taking the oath: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

6. Presidential oath • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cESC0RaVnM&list=PLF6C5ABE020EE90E7

7. The Presidents • http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/the-presidents

8. Powers of the President Executive Legislative Judicial

9. Executive powers • head of the government • nominates — and the Senate confirms — the heads of all executive departments and agencies, together with hundreds of other high-ranking federal officials. • responsible for preparing the budget of the United States, although the Congress must approve it

10. Executive powers cont. Withintheexecutivebranchitself, thepresidenthasbroadpowers to managenationalaffairsandtheworkingsofthefederalgovernment. Thepresidentcanissuerules, regulations, andinstructionscalledexecutiveorders, whichhavethebindingforceoflawuponfederalagencies but do notrequirecongressionalapproval.

11. Military powers • Commander-in-chief of the armed forces • In times of war or national emergency, the Congress may grant the president even broader powers to manage the national economy and protect the security of the United States.

12. Legislative powers The president can veto any bill passed by Congress and, unless two-thirds of the members of each house vote to override the veto, the bill does not become law. May propose legislation to Congress - In annual and special messages to Congress, the president may propose legislation he believes is necessary. May call Congress for special session

13. Judicial powers May appoint important public officials. Presidential nomination of federal judges, including members of the Supreme Court, is subject to confirmation by the Senate. Another significant power is that of granting a full or conditional pardon to anyone convicted of breaking a federal law — except in a case of impeachment.

14. Powers in foreign affairs • Under the Constitution, the president is the federal official primarily responsible for the relations of the USA with foreign nations. The president appoints ambassadors, ministers, and consuls (subject to confirmation by the Senate) and receives foreign ambassadors and other public officials. With the secretary of state, the president manages all official contacts with foreign governments.

15. What can remove the President from office? Death Impeachment Inability (when Vice President takes over)

16. Grounds for impeachment Treason Bribery Other crimes and misdemeanors Article II, Section Four

17. Impeachment • Removing an official from office requires two steps: (1) a formal accusation, or impeachment, by the House of Representatives, and (2) a trial and conviction by the Senate. • Impeachment requires a majority vote of the House; conviction is more difficult, requiring a two-thirds vote by the Senate.

18. Who has been impeached? Andrew Johnson in 1868 – one voteshort Richard Nixon in 1974 -resigned Bill Clinton in 1998 None convicted

20. Johnson’s impeachment • The political backing to begin impeachment proceedings against the president came when Johnson breached the Tenure of Office Act by removing Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War, from the cabinet. The Tenure of Office Act, passed over Johnson's veto in 1867, stated that a president could not dismiss appointed officials without the consent of Congress. • Johnson believed the Tenure of Office Act was unconstitutional

21. President Johnson was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 24, 1868 and the Senate tried the case in a trial that lasted from March to May 1868. In the end, the Senate voted to acquit President Andrew Johnson by a margin of 35 guilty to 19 not guilty - one vote short of the two-thirds needed to convict.In a 1926 case, the Supreme Court declared that the Tenure of Office Act had been invalid.

23. Nixon – TheWatergatecase • After five men hired by Nixon's reelection committee were caught burglarizing Democratic party headquarters at the Watergate Complex on June 17, 1972, President Nixon's subsequent behavior—his cover-up of the burglary and refusal to turn over evidence—led the House Judiciary Committee to issue three articles of impeachment on July 30, 1974.

24. The document also indicted Nixon for illegal wiretapping, misuse of the CIA, perjury, bribery, obstruction of justice, and other abuses of executive power. • Nixon resigned from office on August 9, 1974

25. Nixon’s resignationspeech • http://www.history.com/videos/richard-nixons-resignation-speech#richard-nixons-resignation-speech

27. Clinton’s impeachment • Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States, was impeached by the House of Representatives on two charges, one of perjury and one of obstruction of justice, on December 19, 1998. Two other impeachment articles, a second perjury charge and a charge of abuse of power, failed in the House. The charges arose from the Lewinsky scandal and the Paula Jones lawsuit.

28. Outcome • He was acquitted by the Senate on February 12, 1999. Requiring a two-thirds majority for a conviction, only 50 senators (out of 100) voted guilty on the obstruction charge and 45 on the perjury charge. The Senate was 17 votes short of removing Clinton from office

29. The process of impeachment The House of Representatives passes by vote Articles of Impeachment The Senate tries all impeachments Presiding officer is the Vice President If the President is impeached, presiding officer is Chief Justice

30. Thank you for your attention!