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The Presidency

The Presidency. Magruder Chapter 13. The President’s Roles. Chief of State Rules and reigns Chief Executive Vested with immensely broad powers in both domestic and foreign affairs. Chief Administrator Head of one of the largest government machines in the world Chief Diplomat

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The Presidency

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  1. The Presidency Magruder Chapter 13

  2. The President’s Roles • Chief of State • Rules and reigns • Chief Executive • Vested with immensely broad powers in both domestic and foreign affairs

  3. Chief Administrator • Head of one of the largest government machines in the world • Chief Diplomat • Speaks for the nation around the world

  4. Commander-in-Chief • Head of the American military • Chief Legislator • Main architect of public policies • Chief of Party • Leader of his respective party

  5. Chief Citizen • Representative of the people • Each role is played simultaneously and is inseparable from the others

  6. Formal Qualifications • The President must be: • Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 • 35 years of age • Has lived in the United States for at least 14 years • Is a natural-born citizen, or a citizen at the time of the adoption of the US Constitution

  7. The President’s Term of Office • The President is elected for a four-year term • Article II, Section 1, Clause 1 • Originally could serve as long as the Electoral College would elect him • Today, can only be elected to two full terms • Twenty-Second Amendment

  8. Pay and Benefits • The pay of the President • $400,000 per year • Fixed by Congress • Washington paid $25,000 per year • $50,000 taxable expense account • Pension of $181,100 per year • Many other perks.

  9. Presidential Succession

  10. The Constitution and Succession • If the President dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the Vice President succeeds to the office

  11. The Constitution and Succession • The Constitution states: “In case of the removal of the president from office, or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve upon the Vice President.” • Article II, Section 1, Clause 6

  12. The Constitution and Succession • John Tyler took the office in 1841 instead of becoming acting president • 25th Amendment • “In case of the removal of the President from office or his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President”

  13. The Constitution and Succession • Presidential Succession Act of 1792 • President, Vice President, President pro tempore, Speaker of the House • Special Election to fill the Vacancy

  14. The Constitution and Succession • Presidential Succession Act of 1886 • President, Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, etc.

  15. The Constitution and Succession • Presidential Succession Act of 1947 • President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, President pro tempore, Secretary of State, etc.

  16. Presidential Disability

  17. Disability • The Constitution made no provision for the disability of the President • Dwight David Eisenhower had three serious illnesses • James Garfield • Woodrow Wilson

  18. Disability • 25th Amendment meets this problem • Vice President will become acting President • If the President informs Congress in writing that he cannot discharge the powers • The Vice President and a majority of Cabinet inform Congress that the President is incapacitated

  19. The Vice Presidency

  20. The Importance of the Office • The Constitution pays little attention to the office itself • Vice President has only two formal duties • Preside over the US Senate • Article I, Section 3, Clause 4 • Help decide presidential disability • 25th Amendment, Section 3 & 4

  21. The Importance of the Office • The Vice President is only a heartbeat away from the Presidency • Eight presidents have died in office • One president resigned • Vice Presidency has been vacant 18 times • 9 times by succession to President • 2 by resignation, 7 by death

  22. The Importance of the Office • 25th Amendment changes this • When a vacancy occurs, the President will nominate someone who will take the office upon a majority confirmation vote of both houses of Congress • 1973 – Gerald Ford • 1974 – Nelson Rockefeller

  23. The Importance of the Office • President has made the Vice President more important of late • Sits in on Cabinet meetings • Head of NASA • National Security Council • Special Ambassador of President • Still not an assistant President

  24. The Importance of the Office • Basic bottom line is that the President of the United States cannot fire the Vice President

  25. The Electoral College

  26. The Electoral College • Created in Article II of the US Constitution • Not well understood by most people • Combination of the Constitution, a few State and federal laws, and a number of practices born of the nation’s political parties

  27. Original Provisions • Many debated this plan • James Wilson (PA) “this was the most difficult of all on which we had to decide” • Most favored selection by Congress • A few by the people • This would lead to tumult and disorder

  28. Original Provisions • George Mason: “The extent of the country renders it impossible that the people can have the requisite capacity to judge the respective contentions of the candidates.” • Plan that was approved was originally put forward by Alexander Hamilton • The President would be chosen by electors

  29. The College • Each State would have as many presidential electors as it has representatives and senators in Congress • These electors would be chosen in each State in a manner the State legislature directed

  30. The College • The electors, meeting in each State, would each cast two votes – each for a different person for President • The electoral votes would be opened before a joint session of Congress and counted • The person receiving the largest number of votes (if a majority) would become President

  31. The College • The person with the second largest number would become Vice President • If a tie occurred, the President would be elected by the House of Representatives, voting by States • If a tie occurred for the second spot, the Vice President would be chosen by the Senate

  32. The College • The Framers intended the electors to be the “Most enlightened and respectable citizens from each State” • They were to be “free agents” who would be “deliberate freely” in selecting the person’s best qualified to fill the nation’s top two offices.

  33. The Rise of Parties • System works only as long as Washington was President • Only President elected unanimously • In 1796, political parties began to play a role. • John Adams is elected President • Thomas Jefferson is elected Vice President

  34. The Election of 1800 • Each party nominates a presidential and vice presidential candidate • Each party also nominates candidates to serve as electors (would vote for party) • Each of the 73 electors elected voted for Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr • House took 36 ballots to decide on Jefferson

  35. The Election of 1800 • Election marked the introduction of three elements in the nomination of the president • Party nominations for president • Party nominations for electors pledged to vote for the candidate • Automatic casting of electoral votes in line with those pledges

  36. The 12th Amendment • Added in 1804 • Separates election of President and Vice President • The fiasco of 1800 will never happen again

  37. Nominating Candidates Today

  38. Nominations • First method devised to nominate candidates was the Congressional Caucus • Used from 1800 to 1824 • Both parties turned to the nominating convention in 1832 and used it ever since

  39. The Nominating Convention • Largely a creation of the political parties • Constitution is silent on this and have few federal or state laws controlling it • The national committee makes the arrangements for the national convention • Will set the time and date of the convention

  40. The Nominating Convention • Will select the city for the convention • Must have facilities • Gain support of a swing state • Many larger cities bid on a convention • Will make a bundle of money

  41. Apportionment of Delegates • The national committee issues a call for the convention • Tells each state’s party organization how many delegates it is allowed to send. • 1996 • Republicans – 1,990 delegates • Democrats – 4,320 delegates

  42. Really are two campaigns for president • Primaries and election • State laws and/or party rules fix the procedures for picking delegates in each State • Can use primaries, conventions, and caucuses

  43. Presidential Primaries

  44. The Election

  45. The Electoral College Today • One of the least understood parts of the American political process • Constitution provides for the election of the President by the Electoral College • Each State has the same number of electors that it has members of Congress • Founders expected the electors would use their own judgment

  46. The Electoral College Today • Today, the electors are really just a rubber stamp of the popular vote. • They are expected to vote for their party’s candidates. • They go through the form • It is a far cry from the original intent

  47. The Electoral College Today • Electors are chosen by popular vote in every State on the same day • Electors are chosen at large except for Maine and Nebraska (district) • Electors are chosen on a winner-take-all basis • Names of the electors are found on less than one-fourth of the ballots in the US

  48. The Electoral College Today • The electors meet in their respective State capitals on the Monday following the second Wednesday in December • They cast their ballots for President and Vice President • The ballots are signed, sealed, and sent to the President of the Senate

  49. The Electoral College Today • Formal election of the President does not take place until January 6th • Ballots are opened by the President of the Senate and counted before a joint session of Congress • The candidate who receives a majority of Electoral College votes will be the President

  50. The Electoral College Today • The candidate who receives a majority of the Electoral College votes in the vice presidential race will be the vice president. • If no one receives a majority of votes (270 out of 538), the election is thrown into the House of Representatives • House chooses from the top three candidates

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