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Chapter 14

Chapter 14. The Presidency. Presidential Qualifications. Oh hey there Chandler…. I’m 100% sure that I am not old enough at the moment. 35 years old Natural born citizen Lived in U.S. for 14 years Male Religious (Christian) Dominantly white

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Chapter 14

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  1. Chapter 14 The Presidency

  2. Presidential Qualifications Oh hey there Chandler…. I’m 100% sure that I am not old enough at the moment • 35 years old • Natural born citizen • Lived in U.S. for 14 years • Male • Religious (Christian) • Dominantly white • Educational backgrounds in political science, law, History • Previous political background experience (governor, senator, representative, etc.)

  3. Presidency 101 • Presidents v. Prime Ministers • Prime ministers = elected BY the legislature (majority party driven) • Presidents = elected by the people • Presidents are “OUTSIDERS” • Not a part of the “Washington mess” • Only 13% were legislators • Majority were governors, military leaders, & VPs

  4. Presidency 101 • Presidents and Cabinet Members • CONSTITUTION no members of congress in cabinet! • Personal friends, campaign aides, important constituency representatives, policy experts • Presidents and the Legislature • Divided government: President party is opposing party to one or both chambers of Congress (often the case) • Unified government: President party is the same party as both chambers of Congress Divided & Unified Government

  5. White House & Congress Gridlock: inability of government to act or pass legislation because of divided govt. and party polarization • Gridlock exists in BOTH divided AND unified governments • Based off of party ideology (pres. & legislators) • Party politicians do not always feel or view the same on issues • Gridlock is not ALWAYS bad • Direct result of representative democracy * people vote for reps of districts, but not 100% accurate of the represented area MD in Congress

  6. The Presidents

  7. The Presidents • To the Oval Office • Electoral College (270 to win) - 538 total electoral votes (state reps + 2 senators) - population based • Term of 4 years • 1951 - 22ndAmendment limited terms (2) • House of Reps elects president if no majority • Succession (death, resignation, removal, 25th amend. indications) • Vice president House Speaker Secretary of State cabinet positions in order. • 25th Amendment: VP becomes acting president if the VP and president’s cabinet determine that the president is “disabled”

  8. The Presidents Succession (death, resignation, removal, 25th amend. indications) • Vice president House Speaker Secretary of State cabinet positions in order. • 25th Amendment: VP becomes acting president if the VP and president’s cabinet determine that the president is “disabled” 20th Amendment: - Jan. 20th = end term date of current presidency * lame duck session at end of presidential term where president lacks ability to persuade Congress to act or pursue new goals - January 21st = start date of new president

  9. SUCCEEDED PRESIDENTS

  10. The Presidents • How They Can Be Removed • Impeachment • Impeachment = accusation, requiring a majority vote in the House. • Charges may be brought for “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” • If impeached, the president is tried by the Senate with the Chief Justice presiding. • Only two presidents have been impeached: Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton ** neither were convicted or recalled from office

  11. President: CONSTITUTION Article II Section 2: Powers of the President

  12. President: CONSTITUTION Article II Section 2&3: Roles of the President • Commander-in-Chief - key military decisions (troops, use of weapons, war strategies • Head of State - represents the nation (figure head) and performs ceremonial roles • Economic Planner - creating national budget (program spending) • Chief Diplomat - directs foreign policy, hosts foreign leaders, appoints secretary of state • Chief Executive - director/Authority of running the country • Chief Legislator - propose laws to congress • Party Leader – NOT referenced in Constitution, but PERSUADES/ “influences” his party in Congress!

  13. Presidential Powers • The Expansion of Power • Presidents may develop new roles for and expand power of the office. • 1973 War Powers Resolution: - notify Congress within 48 hours of troop deployment - troops in combat 60 days, 30 day withdrawal - must have Congress declare war after time period • Perspectives on Presidential Power • During the 1950’s and 1960’s people favored a powerful president. • By the 1970’s, presidential power was checked and distrusted by the public.

  14. RUNNING THE GOVERNMENT:Chief Executive • Vice President • Basically “waits” for things to do • Power has grown over time, as recent presidents have given their VPs important jobs • Vote in the Senate in the event if a tie • The Cabinet • Presidential advisors, NOT in Constitution • Made up of 14 cabinet secretaries and one Attorney General, appointed & confirmed by the Senate

  15. RUNNING THE GOVERNMENT: The Chief Executive

  16. Chief Executive: CABINET • 15 “Departments” • “Secretaries” • Usually “in-and-outers” (rotating between federal govt. jobs) • Business leaders, think tanks, university professors, labor unions, law firms, former congressional members • Former Trend • Presidents appt. cabinet members who had strong political following of the public • Recent Trend • Presidents appt. cabinet members who show expertise and experience instead of a political following • Secretaries for the most part operate within their “own” and report to the president….. *Often can be tension between cabinet heads who feel empowered and desire a certain amount of attention from the president.

  17. RUNNING THE GOVERNMENT:The Chief Executive Presides over the administration of government • Today, federal bureaucracy spends $2.5 trillion a year and numbers more than 4 million employees. • Presidents appoint 500 high-level positions and 2,500 lesser jobs. President must “PERSUADE” “There's not a liberal America and a conservative America.There's a United States of America. There's not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America. There's a United States of America.” • Washington D.C./Congressional members *support, buy in, and act on bill measures *2/9/14 powerhouse roundtable • Partisan grassroots activists (outside of Washington) *want president to share their interests & help raise funds • Public *vast and very different  pres. careful not to say too much about issues and major topics Bully Pulpit: president’s use of visibility (media, speeches, etc.) to excite, enthuse, and persuade the public

  18. Presidential Popularity & Approval • Obama • Approval Trends • “Honeymoon” stage where public enjoys the president first term in office • President ratings drop over term length • NOT much connection to presidential favoring & congressional elections *party weakening & decreasing party loyalty *trend in public’s disapproval of previous party majority Presidential Ratings

  19. Presidential Popularity & Approval • Presidential Success & Approval • personal character personal popularity influence on WHAT/HOW MUCH Congress passes and gets done • Passing of large item bills • NOT taking stances on controversial issues • Passing of favored bills *handling of crises = can be positive or negative! Bush and 9/11 (57% initial approval  90% 9/11 approval)

  20. Presidential Popularity & Approval • Influences on Popularity & Approval INCREASE (+) • “good” economy • low unemployment, high GDP, consumer spending • peace time • law passing • congressional behavior = active DECREASE (-) • scandals • “bad” economy * high unemployment, low GDP, low consumer spending • war • congressional behavior = gridlock and “do nothing”

  21. Presidential Influence • Constitution  power of the presidential veto • Veto message: president rejects a bill within 10 days • Pocket veto: president does not sign a bill within the 10 days and Congress has adjourned (no law) • Line-Item-Veto: rejecting certain/specific measures of a bill(NOT allowed by president) Washington – Clinton = 2,500+ vetoes & only 4 were overridden!

  22. Presidential Influence • “Executive privilege” • NOT in Constitution • Presidential withholding of information & communication from Congress • Watergate (U.S. v. Nixon 1974 ) president can receive secret advice, but is not excused under criminal investigation. • Impoundment of Funds • NOT in Constitution that presidents must spend all money allocated by Congress. • Traces back through most presidents • Nixon 1972 – attempted to reduce federal spending • Budget Reform (Control) Act 1974: President MUST spend all appropriated funds or notify Congress for them to make changes in 45 days President can delay funds, but Congress can order the immediate release of funds

  23. Presidential Influence • Signing statements: presidential writings & expression of feelings on a new law and HOW it should be implemented Obama Signing Statements Reagan 71 H.W. Bush 141 Clinton 105 G.W. Bush 150+ and challenged 1,200 sections of legislation • Congress views just as unequal as line-item-vetoes • Allows president to influence the parts he likes about it and parts that he views unconstitutional

  24. Presidential Influence • Executive Order: order/demand made by president that help agencies and officers with operations in the federal government • NOT in Const. (president shall "take care that the Laws be faithfully executed.” Art. II, Sec3) • have force of law • cannot be unconst. (review by S.C.) *Expand presidential power! Obama Executive Orders

  25. Office of the President • Executive office = HUGE and hard to manage • Structure of White House Office • West Wing and Chief of Staff = closest people to the president (very small offices) • Hired and fired at presidents will G.W. Bush = 400+ staff members and $34.5 million • Cabinet members must be confirmed by Senate

  26. Office of the President • Pyramid: assistants report to hierarchy  chief of staff  president *orderly flow *can cause loss of info. • Circular: assistants & cabinet secretaries  directly to president *president gets proper info *confusion/chaos • Ad hoc: assistants, cabinet secretaries, groups, committees discuss  directly to president *flexibility & more ideas *can cut president off from heads

  27. Office of the Presidency • Reorganizing the Executive Branch • EVERY president has known to do • Caused by the “overwhelmingness” of the number of agencies and the chaos that gets reported to him • President’s attempts to get things done *put the right people into position *easier to create new agency than abolish another or pass a law • Must have congressional approval (reorg. plan) within 60 days

  28. Office of the President • Agencies • NOT located in the White House • Report directly to the president and perform staff services • Appointed by president, confirmed by Senate OMB (Office of Management and Budget) DNI (Director of National Intelligence) CEA (Council of Economic Advisors) OPM (Office of Personnel Management) Office of U.S. Trade Representative * Many agencies tend to be their own bureaucracies! Ex. OMB = 500+ members

  29. Office of the President • Executive Agencies • Appointed by president, confirmed by Senate • Can be removed by president at any time • No terms • Independent Agencies • Appointed by president, confirmed by Senate • Serve for fixed terms (varied)

  30. President’s Platform/Program PRESIDENT HAS BEEN ELECTED……. NOW, WRITE A PROGRAM! • Interest Groups • Specific plans/ideas • Can be biased/narrow minded • Aides & Campaign Advisors • Can test new ideas to see public reaction • Not many ideas to test & inexperience • Federal Bureaucracies & Agencies • Will know what is “doable” • Agencies promote own interests • Outside, Academic, Specialists, & Experts • General ideas and can critique existing programs • May not know policy details

  31. How Powerful is the President? • Expansion Various influences as chief legislator, commander-in-chief, chief executive (signing agreements, command of troops, executive orders, & appointments) • Limitations • Checks and balances (override veto, judicial review, impeachment) • Congress = “power of the purse” and can defund programs • Congress = declare war • Congress = pure lawmaking power • Legislative veto: Originated as simple AND concurrent resolutions (1 chamber or 2 chambers approved) Power of congress to reject presidential action *first intended to limit president’s reorganization of branch (creation and abolishment of executive agencies) *expired 1981 & declared unconstitutional in 1983 because it violated the “bicameralism” of the lawmaking nature of congress!

  32. President’s Platform/Program • How to Develop 1. Program on “Everything” - research and learn issues, develop a position on, state position on large number of issues 2. Program on 3-4 Initiatives - leave all other issues up to the executive office *importance of “leaks” and trial balloons *president must be careful to not take specific stands on the controversial issues  risk of disapproval

  33. President’s Platform/Program • Constraints • Time and Attention Span Limits *hard to “do it all” and determine WHAT issues to focus on *must communicate and spend time with Congress *average of 400-600 bills that Congress passes that need president’s attention • Unexpected Crisis *forces president to respond and take action • Federal Govt., Federal Budgets = hard to change *requires congressional approval

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