The President at Work

1. The President at Work Chapter 18 Identify responsibilities of the U.S. President.

2. Key Terms • Executive Order • White House Press Corps • Reprieve • Pardon • Amnesty • Armistice/Cease-Fire • Diplomat • Chief Diplomat • Treaty • Executive Agreements • Power of Recognition • Ambassador • Veto Power • Patronage • Executive Privilege

3. Constitutional Powers • Article II “The Executive Power shall be vested in the President of the United States of America.”

4. Article II Sections 2 & 3 List Specific Presidential Powers • Commander in Chief of the armed forces and the state militias • Appoint heads of executive departments with Senate approval • Grant reprieves and pardons, except in cases of impeachment • Make treaties, with the advice and consent of Senate • Appoint ambassadors, federal court judges, justices of the Supreme court, and other top officials with Senate consent

5. Presidential Powers Continued 6. Deliver the annual State of the Union address to Congress and send other messages to Congress from time to time 7. Call either or both chambers of Congress into special session 8. Receive ambassadors and other representatives from foreign countries 9. Commission all military officers of the United States 10. Ensure that all laws passed by congress are carried out

6. Inherent Powers; • Those not spelled out in the Constitution, but seem to be attached to the office itself. • These powers have simply been assumed by strong presidents and then carried out by their successors

7. Washington • Removed officials from office • Met regularly with cabinet heads • Submitted proposed legislation to Congress (Chief Legislator) • Used troops to put down a rebellion in PA (Commander in Chief) • Made foreign policy without consulting Congress (Chief Diplomat)

8. Lincoln • Suspended certain constitutional liberties • Spent funds not appropriated by Congress • Blockaded Southern ports • Banned “treasonable correspondence” from the U.S. mails • Issued the Emancipation Proclamation • *All done under his role as Commander in Chief

9. Other Presidential Powers • Have access to information sources beyond others • Have access to almost anyone they wish to see • Can determine who gets hired • Guide how federal funds are spent • *The president’s political skills and ability to persuade others also play a significant role in determining presidential powers

10. Military Powers • Presidents have often times used military powers congress has argued were outside their authority • The U.S. has been involved in over 200 military actions, but war has only been declared 5 times • Before U.S. entry into WWII, FDR ordered any German sub in the Western Hemisphere security zone to be shot on sight • Truman ordered American forces into the conflict between North and South Korea • Entered into Vietnam without congressional approval • Bush sent troops to Panama in 1989, the Middle East in 1990, and Somalia in 1992…although did have approval to use American forces to expel Iraq from Kuwait in 1991 • Clinton sent troops to Haiti in 1994 and Bosnia in 1995

11. Executive Orders • An order issued by the president to carry out policies described in laws that have been passed by Congress • Goods rationed • Wage and price controls in emergency • Affirmative action policies • 13,000 executive orders have been issued by U.S. presidents

12. The Media & the Presidency • FDRs “Fireside Chats”-radio broadcasts • Ronald Reagan “the great communicator” • George W. Bush January 16, 1991, more than 100 million viewers watched as American troops were ordered to bomb Iraq • Clinton used the broadcast media to appeal to different groups of Americans: MTV, Larry King Live, etc. • Newspapers & Magazines: many lead with stories on the president • White House Press Corps: a group of reporters assigned to cover the presidency full-time • *The U.S. offers the greatest access to its highest government official

13. Presidential Roles • Chief of State • Chief Executive • Commander in Chief • Chief Diplomat • Chief Legislator • Political Party Leader and Politician • Economic Leader • Chief Citizen and Moral Leader • See charts 18-1 & 18-2

14. Checks on the President’s Power: Congress • Congress can override a presidential veto by 2/3 vote of Congress • Since Washington, only 7% have been overridden • “Power of the Purse”: give or take funding • Impeachment • Congress may impeach the President for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors. • Andrew Johnson was impeached in 1868, removed executive officials without consent of Senate, not-guilty • Nixon resigned before impeachment over Watergate • 1973 War Powers Resolution

15. War Powers Resolution • War Powers Resolution of 1973 aka INS v. Chadha (50 U.S.C.1541–1548) was a United States Congress joint resolution providing that the President can send U.S. armed forces into action abroad only by authorization of Congress or if the United States is already under attack or serious threat. • The War Powers Resolution requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days, with a further 30 day withdrawal period, without an authorization of the use of military force or a declaration of war. • The resolution was passed by two-thirds of Congress, overriding a presidential veto.

16. Amnesty: An official pardon for people who have been convicted of political offenses. • President Carter allowed “draft dodgers” to return to the United States without fear of punishment • Proposed law that would allow no prosecution of illegal aliens in the U.S. for coming here illegally and working under false documents and allowing them to gain green card status • Pardon: The action of forgiving or being forgiven for an error or offense.

17. Patronage • (def): Giving government positions to political party supporters and friends

18. The Electoral College • Votes are distributed by population • Winner takes all in most states EXCEPT Maine and Nebraska • 270 votes are needed to win • If no winner is chosen, the vote goes to the House of Representatives • 538 Total electoral votes • Votes per state equal the number of Representatives in the House plus their 2 senators • D.C. gets 3 votes