The Executive Branch in the USA

1. The Executive Branch in the USA

2. Revision Answer the following questions: • How can American federalism be defined? • When was the US Constitution adopted? • Which important principles did the Constitution establish • Which are national, state and concurrent powers? • What is the importance of the Tenth Amendment? • Which powers are granted to Congress?

3. Vocabulary revision Translate the following phrases: • allocation of powers • concurrent powers • to declare war • bicameral legislator

4. allocation of powers – dodjela ovlasti • concurrent powers – zajedničke (paralelne) ovlasti • to declare war – objaviti rat • bicameral legislator – dvodomno zakonodavno tijelo

5. Complete the text: • Constitutional, American, certain, weak, federal, national, specific, state • Federalism and the federal system define the basic structure of ___________ government. There were many disagreements at the ___________ Convention. Many delegates feared a ____________ government that was too strong and many delegates feared that states' rights would merely continue the _________ form of government under the Articles. The Constitution created a ______________ system of government (federalism) as a compromise. Under federalism, power is shared and divided between national and ___________ governments. Each has ___________ powers unto themselves while they also share _____________ powers.

6. Answer key • Federalism and the federal system define the basic structure of American government. There were many disagreements at the Constitutional Convention. Many delegates feared a national government that was too strong and many delegates feared that states' rights would merely continue the weak form of government under the Articles. The Constitution created a federal system of government (federalism) as a compromise. Under federalism, power is shared and divided between national and state governments. Each has specific powers unto themselves while they also share certain powers.

7. Complete the following statements: • The Virginia plan proposed a ________ state. • The Declaration of Independence was mainly written by _________ in _______. • Bill of Rights is the name for _________________.

8. Answer key • The Virginia plan proposed a unitary state. • The Declaration of Independence was mainly written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776. • Bill of Rights is the name for the first ten amendments to the US Constitution.

9. The Executive Branch in the USA

10. The Executive Branch • The power of the Executive Branch is vested in the President of the United States, who also acts as head of state and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The President is responsible for implementing and enforcing the laws written by Congress and, to that end, appoints the heads of the federal agencies, including the Cabinet.

11. The President One of the most powerful offices of its kind in the world. The president, the Constitution says, must "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." To carry out this responsibility, the president presides over the executive branch of the federal government (about 4 million people, including 1 million active-duty military personnel)

12. 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

13. Inauguration • 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.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdhrulfXib4

14. Elections • Though millions of Americans vote in a presidential election every four years, the President is not, in fact, directly elected by the people. Instead, on the first Tuesday in November of every fourth year, the people elect the members of the Electoral College. Apportioned by population to the 50 states — one for each member of their congressional delegation (with the District of Columbia receiving 3 votes) — these Electors then cast the votes for President. There are currently 538 electors in the Electoral College. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok_VQ8I7g6I

15. Powers of the President Executive Legislative Judicial

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

17. Executive orders Within the executive branch itself, the president has broad powers to manage national affairs and the workings of the federal government. The president can issue rules, regulations, and instructions called executive orders, which have the binding force of law upon federal agencies but do not require congressional approval.

18. 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.

19. Powers in foreign affairs • Under the Constitution, the president is the federal official primarily responsible for the relations of the United States with foreign nations. Presidents appoint ambassadors, ministers and consuls - subject to confirmation by the Senate - and receive foreign ambassadors and other public officials. With the secretary of state, the president manages all official contacts with foreign governments.

20. 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

21. 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.

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

23. Read the text and complete the following paragraph. • The president can veto any bill passed by Congress and, unless two-thirds in each house vote to _____________ the veto, the bill does not become law. The Constitution grants the president 10 days to ___________ a measure passed by the Congress. If the president has not ______________ the bill after 10 days, it becomes law without his signature. However, if Congress _____________ during the 10-day period, the bill does not become law, which is known as pocket veto.

24. Part Two Impeachment

25. Grounds for impeachment Treason Bribery Otherhighcrimesandmisdemeanors Article II, SectionFour

26. Impeachment procedure • The House of Representatives passes by vote Articles of Impeachment (an indictment) • The Committee drafts articles of impeachment pertaining to specific charges • The Senate tries all impeachments • Presiding officer is the Vice President, but if the President is impeached, presiding officer is Chief Justice • After hearing all the evidence and closing arguments, the Senate deliberates and votes in open session whether to convict or acquit

27. Read the text about modern impeachment procedure (p.110-111) and match the verbs in the left column with the nouns in the right column:

28. Impeached presidents Andrew Johnson in 1868 Richard Nixon in 1974 (resignedfromofficedue to theWatergateaffair) Bill Clinton in 1998 None ofthemwasconvicted

29. Impeachment of A. Johnson • 1868, the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Andrew Johnson for dismissing his Secretary of War Stanton against the order of the Tenure of Office Act which had passed in 1867. He became the first president to be impeached while in office. • Upon impeachment, the Senate is required to vote to decide if a president should be removed from office. The Senate voted against removing Johnson by only one vote. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N466WTClpe4

30. Impeachment of B. Clinton • 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. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxOp0yIyISc • Clinton was acquitted by the Senate on February 12, 1999. With a two-thirds majority required for conviction (i.e., 67 senators), only 45 senators (out of 100) voted guilty on the perjury charge and 50 on the obstruction charge. Clinton was, thus, 17 votes shy of being removed from office on the latter charge

31. R. Nixon • Nixon’s resignation speech: • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEOGJJ7UKFM

32. R. Nixon • Read the Articles of Impeachment against Richard Nixon (p. 111- 112) and summarise the grounds for his impeachment!

33. Complete the table with words from the text and their related forms.

34. Complete the following paragraph with the words from the list below: the Constitution, administration, the laws, oath, conduct, powers Using the ___________ of the office of President of the UnitedStates, Richard M. Nixon, in violation of his constitutional ___________ faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend _______________ of the United States, and in disregard of his constitutional duty to take care that the ________ be faithfully executed, has repeatedly engaged in conduct violating the constitutional ___________ of citizens, impairing the due and proper _______________ of justice and the __________________ of lawful inquiries.

35. Read Article I carefully and match the verbs in the left column with the nouns in the right column.

36. Thank you for your attention!