The Presidency

1. Executive Branch 13 The Presidency

2. The Presidency 13.1 • The constitution establishes the President’s roles as chief of state, chief executive, chief administrator, chief diplomat, commander in chief and chief legislator • The president's roles of chief of party and chief citizen developed over time • The constitution requires the President to be a natural born citizen, at least 35 years old, and a U.S. resident for at least 14 years • The 22nd amendment limits a president to 2 full terms and no more than 10 years

3. Let’s talk about the Electoral college…. • Every state has a certain amount of votes (called electoral votes) based on population • The number of House seats + the number of Senate seats (2)= the electoral vote for your state • If a candidate has the popular vote, he may not necessarily win the electoral vote *Pres. Bush v. Al Gore

4. Presidential Succession And the Vice Presidency 13.2

5. Facts • If a president dies/resigns/removed from office, presidential power and duties transfer to the VP • The 25th amendment officially makes the VP the President’s successor • Congress fixed the order of succession after the VP with the presidential succession act of 1947 • The constitution lists only 2 formal duties of the VP: preside overs the Senate and help decide presidential disability • The succession order is as follows: • VP • Speaker of the House • President Pro Term of the Senate • Secretary of State • Other cabinet heads

6. 13.3 The Framers Plan

7. 13.3 The Framers Plan • The Framers determined that electors selected by each State would cast 2 votes each for different candidates for President. • The election of 1800 introduced party nomination of candidates, pledged electors, and electoral votes cast as pledged • The 12th amendment requires electors to vote separately for President and VP • The rise of political parties created a need to alter the Framers electoral plan

8. 13.4 Presidential Nominations

9. Presidential Nominations Facts • The major parties, not the Constitution , define the nomination process • In primaries and caucuses, party voters express a preference among potential nominees or select delegates to the party’s national convention • At the national conventions, each party adopts a platform, officially selects its presidential and vice presidential candidates , and attempts to unify the party

10. 13.5 The Presidential Election

11. The Presidential Election • Voters do not vote directly for the President, but for presidential electors • In most states, electors are chosen on a winner-take-all basis, so the party with the largest popular vote in a State wins all of that State’s electors • Today’s electors are pledged to vote for their party’s candidate, contrary to the Framer’s intent • Some people say that the electoral college is flawed and are working to reform it

12. 14.2 The Executive Powers

13. The Executive Powers • Article 2 gives the President the power and responsibility to execute the laws • The executive power gives the president a great deal of flexibility in deciding how laws are carried out • Among the President’s key powers are appointing and removing key federal officials • Much of the power of the presidency rests on the discretion the President has in the use of his or her powers to issue executive orders, execute the laws, and appoint key federal officials.

14. 14.3 Diplomatic and Military powers

15. Diplomatic and Military powers • The President negotiates teaties, but the Senate must approve them by a 2/3 rds vote before the president can ratify them • Sovereign states can recognize other states or deny recognition • Presidents have used the armed forces without declaring war and without a congressional resolution • Debate continues over the constitutionality of the War Powers resolution

16. 14.4 Legislative and Judicial Powers

17. Legislative and Judicial Powers • The president’s legislative powers allow him or her considerable influence over the actions of congress • The President’s key legislative powers are to submit legislation for congress to consider and using the veto power, to reject legislation that he or she opposes • The presidential power to issue a pardon or reprieve applies only to federal offenses, but when given and accepted is absolute • The Constitution gives the President strong legislative and judicial powers as a part of the system of checks and balances

18. 15.1 The Federal Bureaucracy

19. The Federal Bureaucracy • A bureaucracy features hierarchical authority, job specialization, and set rules • The federal bureaucracy consists of all agencies, people and procedures through which the gov’t operates, and is the means by which the gov’t makes and administers public policy • The names given to agencies, including commission, administration and corporation, may indicate the nature of the agency • A bureaucratic structure allows gov’t to function properly even through presidential/staff changes

20. 15.2 Executive Office of the President

21. The Executive Office of the President • The Executive Office of the president is a complex organization of separate agencies staffed b the President’s closest advisors and assistants • The White House Office is the nerve center of the EOP and the entire executive branch • The agencies of the EOP, including the Nat’l Security Council and the Office of Mngmt and budget, make sure the President’s policies are being carried out in areas such as trade, the environment, legislation and foreign and domestic affairs • The Executive Office of the president is composed of the president’s closest advisors and several support agencies

22. 15.3 Cabinet departments

23. The Cabinet Departments • The federal administration has been built over time to meet the changing needs of the country • Each executive department manages federal policy in a broad field • The 15 executive department heads make up the Presidents cabinet • The President appoints department heads; the Senate confirms