The Executive Branch

1. The Executive Branch The President The Cabinet and The Bureaucracy

2. Formal Qualifications • Found in Article II of Constitution • Natural Born Citizen • At least 35 Years of Age • Residency for at least 14 years

3. Term of Office • Four Years • Maximum of Two elected Term • 22nd Amendment formalized two terms, after FDR’s 4 terms • Possible to serve 10 years if VP becomes president after midpoint in a president’s term of office

4. Compensation & Benefits • $400,000 tax free salary • $50,000 a year expense account • $100,000 per year travel account • Live in White house with secret service protection • Camp David Country Estate • Air Force One plane at disposal • Staff of 400-500

5. Succession • 1. President • 2. Vice President (VP nominates new VP- confirmed by Congress) • 3. Speaker of House • 4. Senate President Pro Tempore • 5. Secretary of State • If president disabled 25th amendment applies (VP becomes acting President)

6. Presidential Roles:Chief Legislator • Proposes legislation • Vetoes Legislation • Calls special session of Congress • Check on President: Congress need not pass suggested legislation • Congress can override veto with 2/3rd majority

7. Presidential Roles:Commander in Chief • Head of armed forces - This insures the civilian control of the army, navy, air force, and marines • Checks on President: • Congress declares war • Congress appropriates funds for the military

8. Presidential Roles:Chief Executive • Enforces laws, treaties, and court decisions • Appoints and fires officials to office • Issues executive orders - A rule or regulation that has force of law Checks: Congress has power of purse and lawmaking, Senate can reject appointments, impeachment • Supreme Court can strike down executive orders

9. Presidential Roles:Chief of State • Largely ceremonial role • We have no monarch, so President plays this role.

10. Presidential Roles:Chief Jurist • Appoints Federal judges • Issues pardons and amnesty • Checks: Senate can reject judicial appointments

11. Presidential Roles:Chief Diplomat • Sets overall foreign policy • Appoints and receives ambassadors • Negotiates treaties and executive agreements - An international agreement made, without senate ratification • Gives diplomatic recognition to foreign governments • Checks: Congress app. Funds for foreign affairs and can reject ambassadors and treaties

12. Emergency Power and Executive Privilege • Emergency Power- An inherent power exercised by President during period of national crisis • Executive privilege- The right of executive officials to withhold information from or refuse to appear before a legislative committee

13. Non-Constitutional roles • President uses “Bully Pulpit” to talk to the American people about important issues • Head of political party • Chief Economist: proposes federal budget, although Congress can alter it

14. Executive Branch Groups • Office of Management and Budget (OMB) - prepares annual budget and reviews federal programs • National Security Council: Coordinates foreign and military policy • Council of Economic Advisors: Advisory group on economic policy

15. The Cabinet • Heads of Cabinet Departments • Also Includes: CIA, OMB Director, Dir. Of Homeland Security • Each appointed by President with Senate’s consent

16. The Vice President • Two constitutional duties: • Become president or acting president if President is unable to serve • Presides over Senate, voting only in case of ties

17. The Bureaucracy • These are the departments and agencies that are part of the Executive Branch. • Sometimes the Bureaucracy is called the fourth part of government

18. Growth of Bureaucracy • In 1789 three departments: State, Treasury, and Attorney General • Today 15 cabinet departments , each with a Secretary appointed by the President • 2.7 million employees of the federal bureaucracy - most are civil servants

19. Political Appointees • Political Appointees - 10% of employees in Bureaucracy • Mainly top spots in departments • Often rewarded for role in political campaigns • Often have temporary positions for duration of administration

20. Civil Service • 90% civil servants - Career employees of government • Before civil Service people awarded positions in “spoils system” as favors from politicians • Civil Service established by Pendelton Act in 1883 to have employees chosen by merit • Employees pass competitive examinations

21. Theories of Bureaucracy • Weber’s view: bureaucracies part of complex society societies: • 1. Hierarchical structure - pyramid • 2. Job specialization • 3. Formalized rules • Acquisitive view - Bureaucrats are trying to increase their power • Monopolistic view- economists view bureaucracies as inefficient because they don’t face competition

22. Independent Agencies • In addition to the cabinet departments, there are a number of agencies who answer to the president. • Example, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

23. Independent Regulatory Agencies • Independent of all 3 parts of government • Appointed by President, but don’t answer to Pres. • Examples, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

24. Agency Capture • Critics of this structure say that these agencies are often “captured” by the industries that they are designed to regulate. • For example, Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) influenced by business

25. Regulation vs. Deregulation • Conservatives argue that private industry functions better when the government “deregulates” eg. Reagan Administration • Conservatives favor privatization, whereby previous government functions taken over by private industry. • Liberals argue that the market needs strong government regulation to keep it in check- eg. Roosevelt ad. • We are currently entering a new period of regulation.

26. Iron Triangles • Close relationship between interest groups, federal agencies,and congressional committees • For example, 1. Social Security Administration 2. AARP 3. House Committee on Social Security have strong influence on policy

27. Issue networks • Looser than iron triangles but include Congress, lobbyists, and academics with interest in policy • They form and disband • More fluid and less stable than iron triangles.