UNIT 4: THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
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Presidential Powers
The Constitution says surprisingly little about presidential powers 1. Military Powers: Commander and Chief of the Armed Forces 2. Executive Powers: appoints heads of executive departments (Especially his cabinet and other top officials) 3. Foreign Policy Powers: the president makes treaties, meets with heads of state, hosts foreign officials, and appoint ambassadors to represent the U.S. in foreign nations
1 Presidential Powers
4. Judicial powers: appoints federal court judges and pardons people convicted of federal crimes 5. Legislative Powers: Most important job as the president is to ensure that the laws are “faithfully executed” Delivers annual State of the Union message to Congress Proposes legislation
Presidential Terms
Originally, the Constitution did not specify term limits, but Washington set a precedent of two terms After FDR broke that tradition and was elected for four terms, that changed nd 22 Amendment (1951)- two terms/10 years
2 It’s Good to be Chief!
$400,000 a year plus $100,000 for expenses Air Force One, planes, helicopters, and limou sines Free medical, dental and health care Live in the White House Have a staff to cook, clean, and do whatever they need or want Lifet ime pension
Air Force One Facts
There are two planes in this fleet
“While on the aircraft, the PresidentPresident and staffstaff have access to a full range of services, including communications systems, secure and non-secure voice, fax and data communications, along with access to photocopying, printing, and word processing.”
85 telephones, 19 televisions, in-flight refueling, freezer holds about 2,000 meals, ready to operate medical facility and an on- board doctor
3 4 Qualifications
1. NATURAL born citizen
2. At least 35 years o ld
3. Resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years ***other, unwritten qualifications – political experience, best chances are to have been a state senator or state governor, access to serious money and be a moderate on most issues ***white, male, wealthy, married, and Protestant also seems to be typical qualifications!
Presidential Succession
4 presidents have died by bullets, 4 have died of natural causes while in office th 25 Amendment (1967) – seen as necessary after JFK’s assassination in 1963 – this amendment sets forth that the VP becomes pres if pres dies and that the pres can nominate a VP if the VP resigns or dies First used during Nixon’s term when his Vice President resigned in 1973 and he nominated Gerald Ford as his V.P.
5 Presidential Succession (order)
Vice President Attorney General
SkSpeaker of the House Secretary of the IIinterior
President pro tempore of Secretary of Agriculture
the Senate Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of State Secretary of Labor
Secretary of the Treasury Secretary of Health & Secretary of Defense Human Services
What does the VP do?
1. President of the Senate 2. He helps decide whether the president is disabled and acts as president in cases when this happens (health reasons, was shot, etc.) 3. Mostly, his duties have depended on what the president gives him to do!
6 Electing the President
Let’s watch a video on the Electoral College! Electoral College- compromise agreed on at the Constitutional Convention Each state chooses electors (as many as Representatives and Senators) that cast votes for the president –the president is NOT popularly elected 12th Amendment- parties must cast separate ballots for president and vice president
Reflection Questions from Video
What is the constitutional basis for the Electoral College and why was the system put in place? What is the common strategy to get to 270, and what role do “safe” and “swing” states play? How is a president chosen when none of the candidates receives a majority of the electoral college vote? Why did the 2000 election reenergize critique of the Electoral College? Are you satisfied with the current system?
7 The Electoral College Today
In reality, a vote for the Republican candidate is a vote for a repp(ublican elector (there are a total of 538 electors) The District of Columbia gets 3 electors In all states except Maine and Nebraska it is a winner-take-all system Election of president: the Tuesday after the first Monday in November Electoral College does not meet until the Monday after the second Wednesday in December Only a very few electors have not gone with the state’s wishes
Election 2008
8 Inauguration
Occurs at noon on January 20th in the year following the presidential election
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court administers the Oath of Office
The Cabinet
Established to act as advisors to the president Each nominee for Secretary of each cabinet position must be approved by the Senate Secretaries need to show geographic balance, as well as gender and race representation They need to be politically acceptable to all, but political patronage and loyalty are also consideration http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/cabinet
9 The Executive Office
The nine areas of the Executive Office provide more direct advice to the president, in many cases, than his cabinet
These are to help organize and execute the many programs of the executive who employ experts in many complex fields, like science
White House Staff
These are appointed WITHOUT consent from the Senate
These tend to be long supporters/friends of the president
chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, White House counsel and the press secretary (think West Wing)
The staff range from specialists in certain areas to political strategists and to see that the president’s wishes are carried out
10 The President’s Cabinet
Defense – Chuck Hagel
State – JhJohn Kerry
Treasury – Jack Lew
Interior – Sally Jewell
Justice – Attorney General Eric Holder
Agriculture – Thomas Vilsack
Commerce – Rebecca Blank
Labor – Seth Harris
The President’s Cabinet
HUD – Shaun Donovan
TiTransportation – Ray LLHdaHood
Energy – Steven Chu
Health and Human Services – Kathleen Sebelius
Education – Arne Duncan
Veterans Affairs – Eric Shinseki
Homeland Security – Jeh Johnson
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