THE PRESIDENCY

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY INHERENT POWERS – POWERS NOT IN THE CONSTITUTION BUT CLAIMED BY THE PRESIDENT. EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE – THE RIGHT OF THE PRESIDENT TO KEEP SOME SECRETS OF THE GOVERNMENT FROM OTHER BRANCHES. MANDATE – WHEN A PRESIDENT WINS A BIG ELECTION THEY CLAIM THE PUBLIC HAS GIVEN THEM ROOM TO ACT BOLDLY. IMPEACH – ACCUSING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OF WRONG DOING EXECUTIVE ORDER – A RULE ISSUED BY A PRESIDENT WITH THE FORCE OF LAW REPRIEVE – WHEN THE PRESIDENT POSTPONES A PUNISHMENT PARDON – WHEN A PRESIDENT REMOVES THE CRIME AND PUNISHMENT OF A PERSON

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY AMNESTY – WHEN THE PRESIDENT GIVES A PARDON TO A GROUP OF PEOPLE CIVILIAN – NOT PART OF POLICE OR MILITARY TREATY – A FORMAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES OR GOVERNMENTS EXECUTIVE AGREEMENT – AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN TWO LEADERS. DIES WHEN ONE LEADER LEAVES OFFICE FEDERAL RESERVE – THEY RUN THE MONEY AND BANKING SYSTEM POLITICAL PATRONAGE – WHEN ELECTED OFFICIALS GIVE SPECIAL JOBS OR FAVORS TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS. LANDSLIDE – AN ELECTION WHERE ONE SIDE WINS BIG

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION – THE ORDER IN WHICH PEOPLE REPLACE THE PRESIDENT ELECTOR – A PERSON CHOSEN BY THEIR PARTY TO CAST VOTES FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ELECTORAL COLLEGE – THE SYSTEM WE USE TO ELECT THE PRESIDENT. CREATES A SYSTEM OF 50 STATE ELECTIONS PRIMARY – THE SYSTEM THE MAJOR PARTIES USE TO SELECT THEIR CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY CAUCUS – SYSTEM WHERE PARTY MEMBERS SELECT DELEGATES TO VOTE FOR THEM AT A NATIONAL CONVENTION CONVENTION – WHERE THE MAJOR PARTIES NOMINATE THEIR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE – SPECIAL GROUPS SET UP TO RAISE MONEY AND MAKE ADS SUPPORTING CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE.

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION – GROUP WHO IS IN CHARGE OF REGULATING FEDERAL ELECTIONS THIRD PARTY CANDIDATE – A CANDIDATE NOT FROM THE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT PARTIES VETO – A PRESIDENTS REJECTION OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION EXECUTE – TO PUT LEGISLATION INTO ACTION

ROLES OF THE PRESIDENT THE PRESIDENT HAS MANY ROLES IN THE JOB DESCRIPTION. HE IS THE HEAD OF HIS PARTY. HE IS THE CEREMONIAL LEADER OF THE GOVT. HE IS THE PERSON WHO CONTROLS THE MILITARY. HE RUNS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. HE USUALLY STARTS THE MOVE TOWARDS NEW LAWS.

FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS ARTICLE TWO OF THE CONSTITUTION DETAILS THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR PRESIDENT. MUST BE A NATURAL BORN CITIZEN MUST BE 35 YEARS OF AGE MUST HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES THE PAST 14 YEARS

PRESIDENTIAL TERMS THE CONSTITUTION SET UP A FOUR YEAR TERM. GEORGE WASHINGTON SET UP THE TRADITION OF ONLY SERVING TWO TERMS. THIS WAS PUT INTO THE CONSTITUTION WITH THE TWENTY SECOND AMENDMENT. FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT WAS THE ONLY PRESIDENT TO SERVE MORE THAN TWO TERMS. NO PRESIDENT MAY SERVE MORE THAN TEN YEARS IN CASES OF SUCCESSION.

PAY AND BENEFITS THE PRESIDENT HAS A SALARY OF $400,000 PER YEAR. THE REAL BENEFITS ARE UNLIMITED. PRESIDENTS LIVE IN THE WHITEHOUSE AND TRAVEL ON AIR FORCE ONE FOR FREE. THEY GET SECRET SERVICE PROTECTION AND HAVE MANY PRIVATE RESORTS THEY CAN WORK AT. ALL HEALTH BENEFITS ARE FREE.

PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION WE HAVE HAD 45 PRESIDENTS AND FOURTEEN WERE VICE PRESIDENTS BEFORE BECOMING PRESIDENT. THE VICE PRESIDENT WAS ALWAYS THE SUCCESSOR TO ANY PRESIDENT WHO COULD NOT FINISH THEIR TERM, BUT THE TWENTY FIFTH AMENDMENT MADE IT OFFICIAL ACCORDING TO THE AMENDMENT, CONGRESS DECIDES WHO THE SUCCESSORS ARE AFTER THE VICE PRESIDENT BY WRITTEN LAW.

VICE PRESIDENT THE CONSTITUTION ONLY GAVE TWO JOBS TO THE VICE PRESIDENT. THE VICE PRESIDENT IS THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF THE SENATE AND THEY HELP DECIDE IF THE PRESIDENT IS NOT CAPABLE OF PERFORMING HIS DUTIES.

CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT THE CONSTITUTION GAVE CONGRESS THE POWER TO OVERSEE AND INVESTIGATE THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND THE PRESIDENT. THE SENATE HAS A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRESIDENT. ALL PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS OF JUDGES OR CABINET MEMBERS MUST BE APPROVED BY THE SENATE

ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT MANY PEOPLE ASSUME THE ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT IS BASED ON THE MOST NUMBER OF VOTES. (POPULAR VOTE) THE PRESIDENT IS ACTUALLY ELECTED ON THE BASIS OF WINNING THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF STATES. EACH STATE HAS A CERTAIN VALUE BASED ON IT’S POPULATION. IF A CANDIDATE WINS THAT STATE, THEN THEY WIN THE ELECTORAL VOTES OF THAT STATE. THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS ACTUALLY A STATE BY STATE ELECTION. THIS PREVENTS A FEW CITIES FROM DECIDING THE ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT.

THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL RACE WAS FULL OF CONTRADICITONS. TRUMP VS CLINTON NOV 2016 ELECTION THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL RACE WAS FULL OF CONTRADICITONS. HILLARY CLINTON WON THE OVERALL POPULAR VOTE. THE COUNTY BY COUNTY MAP BELOW SHOWS TRUMP WON THE VAST MAJORITY OF COUNTIES THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE HAS TRUMP WINNING COMFORTABLY 306 - 232 NOTE THAT BOTH MAPS SHOW DEMOCRAT SUPPORT TIGHTLY CLUSTERED ON THE WEST AND NORTHEAST COASTS IN POPULATION CENTERS WHEREAS REPUBLICAN SUPPORT IS MORE SPREAD OUT.

INHERENT POWERS PRESIDENTS RELY ON INHERENT POWERS FOR MOST OF THEIR POWER. THESE POWERS ARE NOT LISTED IN THE CONSTITUTION BUT ARE CLAIMED BY PRESIDENTS AS NECESSARY TO DO THEIR JOBS. PRESIDENTS RELY HEAVILY ON POPULAR OPINION FOR THEIR POWER. THIS GIVES THEM STRENGTH WHEN DEALING WITH CONGRESS OR FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS. WEAK PRESIDENTS USUALLY STRUGGLE AGAINST CONGRESS AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS IGNORE THEIR WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS.