How we pick our President - Basics It is a process, not a place.

Electoral College In the presidential election, you do not cast your vote for the candidate, instead you vote to elect presidential electors.

The Electoral College - Basics How many electoral votes are there? 538 How many does one need to win? 270 How is the number of electoral votes determined? # of Representatives + 2 Senators (every state has at least 3) How many states have a winner – take-all system? 48 **Maine and Nebraska use a proportional type vote When do electors cast their votes? December 6th Is it possible to win the popular vote, but lose the electoral vote? YES 23rd Amendment gives DC three electors and treats it like a state fore the purpose of the electoral college.

If No Candidate Gets 270??? What happens when there is a tie? House of Representative elects the President and the Senate elects the VP

*If the HOR can’t decide on a President by the 20th of January the newly elected Vice President shall act as President until a choice is made. *If there isn’t a majority of votes for the Vice President, the Senate decides between the two top candidates.

The Meeting After the election the electors meet the first Monday after the first Wednesday after the election. Electors meet in their state, where they cast their votes for President and Vice President, on separate ballots. 3. The party that wins the state in the general election selects the members from that state.

The Final Decision *On January 6th each states electoral votes are counted in a joint session of Congress. *Vice President as the President of the Senate presides over the count and announces the results. *The President is sworn in on January 20th.

The Trouble with the Electoral College

The winner-take-all feature- The winning candidate receives all of the electoral votes for the state that win. The popular vote winner doesn’t always win the Electoral college. This has happened four times. By law do electors have to vote the way the state “tells” them to? NO **They are called “faithless electors”

It would take an amendment to change the Electoral College process.

Feb. 1, 2017 CNN Student News Presidency Quiz Presidential Powers Reading and Notes Students will understand the powers of the President and how we elect the President.

Presidential Power Line-Item Veto Executive Privilege War Powers Executive Order Pardon

Line-Item Veto The President could veto a line of a bill Now unconstitutional Too much power for the President

Executive Privilege the constitutional principle that permits the president and high-level executive branch officers to withhold information from Congress, the courts, and ultimately the public. This presidential power is controversial because it is nowhere mentioned in the U.S. Constitution

Executive Order Directive, rule, or regulation issued by the President having the force of law

The Growth of Presidential Power 1. The President is the single, commanding head of the executive branch 2. People have demanded that the federal government play a larger role and have looked to the President for leadership

The Growth of Presidential Power 3. The need for quick decisions in the time of national emergencies 4. Congress had delegated more power to the executive branch to carry out its laws 5. The President has a unique ability to attract public attention and build support for policies and actions.

Checks and Balances List how the Judicial Branch and the Legislative Branch check the Executive Branch. List how the executive Brach checks the Judicial Branch and the Legislative Branch.

Line-Item Veto What is Obama doing in this cartoon?   What is the line-item veto? Is this power allowed today?

Executive Privilege What is Bush saying to Congress?       What is executive privilege?  How does executive privilege increase executive power?

Executive Order What is happening in this cartoon?   What are executive orders?

Pardon   What is happening in this cartoon? What are pardons? How many people has Obama pardoned this year? Differentiate between pardon, amnesty, clemency and a reprieve.

  How many members of the Senate are needed to approve a treaty?    What’s the difference between a treaty and an executive agreement?

War Powers Why is Obama depicted in the “driver’s seat” in this cartoon?   According to the War Powers Act, what is one thing the President must do?

Look up “the War Powers Act Look up “the War Powers Act.” What other restrictions are there on the President’s War Powers.   Think critically, why are the President and Congress often at odds over the use of military force?

War Powers 1. Commander in Chief 2. Has the final authority over and responsibility for all military matters 3. Can make undeclared war 4. Power is all most without limit

War Powers Resolution 1. Must notify Congress within 48 hours after sending American forces 2. Combat must end within 60 days, unless Congress agrees to allow longer 3. Congress may end the combat commitment at any time

Feb. 7, 2017 CNN Student News War Powers Act The executive departments President Test Feb. 15 Grade a president project due Feb. 17 Students will be able to explain the role of the different executive departments

Read the article and discuss it in your groups. Discuss the following questions: Does the War Powers Act work? How does the Constitution create a conflict between Congress and the President over the decision to go to war? Explain two provisions of the War Powers Act that were designed to limit the President’s power war making.

Feb. 13, 2017 CNN Student News Review First 100 Days Discussion Cabinet Discussion President Test Wed., Feb. 15 Grade a President Project Due Feb. 17

What is a lame duck President? Why do some Presidents issue more executive orders than others? What does the National Security Council do?

Read the First 100 Days article Discuss in your groups Complete the questions