Unit 5 – the presidency, the bureaucracy and the judiciary PPT 2

Running the Government: The Chief Executive Presiding over the administration of the government Power to recommend budgets to Congress according to the Budgeting and Accounting Act of 1921. The Vice President Cabinet and Executive Departments Today, there are 13 secretaries and the attorney general that head the executive departments

Executive Office of the President Established in 1939; loosely grouped collection of offices and organizations. Some offices are created by legislation (such as the Council of Economic Advisors) Others are organized by the president The Executive Office includes three major policymaking bodies National Security Council Council of Economic Advisors Office of Management and Budget

National Security Council (NSC) Key military and foreign policy advisors Provide the president with information and policy recommendations on national security Aid the president in national security crisis management Coordinate agency and departmental activities bearing on national security Monitor the implementation of national security policy

Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) Three members; each appointed by the president Advise the president on economic policy Prepare the Annual Report of the Council of Economic Advisors Help the president make policy on inflation, unemployment and other economic matters

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Has the responsibility of preparing the president’s budget Presidents use the OMB to review legislative proposals from the cabinet and other executive agencies to they can determine whether or not they want an agency to propose them to Congress. OMB assesses the proposals’ budgetary implications and advises the president on the proposals’ consistency with the administration’s overall program.

White House Staff Key aides that the president sees daily Chief of Staff Congressional liaisons Press secretary National security advisor

White House Office An agency of the Executive Office of the President Provides a wide variety of services Travel preparations Answering letters

The First Lady Not an official government position Historically, they have been occasionally involved in policymaking Currently, they have been more active in policymaking and also advocate for their own agendas Education Literacy Fitness and Nutrition

Chief Legislator President is also known as the Chief Legislator = emphasizes the executive’s importance in the legislative process Constitution requires that the president report to Congress in the State of the Union The Constitution gives the president the power to sign or to veto congressional legislation May also decide not to take any action at all = if Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill, the bill will die if no action is taken (pocket veto)

Party Leadership Party leadership in Congress is every president’s principle task when countering the natural tendencies toward conflict between the executive and legislative branches. For most senators and representatives, being in the same political party as the president creates a psychological bond

Presidential Coattails Refers to voters casting their ballots for congressional candidates of the president’s party because those candidate support the president. Thus, the symbolism was that the candidates would “ride into office on the president’s coattails” Recent studies show a diminishing connection between presidential and congressional voting

Midterm Elections President’s party typically loses seats 1994 – the Democrats lost 8 Senate seats and 53 House seats, losing control of both houses in the process 1998 – election was the exception; Democrats gained 5 seats in the House

Mandates An electoral mandate – the perception that the voters strongly support the president’s character and policies – can be a powerful symbol in American politics. It accords added legitimacy and credibility to the newly elected president’s proposals. Merely winning an election does not provide the president with a mandate Richard Nixon in 1972 Ronald Reagan in 1984