The Executive Branch Ch. 8 – 10

GPS SSCG12 The student will analyze the various roles played by the President of the United States; include Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, chief executive, chief agenda setter, representative of the nation, chief of state, foreign policy leader, and party leader.

GPS SSCG13 The student will describe the qualifications for becoming President of the United States. Explain the written qualifications for President of the United States. Describe unwritten qualifications common to past presidents.

GPS SSCG14 The student will explain the impeachment process and its usage for elected officials. Explain the impeachment process as defined in the U.S. Constitution. Describe the impeachment proceedings of Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton.

GPS SSCG15 The student will explain the functions of the departments and agencies of the federal bureaucracy. Compare and contrast the organization and responsibilities of independent regulatory agencies, government corporations, and executive agencies. Explain the functions of the Cabinet.

GPS SSCG20 The student will describe the tools used to carry out United States foreign policy (diplomacy; economic, military, and humanitarian aid; treaties; sanctions; and military intervention).

The President of the United States Barack H. Obama II 44th President, elected in 2008 Senator from Illinois Democrat

Duties of the President Constitutional Duties of the President: - make sure the national laws are fully executed; - serve as commander in chief of the armed forces; - appoint top officials, federal judges, and ambassadors; - meet with heads of foreign governments.

President’s Term and Salary The 22nd Amendment limits to two terms. Before this, George Washington set a precedent of two presidential terms. FDR was the only president elected to more than 2 terms – he was elected 4 times. Congress determines the president’s salary ($400,000 beginning in 2001); Benefits are provided for presidents while in office and in retirement.

Compensation Salary $400,000(2001) $50,000 for expenses $100,000 for travel White House 132 rooms and office Camp David Resort Medical & Dental Care Secret service protection-life Pension Transportation

Presidential Qualifications The Constitution sets 3 requirements for the president: 1. a candidate must be a natural-born citizen 2. at least 35 years old 3. a resident of the United States for 14 years Experience in government is an unwritten but important qualification.

Qualifications and Characteristics What do you consider the most important qualifications/characteristics for the office of president? Explain.

Presidential Succession The 25th Amendment established the order of succession to the presidency: vice president Speaker of the House president pro tempore of the Senate secretary of state other cabinet members The 25th Amendment also set forth rules to be followed if a president becomes disabled and spelled out what happens when the vice presidency is vacant.

RICHARD NIXON & 25th Nixon elected 1968 & 1972 1ST V. P. Spiro Agnew resigned because of income tax evasion Nixon appointed Gerald Ford VP Nixon Resigned because of Watergate scandal Ford is President Ford appoints Nelson Rockefeller VP

Presidential Succession Two conditions under which a vice president becomes acting president: If the President informs Congress of an inability to perform duties of office. If Vice-President and a majority of the Cabinet (or another body) authorized by law informs Congress that the President is disabled.

Presidential Succession

The Vice President Joe Biden 47th Vice President of the United States Former Senator for Delaware Democrat

The Vice President’s Role Two duties: Presides over the Senate and votes in case of a tie Helps decide if the President is disabled Work load depends on the duties assigned by the President

Electing our President Electoral Process

Did You Know? In the presidential election of 1992, third-party candidate Ross Perot received 19.7 million popular votes. President George Bush received 39.1 million popular votes, and the winning candidate, Democrat Bill Clinton, received 44.9 million popular votes. The results in the electoral college vote, however, were very different. Ross Perot did not win a single electoral vote, while Clinton received 370 electoral votes and Bush, 168 electoral votes.

So you want to be President….

What is the Process? Step One: you have to earn the nomination of your party. To get that nomination – you have to win several Primary elections. Primary elections are elections held before the general election that determine the candidates for each party. Democrats run against each other to decide who is the best candidate to represent their party. Republicans follow the same procedure. The Constitution does not mention how Presidential candidates should be nominated.

Primaries serve two functions… To select delegates to the convention To show voter preferences for Presidential candidates and present issues to the public. Each party schedules a national convention – a meeting of all the party delegates to officially select their candidate to run for President.

Step Two: National Convention During the convention, the delegates cast votes for the candidate who won their particular state. The number of delegates per state is based on population. The candidate who receives an absolute majority of votes from the delegates receives the party’s nomination. Conduct official party business – set the platform – party’s positions on issues. Try to unify the party for the campaign against the other party’s nominee.

Step Three: Campaign After the conventions – the two remaining candidates face off against each other during several months of campaigning. They often tour the country, give speeches, attend rallies, and participate in debates. Advertising campaigns try to persuade the voter in their favor. These campaigns cost millions of dollars.

Step Four: The Election Election day is …Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The GENERAL ELECTION is held to choose the President. People vote for the candidate of their choice by secret ballot: also called the Australian Ballot An absentee ballot is a ballot requested by a voter before the election – it will be mailed in.

Electoral College The framers of the Constitution agreed that the President should not be elected directly by the people. The founders feared the people and the choices they might make. The small states feared that they would never have any real power in helping to elect the president. The Constitution requires that a process known as the Electoral College ultimately decides who will win the general election.

Electoral College Electors cast their votes based on the popular vote in each state. The candidate who receives the most votes from a state gets all of the electoral votes from that state. Maine and Nebraska are the exceptions to this rule. Legally, the electors may vote for someone other than the candidate for whom they were pledged to vote. This phenomenon is known as the "unfaithful" or "faithless" elector. Each state has the same number of electors as it has senators and representatives. 538 electoral votes are available (3 for DC), a candidate needs 270 to win the office

What about a tie? Should no presidential candidate receive an absolute majority (270 electoral votes), the House of Representatives determines who the next president will be from the top three candidates. Each state may cast one vote and an absolute majority (26 votes) is needed to win. The Senate decides who the next Vice President will be if there is no absolute majority in the Electoral College vote. The Founders believed that the Electoral College would never make a clear choice and that the House of Representatives would ultimately choose the president.

Criticisms of the Electoral College A candidate can actually win the popular vote and still lose the election. (this has occurred 4 times – J.Q. Adams in 1824, R. Hayes in 1876, B. Harrison in 1888, and G.W. Bush in 2000). A strong third party candidate could keep a candidate from winning the number of votes needed for election.

Selection of the Cabinet The president must consider whether potential cabinet members’ backgrounds suit their cabinet posts, whether they bring geographical balance to the cabinet, whether they satisfy interest groups, whether they have high-level administrative skills, and whether they include ethnic and racial minorities and women. The Senate must approve cabinet appointees, and it usually does so out of courtesy to the president. There are 15 major executive departments in the Cabinet

The President’s Cabinet Click Here!

Role of the Cabinet Cabinet members are heads of the executive departments. Influence the president’s decisions on matters related to their departments’ areas of interest. Certain cabinet members—the secretaries of State, Defense, and Treasury, plus the Attorney General—form the “inner cabinet”

Executive Office Agencies The Executive Office of the President (EOP) was created in 1939 by Congress. The EOP has grown for 3 reasons: presidents add new agencies to it as problems arise; presidents want experts nearby to advise them; federal programs require special staff to coordinate the efforts of executive departments and agencies working together.

Executive Office Agencies The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) prepares the national budget that the president submits to Congress each year. Each agency and department submits a budget to the OMB each year. The OMB recommends to the president where to make cuts and therefore has significant influence over the executive branch agencies.

Executive Office Agencies (cont.) The National Security Council: Advises the President Coordinates American military and foreign policy Members include: President, Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense.

Executive Office Agencies (cont.) The National Homeland Security Council Began in 2002 Coordinates all federal agencies working in counter-terrorism

Executive Office Agencies The Council of Economic Advisors Makes economic policy for US Keeps track of economic health Predicts future economic conditions Aids other departments involved in economic planning

The White House Office The president appoints White House staff without Senate confirmation. The White House staff perform whatever duties the president assigns them: gathering information and providing advice on key issues; ensuring that executive departments and agencies carry out key directives from the president; presenting the president’s views to the outside world; deciding who and what information gets through to the president.

The Whitehouse Click Here for Whitehouse Tour

Did You Know? Strong presidents sometimes defy even the Supreme Court. President Andrew Jackson was determined to force Native Americans in the Southeast to move west to the Oklahoma Territory. When Chief Justice Marshall ruled that the Cherokee nation’s treaty with Georgia protected its rights and property, Jackson reportedly refused to accept the decision. “John Marshall has made his decision. Now let him enforce it,” Jackson said. He ignored the Court and carried out the Indian Removal Act passed by Congress in 1830.

Constitutional Powers of the President Article II grants the president broad but vaguely described powers. He heads the executive branch, is commander in chief, conducts foreign policy, and has judicial powers. The Founders intended for Congress to lead the country. Presidents have expanded the power of their office and taken more of a leadership role.

Presidential Expansion of Power Theodore Roosevelt declared his intent to do anything the needs of the nation required if such action was not expressly forbidden by the Constitution. During national crises, presidents like Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and George W. Bush greatly expanded the powers of the presidency as the federal government dealt with dangers facing the United States.

Limits of Presidential Power Congress has the power to limit presidential authority by overriding a veto or impeaching and removing the president from office for abuse of power. The Supreme Court can overturn presidential actions. Public opinion can limit the president’s actions, as it did with President Lyndon Johnson’s policies in Vietnam and President Clinton’s proposed national health care program.

Presidential Roles The President has 7 major roles. As head of state: - represents the nation at ceremonial functions; - is considered more than a politician, but rather a symbol of the entire United States. As chief executive: - influences how laws are executed through executive orders, presidential appointments, removal of appointed officials, and impoundment; also grants pardons, reprieves, or amnesty.

President as Head of State Entertaining the leaders of the Republic of India at an official state dinner. Pardoning the Thanksgiving Turkey.

Chief Executive President Obama signing a bill into law.

Presidential Roles (cont.) 3. As chief legislator, the president: - proposes legislation to Congress, usually in the State of the Union Address, his annual address to Congress. 4. As economic planner, the president: - promotes high employment, production, and purchasing power; and is required to prepare the federal budget each year.

President as Chief Legislature The State of the Union Address

Presidential Roles (cont.) 5. As party leader: - helps raise party funds and plan campaign strategies; 6. As commander in chief: - makes key military policy decisions; supports war efforts on the home front during wars; uses the armed forces to end disorders or give aid in natural disasters.

President as Party Leader The President at the Republican National Convention.

President as Commander in Chief The President meeting with soldiers.

Presidential Roles 7. As chief diplomat: - directs foreign policy and oversees foreign affairs information agencies; has power to make treaties, with Senate approval; may make, without congressional approval, executive agreements having the force of treaties with foreign nations; has the power to recognize foreign governments. Clinton with a leader of Pakistan.

President as Chief Diplomat Reagan with Soviet President Gorbachaf. Obama with Chinese Foreign Minister.

Leadership Qualities and Skills Presidents must understand the people. Presidents must be able to communicate effectively and explain their policies clearly in order to inspire public support. Presidents must know when the time is right to introduce new policies or make key decisions.

Leadership Qualities and Skills Successful presidents must: be flexible and open to new ideas be able to compromise have political courage

All the living Presidents

Other Past Presidents

Presidents back in the day

Presidents in Chairs

The Federal Bureaucracy Ch 10

The Cabinet Departments A civilian that works for the federal government is called a bureaucrat or a civil servant. The 15 executive departments are a major part of the federal bureaucracy and are headed by secretaries and staffed with assistant secretaries, deputy secretaries, and directors of major units.

The Cabinet Departments

Independent Agencies The federal bureaucracy includes over 100 independent organizations whose heads are appointed by the president. Some agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency and the General Services Administration provide services directly for the executive branch. Government corporations are independent agencies that directly serve the public, such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the United States Postal Service. Include NASA, EPA, FEMA.

Regulatory Commissions make rules for businesses and industries that affect the public interest; are often under intense pressures from the groups they regulate and their lobbyists; have become more limited in their powers because critics have complained that they over regulate the economy; were the subject of regulatory reform by the Republican Congress in the mid-1990s. The federal government has increased regulation under the Obama administration.

Regulatory Commissions

Influencing Policy Policy consists of all the actions and decisions taken or not taken by the government. Federal bureaucrats carry out policy decisions made by the president and Congress. The bureaucracy often determines what the law means through the rules and regulations it issues. Bureaucrats aid in shaping policy by helping Congress draft its new laws or by providing ideas for legislation.