The Presidency & Judiciary I.Presidency A.Rankings & Popularity B.Qualifications & the Constitution II.Roles/Functions A.Administrative B.Domestic Policy C.Foreign Policy D.Military E.Symbolic III.Judiciary A.Qualifications & Constitution B.“Job” Key Terms Cabinet Pocket Veto Treaty-making Executive Agreement War Powers Act Pardon Judicial Review

Ranking The Presidents #1 Abraham Lincoln ( ) #2 Franklin D. Roosevelt ( ) #3 George Washington ( ) Source: Ranking the Presidents, Ridings & McIver (1997)

Ranking The Presidents Source: Ranking the Presidents, Ridings & McIver (1997) Other Important Presidents: #4 Thomas Jefferson ( ) #9 Dwight Eisenhower ( ) #15 John F. Kennedy ( )

Ranking The Presidents Source: Ranking the Presidents, Ridings & McIver (1997) The Worst Presidents: #32 Richard Nixon ( ) #41 Warren Harding ( ) #38 Ulysses S. Grant ( )

Are you generally satisfied with the way things are going in the US at this time, or generally dissatisfied? Generally Satisfied25.4% Generally Dissatisfied74.6% Source: September, 2010 Student Survey at WSCC

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president in general? Approve37.3% No Opinion29.4% Disapprove32.5% Source: September, 2010 Student Survey at WSCC

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling economic conditions? Approve29.4% No Opinion29.4% Disapprove39.7% Source: September, 2010 Student Survey at WSCC

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling relations with other nations? Approve38.1% No Opinion41.3% Disapprove 18.3% Source: September, 2010 Student Survey at WSCC

Presidential Approval: Obama, Bush & Clinton Source: Student Surveys at WSCC from Sept, % Approval Rating June % Approval Rating Jan % Approval Rating Sept, % Approval Rating Jan, % Approval Rating Sept % Approval Rating Jan % Approval Rating Sept, % Approval Rating Sept, % Approval Rating Sept, % Approval Rating Jan, % Approval Rating Sept, % Approval Rating Jan, % Approval Rating Sept, % Approval Rating June, % Approval Rating Jan, % Approval Rating Sept, % Approval Rating

Qualifications & Constitution Age 35 BirthBorn in the USA Residency Resident of USA for 14 years Salary$400,000

Presidential Salary/Income Comparison Obama = $400,000 Harrison Ford = $65 mill. Angelina Jolie = $27 mill. Aubrey McClendon (Oil Executive) $112 mill. in 2008 Alex Rodriguez = $33 mill. Lawrence Ellison (Oracle) $556 mill. in 2009

Presidents & Constitution Who was the first president to die while in office? William Henry Harrison (1841)

Line of Succession to the Presidency #1 Vice President #4 Secretary of State #5 Secretary of Treasury #6 Secretary of Defense #7 Attorney General #3 President Pro-tempore of Senate #2 Speaker of the House of Representatives

Constitution & Vice Presidency 1.The President nominates a new candidate. 2.The candidate must be confirmed by a majority vote in both the House and Senate. If there is a vacancy in the Vice Presidency:

Role #1: Administrative The President appoints or nominates 3,000- 4,000 people to administrative positions. Examples: –Ambassadors to other nations –Cabinet positions (most important set of advisors & policy-makers)

Obama Cabinet Officials Secretary of State Hilary Clinton Secretary of Treasury Tim Geithner Attorney General Eric Holder Secretary of Defense Robert Gates

Role #2: Domestic Policy 1.The President submits a proposed budget to Congress each year. 2.Presidents often propose legislation if someone in Congress sponsors it. a)About 50% of all laws passed are first proposed by the President.

Three Options for the President #1 Sign the Bill #2 Veto the Bill #3 Nothing It becomes law. Can be overridden by Congress. If the President does nothing and 10 working days pass, the bill becomes law. If Congress adjourns within the 10 working days, it becomes a Pocket Veto

Presidents & Vetoes

Role #3: Foreign Policy 2.Negotiate Treaties 2/3 Majority vote in Senate is needed to ratify. 1.Presidents provide vision for overall US foreign policy.

Executive Agreement (Ensures Presidents Control Foreign Policy) Agreement between US President and another country, but doesn’t require Senate approval. Not binding for future Presidents.

Presidents & Military George Washington Andrew Jackson Dwight Eisenhower George H.W. Bush Bill Clinton George W. Bush

Role #4: Military Leader The President is “Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and the Militia of the several states.” BUT: Only Congress can declare war.

Military Leadership & War Powers Act 1.Congress declares war. 2.There is a crisis, the President may act alone for days. 3.Congress specifically gives the President the authority to send troops into combat. The President can send troops into combat if:

Text of Joint Resolution Authorizing Use of Force: 9/15/01 “A) That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September, 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by any such nations, organizations or persons.” Passed 96-0 in Senate and in House of Representatives

Text of Joint Resolution Authorizing the Use of Force against Iraq. Passed 10/11/02 “Authorizes the President to use the U.S. armed forces to: (1) defend U.S. national security against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and (2) enforce all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq.” It also directs the President to inform the Speaker of the House and the Senate President pro-tem within 48 hours of having used this authority. President must also report to Congress at least every 60 days on relevant matters. Passed in Senate and in House of Reps

Role #5 Symbolic Leader President = Head of State The President has the power to pardon anyone convicted of Federal crimes. –“…he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.”

Role #5 Symbolic Leader Obama Hosting A State Dinner Bush Throwing Out The First Pitch

The Judiciary Selection process for Supreme Court Justices and Federal Judges: 1.The President nominates a candidate. 2.The US Senate must confirm the candidate by a majority vote.

Qualifications None. The Judiciary But, usually, they have a law background and are members of the President’s party.

The Judiciary Judicial Review The authority to declare laws or actions of government officials to be unconstitutional.

The Presidency & Judiciary I.Presidency A.Rankings & Popularity B.Qualifications & the Constitution II.Roles/Functions A.Administrative B.Domestic Policy C.Foreign Policy D.Military E.Symbolic III.Judiciary A.Qualifications & Constitution B.“Job” Key Terms Cabinet Pocket Veto Treaty-making Executive Agreement War Powers Act Pardon Judicial Review