The Executive Branch From Washington to Obama and beyond….

The Executive Branch Article II Does not really give the president a very impressive list of powers. Why?

PRESIDENTIAL POWERS Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces Grant reprieves & pardons for federal offenses Call special session of Congress Receive ambassadors Execute laws Appoint officials to lesser offices

Military and War Powers Only Congress has the power to declare War Only the President has the power to order American troops into battle – The Five ‘Declared Wars’: The War of 1812, Mexican American War, Spanish American War, World War I, World War II Many military actions (including Vietnam and the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan) have been authorized by Congress without a formal declaration of war

5 Executive Branch Layout The President & Vice President (Leads Executive Branch) The Cabinet (15) (President’s Official Advisers) Regulatory Agencies (dozens) (Enforces millions of specific laws)

Most powerful and critical office in the EOP for the President. This White House Office contains the President’s top advisors. The Chief of Staff is the most powerful.

Party Leader The President is the leader of his or her political party. – Parties are not mentioned in the Constitution

Chief Legislator The President is the main source of public policies and for the most part sets the agenda for what Congress works on

Commander in Chief The President is the head of the armed forces – The Constitution says this person must be a civilian and not an active military member Washington, Grant, Eisenhower

Chief Diplomat The President conducts foreign policy and is the nation’s spokesperson to the rest of the world

Chief Administrator Head of government offices – 2.7 million employees – 2.5 trillion dollar budget

Head of State The ceremonial head of the government and the symbol of all Americans – “…the personal embodiment and representative of their dignity and majesty”

The Roles of the President Head of State Chief Executive Chief Administrator Chief Diplomat Commander in Chief Chief Legislator Party Leader

Richard Nixon

White House Office “West Wing” Closest to the Pres. #1 person is Chief of Staff Press Secretary Many others with various names—Who is closest to the Oval Office?

The Oval Office

Secretary of Homeland Security

The Vice President “I am Vice President. In this I am nothing, but I may become everything.” --- John Adams “ The Vice Presidency isn’t worth a pitcher of warm spit.” --- John Nance Garner

The Vice Presidency Vice President must meet all the same qualifications as the President VPs take over if President dies, resigns, or is incapacitated (25 th Amendment) Duties: Presides over Senate (breaks ties) and helps to decide if the President is incapacitated

The State of the Union The Constitution requires that the President report annually to Congress about the state of the country; this has become known as the “State of the Union Address”

The Executive Branch (aka The Bureaucracy) Executive Office of the President – “The West Wing”… The Cabinet – Secretaries of… Independent Agencies – From the CIA to the Postal Service…

The Executive Office of the President (EOP) The President’s closest Advisors who work in the west wing of the White House – Chief of Staff: most powerful in White House – Press Secretary: speaks to the press on behalf of the President every day Several Councils and groups, including: – National Security Council – Office of Management and Budget

National Security Council Advise the President on all matters dealing with the nation’s security – President – Vice President – Secretaries of State, Treasury and Defense – Head of the military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff – Director of National Intelligence

Cabinet Departments State – foreign policy Treasury - $ and taxes- IRS Defense – military Justice – Enforce fed law- prisons Interior – public lands & parks Agriculture – farm and USDA- food stamps Commerce – Census, trademarks, trade Labor – workplace safety, enforces labor laws- unemployment

Cabinet Departments (cont.) Health and Human Services – health research, FDA, Medicare and Medicaid Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – public housing, fair housing laws Transportation – highways, mass transit Energy – Nuclear plants, energy research Education – aid to schools, educational research Veterans Affairs – benefits for Veterans Homeland Security – Borders, preparedness and response, FEMA

The Cabinet 15 specialized departments Leaders are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate The President can fire Cabinet members Cabinet members are there to advise the President in their area. They are also in line for succession to the Presidency

Independent Agencies These agencies are not part of the President’s cabinet. They operate independently of who is President – Office of Personnel Management – NASA – CIA – FCC – USPS

The Electoral College States’ Electoral votes are based on number of Reps + number of Senators – Ex: NC has 13 Reps and 2 Senators = 15 Electoral Votes The candidate who gains the majority vote in the state gets ALL of that state’s Electoral votes A candidate needs 270 to gain the Presidency out of 535 total