The Executive Branch

What are three qualities that make a good leader?

Section 1: The Presidential Office

 Executive  Having the power to put plans, actions, or laws into effect.  Bureaucracy  A system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives  Administration  The process or activity of running a business, organization, etc.  The People Responsible for this

Roles of The President Chief Executive Commander in Chief Head of State Party Leader Chief Agenda Setter Foreign Policy Director

 Chief Executive—carries out the nation’s laws  Commander in Chief—leader of the nation’s armed forces  Chief Agenda Setter  State of the Union Address  Budget proposal  Representative on the Nation  Chief of State—symbolizes the US and its people  Foreign Policy Leader—our plans for dealing with other countries  Party Leader

Native Born Citizen Reside In US for 14 years Must be at least 35

 4 Year Term  2 term limit  A president can serve a total of ten years… how is that possible?

 $ 400,000/ year Salary  $50,000/ year expense allowance  White House & Camp David  “The Beast”, Marine One, Air Force One

 Does the President make too much ?  Median Income in U.S. Home $50,000  Fortune 500 CEO’s $10,600,000

President Vice President Speaker of the House President Pro Temp Secretary of State Secretary of Treasury Secretary of Defense Attorney General Secretary of the Interior Secretary of Agriculture …

Section 2: Presidential Powers

 Executive Powers  Diplomatic Powers  Judicial Powers  Legislative Powers

Executive Powers Execute Laws Executive orders- A regulation made by the president that has the effect of law Appoint Officials Ambassadors Supreme Court Justices Executive Depts & Agencies Executive Privilege Executive branch “confidential information”

Make Treaties & Executive Agreements (senate approval) Recognize other nations Committing troops War Powers Act--President has got US into Vietnam and Korean Wars (and others) without Congress declaring war Troops brought back after 60 days with no approval from Congress Could extend to 90 days for safe removal Diplomatic Powers

Appoint SC Justices and other federal judges Reprieves--postpones the carrying out of a sentence so the convicted can gather more evidence Pardon—grants forgiveness to a convicted criminal and frees the person from serving out his or her sentence Commutation—lessens the severity of a convicted person’s sentence Judicial Powers

Legislative Powers Veto—pres can veto law passed by Congress Recommend Legislation Lobbying

 Presidential power has increased over time, mostly because of the men who have held the office  Do you think the President has too much power? Why or why not?

Section 3: Presidential Nomination and Election

 Framers did not set a means for nominating presidential candidates, only for electing the President and VP  Nomination procedures have changed over time  1800’s—Congressional caucuses were used  Later, national conventions used to nominate  Presidential primaries  Choosing delegates for the conventions  Show voter preference  Some states use caucuses instead of primaries  These are held early in the year  Most weak candidates are eliminated  Most nominees are known before the convention  National Nomination Convention  Speeches  Adoption of a party platform  State roll call of votes for the candidates  Candidate who wins the nomination then campaigns for several months before the general election is held

 Actually chooses the president and VP  Each state has electoral votes = to number in Congress  Popular vote in each state determines who the electors will vote for  3 criticisms of electoral college  Candidate can win election and lose popular vote  A state’s electoral votes do not have to reflect its popular vote  A strong bid by a third-party or independent candidate could mean that neither major-party candidate receives the majority of the electoral votes, throwing the election into the House of Representatives

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Section 4: Executive Office of the President and the Cabinet

 THERE ARE 2 PARTS TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH:  1. Executive Office of the President  2. The Cabinet

Executive Office of the President 1. White House Office 2. National Security Council 3. Office of Management and Budget 4. Council of Economic Advisors 5. National Economic Council 6. The Vice President

 1. White House Office  Before Civil War  No help  Presidents paid for help out of own pocket  Today  Large office staff  President picks—no Senate approval  Chief of Staff is leader  Controls access to the President  Advisors  National security  Domestic policy  Speechwriters  How to deal with Congress  Press secretary  Deal with mail  20,000 letters/week  Thousands of s  Many, many others

 2. National Security Council  Set up in 1947  Improve coordination among gov depts. That deal w/ national security issues (CIA, FBI, State Dept)  National Security Advisor is head  Sometimes travel to other countries to negotiate  3. Office of Management and Budget  Executive branch agencies submit budgets to the OMB  Helps Pres. prepare budgets  4. Council of Economic Advisors  Set up in 1946  Econ advise to President

 5. National Economic Council  Set up in 1993 (Clinton)  Monitor and advise the Pres on US trade and industrial technology  6. The Vice President  Constitution  Lead the Senate  Take over if President can’t perform duties  Today—move involved  Help agencies run more smoothly  Many more important duties

 14 departments that assist the president in carrying out the work of the executive branch  Heads are called secretaries (Exception: Attorney General)  Early days—president relied heavily on Cabinet for advice  Today—not as much because of White House staff  Pres does not need full Cabinet meetings  Each deal with specific area

 Dept. of Agriculture  Dep. of Interior  Dept. of Commerce  Dept. of Justice  Dept. of Defense  Dept. of Labor  Dept. of Education  Dept. of State  Dept. of Energy  Dept. of Transportation  Dept. of Health and Human Services  Dept. of the Treasury  Dept. of Housing and Urban Development  Dept. of Veteran Affairs

 cabinet cabinet