POTUS President of the United States The Executive Branch POTUS President of the United States

Head of the Executive Branch Only nationally elected official Term of office – 4 years Two term limit Maximum of 10 years

Salary and Benefits $400,000 a year Expense Account 50,000 Travel Expense $100,000 Free medical, dental, and healthcare Air Force One White House Staff 400 to 500 persons Mansion with swimming pool, bowling alley, tennis courts, and private movie theatre

Camp David Housing Expenses Retirement - $148,499 $96,000 a year for office expense, free space, and mailing Staff support and Secret Service protection after leaving office

Qualifications Formal Informal Natural born citizen 35 years of age Resident of the U.S. for 14 years Informal Government experience (political alliances) Access to money Moderate political beliefs Personal characteristics – white, married, protestant, financially successful, and male

Presidential Succession Twenty-fifth Amendment Section One – In the case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the vice president shall become president Section Two – Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of vice president the president shall nominate a VP who will take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both houses of Congress Presidential Succession Act of 1947 – Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Secretary of State followed by the rest of the cabinet

Presidential Disability Twenty–fifth sets rules to be followed. VP becomes acting president if the president informs Congress or if the VP and the majority of the cabinet inform Congress – to be used if the president is unable to inform Congress. President resumes duty by informing Congress Congress will settle disputes within 21 days by a 2/3rds vote in each house in favor of the VP to keep the president from resuming office

Presidential Powers and Duties Presidential powers may be his alone or shared with the Senate or sometimes the Congress as a whole Commander in Chief Negotiate treaties Sign executive agreements Appointive power – ambassadors, cabinet secretaries, Supreme Court Justices and federal court judges

Veto power Call Congress into special session and adjourn Congress if they cannot agree on a date Grant pardons for federal crimes Report on the State of the Union “Take care that the laws be faithfully executed”

Vice Presidents Role Constitutional Duties Presides over the Senate and votes in cases of ties Helps determine disability under the 25th Amendment 14 VP’s have become president – 9 by death or resignation Since 1953 VP’s have become more important – they used to be ignored

Electoral College The electoral college is actually a group of delegates chosen by the voters. On election day voters mark their ballots for president and vice president, but actually they are electing these delegates. Each state has as many delegates as it has senators and representatives. There are 538 electors in all (District of Columbia has three) The candidate who receives 270 (a majority) wins

Theoretically, a delegate can vote for whoever he or she wants, but in reality, delegates publicly commit themselves to a particular candidate and honor their commitment. With this system a person can be elected president even though he or she received a minority of the popular vote. (John Q Adams, Hayes, Harrison, and Bush ’43)

The Cabinet The presidents cabinet consists of the heads of the executive departments Homeland Security, State, Treasury, Defense, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, and Veterans Affairs

White House Staff Presidents depend on their personal staff Advisors are often characterized as Domestic policy Economic policy National Security or foreign policy Administration and personal matters Congressional relations Communications and public relations

Executive Office of the President White House Staff Office of the Vice President Office of Management and Budget National Security Council Council of Economic Advisors Office of Policy Development United States Trade Representative National Drug Control Policy Council on Environmental Quality Office of Science and Technology Office of Administration

Roles of the President Chief of State Chief Executive Chief Administrator Chief Diplomat Chief Legislator Commander in Chief Chief of Party Chief Citizen Plus Economic Planner

Evaluation of a POTUS Policy Leadership Crisis Management Appointments Foreign Standing Character and Integrity Public Persuasion Vision Plus Role Performance