1. The Presidency

2. Overview Qualifications & Demographics Presidential Roles
Organization of the Executive Branch
Presidential Power

3. Qualifications Article II, Section 1: Natural Born Citizen
35 years old
14 year resident of U.S.

4. Presidential Roles Chief Executive oversee federal bureaucracy
administer and execute the law

5. Presidential Roles
Chief of State: largely ceremonial or symbolic functions where President represents the country as a whole

6. Presidential Roles Commander in Chief
Civilian control of Armed forces.

7. Presidential Roles Chief Diplomat negotiate and sign treaties
appoint diplomats
receive foreign officials
negotiate and sign executive agreements

8. Presidential Roles Chief Legislator recommend legislation to Congress
set legislative agenda
veto power

9. Presidential Roles
Chief of Party

10. Checks on the President
Commander in Chief
Congress declares war
Congress controls budget
War Powers Act (1973)
48 hour alert to Congress
troops stay for 60 days pending Congressional approval
With no approval, troops must be withdrawn

11. Checks on the President
Chief Executive
Senate must approve presidential appointments
Civil Service protection for most appointees
Congress controls the budget

12. Checks on the President
Chief Diplomat
Senate confirmation of ambassadors
Senate confirmation of treaties
Chief Legislator
President does not have seat in Congress
Congress can override veto

13. Checks on the President
Party Chief
term limit and “lame duck” status
loose organization of American parties makes it difficult to “lead”

14. The Presidential Establishment
Today, the president has numerous advisors to help make policy and fulfill the duties of chief executive.
The Cabinet
The Executive Office of the President (EOP)
White House Staff

15. The Cabinet
The Cabinet is not mentioned in the Constitution and is formulated by each president as he/she sees fit.
The Cabinet consists of the heads of the major bureaucratic departments (State, Defense, Treasury, etc.).
Congress exercises some control over the bureaucracy -- through advice and consent and budget controls.

16. The Executive Office of the President (EOP)
The EOP was established by FDR and is a very important inner circle of advisors to the president.
The EOP is staffed by persons responsible to the president alone
The EOP includes such important offices as the National Security Council, the Council of Economic Advisors, and the Office of Management and Budget.

17. White House Staff
The people most directly responsible to the president are the White House staff such as personal assistants, senior aides, administrative personnel and more.
There is no Senate confirmation and their power comes solely from their personal relationship with the president.
The White House staff reached a height of members in 1972, but has gotten smaller since then generally running at around 400.

18. 15 Departments

19. e.g., WHO, CEA, NSC, OMB

20. e.g., CIA, EPA, NASA, NRC, Peace Corps

21. Presidential Powers Two types of presidential powers: Formal Informal
those determined by the statute and the Constitution
Informal
those based on tradition, personal traits, political and sociological realities

22. Powers of the President
Formal Powers
Appointment
Treaties and Foreign Policy
Veto/Sign Legislation

23. Powers of the President
Special Executive Powers
Executive Orders
A rule or regulation issued by the president that has the effect of law.
They can
enforce legislative statutes
enforce the Constitution or treaties
establish or modify rules and practices of executive administrative agencies
Published in The Federal Register
EO by disposition (FDR to Obama)

24. Presidential Powers Formal Powers include: Executive Privilege
ability to withhold information from Congress or to refuse to recognize Congressional subpoena

25. Presidential Power Informal Powers: Access to Media
use of mass media allows president to reach public in a way that no other institution or politician in government can

26. Presidential Power Informal Powers (cont’d) Persuasion
Bargain with members of Congress and bureaucracy
Success depends on variety of factors, including:
personal communication skills
partisan divide in Congress
public approval ratings

27. Powers of the President
Executive Privilege
The right of executive officials to withhold information from or to refuse to appear before a legislative committee
Emergency Powers
An inherent power exercised by the president during a period of national crisis

28. Powers of the President
Informal Powers
Persuasion
Personal communication skills
Partisan divide in Congress
Place in term
Public Opinion ratings

29. Powers of the President
Source: Wall Street Journal

31. Vice Presidency
Same requirements as president, except cannot be from same state as the president (12th Amendment)
President of the Senate
Other responsibilities as designated by the President

32. Removal and Succession
Election
Impeachment
Resignation
Death
Illness

33. Removal Illness: 25th Amendment President informs Congress
If President unable to inform Congress, then VP does it, with majority vote of cabinet
If dispute over whether President is able to return to office, 2/3rds vote of Congress decides whether VP stays or not

34. Succession Succession Act of 1947 Pres VP Speaker of the House
President pro tempore of Senate
Cabinet Secretaries chronologically arranged by creation of department