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

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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”

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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)

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

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