1. The President’s Job Description
List five informal qualifications
you think one should have in order to be seriously considered for the presidency.
Formal Qualifications:
“natural born Citizen” of U.S.
35 years of age
14 years residency in U.S.
Born in Hawaii before it was a state
Jus sanguinis issue- not place of birth, but parents citizenship
What if one parent is Canadian and he’s born in Canada? Ted Cruz
What if immigrant and naturalized citizen for 25 years?Is a governor too? Arnold Swartz.

2. Which Amendment limited the President to two terms and why?
22nd Amendment (1951): “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice….”
Maximum of two full terms [ 4 years/term] or 10 years
Tradition of two-terms an informal amendment to Constitution- is it arbitrary and undemocratic?
After FDR
Pros and Cons to a one 6 year term?

3. Pay and Benefits Congress determines salary
It can not be changed during a term
$400,000 per year set in 1999, became effective January 20, 2001.
Also provided with a $50,000-a-year expense allowance
Plus fringe benefits: White House, staff, cars, planes, Camp David, healthcare
Is this adequate and fair compensation?

4. The President’s Roles
Six formal roles come directly from the Constitution
Other roles have been assumed by Presidents throughout history

5. 1. Chief of State 2. Chief Executive
Ceremonial head of government
Symbol of the nation’s ideals, principles, traditions
“protect and defend the Constitution” (Art. II, s.1)
“take care that the laws be faithfully executed” (Art. II, sec. 3)
Executive Orders/Executive Privilege
Can grant pardons
Appointment power
“Royal Family” issue and difficulty. Obama brews beer, plays bball,
Gives state of the union address
2.Appoints about 1,000 out of 3 million- rest civil service laws dictate
Executive order- directives and rules and regs. That have effect of law, given by Const. and Congress
Executive privilege- can keep secrets from Congress and the courts
Pardons- forgiveness or amnesty or commute sentences of federal criminals (not impeachment though), usually happens on last day in office

6. 3. Chief Administrator Appointment and Removal Power
Rule of Senatorial Courtesy – Senate will only approve appointees acceptable to Senators of Prez’s party from that state
The Cabinet, White House Staff, federal judges, ambassadors, armed forces
Director of Executive Branch/federal bureaucracy
Over 2.7 million civilians; more than $2 trillion/year
Crisis Manager
4k appts- judges, diplomats, military posts. Rewards supporters and ensures loyalty. Can remove who he appoints (not in Const.)
Legacy- Stomayor and Kagen on Supreme Court

7. 4. Chief Diplomat 5. Commander in Chief
Chief architect of American foreign policy
Appoints ambassadors
Negotiates Treaties (with 2/3 Senate approval)
Power of Recognition
Final responsibility and authority for Armed Forces
Delegates authority to Sec. Defense and Joint Chiefs
Over 1 million troops subject to the President’s direct control
4. Acknowledge legal existence of a country and government
Persona non grata= unwelcome
5. Is the term Comm. In Chief exaggerated? He’s not commander of civilians

8. The War Powers Resolution (1973)
A result of growing frustration over Vietnam
Provisions:
1) Within 48 hours after sending American forces abroad, President must report to Congress with details
2) Combat commitment must end within 60 days, unless Congress agrees to a longer period
3) Congress may end combat by passing a resolution to that effect
Not yet tested

9. 6. Chief Legislator Main architect of public policies
Often shapes the congressional agenda
Initiates, suggest, or pressures Congress to enact much major legislation
Veto, Pocket Veto
Pocket veto- do nothing
Line- item veto- power to cancel out some provisions while approving others

10. Informal Roles Chief of party Leader of Political Party
Parties not mentioned in Constitution, but play vital role in govt.
Chief citizen
Represent highest standards of citizenship
Expected to work for and represent the public interest
Chief of party- does polling, holds press conferences
Chief citizen- morale builder, visits disaster sites, goes on peace trips, comments on police violence against black suspects

11. Economic Role Stewardship of economy International trade and planning
Submits annual budget to Congress
Economy seen as President’s job; President’s fault if poor

12. Succession of Presidency and VP
Constitution says “power and duty” of the office transferred to the VP
1947 law – VP, then Speaker of House
Question: If VP and majority of Cabinet declare Prez “unable to discharge powers”, what happens if Prez disagrees?
Congress decides: 2/3 both houses
In 1947 FDR dies in office

13. 25th Amendment (1967)
25th Amendment (1967): New Prez nominates new VP, who is confirmed by majority of Congress
If no new VP yet, 1947 law…
Succession Problem…..
Agnew resigns (1973)
Ford voted VP
Nixon resigns (1974)
Ford becomes President
Rockefeller voted VP

14. 25th Amendment Disability Problem: Regan shot (1981)
Undergoes emergency surgery
Does not transfer authority
Confusion! VP Bush in air….Secretary of State Haig criticized for taking charge
On July 12, 1985, President Ronald Reagan underwent a colonoscopy, during which a pre-cancerous lesion called a villous adenoma was discovered. Upon being told by his physician (Dr. Edward Cattow) that he could undergo surgery immediately or in two to three weeks, Reagan elected to have it removed immediately.That afternoon, Reagan consulted with White House counsel Fred Fielding by telephone, debating whether or not to invoke the 25th amendment and if so, whether such a transfer would set an undesirable precedent. Fielding and White House Chief of Staff Donald Regan both recommended that Reagan transfer power, and two letters doing so were drafted: the first specifically referencing Section 3 of the 25th amendment, the second not.At 10:32 a.m. on July 13, Reagan signed the second letter and ordered its delivery to the appropriate officers as required under the amendment. Due to some confusing language and Reagan's failure to specifically mention Section 3 of the amendment (see Reagan transfer of power letters) in his letter, some constitutional scholars have claimed that Reagan did not actually transfer his power to Bush.However, in books such as "The President Has Been Shot: Confusion, Disability and the 25th Amendment," by Herbert Abrams, and Reagan's autobiography, "An American Life," Reagan's intent to transfer power to Bush was clear. Fielding himself adds, "I personally know he did intend to invoke the amendment, and he conveyed that to all of his staff and it was conveyed to the VP as well as the President of the Senate. He was also very firm in his wish not to create a precedent binding his successor."

15. Presidential Transition
The Vice President ･
Speaker of the House ･
President pro tempore of the Senate
Secretary of State
Secretary of the Treasury ･
Secretary of Defense
Attorney General ･
Secretary of the Interior
Secretary of Agriculture ･
Secretary of Commerce ･
Secretary of Labor ･
7 more cabinet positions are in the line of succession
Students should note the first four successors

16. Impeachment
“Impeachment as provided for in the Constitution can never be wholly divorced from politics”
- Chief Justice William Rehnquist
Impeachment is the process by which a civil officer of the United States is charged with wrongdoing. Under the Constitution, the House of Representatives has the sole power of impeachment, and the Senate has the responsibility to try the charges and remove guilty parties from office.

17. Impeachment Article II Section 4
“The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

18. Impeachment procedure
Charges drawn
House of Representatives votes. Simple majority sends case to House Judiciary Committee for investigation
House Judiciary Committee then votes to send the case to full House

19. Impeachment House votes - Simple majority sends case to Senate
House managers appointed…act like prosecutors…present case to Senate
Senate vote…need 2/3 vote to impeach

20. Impeachment Andrew Johnson (1868) Tenure of Office Act
William Jefferson Clinton (1998)
Impeached of perjury and obstruction of justice by the House, acquitted by the Senate
Perjury (Defeated 45-55)
Obstruction of Justice (Defeated 50-50)
Richard Nixon would have been impeached in 1974 but resigned first
The action of President Johnson that led directly to his impeachment was his deliberate violation of the Tenure of Office Act. By discharging Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton on February 21, 1868, Johnson intentionally defied Congress.The Constitutionality of the Act was a major point of contention during the trial. Harperﾕs Weekly discussed the "obscurity of the law" in an April 17, 1869 editorial, "An Unsettling Settlement", which was printed a month after Johnsonﾕs term ended.The Tenure of Office Act was repealed in In 1926, the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional even though it had been repealed almost 40 years before. The ruling came in the Myers v. U.S. case that dealt with the ability of Congress to limit the removal powers of the President with regard to postmasters.
he Senate impeachment trial lasted from 7 January, 1999 until 12 February. No witnesses were called during the trial. A two-thirds majority, 67 votes, would have been necessary to remove the President from office. The perjury charge was defeated with 45 votes for conviction and 55 against. The obstruction of justice charge was defeated with 50 for conviction and 50 against. Again, the impeachment effort did not have bipartisan support, though several Republicans voted to acquit.