The President Article II

1
The President Article II

• Chapter 8

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Executive Branch

• Executive Power has grown since the creation of
  the Constitution

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Roles of the President

• 1. Chief of State
• 2. Chief of Executive
• 3. Chief Administrator
• 4. Chief Diplomat

• 5. Commander in Chief
• 6. Chief Legislator
• 7. Chief of Party
• 8. Chief Citizen

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Chief of State

• The ceremonial head of the government
• Symbol of the nation

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Chief Executive

• Constitution grants him Executive Power
• Broad in domestic and foreign affairs
• Ensures that all laws are faithfully executed
• Appoints executive department heads
• Appoints federal judges
• Not all powerful
• Checks and Balances and limits to his power

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Chief Administrator

• Directs the executive branch
• Employs 2.7 million civilians
• Spends 2.5 trillion a year

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Chief Diplomat

• Chief architect of foreign policy
• Nations chief spokesperson to the rest of the
  world
• Makes treaties and appoints ambassadors

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Commander in Chief

• Commander of the armed forces
• Granted in the Constitution
• Congress can declare war
• But the President has become dominant in foreign
  affairs
• Can call out militia to take action in domestic
  affairs
• Decides on how to deploy troops
• Manages Defense Budget

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Chief Legislator

• May propose public policies
• Pushes Congress to enact legislation
• State of the Union message
• Can veto bills passed by Congress

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Chief of Party

• The leader of the political party in control of
  the executive branch
• Not stated in the Constitution
• Influential role in politics

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Chief Citizen

• Representative and protector of the people
• Moral Leadership

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Why a four year term?

• Enough time for the President to
• Gain Experience
• Demonstrate abilities
• Establish policies
• Can run for re-election
• Article II did not mention a term limit

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Why two term limit?

• George Washington
• Would have won a third election
• Refused to serve a third term
• no-third-term tradition was established
• Franklin D. Roosevelt broke tradition
• Elected four times
• Support from public due to World War II

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22nd Amendment

• 1951
• Limits the President to two terms
• Opposition
• Undemocratic- takes away peoples right to choose
  who should be President
• Undercuts Presidents authority
• Support
• Safeguard from Executive Tyranny

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Pay

• Congress determines Presidents salary
• Cannot raise salary during presidential term
• 1789 25,000 a year
• 1969 2001 200,000 a year in salary
• Current 400,000 a year in taxable salary

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Benefits

• 50,000 expense allowance per year
• Can be spent however the President chooses
• Must be connected with official duties
• 100,000 non-taxable travel allowance
• Retirement - 148,000 a year lifetime pension

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Benefits

• White House - 132 rooms
• Fleet of automobiles
• Air Force One
• Camp David resort hideaway
• Medical, Dental, and Health Care
• Travel and entertainment funds

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• White House

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Camp David

• Air Force One

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Qualifications and Requirements

• Natural-Born Citizen
• At least 35 years of age
• Resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years
  before taking office
• Same apply for the Vice President

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Unwritten Requirements and Qualifications

• What do you think is necessary for a President?
• Experience
• Access to Money
• Political Beliefs

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Presidential Succession

• And the Vice Presidency

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Presidential Vacancy

• If the President dies, resigns, or is removed
  from office by impeachment
• The Vice President assumes the role
• Dick Cheney would take over for Pres. Bush
• Became Constitutional in 1967
• 25th Amendment - Section 1

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Presidential Succession Act of 1947

• Following the Vice President the succession is
• Speaker of the House
• President Pro Tempore of the Senate
• Secretary of State
• Then each of the 14 heads of the Cabinet
  departments, in order of precedence

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Presidential Disability

• 25th Amendment Sections 3 and 4
• The Vice President becomes active President
• If the President informs Congress, in writing,
  that he is unable to discharge the powers and
  duties of his office
• If the Vice President and the majority of the
  Cabinet members inform Congress, in writing,
  that the President is so incapacitated
• President resumes power when notifying Congress
  that no inability exists

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Vice President

• 1. Presides over the Senate
• 2. Helps decide the question of Presidential
  Disability
• 8 Presidents have died in office
• 1 President has resigned

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Vice President

• The President often assigns duties to the Vice
  President
• May represent the President overseas
• May serve in a diplomatic role
• May give speeches defending Presidents policies
  and decisions
• Often serves as a military and foreign policy
  advisor

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How to pick a Vice President

• Party tries to balance the ticket
• May strengthen the chance of the President being
  elected
• Features to look for
• Geographic (Where they live)
• Ethnicity
• Gender
• Experience/Strengths
• Ideological (Theories and Agenda)

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Side Notes

• The President cannot fire the Vice President
• If there is a vacancy in the Vice Presidency,
  the President shall nominate one with the
  confirmation by a majority vote of Congress

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Election Processand Nominations
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Original Electoral College

• Each state would have as many electors as
  senators and representatives in Congress
• Electors would meet and vote for two candidates
• Highest majority President
• Second highest majority Vice President
• If tie or no majority, House of Rep. would vote

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Thomas Jefferson v. Aaron Burr

• Political Parties grew in influence
• Jefferson and Burr would receive equal votes
  from the Democratic Republican electors
• Led to the 12th Amendment in 1804
• Separate ballots for President and Vice President
• By 1820s, electors started to rely on the
  popular vote from the people

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Current Electoral College System
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Presidential Primaries

• January - June
• Voters choose who from their political party
  will go to the national convention as delegates
• Not all states use primaries
• Some states hold state conventions and some rely
  on local conventions

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National Convention and Platform

• National Convention (July and August)
• Each party adopts a platform
• Statement of its principles and objectives
• Party also declares a presidential and
  vice-presidential candidate

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The General Election (November)

• Candidates will campaign until the first Tuesday
  after the first Monday of November (Election
  Day)
• Whoever wins a majority of the electoral votes
  would win the presidency
• In 48 states the candidate with the most votes
  in the electorate, or popular votes, wins all of
  the states electoral votes
• Winner Take All

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Maine and Nebraska

• District system
• Electors would represent congressional districts
  and support the popular vote winner in their
  district

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Problems with the Electoral College

• What if there is no majority winner?
• House of Representatives elects a President
• A strong third party candidate could win enough
  votes to prevent any candidate from winning the
  majority
• The election would go to the House

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Problems with the Electoral College

• It is possible for the winner of the national
  popular vote not to become President
• Electoral votes are not divided according to
  exact state population and voter turnout
• Nothing forces a states electors to vote for
  the winner of the states popular vote
• It is just a tradition, not a law or rule

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Inauguration

• The President-Elect will take office at noon on
  January 20th
• Must take oath I do solemnly swear, that I will
  faithfully execute the office of the President of
  the United States, and will, to the best of my
  ability, preserve, protect, and defend the
  Constitution of the United States.
• President will give Inaugural Address
• FDR The only thing we have to fear is fear
  itself.
• JFK Ask not what the country can do for you
  ask what you can do for your country.