Chapter 10, section 2

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Chapter 10, section 2

• The Presidents Major Roles

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Warm-up

• Who is the person who holds each of the following
  jobs in the federal government Chief Executive,
  chief diplomat, commander in chief?

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Vocabulary

• Bureaucracy - a government or other organization
  with many different departments and complex rules
  and procedures.
• Executive order- a rule the President issues that
  has the force of law.
• Ambassador - an official representative of a
  countrys government.

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Vocabulary continued...

• Treaty - a formal agreement between two or more
  countries.
• Executive agreement - an agreement between the
  president and the leader of another country.

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Objectives

• Describe the Presidents responsibilities as
  Chief Executive.
• Identify two powers given to the President as
  chief diplomat.
• Compare the military responsibilities of the
  President as commander in chief and those of
  Congress.

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Chief Executive

• Article II of the Constitution states that the
  presidents most important job is to carry out the
  nations laws.
• The executive branch of government determines the
  specific provisions or ideas of each new law.

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Issuing Executive Orders

• One of the most important tools that the
  President has for executing or carrying out laws
  is to issue executive orders.
• These are often issued during times of crisis
  when the country must act quickly and decisively.
• Organizations, companies and people must abide by
  executive orders as if they were a law.

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Appointing Officials

• The Constitution gives the President the power to
  appoint many government officials such as
  ambassadors, judges, heads of government
  agencies, and members of the cabinet.
  (www.whitehouse.gov)
• The President may remove most appointees with the
  exception of judges. (why?)
• The Senate must approve all appointments.

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Chief Diplomat

• The President is responsible for dealing with
  other countries.

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Appointing Ambassadors

• The President appoints about 150 ambassadors.
• Each ambassador is sent to represent the United
  States in different countries.
• The President only sends an ambassador to a
  country that is formally recognized. The
  President can refuse to recognize a country if it
  has a dictator or the government is not a legal
  one.

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Making Treaties

• The second important power the President has is
  to make treaties with other countries.
• The Senate must approve the treaty with a 2/3
  majority vote.
• The President can bypass the Senate by issuing an
  executive agreement.

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Commander in Chief

• The President also acts as commander of all U.S.
  Armed Forces.
• Only the President can order soldiers into
  battle.
• The Constitution wanted to give ultimate power of
  the Armed Forces to a nonmilitary person. (Why?)
• www.whitehouse.gov

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The War Powers Act

• Following the Vietnam War in 1973, Congress
  passed The War Powers Act.
• It limited the Presidents authority to wage war.
• Requires the President to notify Congress when
  sending troops into battle.
• Troops must be brought home within 60 days if not
  approved by Congress or unless it declares war.

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Peacetime Role

• During peacetime, the President can use the Armed
  Services for a variety of purposes One such
  example is the integration of public schools in
  Little Rock, Arkansas (shown left)

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Close

• The President and the Presidents family are
  often the subject of close public scrutiny and
  criticism. Such was the case with President
  Clinton and his affair with Monica Lewinski and
  President Bush and his daughters repeat offenses
  of drug possession and DWI.
• Is this fair or unfair? Explain.

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Section 2 Review/Assessment

• 1. What are the Presidents responsibilities as
  Chief Executive?
• Answer Carries out the nations laws, issues
  executive orders, appoints cabinet members and
  other officials.
• 2. What two powers does the President have as
  chief diplomat?
• Answer the power to appoint ambassadors and the
  power to make treaties.

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Section 2 Review/Assessment continued...

• Which military responsibilities are given to the
  President as commander in chief and which to
  Congress?
• Answer President - commands the armed forces,
  can order soldiers into battle
• Congress - maintains the armed forces, can
  declare war.