The Executive Branch

1
The Executive Branch

• The Presidency

2
The Presidents Job Description

• Chief of State President is head of government,
  symbol of the country.
• Chief Executive Presidents job to execute and
  enforce laws.
• Chief Administrator President heads federal
  bureaucracy.
• Chief Diplomat President is spokesperson to
  other countries architect of foreign policy.
• Commander Chief President is leader of the
  armed forces.
• Chief Legislator President sets congressional
  agenda creates public policy.
• Chief of Party Leader of political party.
• Chief Citizen President is suppose to be
  model/ideal citizen.

3
Formal Qualifications for President

• Article II of Constitution states qualifications
  for presidency.
• Natural born citizen.
• At least 35 years of age.
• Lived in country for at least 14 years.

4
The Presidents Term

• President is elected to a four year term.
• Twenty-second Amendment
• Pay benefits
• Congress sets Presidents annual salary.
• Article II, Section 1
• Annual salary of 400,000.
• 50,000 annual expense account.
• Fringe Benefits
• Examples?

5
Presidential Succession Vice Presidency

• If President dies, resigns, or is removed from
  office, who then becomes President?
• Vice President
• Speaker of the House
• President Pro Tempore
• Secretary of State
• Other Cabinet members in order of precedence.
• Supreme Court Justices
• Governors
• Twenty-fifth Amendment/Presidential Succession
  Act.

6
Presidential Disability

• If president is disabled, who takes leadership
  responsibility?
• When the president resumes his duty, can his
  ability be challenged?

7
The Vice Presidency

• Constitutional duties
• Preside over the Senate
• Help decide the issue of presidential disability.
• Often, office of vice president is seen as
  unimportant.
• What do you think?
• Often, political parties choose a
  vice-presidential candidate who will help
  balance the ticket. What does this mean?

8
The Vice Presidency

• Must be ready to assume the presidency at a
  moments notice.
• What if the office of the vice president is
  vacant?
• Vice President cannot be removed from office by
  the President.

9
Presidential Selection Framers Plan

• Original Constitutional Provisions
• Electoral College (state by states, casting vote
  for TWO candidates)
• The candidate with the most vote became
  President, second place became Vice President.
• In case of tie House elect a President.
• Impact of Parties on Politics
• Election of 1800
• 12th Amendment

10
Electoral College Today

• Electors are chosen by popular vote and make up
  the electoral college.
• Group is chosen in each state D.C. (23rd Am)
  every four years.
• Job make a formal selection of President.
• The number of votes that a state has in the
  electoral college is equal to the number of
  members in BOTH houses of Congress. (NE5, CA55)
• Party that wins the majority of the popular vote
  in each state gets all that states electoral
  votes.
• Popular votes do count!
• Electoral votes are counted on January 6th, in
  D.C.
• What happens in case of a tie?

11
Flaws in Electoral College

• Votes are not distributed proportionally, so the
  winner of the popular vote may not win the
  electoral vote.
• Electors are not bound to vote for the candidate
  favored in popular vote.
• Elections may be thrown into the House, when
  voting is state by state.

12
Proposed Reforms

• District Plan
• Allow electors to be elected in each
  congressional district.
• Proportional Plan
• Gives each candidate the share of the electoral
  vote that he/she earned in popular vote.
• Direct Popular Plan
• Electoral college would be abolished.

13
Presidential Executive Power

• Executing the Law
• President is responsible for carrying out the
  nations laws.
• Ordinance Power
• In charge of federal bureaucracy, issues
  executive orders.
• Appointing Power
• Ambassadors, judges, cabinet members.
• Must be approved by the Senate.
• Removal Power
• Controversial

14
Diplomatic Military Powers

• Foreign Affairs
• Usually acts through secretary of state.
• Negotiate treaties, Senate must approve.
• Executive Agreements
• Pact between President and leaders of foreign
  countries DO NOT require Senate ratification.
• Recognition
• Exclusive power of the President to acknowledge
  the legal existence of a country and establish
  formal diplomatic relations.

15
Military Powers

• Share military power with Congress
• no limits on his/her role as commander in chief.
• Delegate much of their authority to military
  personnel.
• Only CONGRESS can declare war.
• War Powers Resolution Act

16
Legislative Powers

• Gives State of the Union.
• Recommends specific legislation.
• Veto power.
• Call special sessions and adjourn Congress.

17
Judicial Powers

• Grant reprieves and pardons.
• Federal law.
• Reprieve official postponement of sentence.
• Pardon Release from punishment or legal
  consequences.
• Commute sentences.
• Reduce length of a sentence or fines imposed.
• Amnesty general pardon offered to individual or
  group o law violaters.

18
Executive Offices of President

• White House Staff
• Presidents closet advisors
• National Security Council
• Advises president on issues of foreign and
  domestic national security
• OMB
• Helps president coordinate legislative and
  budgetary proposals.
• Office of National Drug Control Policy
• Prepares annual drug control policy includes 50
  agencies.
• Cabinet
• Executive departments (education, treasury,
  state, etc.)