*Executive Branch

**Enforces the Laws

Qualifications

• *35 years of age

• *Natural born citizen

• *Live in the U.S. for at least 14 years

• *4 year term – two terms only

Pay

• 400,000 per year

• 50,000 stipend

• Use of Air Force One, along with white house staff and other officials

• Camp David

• White House

Succession

Vice President – Joe Biden

• a heart beat away from the presidency

• otherwise has limited powers unless president gives them to him

• of all the VP’s, Gore was a member of the most Federal Committees

The line of succession is currently: • 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 • Secretary of Health and Human Services • Secretary of Housing and Urban Development • Secretary of Transportation • Secretary of Energy • Secretary of Education • Secretary of Veterans Affairs • Secretary of Homeland Security

Potential implementations – Presidential Succession Act of

1947• Following the assassination of President John F.

Kennedy in 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson became President and so there was no Vice President for fourteen months.

• There was no Vice President during the two months in 1973 between Spiro Agnew's resignation as Vice President and Gerald Ford's confirmation as Vice President.

• In 1974, during the four-month period between Gerald Ford's succession to the Presidency and the confirmation of Vice President Nelson Rockefeller.

Explain

• 25th Amendment

• Succession Act of 1947

• Speaker of the House – John Boehner

• President Pro Tempore – Patrick Leahy

• Secretary of State – John Kerry

• Secretary of Treasury – Jacob Lew

• Secretary of Defense – Chuck Hagel

Roles of the President

1. Chief of State- the ceremonial leader of the Country

a. other countries either have Kings or Queens for this reason only.

b. _not _constitutionally assigned role, but goes with the powers of President..

c. The Vice President has filled in for this role more times since the 1970’s.

Roles of the President

2. Chief Executive - the main administrative power given to the President by the constitution

a. As head administrator he rules over15 cabinet posts and more than 50 other departments.

b. There are more than 2.9 million employees in the executive branch. It also involves a budget of over 2.7 trillion dollars.

Roles of the President

3. Chief Diplomat- when the president formulates our foreign policy in our relations with other states .a. He uses hundreds of ambassadors and embassies all over the worldb. It is in this capacity that his power as commander- in- chief is often used .

Roles of the President

4. Chief Legislator - the president becomes the architect of public policies (State of the Union Address).

a. the constitution grants the president power to propose legislation b. the President and the Executive branch propose more legislation than any other source.

Roles of the President

5. Chief of Party- upon election , the President becomes the leader of his party (whether he already was or not).

6. Chief Citizen - your life is always under the scrutiny of the public and the media - you are a role model.

7. Commander in Chief• Heads all the Military

Branches by sending troops abroad

Chief Guardian of the Economy

• 8. He has to make sure the economy doesn’t tank!

Other important duties of the President:

Appoints Supreme Court Justices but the Senate approves and can remove for Impeachable charges

1. inefficiency

2. neglect of duty

3. wrongful conduct in office

4. Checks and Balances:a. Veto

b. Appoints Supreme Court Justices, Federal Justices and Cabinet members

c. Can “pack” the courts like John Adams tried to do

Presidential Powers 1. Growth of Powers

a. a need to see a single person in charge of governmentb. Some president’s strong personalities have expanded their powersc. the larger role of the government - increased size.d. Congress has delegated more authority through laws they have passed.e. The need for quick and decisive action in emergencies.

.

Presidential Powers 2. Types of powers

a. Executive Powers1. The primary duty is to enforce or

execute the laws of the United States.

2. The President does interpret the meaning of law by the way they choose to enforce it .

3. Ordinance Power - these are executive orders that carry the weight of law.

Presidential Powers 2. Types of powers

4. Appointment Power - the president appoints hundreds of administrators, ambassadors, and judges. All of them have to be approved by the Senate .5. Removal Power - the President has

the power to remove any of those people without congressional approval. (The President can’t remove the Vice-

President).b. Diplomatic Power

1. Power to make treaties - needs 2/3 Senate approval

Presidential Powers 2. Types of powers

b. …….2. Executive Agreements-

agreements between the President and other heads of state .

3. Recognition Power- the president accepts diplomatic delegations from other nations to recognize the legitimacy of that government.c. Military Power

1. The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces.

Presidential Powers 2. Types of powers

c. …….2. Congress controls the power to

declare war and finance the military3. The President can move troops

anywhere in the world, thus showing force where areas are threatened .

4. War Powers Resolution of 1973- Congress passed this to limit the President from getting our troops involved in military battles without a declaration of war.

Presidential Powers 2. Types of powers

d. Legislative Powers1. Recommends more legislation

than any other source. 2. Veto power 3. May call Special Sessions

e. Judicial Power1. Reprieve - the power to

postpone sentencing or a legal action.2. Pardon - it’s to free someone

from legal charges or actions.3. Amnesty - a pardon given to a

large group.

President’s Cabinet

*Cabinet - Group of Presidential advisors

*Appointed by the President and approved by the Senate

• Manage executive departments

Executive Branch 1. White House Offices

a. It is the nerve center of the Executive Branch run by the White House Chief of Staff and includes the President’s top advisor and aids.b. Each President has brought in his own people since Andrew Jackson’s term.

2. National Security Council a. Councils the President on domestic, foreign , and military that threaten the Nation’s security.b. Council Members

Executive Branch 1. White House Offices………

b. Council Members…..1. President 2. Vice President 3. Secretary of State and Defense 4. Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of

Staff 5. The Head of the Central

Intelligence Agency 6. Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Executive Branch 3. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) prepares a budget proposal to present to Congress for approval.

a. The Budget is an annual statement of public policies put into dollar terms.b. They become a watchdog on the execution of the budget.

4. other officesa. Council of Economic Advisors b. Council of Wage and Price Stabilityc. Council of Environmental Quality d. Office of Science and Technology Policies.

Executive Branch 5. Cabinet offices

a. State Department - deals with foreign policy and international affairs.b. Treasury Department - includes the IRS, custom department, secret service, the U.S. Mint. Bureau of Printing and engraving, and stampsc. Interior Department - responsible for conservation of public lands, resource management, park services, bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of land management, Fish and wildlife department.

Executive Branch 5. Cabinet offices……

d. Attorney General (Justice Department) - involved in anti-trust, Civil rights, government’s chief council, law enforcement, FBI, D.E.A., and all federal courts.e. Agriculture Department - Deals with farm research marketing subsidies, credit programs, quality labeling, USDAf. Commerce Department - responsible for tourism, trade, weights and measures, census, weather, patents and copyrights.

Executive Branch 5. Cabinet offices……

g. Labor Department - deals with wages, working conditions, employment opportunities, and statistics.h. Defense Department - in charge of the U.S. armed forces and joint chiefs of staffs.i. Health and Human Services Department - runs the FDA, social security, federal health and welfare programs, Medicare and Medicaid.

Executive Branch 5. Cabinet offices……

j. Transportation Department - runs the federal aviation administration, the coast guard, mass transit systems, transportation safety, and the highway system.k. Housing and Urban Development Department - deals with federal housing and aid to urban area programs.l. Energy Department - deals with energy, both regulating and developing programs in conservation.

Executive Branch 5. Cabinet offices……

m. Education Department - responsible for federal aid to education programs.n. Departments of Veterans Affairs Affairs- runs the administration of ex-service men’s retirement benefits and medical programs.o. Department of Homeland Security – to identify and understand threats, assess vulnerabilities, determine potential impact, disseminate timely information to our homeland security partners and the American public

Electoral College

Formal selection of the President and Vice President

1. Gave the responsibility to state legislators to “appoint” electorates who would confirm the office of the president

2. Based on the number of Congressional Representation in each state (AZ – 11 )

3. They promise to make the same decision as the majority of the state

4. The problem is the “popular” vote sometimes does not win out (Gore/Bush 2000)

5. There are 538 electors

6. To be elected president, one needs 270 electoral votes

7. The VP is chosen by the presidential nominee

8. Approved by the Presidential Party Convention

Electoral College

Congressional Districts

1. A Census every 10 years determines the number of Congressional Representatives each state has 2.Gerrymander

State Legislative Districts

1. 30 legislative districts

2. 30 State Senators

3. 60 State House of Representatives