The President and the Executive Office

Ch 14 AP Government

The Prez vs a Prime Minister

Elected by people

Outsider Cabinet is

outsiders Unified/

divided

Elected from legislature

Insiders Cabinet are

politicians Guaranteed

unified

Divided/Unified

Keep an eye on Gridlock Checks and Balances

Early on…The Framers…

Fear of a monarch Tool of Congress Had to balance the power of

the Office

Traditions, traditions, traditions

Most power became defined by the President (Washington)

Most powers were boldly taken

Traditions became policy The early period

The Electoral College

Designed to keep the “common” people from actually choosing

You vote for electors who elect the President

Intention was for the House to choose often?

Electoral College numbers

538 Need 270 to win Ohio=20 (Reps+Senators)

The Intent of the EC No one would get 270—regional

candidates would divide the vote

The House would have to choose

Election of 1800=Monkey wrench

Election of 1800

TJ, AB, AH The vote that wouldn’t end The Duel

The 12th Amendment

Jackson Give your buddies a job Patronage/Spoils System

Kept the Democrats in office for 40 or so years

Congress is more powerful than the President over this time period

Lincoln

Civil War gives him power

Start of Republican Presidents

Congress control reconstruction however

Hoover/FDR

Hoover fails to control fiscal policy

The Depression gives way to FDR

The office gains much strength Still strong today

Nixon

Vietnam/Foreign Policy divide the nation

Republicans take back the White House

Hold a slight edge today (the divided era)

What Power?

Page 379

Tradition, tradition, tradition…

The Constitution

3 official requirements:Natural born, 14 year resident,

35

The Benefits

24 hour-medical-secret service-staff in WH$400,000$200,000

retirement

LimosHelicoptersPlanesA yachtCamp David$50,000

expense acct.

The famous

FDR KennedyLincoln

WashingtonJefferson Truman Grant

Monroe Reagan

The infamous

Buchanan FordHoover

A. Johnson Polk

L. Johnson Harrison

The Impeached

A. Johnson

Clinton

The help

CabinetWhite House OfficeExecutive Office

AgenciesIndependent Agencies

Page 381—the set-up

3 Audiences

The people The party loyalists outside of

DC Washington DC politicians

The job…

Uphold the Constitution…

Party leader, Chief citizen, Commander in Chief, Chief Executive, Chief Administrator, Chief Diplomat, Chief Legislator

The man…

Character counts (as Clinton found out and Kennedy avoided)

Be careful of the company you keep (GW Bush)

Watch what you say (Nixon)

3 ways to show power

Veto’s

Executive privilege (questionable)

Don’t spend the money (illegal)

The Program

The 1st term sets up the 2nd

Only time to really shine Checked by budget process 2nd=Lame duck

Page 397

The real Power The Amendments

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