UNIT 4: THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
p. 24A-B
Presidential Powers
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The Constitution says surprisingly little about
presidential powers
1.
2.
3.
Military Powers: Commander and Chief of the Armed
Forces
Executive Powers: appoints heads of executive
departments (Especially his cabinet and other top
officials)
Foreign Policy Powers: the president makes treaties,
meets with heads of state, hosts foreign officials, and
appoint ambassadors to represent the U.S. in foreign
nations
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Presidential Powers
Judicial powers: appoints federal court judges and
pardons people convicted of federal crimes
Legislative Powers:
4.
5.
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Most important job as the president is to ensure that the
laws are “faithfully executed”
Delivers annual State of the Union message to Congress
Proposes legislation
Presidential Terms
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Originally, the Constitution did
not specify term limits, but
Washington set a precedent of
two terms
After FDR broke that tradition
and was elected for four terms,
that changed
22ndd Amendment (1951)- two
terms/10 years
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It’s Good to be Chief!
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$400,000 a year plus $100,000 for expenses
Ai FForce O
Air
One, planes
planes, helicopters,
helicopters and limo
limousines
sines
Free medical, dental and health care
Live in the White House
Have a staff to cook, clean, and do whatever they
need or want
Lif i pension
Lifetime
i
Air Force One Facts
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There are two planes in this fleet
“While
While on the aircraft,
aircraft the President and staff have access to a
full range of services, including communications systems, secure
and non-secure voice, fax and data communications, along with
access to photocopying, printing, and word processing.”
85 telephones, 19 televisions, in-flight refueling, freezer holds
about 2,000 meals, ready to operate medical facility and an onboard doctor
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4
Qualifications
NATURAL born citizen
2.
A least
At
l
35 years old
ld
3.
Resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years
***other, unwritten qualifications – political experience,
best chances are to have been a state senator or
state governor, access to serious money and be a
moderate on most issues
***white, male, wealthy, married, and Protestant also
seems to be typical qualifications!
1.
Presidential Succession
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4 presidents have died by bullets, 4 have died of
natural causes while in office
25th Amendment (1967) – seen as necessary after
JFK’s assassination in 1963 – this amendment sets
forth that the VP becomes pres if pres dies and that
the pres can nominate a VP if the VP resigns or dies
First used during
g Nixon’s term when his Vice President
resigned in 1973 and he nominated Gerald Ford as
his V.P.
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Presidential Succession (order)
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Vice President
S
Speaker
k off the
h House
H
President pro tempore of
the Senate
Secretary of State
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of Defense
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Attorney General
S
Secretary
off the
h Interior
I
i
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Labor
Secretary
y of Health &
Human Services
What does the VP do?
1.
2.
3
3.
President of the Senate
He helps decide whether the president is
disabled and acts as president in cases
when this happens (health reasons, was
shot, etc.)
Mostly his duties have depended on what
Mostly,
the president gives him to do!
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Electing the President
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Let’s watch a video on the Electoral College!
Electoral CollegeCollege compromise agreed on at the
Constitutional Convention
Each state chooses electors (as many as
Representatives and Senators) that cast votes for
the president –the president is NOT popularly
elected
12th Amendment- parties must cast separate ballots
for president and vice president
Reflection Questions from Video
 What is the constitutional basis for the Electoral
College and why was the system put in place?
 What is the common strategy to get to 270, and
what role do “safe” and “swing” states play?
 How is a president chosen when none of the
candidates receives a majority of the electoral
college vote?
 Why did the 2000 election reenergize critique of
the Electoral College?
 Are you satisfied with the current system?
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The Electoral College Today
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In reality, a vote for the Republican candidate is a
p
elector (there
(
are a total of 538
vote for a republican
electors)
The District of Columbia gets 3 electors
In all states except Maine and Nebraska it is a
winner-take-all system
Election of president: the Tuesday after the first
y in November
Monday
Electoral College does not meet until the Monday
after the second Wednesday in December
Only a very few electors have not gone with the
state’s wishes
Election 2008
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Inauguration
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Occurs at noon on
January 20th in the year
following the
presidential election
The Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court
administers the Oath of
Office
The Cabinet
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Established to act as advisors to the president
Each nominee for Secretary of each cabinet position
must be approved by the Senate
Secretaries need to show geographic balance, as
well as gender and race representation
They need to be politically acceptable to all, but
political patronage and loyalty are also
consideration
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/cabinet
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The Executive Office

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The nine areas of the Executive Office provide
more direct advice
ad ice to the president
president, in many
man cases,
cases
than his cabinet
These are to help organize and execute the many
programs of the executive who employ experts in
many complex fields, like science
White House Staff
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These are appointed WITHOUT consent from the
Senate
These tend to be long supporters/friends of the
president
chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, White House
counsel and the press secretary (think West Wing)
The staff range from specialists in certain areas to
political strategists and to see that the president’s
wishes are carried out
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The President’s Cabinet
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Defense – Chuck Hagel
S
State
– John
J h Kerry
K
Treasury – Jack Lew
Interior – Sally Jewell
Justice – Attorney General Eric Holder
Agriculture
g
– Thomas Vilsack
Commerce – Rebecca Blank
Labor – Seth Harris
The President’s Cabinet
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HUD – Shaun Donovan
T
Transportation
i – Ray
R LaHood
L H d
Energy – Steven Chu
Health and Human Services – Kathleen Sebelius
Education – Arne Duncan
Veterans Affairs – Eric Shinseki
Homeland Security – Jeh Johnson
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