Presidential Paradoxes
January 25th & 26th
Agenda
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Finish Bachelorette
Presidential Paradoxes
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This is important! You will have to be able to EXPLAIN this topic **HINT HINT**
Discuss the Vice President… what’s the job like?
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Activity: Choosing your Vice President
*David Muir Interview
What are expectations of a President?
President Expectations/Characteristics
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Good speaker
Educated
Doesn’t crack under pressure
Nice
Stern and calm
Assertive
Respectful
Open minded
Responsible and secure BUT also flexible/open-minded
What is a PARADOX?
Actual Definition: a self-contradictory statement.
Now… how does this relate to the President?
Two things we expect the president to be, but they
contradict each other.
Presidential Paradoxes
We often have contradictory expectations of the President.
Here are some examples of Presidential
Paradoxes...
You will need to be able to explain these and why they are paradoxes/why do they
exist?
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4)
Powerful, but we fear abuse of power
Relatable “like us”, but also extraordinarily “above us”
Visionary and creative, but we fear change
Above politics “nonpartisan”, but requires a master politician to succeed
“partisan”
Draw
Create a depiction of at least one presidential paradox (5 points)
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Explain how this depiction/drawing/sketch is a presidential paradox (5 points)
***At the most basic level, a paradox, is a statement that is self contradictory
because it often contains two statements that are both true, but in general, cannot
both be true at the same time.
Ok so let’s talk about the VP
Presidential Succession Act of 1947
Established that following the Vice President, it would be the Speaker of the House
and then the President pro tempore.
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Reasons for succession (death, illness, resignation, impeachment,
temporary/permanent inability to perform duties)
VP → Speaker of the House → President Pro Tempore (Senate) → Secretary of
State → then are followed in turn by each of the 13 heads of the Cabinet
departments
25th Amendment - Ratified 1967
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In the case of removal or death of the President, the Vice President becomes
President.
If there is a vacancy in the office of Vice President, the President nominate a VP
with a majority vote in both Houses.
If the President informs the Speaker of the House and the President pro
tempore that he is unable to perform the duties as president, then power goes
to the Vice President.
If the VP and a majority of cabinet members determine that the President is
unable to do his job and inform the Speaker and President pro tempre, then the
VP shall take over.
25th Amendment
**What two times has the 25th Amendment been used?
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2)
1973 - Nixon nominated Congressman Gerald R. Ford to fill the vacancy left by
VP Spiro Agnew’s resignation.
Still in 1973, Ford became President after Nixon resigned and he nominated
Nelson Rockefeller to fill the VP vacancy left by him
Could this man have been President?
Vice President - Duties
Formal Duties
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2.
To preside over the Senate
Help the decide the question of Presidential disability
Informal Duties
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“Balance the ticket”
Fun Fact!
The Vice President cannot be fired… by the President.
Picking your VP Activity