Chapter 13
Current Executive?
Barack Obama
44th President of the USA
Elected November 4, 2008
Sworn in on January 20, 2009
Job Description
1. Chief of State
 Head of government
 Human symbol of American People
2. Chief Executive
 Leads the federal bureaucracy
 Administers and executes the law
3. Chief Administrator
 In charge of government employees
 Manages money to run gov. programs
Jobs Cont.
4. Chief Diplomat
 Sets foreign policy
 Appoint diplomats
 Negotiate and sign treaties
 Negotiate/sign executive agreements
Jobs Cont.
5. Commander and Chief
 Head of all military forces
 Civilian control of the military
6. Chief Legislator
 Sets legislative agenda with veto power
7. Chief of Party
 Leader of their political party
8. Chief Citizen
 Represents all Americans
 Expected to do what’s best for the nation
Qualifications
 Article II, Section 1:
 Natural Born Citizen
 35 years old
 14 year resident of U.S.
Term of the President
 Elected to 4 year term
 Originally no limit 1789 – 1951
 FDR served four terms (1933-1945)
 22nd Amendment set limit to two terms

Maximum of 10 years
Presidential Salary
 Determined by Congress
 $400,000 per year
 $50,000 expense account
 Also gets money for staffing, entertainment,
free rent, vacation home
Presidential Succession
 25th Amendment and Presidential Succession Act of 1947
 The list of succession is enacted for the following reasons
 President writes to Congress he is no longer capable of
doing his job
OR
 The VP and a majority of the Presidential Cabinet tells
Congress that the President is no longer capable of doing
his job
The Vice Presidency
 The constitution only gives 2 job duties
1. President of the Senate
2. Deciding Presidential disability
 VP helps with diplomacy & political support
 If the VP becomes vacant, the President nominates
a new VP with Congressional approval
 Salary = $230,700/year
 Separate mansion in D.C.
Presidential Selection
 Electoral College selects the President and VP
 Electors chosen by state legislatures
 State population determines number of electors
 Electors meet in their own states and vote
 A joint session of Congress counts the electoral
votes – 270 votes needed to win
 If tie/no majority?
Choosing the President
 The Constitution does NOT given instructions
 In the 1830’s political parties started using
conventions to select the candidates for
president
 Starting in the early 1900’s political parties
started switching over to political primaries
Presidential Primaries
 Elections where voters choose the delegates
that will go to the national convention
 When you are casting your vote in California
you are selecting a delegate
 If your candidate wins the primary, their
delegates will go to the national convention
National Conventions
 Usually convention is held in a swing state
 Delegates are the important people
 Chosen at the state level (primary or caucus)
 Delegates actually vote during the convention
Events at the convention
 Held every four years
 Three main objectives
1. Set the party’s platform
2. Select the candidates for President and
Vice President
3. Unite the party behind those candidates
Convention’s importance
 Opening Session and “Keynote address”
 Each state votes and candidates are chosen
 Candidate makes a speech and everybody cheers
Crash Course!
 Video
Executive Article
 Article II
 “The executive power shall be vested in a
President of the United States of America. ”
 Power of Presidency is vaguely defined
 Changed with time and Presidents
 Andrew Jackson was first powerful
president
Treaty
 Formal agreements between sovereign states
 Same weight as an act of Congress
 Can cover a lot of subjects
 Defense
 Trade
 Environment
 Travel
 Law enforcement/extradition
 Treaties need Senate approval
Pardon and Amnesty
 President can grant “clemency” to anyone for
breaking a federal law
1. Pardon – legal forgiveness of a crime
2. Amnesty – blanket pardon offered to a large
group of people
3. Commutation – reduce the penalty of a crime
4. Reprieve – postpone the execution of a
sentence
 This power of the president is absolute
Executive Order
 Decrees that have the force of law
 Variety of reasons
A. May be ceremonial or symbolic
B. National Security Directives relate to defense
C. Public policy without Congressional consent
D. Can not contradict Congress or Constitution
 Changing executive orders
 Courts, Congress, or succeeding Presidents
Executive Agreement
 A pact between heads of states or their
subordinates
 Legally binding and enforced by courts
 Do not require the approval of the Senate
 May not contradict an act of Congress
Crash Course (again)!
 Video