Executive Branch

Chapters 13 - 15

• Chapter 13

• Section 1

• Article II in the Constitution

• President’s Job– Roles

• Chief of State:• Chief of Executive:• Chief Administrator:• Chief Diplomat:• Commander in Chief:• Chief Legislator:• Party Chief:• Chief Citizen:

• Section 1 Ch. 13 cont.– Formal Qualifications

• Natural Born Citizen• 35 years old• Lived in U.S. for 14 years

– President’s Term• 4 years : Hamilton – Federalist Papers No. 71 = long

enough to gain experience, demonstrate abilities, and establish stable policies.

• No term limit until 1951 in the Constitution b/c of Washington the “no third term tradition” became and unwritten rule in politics

• 22nd amendment: 2 term limit / 10 year max.

• Section 1 Ch. 13 cont.– Pay and Benefits of President

• Fixed by Congress now at $400,000 / year– Initially set at 25,000/year in 1789

• Since 1949: 50,000 expense account per year.• Each former Pres. – 143,000 / year pension

- First ladies = 20,000 / year

- Other Benefits: White House, air force one, marine one, yacht, cars, Camp David

- All President’s assets put into a blind trust.

• Ch. 13 Section 2

• Presidential Succession and the V.P.– 25th Amendment– Constitution originally did not provide for succession

• 1841: informal amendment to the constitution through custom (started with John Tyler)

• Line of Succession determined 1-17 by the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.

• Presidential Disability (25th Amendment)– V.P. takes over as acting President if…

» President informs Congress in writing» V.P. and Majority of Cabinet inform Congress in Writing

– President can challenge the process and Congress will have 21 days to decide if he/she is fit to lead.

– Vice President• “I am Vice President, In this I am nothing but I may be

everything.” John Adams• Duties:

– “a President-in-waiting”– Preside over senate– Help decide Presidential Disability

• 8 Presidents have died in office and 1 forced to resign.– If V.P. takes over as President they will have to nominate a New

V.P. to be approved by Congress.

• Chapter 14

• Section 1

• Presidential Powers– Original intention of 1787– Why have they grown?

• Unity of the President (1 leader always agrees with himself/herself)

• Pressure from social and economic life of a nation/people• Emergencies (war, pearl harbor, 9/11)• Congress: to be efficient it delegated authority to the

President• Roles: Attract and hold public attention - media

• President’s Executive Power– Executing the law: use own discretion as to which

laws are executed/enforced vigorously and which are lesser

– Ordinance Power: directive, rule, regulation with the force of law

• Not expressly written in Constitution but implied and given by Congressional Acts that the Executive Order exists.

– Appointing Power: Names top ranking officers in white house and Judiciary

• President Nominates = senate approves it

– Removal Power• Can remove an appointed official without approval of

Congress (except a judge!)

• Powers cont.– Diplomatic Powers

• Make treaties (with congressional approval)• Executive Agreements• Recognition of another Country and it’s government

– Military• President can make undeclared war• Use forces abroad in combat over 200 times in our

History• Korea and Vietnam were never technically “war” as

declared by Congress.

WAR POWERS RESOLUTION of 1973

1. -Vetoed by Nixon – overridden by Congress

2. -Within 48 hours of committing troops president must report to Congress on circumstances

3. -60 limit to use in combat unless otherwise extended by Congress (+ 30 days to withdraw = 90 days total)

4. -Congress may bring an end to the commitment by passing a concurrent resolution to do so

• Powers of the President cont.– Legislative Powers

• Recommend legislation• Veto Power

– Judicial Powers• Reprieve• Pardon• Commute (reduce) a sentence• Amnesty

– 1893 Harrison forgave Mormons– 1977 Carter grants a blanket pardon for Vietnam draft dodgers

AcronymsHow many can you name?

• CIA• FBI• NASA• USPS• DOD• DOT• OMB

• HUD• FEC• FDIC• SEC• FEMA• NSA• FCC

• Chapter 14• Section 5• Office of the President and the Cabinet

– E.O.P. : complex of several separate agencies staffed by the President’s most trusted advisers and assistants

• White House Office• National Security Council (NSC)• Office of Management and Budget (OMB)• Office of National Drug Control Policy• Council of Economic Advisors• Office of Policy Development• Council on Environmental Quality• Office of the U.S. Trade Representative• Office of Science and Technology• Office of Administration• Cabinet (Advisors as the head / secretary of 15 executive

departments)

• Chapter 15• Section 1• Federal Bureaucracy

– What is it?• 3 principles

– 1. hierarchical authority– 2. job specialization– 3. Formal Rules

– Major groups of administrative agencies• 1. Executive office of the President• 2. 15 cabinet departments• 3. large number of independent agencies

– Departments = ex. DOL / DOD– Agency = ex. CIA / NSA– Administration = ex. TSA– Commission = ex. FCC– Bureau = ex. FBI / BMV

• Section 2– See internet worksheet?

• Section 3 - The Civil Service– Words to know:

• Spoils system- • Patronage – • Pendleton Act- • Register –

– Questions to Answer:• What standard did Washington set for federal

employment?• What can’t federal employees participate in (types of

activity)?• What is the goal of Civil Service today?• How did (why did) Civil Service come to be?