Roles of the PresidentPowers of the President Electing a President

Jumpstart AssignmentDescribe the following political cartoon.

Todays AgendaPresidential Roles/ JobsPresidential SuccessionPresidential Powers

Demographic Characteristics of U.S. Presidents100% male97.67% full Caucasian97% Protestant82% of British ancestry77% college educated69% politicians previously

64% lawyers>50% from the top 3% wealth and social class0.5% born into poverty69% elected from large states4 assassinated in office6 others shot at in office2 of those hit but survived

Constitutional QualificationsMust be at least 35 years old

Must be a natural born US citizen

Must have lived in the United States for 14 years

Presidential Benefits$400,000 tax-free salary$50,000/year expense account$100,000/year travel expensesthe White HouseSecret Service protection for lifeuse of Camp David use of Air Force One Staff of 400-500 Lifetime pension = salary of Cabinet

Christmas at the White House, 2004

The White House Oval Office in the West Wing where Prez conducts most of business

Executive Residence 2nd floor Central Bldg where Prez & family actually live

CAMP DAVIDwooded retreatLocated in MarylandUsed by Prez to get away from CapitolConsists of a main lodge and several smaller cabins

Presidential Roles

Head of StateQueen Elizabeth and President Reagan, 1983President Kennedy speaks at Berlin Wall, 1963The President is chief of state. This means he is the ceremonial head of the government of the United States, the symbol of all the people of the nation.

Head of StateThis role requires a president to be an inspiring example for the American people. As the American Chief of State, the president is a living symbol of the nation. It is considered a great honor for any citizen to shake the president's hand.

Examples of actions in this role: Awarding medals to the winners of special awards Meeting dignitaries from foreign nations Throwing out first pitch of professional Baseball season Making a patriotic speech on the Fourth of July

Chief ExecutivePresident Bush holds cabinet meeting in October, 2005President Clinton with Janet Reno, the first female Attorney General, February, 1993The Constitution vests the President with the executive power of the United States, making him or her the nations chief executive.

Chief Executive This role requires the president to be the "boss" for millions of govt workers in the Executive Branch, deciding how the laws of the United States are to be enforced and choosing officials and advisers to help run the Executive Branch.

Examples of actions in this role: Appointing the head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Holding Cabinet meetings to discuss government business Issuing an Executive Order dealing with Cyber-security Granting a pardon to a convicted criminal

Commander-in-ChiefPresident Bush aboard U.S.S. Lincoln, May, 2003President Johnson decorates a soldier in Vietnam, October, 1966The Constitution makes the President the commander in chief, giving him or her complete control of the nations armed forces.

Commander-In-ChiefIn this role the president is in charge of the U.S. armed forces: the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. He decides where troops shall be stationed, where ships shall be sent, and how weapons shall be used. All generals & admirals take their orders from the President.

Examples of actions in this role: Inspecting a Navy shipyard Deciding, in wartime, whether to bomb foreign cities Calling out troops to stop a riot in a US city Meeting with members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Chief LegislatorPresident Clinton delivers the State of the Union Address, 1997President Roosevelt signs into law the Social Security Act, 1935 The President is the chief legislator, the main architect of the nations public policies.

Chief Legislator Only Congress has the actual power to make laws. But the Constitution gives the President power to influence Congress in its lawmaking. The President may urge Congress to pass new laws or threaten to veto bills that he opposes

Examples of actions in this role: Inviting members of Congress to lunch in the White House Making the State of the Union speech before Congress Travel around the country speaking in favor of a new law Signing or vetoing a bill sent to him from Congress

Chief Diplomat

President Lincoln during the Civil War, 1862President Roosevelt and the Bully Pulpit, 1910As the nations chief diplomat, the President is the main architect of American foreign policy and chief spokesperson to the rest of the world.

Chief DiplomatIn this role the president decides what American diplomats and ambassadors shall say to foreign governments. With the help of advisers, the president makes the foreign policy of the US and shapes our relations with other nations.

Examples of actions in this role: Traveling to London to meet with British leaders Entertaining Japanese diplomats in the White House Signing a trade agreement treaty with Canada Delivering a speech to the United Nations

Chief Party LeaderPresident Reagan & Vice-President Bush accepting their partys nomination in 1980The President acts as the chief of party, the acknowledged leader of the political party that controls the executive branch.

Chief Party LeaderIn this role, the President helps members of his political party get elected or appointed to office. The President campaigns for those members who have supported his policies. The President is viewed as the national leader of his party.

Examples of actions in this role: Choosing leading party members to serve in govt positions Traveling to NC to campaign in favor of candidate from his party Appearing on TV show to speak in favor of his partys views

Chief Guardian of the EconomyThe President is responsible for maintaining the health of the United States economy.

Chief Guardian of the Economy In this role, the President is concerned with such things as unemployment, high prices, taxes, business profits, and the general prosperity of the country. The President does not control the economy, but is expected to help it run smoothly.

Examples of actions in this role: Appointing the head of the Federal Reserve Board Presenting the proposed federal budget to Congress Meeting with economic advisers to find ways to reduce unemployment Meeting with business & labor leaders to discuss their needs & problems

Electing the PresidentPopular votes cast by ordinary citizens totals determine who wins Electoral votes in state can lose the Popular vote but win the election:John Quincy Adams (1824)Rutherford B. Hayes (1876)Benjamin Harrison (1888)George W. Bush (2000)

Abraham Lincoln (1860) won with >40% of popular voteElectoral votes cast by the Electoral College each state has electors = total # members in Congress most states have winner take all system only have to win majority of electoral college to be Prez

What if no candidate wins a majority of Electoral votes? House choses Prez Senate chooses V.P.

HOW MANY VOTES DOES IT TAKE TO WIN THE PRESIDENCY?

538 total electoral votes

Takes 270 votes to win

Presidential SuccessionPresidential succession is the plan by which a presidential vacancy is filled.1) Vice President2) Speaker of the House3) President Pro Tempore 4-19) Cabinet Officials in order of creation

Line of Presidential Succession1Vice President of the United StatesJoe Biden (D)2Speaker of the HouseJohn Boehner (R)3President pro tempore of the SenatePatrick Leahy (D)4Secretary of StateJohn Kerry (D)5Secretary of the TreasuryJacob Lew (D)6Secretary of DefenseChuck Hagel (R)7Attorney GeneralEric Holder (D)Secretary of the InteriorSally Jewell (D) [a]8Secretary of AgricultureTom Vilsack (D)9Secretary of CommercePenny Pritzker (D)10Secretary of LaborThomas Perez (D)11Secretary of Health & Human ServicesKathleen Sebelius (D)12Sec of Housing & Urban DevelopmentShaun Donovan (D)13Secretary of TransportationAnthony Foxx (D)14Secretary of EnergyErnest Moniz (D)15Secretary of EducationArne Duncan (D)16Secretary of Veterans AffairsEric Shinseki (I)Acting Secretary of Homeland SecurityRand Beers (D)[b]

[a] Naturalized US citizen born in the United Kingdom[b] Acting department head- not permanent Cabinet member

Role of the Vice President

Cartoon interpretationDescribe the following political cartoon. What does it say about V.P. Joe Biden?

Does Vice Prez have any Constitutional Powers? Article I, Section 3 - clause 4The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided. Article II - Clause 6In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President

Powers of the President

Formal Powers of the PresidentConstitutional or expressed powers of the presidency

Found primarily in Article II of the Constitution (the Executive Article)

Formal Powers: Commander-in-ChiefCommander in Chief of the Army & NavyMaking undeclared warLimited by War Powers Act 1973 President can commit troops for 90 days

Formal Powers: Chief ExecutiveFaithfully execute the lawsGrant pardons for federal offenses except for cases of impeachmentNominate judges of the Supreme Court and all other officers of the U.S. with consent of the SenateFill vacancies that may happen during recess of the Senate (recess appointments)

Formal Powers:Foreign AffairsAppoint ambassadors, ministers and consulsMake treaties subject to Senate confirmationReceive ambassadorsDiplomatic Recognition acknowledging the legal existence of a country/state

Formal Powers:Chief LegislatorGive State of the Union address to Congress

Recommend measures to the Congress

Upon extraordinary occasions convene both houses of Congress

Formal Powers:Chief Legislator (cont.)Presidential Veto Veto Message within 10 days of passing the House of originPocket Veto - President does not sign within 10 daysCongress can override with 2/3 majority from both HousesVeto PoliticsCongressional override is difficult (only 4%)Threat of veto can cause Congress to make changes in legislation

Those powers not explicitly written in the Constitution Similar to necessary and proper powers of CongressIn the modern era (since 1933), the Presidents informal powers may be significantly more powerful than his formal powers Informal Powers

Executive OrdersOrders issued by the President that carry the force of lawFDRs internment of Japanese AmericansClintons Dont ask dont tell gays in the military policyGW Bush trying suspected terrorists in military tribunalsNotice for Japanese relocation, 1942

Executive AgreementsInternational agreements, usually related to trade, made by a president that has the force of a treaty; does NOT need Senate approvalJeffersons purchase of Louisiana in 1803

GWB announced cuts in the nuclear arsenal, but not in a treaty; usually trade agreements between US and other nations

Executive PrivilegeClaim by a president that he has the right to decide that the national interest will be better served if certain information is withheld from the public, including the Courts and CongressUnited States v. Nixon (1973) presidents do NOT have unqualified executive privilege (Nixon Watergate tapes)

Interpreting CartoonDescribe the following political cartoon.

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