Article II

Unit IV

Section 1

The President and the Vice President

Section 1. President and Vice President

1. Term of office

1. The President enforces the laws passed by Congress. The President and Vice President serve four year terms.

12th Amendment – The “Ticket”

22nd Amendment limits terms to 2 for President.

2. Election: Electoral College Established– 435 + 100 + 3* = 538 Magical Number is 270

– No Winner? U.S. House selects President and Senate typically selects VP*

– *23rd Amendment adds 3 from D.C.

3. Former Method of Election: 12th Amendment

– That’s the ticket…President + VP

2012

4. Date of Elections

1. Congress selects the date when the presidential electors are chosen and when they vote for President and Vice President. All electors must vote on the same day.

Typically, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. General Election—2012/2016/2020

Mid-term- non-presidential years—2010/2014/2018

5. Qualifications

No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of the Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five years, and fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

Native Born, 35, and 14 years in U.S.

6. Vacancies

In the Case of Removal of the President from Office or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of said Office, the same shall devolve on the Vice-President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice-President, declaring what Office shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

25th Amendment- “Doomsday Amendment”

VP, Speaker, Pres. Protempore, SOSDHS

6. Vacancies

If the President dies, resigns, is removed by impeachment, or is unable to carry out his duties of the office, the Vice President becomes President. If both the President and Vice President are unable to serve Congress has the power to declare by law who acts as President.

Die, resign, removed, unable—VP gets the job

Amendment 25

7. Salary and Benefits

Originally, the President’s salary was $25,000 per year.

The President’s current salary is $400,000 plus a $50,000 taxable expense account per year.

The President also receives $120,000 nontaxable allowance for travel and entertainment, and living accommodations in two residences- the White House and Camp David.

Perks…

8. Oath of Office

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Article VI*

Administered by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in front of the U.S. Capitol. Why?

Section 2

Powers of the President

Powers of the President

1. The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

This clause makes the President, a civilian, the head of the armed forces i.e.- Commander in Chief

Advice from Departments – Cabinet

Reprieves, Pardons but no “Self” Impeachment---see Ford

2. Treaties and Appointments

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and shall be established by Law. But the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

Advice of Senate for Treaties- 2/3rds

Appoint Ambassadors, Supreme Court and Federal Judges

Executive Discretion—White House Chief of Staff, etc.

2. Treaties and Appointments

(Simplified)

The President is the chief architect of foreign policy. All treaties, Federal Court justices, and Cabinet nominees require the approval of two-thirds of the senators present.

Department of State

Ambassadors to Federal Judges..

3. Vacancies in office Senate not in session-Recess appointment

Section 3

Duties of the President

Duties of the President

Under this provision the President delivers annual State-of-the-Union messages and may call Congress into special session to consider particular problems. The President receives foreign diplomats and has the power of deciding whether or not to recognize foreign governments.

State Visits- Chief of State- Ceremonial Functions

State of the Union Address—January

Sets Presidential Goals for Congress- Chief Legislator

Does the President get what he/she wants?

Section 4

Impeachment

The President, Vice-President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Treason, Bribery or other “high crimes”

Could any president be impeached?

President’s Andrew Johnson and William Clinton were Impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Both were also tried by the U.S. Senate. Johnson and Clinton were found “not guilty.”

Richard Nixon resigned before the Impeachment began.

The President’s Roles

Unit IV

Presidential Seal Symbols?

The President’s Roles

Chief of State

Chief Executive

Chief Administrator

Chief Diplomat

Commander in Chief

Chief Legislator

Party Chief

Chief Citizen

Economic Leader

Judicial Leader

Great Faces….

Are the roles of a Republican or Democratic President the

same?

Chief of State

Ceremonial head of government

Symbol of the nation

Reigns and rules

Which nations do we currently not “recognize?”

Does this change from presidency to presidency?

Chief of State - Ceremonial

Chief Executive

Execute the tasks of Congress and the nation

Get it done

Job approval

Chief Executive

Chief Administrator

Heads an administration that employs more than 2.7 million civilians and spends more than $2 trillion a year.

Numerous federal agencies and commissions

Chief Administrator

Chief Diplomat

Main architect of American foreign policy

Nation’s spokesperson to the world

Secretary of State

Commander in Chief

Civilian leading the nation’s armed forces

1.4+ million men and women in uniform and the nation’s entire military arsenal

Secretary of Defense

Chief Legislator

Architect of public policy and public policy matters

Sets Congressional agenda

Initiates, suggests, requests, insists, and sometimes demands legislation

State of the Union

Check and balance of Congress

Chief of Party

Acknowledged leader of the political party

Leads party and its members

If president is successful, ride the coattails.

If the president is not perceived as successful, run the opposite direction or ignore him/her

Chief Citizen

Representative of all the people (Chief of State)

Represent the public interest rather than private / interest groups

Moral compass of nation

Votes and follows the rules

Economic Leader

Monitor and make adjustments to help the nation’s economy

Philosophical differences between political parties?

Secretary of Commerce, Treasury, Agriculture, Interior, Labor, Energy, etc.

Judicial Leader

Set the judicial enforcements of the laws of Congress

Appointments of federal court judges up to the Supreme Court

Attorney General-Dept. of Justice

Checks and Balances?

TOUGH JOB?

Article II

Unit IV