The Executive BranchThe Executive Branch

POTUSPOTUS

President of the United StatesPresident of the United States

Head of the Executive Head of the Executive BranchBranch

Only nationally elected officialOnly nationally elected official Term of office – 4 yearsTerm of office – 4 years Two term limitTwo term limit Maximum of 10 yearsMaximum of 10 years

Salary and BenefitsSalary and Benefits

$400,000 a year$400,000 a year Expense Account 50,000Expense Account 50,000 Travel Expense $100,000Travel Expense $100,000 Free medical, dental, and healthcareFree medical, dental, and healthcare Air Force OneAir Force One White House Staff 400 to 500 personsWhite House Staff 400 to 500 persons Mansion with swimming pool, bowling Mansion with swimming pool, bowling

alley, tennis courts, and private movie alley, tennis courts, and private movie theatretheatre

Camp DavidCamp David Housing ExpensesHousing Expenses Retirement - $148,499Retirement - $148,499 $96,000 a year for office expense, $96,000 a year for office expense,

free space, and mailingfree space, and mailing Staff support and Secret Service Staff support and Secret Service

protection after leaving officeprotection after leaving office

QualificationsQualifications

FormalFormal Natural born citizenNatural born citizen 35 years of age35 years of age Resident of the U.S. for 14 yearsResident of the U.S. for 14 years

InformalInformal Government experience (political alliances)Government experience (political alliances) Access to moneyAccess to money Moderate political beliefsModerate political beliefs Personal characteristics – white, married, Personal characteristics – white, married,

protestant, financially successful, and maleprotestant, financially successful, and male

Presidential SuccessionPresidential Succession

Twenty-fifth AmendmentTwenty-fifth Amendment Section One – In the case of the removal of the Section One – In the case of the removal of the

President from office or of his death or resignation, President from office or of his death or resignation, the vice president shall become presidentthe vice president shall become president

Section Two – Whenever there is a vacancy in the Section Two – Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of vice president the president shall nominate a office of vice president the president shall nominate a VP who will take office upon confirmation by a VP who will take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both houses of Congress majority vote of both houses of Congress

Presidential Succession Act of 1947 – Speaker of the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 – Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, House, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Secretary of State followed by the rest of the cabinetSecretary of State followed by the rest of the cabinet

Presidential DisabilityPresidential Disability

Twenty–fifth sets rules to be followed.Twenty–fifth sets rules to be followed. VP becomes acting president if the president VP becomes acting president if the president

informs Congress or if the VP and the majority of informs Congress or if the VP and the majority of the cabinet inform Congress – to be used if the the cabinet inform Congress – to be used if the president is unable to inform Congress. president is unable to inform Congress.

President resumes duty by informing CongressPresident resumes duty by informing Congress Congress will settle disputes within 21 days by a Congress will settle disputes within 21 days by a

2/3rds vote in each house in favor of the VP to 2/3rds vote in each house in favor of the VP to keep the president from resuming officekeep the president from resuming office

Presidential Powers and Presidential Powers and DutiesDuties

Presidential powers may be his alone Presidential powers may be his alone or shared with the Senate or or shared with the Senate or sometimes the Congress as a wholesometimes the Congress as a whole

Commander in ChiefCommander in Chief Negotiate treatiesNegotiate treaties Sign executive agreementsSign executive agreements Appointive power – ambassadors, cabinet Appointive power – ambassadors, cabinet

secretaries, Supreme Court Justices and secretaries, Supreme Court Justices and federal court judgesfederal court judges

Veto powerVeto power Call Congress into special session and Call Congress into special session and

adjourn Congress if they cannot agree on a adjourn Congress if they cannot agree on a datedate

Grant pardons for federal crimesGrant pardons for federal crimes Report on the State of the UnionReport on the State of the Union ““Take care that the laws be faithfully Take care that the laws be faithfully

executed”executed”

Vice Presidents RoleVice Presidents Role

Constitutional DutiesConstitutional Duties Presides over the Senate and votes in cases Presides over the Senate and votes in cases

of tiesof ties Helps determine disability under the 25Helps determine disability under the 25thth

AmendmentAmendment

14 VP’s have become president – 9 14 VP’s have become president – 9 by death or resignationby death or resignation

Since 1953 VP’s have become more Since 1953 VP’s have become more important – they used to be ignoredimportant – they used to be ignored

Electoral CollegeElectoral College The electoral college is actually a group of The electoral college is actually a group of

delegates chosen by the voters. On delegates chosen by the voters. On election day voters mark their ballots for election day voters mark their ballots for president and vice president, but actually president and vice president, but actually they are electing these delegates.they are electing these delegates.

Each state has as many delegates as it Each state has as many delegates as it has senators and representatives.has senators and representatives.

There are 538 electors in all (District of There are 538 electors in all (District of Columbia has three)Columbia has three)

The candidate who receives 270 (a The candidate who receives 270 (a majority) winsmajority) wins

Theoretically, a delegate can vote for Theoretically, a delegate can vote for whoever he or she wants, but in whoever he or she wants, but in reality, delegates publicly commit reality, delegates publicly commit themselves to a particular candidate themselves to a particular candidate and honor their commitment.and honor their commitment.

With this system a person can be With this system a person can be elected president even though he or elected president even though he or she received a minority of the she received a minority of the popular vote. (John Q Adams, Hayes, popular vote. (John Q Adams, Hayes, Harrison, and Bush ’43)Harrison, and Bush ’43)

The CabinetThe Cabinet

The presidents cabinet consists of The presidents cabinet consists of the heads of the executive the heads of the executive departmentsdepartments

Homeland Security, State, Treasury, Homeland Security, State, Treasury, Defense, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Defense, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, and Transportation, Energy, Education, and Veterans AffairsVeterans Affairs

White House StaffWhite House Staff

Presidents depend on their personal Presidents depend on their personal staffstaff

Advisors are often characterized asAdvisors are often characterized as Domestic policyDomestic policy Economic policyEconomic policy National Security or foreign policyNational Security or foreign policy Administration and personal mattersAdministration and personal matters Congressional relationsCongressional relations Communications and public relationsCommunications and public relations

Executive Office of the Executive Office of the PresidentPresident

White House StaffWhite House Staff Office of the Vice PresidentOffice of the Vice President Office of Management and BudgetOffice of Management and Budget National Security CouncilNational Security Council Council of Economic AdvisorsCouncil of Economic Advisors Office of Policy DevelopmentOffice of Policy Development United States Trade RepresentativeUnited States Trade Representative National Drug Control PolicyNational Drug Control Policy Council on Environmental QualityCouncil on Environmental Quality Office of Science and TechnologyOffice of Science and Technology Office of AdministrationOffice of Administration

Roles of the PresidentRoles of the President

Chief of StateChief of State Chief ExecutiveChief Executive Chief AdministratorChief Administrator Chief DiplomatChief Diplomat Chief LegislatorChief Legislator Commander in ChiefCommander in Chief Chief of PartyChief of Party Chief CitizenChief Citizen

Plus Economic PlannerPlus Economic Planner

Evaluation of a POTUSEvaluation of a POTUS

Policy LeadershipPolicy Leadership Crisis ManagementCrisis Management AppointmentsAppointments Foreign StandingForeign Standing Character and IntegrityCharacter and Integrity Public PersuasionPublic Persuasion VisionVision

Plus Role PerformancePlus Role Performance