The Executive Branch

The Executive Branch The Presidency

Duties of the President • Presidents have enormous power and responsibility in government • Presidents make sure the national laws are fully executed; serve as commander in chief of the armed forces; appoint top officials, federal judges, and ambassadors; and meet with heads of foreign governments

President’s Term and Salary • The 22nd Amendments limits presidents to two terms; each term = 4 years • Congress determines the president’s salary ($400,000 beginning in 2001); in addition, many benefits are provided for the president while in office and in retirement: travel allowance of up to $100,000 per year (non-taxable); the use of AIR FORCE ONE, a specially equipped jet, helicopters, limos; free medical, dental, and health care; a lifetime pension of $148,400 per year!

Presidential Qualifications • The Constitution sets several requirements for the President: • A candidate must be a natural-born citizen • At least 35 years old • A resident of the U.S. for 14 years

Presidential Qualifications • Experience in government is an unwritten but important qualification • Candidates for office must have access to sources for rising large amounts of money in the presidential election campaign • Successful presidential candidates usually hold moderate political beliefs • Most presidents have shared similar backgrounds – ethnic, economic, racial, and gender • Being president underscores personal strengths and weaknesses

What do you consider the most important qualification for the office of president?

Presidential Succession • The 25th Amendments (1967) established the order of succession to the presidency (vice president, Speaker of the House, president pro tempore of the Senate, secretary of state, other cabinet members) and spelled out what happens when the vice presidency is vacant (pg. 798) • The 25th Amendment also sets forth rules to be followed in the event a president becomes disabled

In 1967, why was the 25th Amendment added to the Constitution?

President Kennedy’s assassination helped show that rules for succession were inadequate.

The Vice President’s Role • The vice president’s work depends on what jobs, if any, the president assigns • Although presidents before Eisenhower generally ignored their vice presidents, presidents since then have tried to give their vice presidents more responsibility. Often to promote them as future presidential candidates, to use their expertise, and to prepare them for the highest office of president

The Electoral College System • The Electoral College is still used to choose the president and vice president • Uses a winner-take-all system; all of a state’s (except Maine and Nebraska) electoral votes go the candidate receiving the largest popular vote

Electoral College Issues • Critics say that the winner-take-all system is unfair • This system makes it possible for a candidate who loses the total popular vote to win the electoral vote • A 3rd party candidate could win enough electoral votes to prevent either major party candidate from receiving a majority in the Electoral College

Electoral College Issues • When the House of Representatives must decide a presidential election, it may face several serious problems. A candidate must receive at least 26 votes (one vote per state) in order to be elected • Some critics believe the Electoral College should be replaced with direct election of the president and vice president…some have offered suggestions to improve it (pgs. 224-225)

The Inauguration • The new president (called the president-elect) is sworn into office in an inauguration ceremony • All leading officials from the three branches of government attend and witness the January 20th ceremony generally held outside the Capitol in Washington, D.C. at noon

The Inauguration • The simple oath is found in Article II, Section 8 of the Constitution: • “I do solemnly swear, 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 II, Section 8

The Cabinet • Made up of the heads of the 15 major executive departments, the vice president, and several other top officials (List is found on page 276, Ch. 10) • Appointed by the president, with the approval of Congress • Factors limiting the president’s use of the cabinet include conflicting loyalties and the difficulty of maintaining secrecy when such a large group is involved in discussions

The Role of the Cabinet • Cabinet members are heads of executive departments • The cabinet’s role has always been determined by the president • Modern presidents usually have not depended on the cabinet for advice in decision making but have turned to White House staff and close friends as their advisors

The Role of the Cabinet • Certain cabinet members – the secretary of state, defense, and treasury, plus the attorney general – form the “inner cabinet” and influence the president’s decisions on matters related to their departments’ areas of interest

Do you think the president might benefit from having a smaller cabinet? A larger cabinet?

Executive Office of the President (EOP) • Made up of individuals and agencies that directly assist the president • Includes agencies such as: • Office of Management and Budget (OMB): it prepares the national budget that the president submits to Congress each year • National Security Council: helps coordinate the nation’s military and foreign policy • Council of Economic Advisers: helps formulate the nation’s economic policy

Executive Office of the President (EOP) • The White House staff, usually longtime personal supporters of the president, are appointed without Senate confirmation • The White House has become the most important part of the EOP

The Executive Branch