Executive Branch Flashcards
What article of the constitution is the executive branch written
the second
major function of executive branch
To enforce the law
Roles of the president: (8)
- Chief of State
- Chief Executive
- Chief administrator
- Chief diplomat
- Commander in chief
- Chief Legislator
- Chief of Party
- Chief citizen
Chief of state:
ceremonial head of the government & symbol of the American people
Chief executive:
power to enforce the law (most powerful position in the world)
Chief administrator
CEO of the federal government (employs about 4 million people)
Chief diplomat
architect of foreign policy (relationship with other countries)
Commander in Chief
head of the US armed forces (1.4 million)
Chief Legislator
architect of public policy (ideas for laws)
Chief of party
leader of their political party
Chief Citizen
the representative of all the people of the USA
7 powers of the President:
- Appointment Power: (Cabinet, Federal judges, etc.) – about 4,000 positions
- Power to convene Congress: (State of the Union Address – special session)
- Power to make treaties: (agreement between two or more countries)
- Executive Orders: (a rule or order issued by the president to an executive branch of the government and having the force of law) – like a law within the executive branch
- Veto power: (reject legislation/reject laws)
- Commander in Chief Power: (head of the Armed forces)
- Pardoning Power: (grant releases to criminals)
Formal qualifications:
Be a “natural born citizen”
Be at least 35 yrs old
Have lived in the USA for at least 14 years
Oval Office
place where the President does their work! West wing of the White house
Presidential Salary:
400,000
Presidential Fringe Benefits (9)
- $50,000 per year expense account
- white house – 4 main floors, 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, 3 kitchens, 55 thousand square feet
- Camp David - summer home
- Air Force One – (2) – over 4,000 sq. ft home!
- Cadillac One - The Beast
- Marine One – Helicopters
- Free health care
- Pension ($200,000)
- Lifetime secret service protection
Cadillac 1 nickname
The Beast
The 25th amendment deals with
Presidential Succession and Disability
What is Presidential Succession
Becomes President in the event of death, disability, or resignation
First 5 levels of Presidential Succession
- Vice President
- Speaker of the House
- President Pro-tempore of - the Senate
- Secretary of State
- Secretary of Treasury
Disability: (2 reasons)
Vice President will become acting president if:
- The President informs Congress, in writing, that he/she is unable to perform their duties
- The vice president and the majority of the cabinet inform congress, in writing, that the president is unable to perform duties
Impeachment
The charge of high crimes and misdemeanors covers allegations of misconduct by officials
2 formal duties of VP:
- Preside over the Senate
- Help decide disability of president
What the VP does in the Senate: (2)
- Can’t debate
- Only vote to break a tie
Who chooses VP and how?
- Chosen by presidential candidate
- Chosen to “balance the ticket”
Today’s unofficial roles:
- Spokesperson for the president!
- Represent president at important events/ceremonies
Formal Qualifications for VP
Same as president
Why is VP and President qualifications the same?
VP could be the president at any time
VP Salary:
230,700
VP’s D.C. Residence
US Naval Observatory
Presidential selection: 2 steps
Popular Vote (people)
Electoral College
Electoral College: (electors)
A group of people chosen from each state to formally select the President & Vice President
Representation in the Electoral College is based on:
number of representatives
How many representatives are in the electoral college?
538
Can the electoral college vote against the popular vote?
Yes but rarely do
What happens to the candidates that win the popular vote in a state?
They take all of the electoral votes
How many electoral votes does a candidate have to get in a state to win?
270
Why is Electoral College important? (3)
- Protects against the tyranny of the majority
- Discourages voter fraud
- Gives a voice to both the large and small states
Four divisions of the Executive branch:
- President
- Vice President
- FederalAgencies/*The Cabinet
- Independent Agencies/Commissions
Federal/Executive agencies under direct control of:
the president
How did the Cabinet start and by who?
Started as a “custom” by George Washington
Originally there were how many members of the President’s cabinet?
4
Who/what were the original four cabinet members?
- Dept. of State – Thomas Jefferson
- Dept. of Treasury – Alexander Hamilton
- Dept. of Defense – Henry Knox
- Dept. of Justice – Edmund Randolph
How many executive departments are there today?
15
Each agency/department is headed by a secretary with the exception of the:
Department of Justice
Who is the head of the Department of Justice?
the Attorney General
How is the Attorney General hired: 2 steps
- appointed by the president
- confirmed by the senate
what are the jobs of the 15 department leaders? (2)
- Administer their department/agency
- Advise the president
Oldest executive department:
Dept of state
largest executive department:
Dept of defense
Newest executive department:
Dept of Homeland Security
What group does the dept of homeland security involve?
the Secret Service
job of the Secret Service:
Protect the president
Who works closest w/ the president?
Sec. of Defense and Sec. of State
What are Independent Agencies/commission?
Agencies that run outside the cabinet departments: not under direct control of the president
Why are some agencies independent agencies agencies?
Keep them away from political pressures/influences
6 examples of independent agencies:
- Nasa
- Federal Reserve
- EPA
- FDA
- USPS
- CIA
what is NASA
National aeronautics and space Administration
What is the federal reserve?
US Banking
What is EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
What is CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
Wife of the president is called
the First Lady
What is The first lady’s official role in the government?
No official role
What are the first lady’s unofficial roles? (3)
- Involvement in political campaigns
- Management of White House
- Hostess for all White House parties/dinners
How many personal white house staff are there?
500
top 6 positions of the personal white house staff:
- Chief of Staff
- Press Secretary
- Executive Office of the President (EOP)
- National Security Director
- Director of National Intelligence Agency
- White house counselor - lawyer
Chief of staff
President’s private secretary (White house manager) – top position
Press secretary
President’s public spokesperson
Executive Office of the President (EOP)
main advisor on foreign and domestic policy (experts)
National Security Director
In charge of nation’s security
6 examples of the 3-4 thousand employees that work in and around the white house:
- Secret Service
- Secretaries
- Butlers
- Housekeepers
- Cooks
- Gardeners
