formal powers of the president

Question 1

list the formal powers of the president:

Answer 1

1. propose legislation
2. submit annual budget
3. sign legislation
4. veto legislation
5. act as commander in chief
6. nominate executive branch officials
7. nominate all federal judges
8. act as chief executive
9. negotiate treaties
10. pardon
11. head of state

Question 2

describe the power of proposing legislation with an example:

Answer 2

-can do this at any time
-for example by calling a press conference or making a public announcement
-e.g. in 2013 Obama used his state of the union address to promote policy proposals on job creation etc

Question 3

describe the power of submitting the annual budget with an example:

Answer 3

-president doesn’t personally write the budget
-it sets out how money will be spent over the coming years
-in 2018 Trump’s budget was vetoed by congress as it included plans to build a wall on the mexican border

Question 4

describe the power of signing legislation with an example:

Answer 4

-once a president signs a bill into law it becomes an act of congress
-obama signed the affordable care act in 2010

Question 5

describe the power of vetoeing legislation with an example:

Answer 5

president has 2 options:
1. pocket veto - when they leave the bill on their desk to expire, and it will either become law in 10 days without their signature or be lost if the congressional session ends within the 10 days
-normal veto - sends the bill back to congress. congress can override the veto with a supermajority but this is difficult to achieve
-last time a pocket veto was used was by clinton in 2000
-trump used his normal veto to block legislation 10 times, 2 of which would’ve ended the state of emergency at the southwestern us border

Question 6

describe the power of commander in chief with an example:

Answer 6

-they’re commander in chief of the us military, meaning they can initiate military action
-the war act requires presidents to get congressional approval but some act without this e.g. when Obama ordered military intervention in Libya
-so presidents have the power to lead their nation into conflict e.g. george w bush ordered US invasion of afghanistan + Iraq after 9/11
-also have the power of nuclear weapons e.g. truman ordering nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Question 7

describe the power of nominating executive branch officials:

Answer 7

-when a president takes office there are 4000 positions they can fill
-their suggestions must be confirmed by senate with a simple majority vote

Question 8

describe the power of nominating federal judges with an example:

Answer 8

-includes supreme court justices when vacancies arise
-also must be confirmed by senate
-trump nominated 3 justices of the supreme court e.g. amy coney barret

Question 9

describe the power of being chief executive:

Answer 9

-president enters office with an agenda that they attempt to carry out

Question 10

describe the power of negotiating treaties:

Answer 10

-treaties require the advice and consent of the senate, however they can make executive agreements with foreign nations without senate approval
-treaty example = versailles, post WW1, Woodrow Wilson

Question 11

describe the power of pardoning with an example:

Answer 11

-president can pardon anyone convicted of a federal crime
-they can also give a pre-emptive pardon for any crimes already committed that an individual may be charged for in the future
-clinton pardoned his own brother for a drug offence
-trump pardoned his former advisor charged with fundraising fraud

Question 12

describe the power of being head of state:

Answer 12

role used at times such as the state of union address