The Executive Branch Flashcards
Who is the head of the executive branch?
The president (Barack Obama)
What is the job of the executive branch?
To carry out, or execute laws made by Congress
How long is the president’s term?
4 years
Who is second in command in the executive branch under the president?
The Vice President (Joe Biden)
Who are the president and Vice President elected by?
The electoral college
Members of the electoral college as referred to as…….
Electors
Who makes up the electoral college?
Men and women from different states
The number of electors per state is determined by?
The total number of representatives and senators a state has
How many total electoral votes are there?
538
What is the “magic number” of electoral votes to win the election?
270
What is the popular vote?
Vote cast by the people
What happens if there’s a tie or no candidate receives a clear majority in an election?
Then the House of Representatives elects the President
Qualifications to be President
- Must be at least 35 years old
- Must be a natural born citizens of the US
- Must have been a resident of the US for at least 14 years
Line of succession if President dies or is unfit to continue
- Vice president = Joe Biden
- Speaker of the House = Joe Boehner
- President Protempore = Patrick Leahy
- Secretary of State = John Kerry
Who is the president’s salary set by?
Congress, it doesn’t change during the President’s term of office.
What is the president’s current salary?
$400,000
When are the President and Vice President elected?
The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November
What is name of the day the President and Vice President are sworn in?
Inauguration Day
When is Inauguration Day?
January 20
Who, on Inauguration Day, administers the oath of office, usually?
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
What are the 5 categories that the powers of the president are put into?
Commander in Chief, Chief Executive, Chief of State, Chief Legislature, and Chief of Party
Commander in Chief
President is the #1 military person in the US. It is his job to make all decisions regarding the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines his responsibility. He can call the National guard into service of the US
Chief Executive
He does this job by making sure all of his cabinet, staff, and other employees are doing their jobs correctly.
Chief of State
He or she is in charge of all foreign relations, as stated in the Constitution. He travels to other countries to meet with foreign leaders. He also greets and hosts other foreign dignitaries when they visit the US. He may also make treaties with other countries, but the Senate must ratify it by a 2/3 vote.
Chief Legislator
President has the power to approve or disapprove laws. He can also suggest laws be made with his supporters in the House or Senate.
Chief of Party
When the President is elected, he becomes the head of his political party, Republican or Democrat
Impeachment
The way to remove officials from office when they have failed at their jobs
How to be removed from office by impeachment
You commit acts of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors
The House of Representatives does this in the impeachment process
They come up with the list of charges against the person
What does the Senate do in the impeachment process?
They act as a jury and hear both sides of the case. 2/3 of the senate must agree in order for the official to be convicted of the charges and removed from office.
Who is the judge in a case of impeachment?
Chief Justice (John Roberts Jr.)
What two presidents have gone through the whole impeachment process?
Andrew Johnson and William (Bill) Clinton
Who resigned before charges could be issued in the House of Representatives?
Richard Nixon
Treason
Going against one’s country
The four divisions of the executive branch?
Cabinet departments, independent agencies, government corporations, and regulatory commissions
Cabinet departments
A group of men and women who are the president’s closest advisors. They are each in charge of 1 of 15 departments. Most important ones are Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and Secretary of Treasury
Secretary
The title giving to each advisor of the President
Independent Agencies
Not as important as Cabinet, but essential to the mission of the US. An example would be NASA
Government Corporations
Businesses run by the US government in order to provide specific services to people. A few examples are the US Postal Service and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
Regulatory Commissions
These groups make sure that the rules set for certain large industries are being followed and that the safety of the public is not in jeopardy. Examples: Federal Communication Commission, Federal Aviation Administration
