XII - Presidency Flashcards
President
Holds the most powerful position in the world
Roles and responsibilities of the executive branch has
increased dramatically in the 20th century
President still need support of
Congress & public in order to execute things
Divided gov’t
Different parties controlling the executive and legislative branch
Federal #70
Argued in favor of a single executive
Basic requirements to become president
Age 35 or older
Natural-born citizens
Lived in the Us for previous 14 years
Who has been president?
All Protestant until Kennedy
All white until Obama
The President must win the
Electoral vote
One person can only serve as President for the max of
2 4 years terms
22th Amendment (1951)
Passed due to FDR’s extra long presidency
Vice President
Next in line for office
25th Amendment (1967)
Created the process of selecting a new VP & procedure for dealing with presidential disabilities
Impeachment
Charges are brought against a gov’t official
Impeachment Process
House votes for impeachment
Senate conducts a trial
2/3 vote in Senate to remove the president
Officials can be impeached for
“treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors”
Article II
Deals with power of the executive branch
Enumerated power of President
Veto legislation
Nominate Supreme Court judges
Grant pardons
Madisonian system of check and balances and shared powers
placed limits on presidential power
Examples of limits
President can appoint cabinet members and judicial nominees but must be approved by Senate
President is Commander-in-Chief but Congress declares war
Executive Order
Directive issued by POTUS that manages the running of the federal gov’t and has authority of law
Factors that have led to increased presidential power
Actions of president
New tech
Rise of US as superpower
Actions of President
Lincoln suspending writ of habeas corpus during Civil War
FDR’s New Deal increased role of fed. gov’t
Nixon’s widening of Vietnam War
Executive branch
VP Cabinet Executive Office White House Staff First Lady
Vice Presidency
Previously a largely ceremonial position
VP selected to balance the ticket & attract support
Increasing role of VP in polict and advocacy examples
Bush- VP Cheney influential in foreign policy
Obama- Biden vast experience in gov’t
Cabinet
Not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution
Group of advisors who head federal agencies & executive departments
Confirmed by Senate
Executive Office
Created in 1939 by FDR to help oversee growing gov’t bureaucracy
National Secuirty Council
Advice on national security, foreign policy
Council of Economic Advisers
Advice on economic policy
Office of Management & Budget
Prepare the president’s annual budget
White House staff
Made up by about 600 people
Chief of Staff
Who president meets with, provides into to president, etc.
Press Secretary
Messaging of President to media
First Lady
No formal roles listed in Constitution
Many were influential and taken on various campaigns
Examples of First Lady infleunces
Abigail Adams “remember the ladies”
Edith Wilson ran stuff when husband has a stroke
Eleanor Roosevelt Advocated for various causes
Hillary Clinton Health care reform
Michelle Obama healthy eating & exercise
State of Union Address
President required to address Congress annually
Chief Legislator
Laying out President’s legislative agenda
Veto
Presidential power of rejecting a law passed by Congress
Hangs as a threat over legislative processes
How to overcome the veto
2/3 vote in Congress can override a presidential veto
Pocket veto
President does not sign a law for 10 days and Congress adjourns leaving the bill dead
Line-item veto
Rejecting certain parts of a bill without vetoing the entire bill
President can’t do this
President also serves the role of
party leader
President can support part members by
“Presidential coattails”
Midterm elections
Amount of influence a president has over legislative process is also determined by
popularity & level of public support for the president
Electoral mandate
Candidate wins by a large margin which often means they have the support to implement their policy agenda
Limit of public support
Unlikely to sway members of Congress with ideological differences
Legislative bargaining skills
Play a key role in success or failure of a presidential agenda
Bargaining
Persuasion
Informal powers that enable the president to secure Congressional action
First 100 days
Crucial period of new Presidential administration to set the tone
Other roles of the President
Chief Diplomat
Commander in Chief
Crisis Manager
Chief Diplomat
Diplomatic recognition
Treaty negotiation: executive agreement
Personal diplomacy
Commander in Chief
Deploy armed forces
Congress declares war & appropriates money
War power has shifted to
executive branch
War Powers Resolution
Requires President to seek Congressional approval prior to deploying troops
Crisis Manager
Presidential power expands during time of national crisis
Expansion of Presidential powers examples
NSA wiretapping
Use of drones
Presidential approval ratings tend to
fluctuate
Economic prosperity is great for approval rating
President will often attempt to win over public support by
going public
Bully pulpit
Position in which to mobilize public opinion offered to the holder of Presidency
Signing statements
Statement signed by President that informs Congress and public of their interpretation of a law passed by Congress
Limited success of swaying public opinion
Lack of interest in politics
Ideologically set beliefs
Press
Plays a critical role in the information the public gets about the presidency
Press Secretary
Daily press briefings conducted
Challenges to press
24 hour media coverage means facts are not always verified
Rise of ideologicaly biased programming
Perspectives on the presidential role depends on
desire for a strong president during crisis
President shares policy beliefs
President’s longest lasting influence is in
judicial appointments to Supreme Court
