American American Government and Government and

Politics Today Politics Today

Chapter 11Chapter 11

The PresidentThe President

Who Can Become Who Can Become President?President?

– Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution sets Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution sets forth the qualifications to be president forth the qualifications to be president

– The two major limitations The two major limitations are age (a minimum of 35) are age (a minimum of 35) and natural-born citizenship and natural-born citizenship (thus eliminating (thus eliminating naturalized citizens) naturalized citizens)

The Process of Becoming The Process of Becoming PresidentPresident

– Nomination by one of the two major partiesNomination by one of the two major parties– Majority of the votes cast in the Electoral CollegeMajority of the votes cast in the Electoral College

The electors are decided in most states on a The electors are decided in most states on a winner-take-all systemwinner-take-all system

Thus, it is possible for a candidate to lose the Thus, it is possible for a candidate to lose the popular vote but still win an election, as was the popular vote but still win an election, as was the case in 2000case in 2000

– If no candidate receives a majority of the If no candidate receives a majority of the electoral votes, the House will elect the president electoral votes, the House will elect the president by voting state by state for a candidate by voting state by state for a candidate

The Many Roles of the The Many Roles of the PresidentPresident

– Head of StateHead of State– Chief ExecutiveChief Executive

The powers of appointment The powers of appointment and removaland removal

The powers to grant The powers to grant reprieves and pardonsreprieves and pardons

The Many Roles The Many Roles of the President (continued)of the President (continued)

– Commander-in-ChiefCommander-in-Chief Wartime powersWartime powers The War Powers ResolutionThe War Powers Resolution

– Chief DiplomatChief Diplomat Diplomatic recognitionDiplomatic recognition Proposal and ratification of treatiesProposal and ratification of treaties Executive agreementsExecutive agreements

The Many Roles The Many Roles of the President (continued)of the President (continued)

– Chief LegislatorChief Legislator Getting legislation passedGetting legislation passed Saying no to legislationSaying no to legislation The line-item vetoThe line-item veto Power of Congress to override presidential Power of Congress to override presidential

vetoesvetoes– Other presidential powersOther presidential powers

Statutory powersStatutory powers: those that Congress has : those that Congress has bestowed on the president by statutebestowed on the president by statute

Inherent powersInherent powers: those that the head of : those that the head of government needs to fulfill assigned duties, as government needs to fulfill assigned duties, as prescribed vaguely in the Constitution prescribed vaguely in the Constitution

The President as Party Chief The President as Party Chief and “Superpolitician”and “Superpolitician”

– The president as Chief of PartyThe president as Chief of Party– The president’s power to persuadeThe president’s power to persuade– Constituencies and public approvalConstituencies and public approval

Presidential constituenciesPresidential constituencies Public approvalPublic approval George W. Bush and the George W. Bush and the

public opinion public opinion pollspolls

““Going public”Going public”

The Special Uses The Special Uses of Presidential Powerof Presidential Power

–Emergency powersEmergency powers–Executive ordersExecutive orders

To implement and give administrative effect to To implement and give administrative effect to Constitutional provisions, treaties, and statutesConstitutional provisions, treaties, and statutes

Printed, along with rules and regulations, by the Printed, along with rules and regulations, by the Federal RegisterFederal Register

–Executive privilegeExecutive privilege Limiting executive privilege - Limiting executive privilege - United States v. United States v.

NixonNixon Clinton’s attempted use of executive privilegeClinton’s attempted use of executive privilege

Abuses of Executive Power Abuses of Executive Power and Impeachmentand Impeachment

–Article I, Section 2, gives the House the Article I, Section 2, gives the House the sole power of impeachment sole power of impeachment

If a majority of House members vote to If a majority of House members vote to impeach an officer of the United States, the impeach an officer of the United States, the Senate will conduct a trialSenate will conduct a trial

If two-thirds of the Senators vote for If two-thirds of the Senators vote for conviction, the officer is removed from conviction, the officer is removed from officeoffice

–Two presidents have been impeachedTwo presidents have been impeached–Neither were convictedNeither were convicted

The Executive OrganizationThe Executive Organization– The CabinetThe Cabinet

Members of the cabinet (and the kitchen Members of the cabinet (and the kitchen cabinet)cabinet)

Presidential use of cabinetsPresidential use of cabinets– The executive office of the presidentThe executive office of the president

The White House officeThe White House office The Office of Management The Office of Management

and Budget and Budget The National The National

Security Council Security Council

The Vice PresidencyThe Vice Presidency

– The vice president’s jobThe vice president’s job Strengthening the ticketStrengthening the ticket Supporting the presidentSupporting the president

– Presidential successionPresidential succession– The Twenty-fifth The Twenty-fifth

AmendmentAmendment– When the vice presidency When the vice presidency

becomes vacantbecomes vacant

Line of Succession to the Presidency of the United States

Questions for Critical Questions for Critical Thinking Thinking

How has the presidency evolved from How has the presidency evolved from the time of George Washington to the the time of George Washington to the time of George W. Bush?time of George W. Bush?

Who develops policy within the Who develops policy within the executive branch?executive branch?

Questions for Critical Questions for Critical Thinking Thinking

What has happened to the power of the What has happened to the power of the presidency in this century? How did presidency in this century? How did the New Deal impact the presidency? the New Deal impact the presidency? How has the role of government How has the role of government changed with the role of the president? changed with the role of the president?

How has Congress tried to protect the How has Congress tried to protect the balance of power? balance of power?