INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT – THE PRESIDENCY

AP Government Review

22nd Amendment

Why was it adopted? FDR’s four term stint

What is the term limits? Two terms, not more than 10 years

25th Amendment

What is this amendment also known as? Presidential disability amendment

What does this establish? Vice President succeeds the president Vacancy in VP slot means president can appoint a VP

with majority consent of both houses of Congress President can inform both houses if he will be

incapacitated so VP can take over If President can’t let Congress know, VP and majority

of Cabinet can so VP can take over

Informal Sources of Presidential Power

To whom does the President make legislative recommendations? Congress

What does he do as Chief of Party? Leads his political party

Why is executive privilege important? To protect his actions from Congressional oversight

How is the President a lobbyist? He “lobbies” Congress to implement his agenda

Constitutional Powers of the Vice President

What is the only job for the VP listed in the Constitution? President of the Senate

When is the only time the VP can vote in the Senate? To break a tie

Executive Office of the President

List the components of the Executive Office Office of the President Office of the Vice President Office of Management and Budget Office of Administration U.S. Trade Representative Various policy development offices, such as

National Security Council National Economic Council Domestic Policy Council Office of Science, Technology, and Space Office of Environmental Policy National Drug Council

White House Chief of Staff

What IS the Chief of Staff? President’s closest advisor

Does this position require Senate confirmation? No

Why is the Chief of Staff often called the “gatekeeper”? He coordinates the day-to-day schedule of the

president.Who is often considered the strongest man to

ever hold this position? H.R. Halderman – President Nixon’s Chief of Staff

National Security Advisor

What does this person do? Provides daily security briefings to the president along

with other key security personnel.Historically, what promotions do National

Security Advisors receive? Advancement to Secretary of State Examples:

Kissinger for Nixon Rice for GW Bush

White House Staff

What does the White House Staff do? Make up the personnel that run the White House and advise the president

Do these advisers need Senate approval? No

What are some positions included in the White House Staff? Chief of Staff Press Secretary Councils to the President Personal aides Ancillary people such as

White House Cook Secretaries to the President and the First Lady

How did the President choose these people? Most worked with him during the election

How does he know it’s okay to talk with them about national matters? They are also protected by executive privilege

White House Press Secretary

What does this person do? Works out of the office of communications and is the

chief White House spokesperson to communicate directly with the media

Does this job need Senate confirmation? No

How does this Press Secretary try to control the flow of information out of the White House? Tries to set the agenda on a daily basis Holds daily press briefings

Office of Management and Budget

Does the director of the OMB need Senate confirmation? Yes

What is the main responsibility of the OMB? Assist the president in overseeing the preparation of

the federal budget and supervise its administration after the budget is passed by Congress

List two other jobs of the OMB. Evaluates the effectiveness of bureaucratic agencies

and sets funding priorities Issues reports and recommends legislation related to

budget priorities.

Council of Economic Affairs

How many people are on the council and do they need Senate confirmation? Three, yes

What is the main job of the council? Advise the president in the preparation of economic

reports Gathers information about economic developments

and trends Recommends national economic policies that promote

free enterprise and further national employment Recommends economic legislation that would achieve

the economic goals of the administration

President’s Cabinet

How is this group part of the “unwritten Constitution”? Based on practice, precedent, and tradition even

though the Constitution does mention “executive departments”

Who began this tradition, precedent, or practice? George Washington

Do they need Senate confirmation? Yes

Who creates new cabinet positions? President requests, Congress approves

Secretaries of State, Defense, & Veterans Affairs

What is the job of the Secretary of State? Be the diplomatic representative for the president in

foreign affairs & assist in formulating foreign policy.What is the job of the Secretary of Defense?

Oversee the military and assist the president in formulating military policy

Supervises the Joint Chiefs of Staff Works in the Pentagon

What is the job of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs? He/she is responsible for all matters related to

veterans including benefits

Attorney General & Secretary of Homeland Security

What is the job/role of the Attorney General? Enforces all federal laws Heads the Department of Justice Is called the “nation’s lawyer” Works with the Solicitor General to arguing cases before the Supreme Court

What agencies are included in the Department of Justice? Civil Rights Division Drug Enforcement Administration Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives FBI U.S. Marshals Service

What is the job of the Secretary of Homeland Security? Protect the U.S. from attacks

What agencies are included in Homeland Security? Immigration and Naturalization Customs and Border Patrol Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Transportation Security Administration U.S. Coast Guard

Secretaries of Treasury and Housing & Urban Development

What is the main job of the Secretary of Treasury? Act as the principle economic advisor to the president

What is he/she responsible for? Formulating and recommending domestic and international

financial, economic, and tax policy and overall fiscal policies that have an impact on the economy.

Chairman of the President’s Economic Council Oversees the U.S. mint

What about the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development? Advises the president on matters related to housing urban

development

Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior

What’s the Secretary of Agriculture responsible for? Matters related to agriculture, farming, food, and rural development

What agencies does the Department of Agriculture include? U.S. Forest Service U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service

What else? Coordinates the Food Stamp program Works closely with nation’s farmers

What agencies are included in the Department of Interior? Bureau of Indian Affairs U.S. Geological Survey National Park Service

Secretaries of Commerce and Transportation

What’s the Secretary of Commerce mainly responsible for? Matters related to promoting economic growth, trade and the improvement

of business and industry Gathering economic and demographic data for businesses

What other agencies are a part of the Department of Commerce? National Weather Service Bureau of the Census Patent and Trademark Office

What about the Secretary of Transportation? He’s responsible for all matters related to transportation and the nation’s

infrastructure What agencies are also part of the Department of

Transportation? Federal Aviation Administration Federal Highway Administration National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Secretaries of Labor & Energy

What’s the Sec. of Labor do? He’s responsible for issues related to labor unions and

laws involving workplace issuesWhat other agencies are part of the

Department of Labor? Bureau of Labor Affairs Employees Compensation Appeals Board Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

What’s the Sec. of Energy do? He’s responsible for matters related to energy

resources including nuclear energy and energy conservation

Secretaries of Health & Human Services and Education

What’s the Sec. of H&H Services do? He’s responsible for all matters related to the health of U.S.

citizensWhat other agencies are part of H&H Services?

Administration of Aging Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Food and Drug Administration National Institutes of Health

What about the Sec. of Education? Deals with matters of national education policy Oversees No Child Left Behind Sees that all federal laws and grants dealing with education

are implemented.

State of the Union Address

Why does the President deliver this message? Article II, section 3 of the Constitution requires him to do this

How has this been delivered to Congress? Washington to Taft – written report Wilson on – speech Coolidge – since him it’s been nationally broadcast to the

American peopleWhat’s this speech do?

Outlines the president’s agenda and motivate the Congress to adopt his proposals

How does the opposition respond? They are interviewed immediately following the speech – kind

of like a rebuttal

Bully Pulpit

What’s this? Coined by Teddy Roosevelt to explain how he could

use the White House to promote his policiesHow do modern presidents use the bully

pulpit? They use the media to communicate with the people

Reagan – began Saturday morning radio broadcasts Clinton & GW Bush – held town meetings Others have spoke to special-interest groups that support

the policies they support

Line Item Veto

What is this? Gives the president the authority to selectively veto

portions of the 13 appropriations bills that are passed by Congress and make up the federal budget

When did this go into effect? With the Republican Contract with America and

signed into law by Clinton in 1996Is it still in use?

No, it was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court

Executive Order & Executive Agreement

What are Executive Orders? Have the force of law and do not need congressional

approval unless appropriations are needed to carry out the order

Examples: Truman’s integration of the military Kennedy’s creation of the Peace Corps Clinton’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military policy

Executive Agreements are… Agreements made with foreign countries that DO NOT

need Senate approval Example: - Trade Agreements

Executive Privilege

Why does the president use this? A power that allows the president to protect the

privacy interests of the executive branchIn what area is it mainly used?

Foreign policyWhat did Nixon, Clinton, and GW Bush try to

protect? Nixon – Watergate info Clinton – Monica Lewinsky affair GW Bush – firing of U.S. Attorneys

Signing Statements

When are these used? When he signs a bill into law

What do they do? Explain his view about the legislation

Why are they controversial? Critics say they change the intent of the law

U.S. v. Nixon

Facts: Grand jury investigating Watergate wanted the tapes

Nixon kept of all conversations in his office once they learned of them

Nixon refused to turn them over claiming executive privilege

Issue: Was executive privilege justified?

Decision: Supreme Court ruled refusal violate separation of

powers because executive privilege could be claimed in issues of national security, not general privacy

Impeachment of the President

What is impeachment? Formal charges brought by the House of Representatives

stating the President is guilty of a high crime or misdemeanor

Steps: 1. House Judiciary Committee brings articles of

impeachment to the full house 2. Whole House votes – majority “yes” means Senate

convenes and conducts the trial 3. Chief Justice of the U.S. comes over to preside

Who’s been impeached? Andrew Johnson Bill Clinton

Impeachment of Bill Clinton

Who was the Special Investigator appointed by the Attorney General? Kenneth Starr

What were the charges against Clinton? Perjury and obstruction of justice

What happened? Senate failed to convict Clinton