13 The Presidency

1. What are the two contradictory expectations

that Americans have about the presidency?

• They want a powerful president

• However, they dislike a concentration of power

2. Outline the procedure for removing a

president from office. 1. Criminal act

2. House – indict president

– majority vote

3. Senate has hearing to vote to convict or acquit (Associate Justice overseeing) 1. can indict for treason,

bribery, or high crimes

4. Vote?

3. Look at Table 13.3 on page 401 & choose one constitutional power of the president from

each category which you believe is the most important & list them below with an

explanation of WHY you think they are the most important.

• Receive ambassadors of other nation = diplomatic recognition of other gov. – establish friendly relations,

talk in private

• Veto legislation – power to thwart, not divide

goals of two branches

• Take care that the law is executed – has the departments

• Grant reprieve & pardon for federal offenses(except impeachment) – can free civil rights leaders,

anyone they deem fit

4. Describe two ways in which the power of the

president has expanded from its constitutional base.

• FDR-president as manager of the economy

• Abraham Lincoln-mobilized country for war

The President as a “Bully Pulpit”

• a public office or position of authority that provides its occupant with an outstanding opportunity to speak out on any issue

5. What is the goal of a presidential cabinet & Explain the role of

these different cabinet positions? Cabinet position Role

Department of State

make foreign policy including treaty negotiations

Department of Treasury

serves as government’s banker

Department of Defense

formed by consolidation of departments of army & navy

Department of Justice

serves as government attorney, headed by attorney general

Department of Education

responsible for federal gov’s education programs

Department of Homeland

Security

protecting american people from terrorist threats, securing borders

Goal: advise

president on

matters related to

their department

6. List & explain the function of the three major

policy making bodies of the Executive Office.

National Security

Council (NSC)-

coordinates the

president’s

foreign & military

policy advisors to

aid in the

implementation in

national security

policy & activities

Council of

Economic Advisors

(CEA)- advises the

president on

economic policy &

prepares the

annual Economic

Report of the

President

Office of

management &

Budget (OMB)-

[re[ares the

president

budget

7. What is the difference between a hierarchical

organization & a wheel-and-spokes system of

White House management?

Hierarchical Wheel & Spokes Different levels of power Chief of staff at top-makes sure everyone else is doing their job

Aids have equal status Balanced against one another in decision making

8. Make a list of four First Ladies & describe

how they have influenced the presidency. First Ladies Influence

Abigail Adams -Early feminist -counseled & lobbied husband -partisan symbol of Federalist party

Eleanor Roosevelt -wrote nationally syndicated newspaper column -traveled & advocated New Deal policies -urged husband to adopt liberal social welfare policies

Laura Bush -former librarian -focused on increasing literacy rates in US -opened libraries across America

Hillary Rodham Clinton -influential adviser to her husband -played an active role in the selection of nominees for cabinet & judicial posts -headed the planning for a massive healthcare reform plan

9. What is the difference between a veto, a

pocket veto, & a line-item veto?

Veto Constitutionally legal President sends back bill ⅔ vote in houses to override

Pocket Veto

Congress adjourns within 10 days President doesn't take action Bill dies

Line-item veto

Vetoing specific portions President can't do this Usually exercised by governors

10. Explain what is meant by the term

“presidential coattails?” • The tendency for a

popular political party leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party in an election

Define “presidential coattails” • If voters approve of

president, they vote for that party for Congressional candidates.

• ex: Ronald Reagan had a coattail effect on public

• After he was in office, public voted in his party (Republicans) for Congressional seats.

11. Describe the trend in support for the President

& his policies in Congress over the last forty years.

• Presidents tend to gain about 7 seats in the house of reps. Less than 1 seat gained in senate on average per election cycle.

• Presidents tend to gain support for their policies in later years & during the second term of their presidency

12. What are the two indicators of public

support for the president? Describe each. • Mandate- If the public likes

an incumbent & their policies, they will vote them back in.

• The incumbent’s policies are taken up as model – ex: FDR getting re-elected 4

times.

• Polls- Actually ask public their opinion.

• Can gather approval ratings, etc. from polls. – ex: random sample polls to find

approval rating of Congress, etc.

13. What is meant by the president’s

“honeymoon” period? • Honeymoon

period: public approval of new president is very high after inauguration.

• Approval begins to drop as time progresses.

14. What is an executive agreement & how

does it differ from a treaty? • International agreement

negotiated by President

– Routine, deals with non controversial issues

• Does not require senate ratifications

15. What are the main provisions of the

War Powers Resolution (Act of 1973)? • Reaction to American

fighting in Vietnam & Cambodia – requires Presidents to

notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to war

– Forbids armed forces from remaining in action for more than 90 days without authorization

16. Why is the president more equipped to

handle a crisis than Congress?

• President can instantly monitor events with modern communication

• Pres-rapid action, secrecy, constant management, expert advice

• Congress-moves slowly, large, decentralized

17. What are the “two presidencies?”

Explain them. “Foreign Policy” President “Domestic Policy” President

●President often initiates

motion & provides force

●Higher stakes

●President is the main

prominent role

○Congress oversees &

discusses various

aspects of policy

●Congress often initiates

motion by originating

proposals

●President isn’t the only

prominent role

18. What is the difference between the president

as head of state & head of government?

Head of State Head of government President is America’s ceremonial leader

● lighting the White House Christmas tree

● tossing first baseball of the season ● meeting foreign heads of state

President is symbol of government ● authority over the executive branch ● commander & chief of the armed

forces

19. Describe the pattern in approval ratings

of presidents shown in Figure 13.3.

• very up & down overall

• tends to start high then decrease

20. What is the role of the president’s

press secretary? • interacts with media

• serves as spokesman for pres & other administration

• daily press meeting

• deals with white house press corps

• non-cabinet & don’t need approval of Senate

John Earnest

21. In what way(s) is the press biased in their

coverage of the presidency?

• Biased because:

– oversimplified

– superficial

– overblown

– doesnt accurately represent b/c designed to attract views

22. In what way(s) is the institution of

the presidency undemocratic? • Not elected DIRECTLY

• Divided government leads to too many checks & balances

• Pressing national challenges neglected

23. How does the presidency increase &

decrease the scope of government?

• Depends on the president

– Some support increased role of government

– Others constrain it

• Spending

• Domestic policy

Twenty-Second Amendment • Amendment 22

states

• no person can be elected more than two four-year terms as president

• in response to the FDR regime

Twenty Fifth Amendment • allows VP to become

president in the event of death, resignation, removal from office or impairment of president

• VP nominate another VP(majority vote by Congress) – 1841 William Henry Harrison

first to die, Tyler Precedent

Impeachment • Definition-formal process

in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as criminal or civil punishment.

• 2 presidents-Andrew Johnson & Bill Clinton have been impeached

Cabinet • group of

presidential advisors

– not mentioned in constitution

– 13 secretaries & attorney general

National Security Council (NSC) • Coordinate the president’s foreign

& military policy advisors – formal members: president, vice

president, secretary of state, & secretary of defense

– managed by president’s national security advisor

• runs council’s staff • provides president information & policy

recommendations on national security • aids president in crisis management • coordinate agency & departmental

activities on national security • monitor implementation of national

security policy

Council of Economic

Advisors (CEA) Three member body

appointed by president to advise the president on economic policy

Office of Management & Budget (OMB)

-Consists of a handful of political appointees & hundreds of skilled professionals

-Cerforms managerial & budgetary functions, produces the President’s budget

Veto Constitutional power of President to send bill back to Congress with reasons for veto. ⅔ vote in both houses can override this.

Pocket veto Indirect veto of a legislative bill by the president (or a governor) by retaining the bill unsigned until it is too late for it to be dealt with during the legislative session

Presidential signing statements • A written

pronouncement issued by the president of the United States upon the signing of a bill into law.

Presidential Coattails Occur when voters

cast their ballots for

congressional

candidates of the

president's party

because they

support the

president.

Electoral Mandate • Perception that voters strongly support the president's character & policies

War Powers Resolution • intended to check president power

• make sure no commitment US to armed conflict without Congress approval

• Ex why) Nixon secretly bombing Cambodia

• Ex) Obama in Libya & NATO

“Honeymoon” period • Definition-fleeting phenomena in which the public

affords new occupants of the White House only a short grace period before they begin their inevitable descent in the polls

The President as a “Bully Pulpit”

• a public office or position of authority that provides its occupant with an outstanding opportunity to speak out on any issue