The Presidency of the United States

The Presidency• The Presidency was a

radical idea when created at the Constitutional Convention

• A private citizen as leader of a nation had not been tried anywhere in the world

• Nearly every nation was led by some sort of King or other Monarch

• How exactly would the Presidency work? Very little was known going in.

Defining the Presidency• There could be only one man to lead

the new nation as the first President, George Washington was chosen overwhelmingly

• How he did his job established a tradition for other Presidents to follow

• He retired after 2 terms, an example all but one President have followed

• He relied on the advice of Department Secretaries, establishing the cabinet

• He was referred to as “Mr. President”, the official title all following Presidents have answered to

• He handled most foreign policy decisions himself, establishing it as a vital Presidential responsibility

Presidential Powers and Responsibilities

• The President of the United States has many important powers and responsibilities:

• Commander-in-chief of the military• Manager of relations with foreign countries and negotiator of

treaties• To approve or veto laws• Prepare a budget for the U.S.• Appoint government officials• Make sure the laws of the nation are enforced• Make an annual State of the Union speech to the nation• Issue reprieves and pardons

Commander-in-Chief • The President is the commander of all United States military

forces

• He has the final say above the highest Generals and Admirals

• He may send the military into action on his order and direct how they carry out a mission

• Military command was given to the civilian President to prevent a military takeover of the government

• There have been many military takeovers of governments throughout the world

Wartime Presidents• James Madison was the

first President to lead the nation into war with another nation, during the War of 1812 with Britain

• Many Presidents have made their mark on history in this role

• Other Presidents have had their reputations harmed by how they mishandled this role

Abraham Lincoln (1860-65)• Lincoln made his mark on

history on how he led the Union during the Civil War

• He took aggressive action following the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in South Carolina

• He started the first military draft in U.S. history

• He changed commanding Generals many times after military failures

• He often visited the site of battles to show moral support for the troops.

• His final commander, Ulysses Grant was able to achieve victory

Abraham Lincoln speaks with Gen George B. McClellan near the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg, MD)

Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)

The “Big Four” Lloyd Georges of Great Britain, Vittorio Orlando of Italy, Georges Clemenceau of France and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson at the Paris Peace Conference.

• He was re-elected in 1916 after campaigning that he had kept “America out of the War” (World War I)

• However, in 1917 he was forced to lead the nation into the war in Europe

• With American participation, the Allies won final victory quickly

• Wilson became a hero in Europe for this and he offered a plan for future peace

• His plan for peace was not accepted however and the world would fight an even worse war less than 20 years later

Franklin Roosevelt (1933-45)• FDR led the United States into

World War II after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 12/7/1941. Called for and got a near unanimous a declaration of War by Congress

• Worked closely with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Russian leader Joseph Stalin to plan war strategy in defeating the Axis Powers

• Often met with commanding generals Dwight Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur to discuss war plans

• Was incredibly popular, elected to a 4th term during the war

Prime Minister Winston Churchill, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and President Joseph Stalin at Yalta, February 1945.

Harry S. Truman (1945-53)• Truman was faced with some

of the most difficult decisions any Commander-in-Chief had to make

• He had to lead the nation in the final year of World War II, having practically no experience or prior knowledge of vital information

• Made the decision to use the atomic bomb against Japan

• Had to stand up to Communist aggression after World War II, including the Korean War

• Fired widely popular General Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War

John F. Kennedy (1961-63)• Took bold action against the

Soviet Union during the Cold War to stop the spread of Communism

• Invaded Cuba in 1961 at the Bay of Pigs, which was a failure

• Led the U.S. during the Cuban Missile Crisis

• A naval blockade of Cuba forced the Soviets to remove nuclear missiles from Cuba. Resisted heavy pressure from military leaders to launch an invasion. His decision probably prevented World War III

Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-69)• He began large-scale U.S.

involvement in Vietnam• His policy was highly

unpopular, leading to large-scale protests

• Important information was kept from the American people, causing distrust

• He decided not to run for re-election in 1968, as he had become so unpopular due to his decisions as Commander-in-Chief

Jimmy Carter (1977-81)• During his Presidency, the U.S.

embassy in Iran was attacked and many Americans were taken hostage for more than a year

• Many Americans wanted to take military action to rescue the hostages

• Carter tried to negotiate for their safe release

• A small-scale rescue operation was launched, but the helicopter crashed in the desert and it failed, killing 8 American soldiers

• Carter did get all the hostages home alive in the end, but it was too late for his Presidency

• He was perceived as weak for not going to war with Iran and was defeated in a landslide in the 1980 election by Ronald Reagan

George H.W. Bush (1989-93)• He was viewed as an excellent

Commander-in-Chief• Communism in Russia and

eastern Europe collapsed during his Presidency

• He invaded Panama and captured dictator Manuel Noriega

• He led the U.S. into Gulf War I against Iraq in 1991

• The military won quick victory, driving the Iraqis out of Kuwait

• His popularity ratings soared above 90%

• However, he was perceived as weak on domestic issues and the economy

• By the 1992 election his popularity had dropped and he was beaten by Bill Clinton

Limiting the Commander-in-Chief

• After the Vietnam War, people were concerned that the President had too much power over the military

• Presidents Johnson and Nixon had expanded the war without the consent of Congress or the American people

• Even though Congress never declared war, over 50,000 Americans had died in Vietnam

• Congress passed the War Powers Act in 1973. It requires the President to inform Congress when troops are sent into battle. The troops must be brought home unless Congress gives its approval within 60 days.

President Nixon explains his decision to expand the Vietnam War into Cambodia and Laos

Foreign Relations• The President is responsible

for establishing and maintaining Foreign Relations

• He has many people who help him with this important task

• This job can prevent wars and human tragedies if handled well

• Certain Presidents have impacted history in this role

• The U.S. has really only been a major player in world affairs since the early 20th Century

President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev sign a nuclear arms control treaty

Jay’s Treaty (1794)• After winning independence,

England showed little respect for the United States

• British troops refused to abandon forts in the west and U.S. ships were often harassed by the British Navy

• President George Washington sent John Jay to England to try and come to an agreement with the British, to avoid a war

• The agreement became known as Jay’s Treaty

• It was not a great treaty for the Americans and was very unpopular, but Washington pushed the Senate to ratify it, which it did.

• It kept the U.S. at peace and gave some protection to American commerce

Adams and the “Quasi War”• During John Adams’ Presidency,

England and France were at war• The U.S. was officially neutral, but

American ships were being harassed by the French Navy

• Adams sent ambassadors to meet with the French government, but they were refused a meeting unless they first paid a bribe. This became known as the “XYZ Affair”

• In response, Adams built up the U.S. Navy to protect American ships

• There was a “Quasi War” on the seas and the French gave in after 2 years. The small U.S. Navy had captured 85 ships in 2 years

• The Convention of 1800, signed on 9/30 officially restored peace with France

The Louisiana Purchase• In 1803 President

Thomas Jefferson met with French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte to discuss purchasing New Orleans

• Instead, Napoleon sold the entire Louisiana Territory to Jefferson for $15 million

• This doubled the size of the United States

• Napoleon needed the money to pay for the war he was fighting in Europe

Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick• Teddy Roosevelt was the first

modern President. He had a huge effect on foreign relations

• He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for negotiating an end to the Sino(Russia)-Japanese War

• He helped Panama win its independence from Columbia in exchange for permission to build the Panama Canal.

• He visited Panama in 1906, becoming the 1st President to visit a foreign nation while in office

• He sent the “Great White Fleet” on a world tour from 1907-09 to announce that the U.S. was now a world power

Only Nixon could go to China• Richard Nixon had a reputation

as a strong anti-communist before becoming President

• However, he became the first U.S. President to visit Communist China, in 1972

• He also opened up a dialog with the leadership of Communist Russia, known as the Soviet Union

• He helped bring about improved relations with Communist nations and a reduction in the nuclear arms race

• He also brought about an end to the Vietnam War, although he had stepped up involvement first

Peace in the Middle East• Jimmy Carter’s Presidency was

doomed by the Iranian hostage crisis, but he did have one major foreign policy success

• He helped the leaders of Egypt (Anwar Sadat) and Israel (Menachem Begin) negotiate a peace treaty between their nations

• He used “shuttle” diplomacy at Camp David to bring them to agreement

• This ended more than 30 years of on and off warfare

• The peace has lasted through today and is still the only peace treaty Israel has with any of its Arab neighbors

Ronald Reagan (1981-89)• Reagan had an aggressive

foreign policy• He greatly increased defense

spending and expanded the size of the military

• He vigorously supported rebel groups fighting against Communist governments in Afghanistan and Nicaragua

• He increased the nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union, introducing the MX missile and “Star Wars” missile defense.

• Many people believe this contributed to the collapse of the Soviet economy as they could not keep up

George W. Bush (2001-2009)• Faced with the challenge of the world after

September 11th, President Bush decided to lead America on a very different path of foreign relations

• He promoted a policy of “preemptive action

• He told the world “you’re either with us or with the terrorists”

• He successfully captured Saddam Hussein and Libya agreed to give up its weapons program

• Osama bin Laden eluded capture • Relations with allies France and Germany,

as well as many other nations were severely damaged

• History has not spoken yet on the success of his policies

President as Legislative Leader

• The President plays a role in the law making process

• He can propose new laws in speeches or to his party’s Congressional leadership

• He can sign into law or veto bills passed by Congress

• Some Presidents have called for bold changes in the country though new laws

• In times of emergency or crisis, the President can also issue Executive Orders, which are orders of the President that have the same power as laws

Andrew Jackson (1829-37)• Used the Executive order to force

Cherokee Indians off their land into what is now Oklahoma

• This became known as the “Trail of Tears” as many Cherokee died along the way

• Much of the Southeast was cleared for settlement by Americans under Jackson’s Indian removal policies

• Successfully brought about the end of the Second Bank of the United States

• Used the Veto often to protect the interests of average Americans over powerful interests

Abraham Lincoln (1860-65)• Lincoln’s legislative policy radically

changed America• He issued executive orders

suspending many Constitutional rights during the Civil War

• Passed the Homestead Act in 1862• Signed the College Land Grant Act

into law• Signed the charter for the

Transcontinental Railroad• Established the Department of

Agriculture• His “Emancipation Proclamation”

on January 1, 1863 was the first step toward the elimination of slavery in the United States

Teddy Roosevelt (1901-09)• He became President

unexpectedly, and was the youngest President in history, but that didn’t keep him from pushing a bold agenda

• He got Congress to create the Departments of Labor and Commerce, to protect workers and control big business

• Got the Pure Food and Drug Act passed, allowing the government to ensure the safety of food and medicine

• He started government inspection of the meat packing industry

• He vastly expanded the number and size of the National Parks

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1932-45)• FDR was elected after promising

to take action to stop the Depression. His program became known as the “New Deal”

• He created programs to give jobs to people such as the WPA, CCC, and NRA

• He began insuring bank accounts• Congress passed the Social

Security Act under FDR’s urging, creating the largest program in the U.S. government

• Congress created the TVA, which brought electricity to much of the rural south

• He got the Lend Lease Act passed which allowed the U.S. to help England with war supplies, before the U.S. entered WWII

Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-69)• Although he was a failure at

foreign policy, LBJ helped pass some very important laws

• He was able to push Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which helped bring equality under the law to African-Americans

• He also had a “War on Poverty”, passing laws to help the poorest Americans have their basic needs met. Created the “Great Society”

• Congress created Medicare with his support

• Got Congress to create the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Transportation

Richard Nixon (1969-74)• Although his Presidency

ended in disgrace, Nixon helped pass some important laws

• Signed the most important Environmental Laws in U.S. history, the Clean Air Act in 1970 and the Clean Water Act in 1972

• Created the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970

• He created the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) by executive order to try and cut illegal drug use, which had become a major problem in the 1960s.

The Presidential Budget• The President is responsible for preparing the budget of

the United States

• It must be approved by Congress before it goes into effect

• Congress can make changes if it wishes, before sending it back for the President’s signature

• The government spends over $1 trillion a year

• Where does it go?

2014 Federal Budget

Appointing Government Officials• The President appoints many people to government

jobs.

• They must be approved by the Senate

• Some appointees: • Cabinet Members• Federal Judges• All leadership positions in the 15 Executive Departments

Law Enforcement• It is the job of the President to make sure that the

laws of the nation are being enforced

• He does this in different ways, and has a lot of help

• This is a role that has defined some Presidencies

The Square Deal• Teddy Roosevelt was the 1st President to enforce laws against

monopolies and trusts

• He took on the Northern Trust, controlled by some of the most powerful businessmen in the country, including John D. Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan

• He used the law and power of the government to protect ordinary Americans

• He was very popular with the people, but had trouble with his own party for taking on big business

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-61)• President Eisenhower, a former General in the Army, used the power of

the military to enforce the ruling of the Supreme Court

• In 1954 the court declared racial segregation in schools unconstitutional and Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus refused to obey the ruling

• In 1957, President Eisenhower ordered the National Guard to ensure African-American students could attend school at Central High in Little Rock, Arkansas

The downfall of Richard Nixon• “Law and Order” was very important to Richard Nixon

• He was President during times of great civil unrest

• He abused his law enforcement powers to spy on groups he did not agree with

• A secret group was created within the White House called the “Plumbers” to handle many of these tasks

• This pattern of behavior would eventually lead to spying on campaign of his opponent in 1972, George McGovern

• This became known as the Watergate scandal and would destroy Nixon’s Presidency

A New World• George W. Bush widely expanded the law enforcement

powers of the President and Executive Branch

• He issued several ground-breaking executive orders

• New laws have been passed to expand the law enforcement powers of the Executive Branch as well

• Much of this has been done in an attempt to counter terrorist groups following the attacks of September 11, 2001

The USA Patriot Act (2001)• This law was passed shortly after September 11, in October, 2001

• It allows the Executive branch to:• Monitor records from libraries and bookstores, emails, and medical

records without permission• Conduct searches without the knowledge of the person whose property is

being searched

• Anyone suspected of being a terrorist can be labeled an “enemy combatant” and held in prison without access to courts or a lawyer for an unlimited amount of time

• Creates secret “military tribunals”

• Much more in the 346 page law

• Parts were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2004

The State of the Union• The Constitution requires the

President to report on the state of the union from time to time to Congress

• In modern times, the President makes the State of the Union speech each January to the full Congress

• Usually the President outlines his plans for the upcoming year and a summary of what has happened in the past year

• It is usually the most highly-watched speech the President makes each year

State of the Union Moments• 1790: George Washington delivers the 1st State of the Union speech to

Congress

• 1801: Thomas Jefferson delivers his in writing instead of as a speech

• 1823: James Monroe announces the “Monroe Doctrine”

• 1862: Abraham Lincoln first mentions the necessity of ending slavery

• 1913: Woodrow Wilson revives the live State of the Union speech

• 1941: Franklin Roosevelt’s “4 Freedoms” Speech on the eve of war

• 1947: Harry Truman makes the first televised State of the Union speech

• 2002: George W. Bush labels Iraq, Iran and North Korea as the “Axis of Evil”

Reprieves and Pardons

• The President has the power to get people out of trouble with the law

• He can do this for anything except cases of impeachment

• In a Pardon , the crime is wiped away as though it never happened

• In a Reprieve, the criminal can have his sentence reduced or eliminated.

A Controversial Power• George Washington was the first to use this power, pardoning 2 participants in

the “Whiskey Rebellion”. • • Washington issued only 16 in 8 years, the fewest other than William Henry

Harrison and James Garfield who didn’t survive to issue any

• Abraham Lincoln issued over 200,000 to former Confederates

• Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon for his role in Watergate

• George H.W. Bush issued 77, including former Defense Secretary Casper Weinberger for his part in the “Iran-Contra” scandal

• Bill Clinton gave 395, including 140 on his last day. He issued one to his brother and some to people who gave money to his campaigns, including Marc Rich who had been a fugitive out of the country for 18 years