chapter 13, va and us government
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 13: The Presidency
Chapter 13: The Presidency
Section 1: The President’s Job Description
Chief of State
The Ceremonial head of the government, the symbol of all the people in the nation
Chief Executive
The Constitution gives him the executive power, which is very broad in domestic and foreign affairs
Chief Administrator
The president is the director of the Federal Government, heading one of the largest government machines the world has known
Dept of Justice, Dept of Homeland Security, FBI, CIA
Chief Diplomat
Main architect of foreign policy
Commander-in-Chief
The leader of the nation’s armed forces.
1.4 million men and women in uniform and nation’s entire military arsenal are subject to the president’s direct control
Chief Legislator
The main architect of public policies. Usually the president sets the overall shape of the congressional agenda
Chief of the Party
The president acts as the acknowledged leder of the political party that controls the executive branch
Chief Citizen
The president is expected to be representative of all the people
Formal Qualifications
Natural Born Citizen
35 years old (JFK was 43)
Lived in the US for at least 14 years
Presidential Term
4 - year term
F. Roosevelt sought and won 4 terms, this led to the 22nd Amendment
22nd Amendment
Max of two full terms or ten years
Original Pay was $25,000 a year, now it is $400,000 a year.
$50,000 a year expense allowance
Think of all the benefits
White House
Fleet of Autos
Air Force One
Camp David
Best Medical Attention
Section 2: Presidential Succession and the Vice Presidency
PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION is the scheme by which a presidential vacancy is filled
25th Amendment in 1967
In the case of death or removal from office, the Vice President becomes the President, doesn’t just take over the job
PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION ACT OF 1947
Speaker of the House and then the President Pro Tem of the Senate are next in line
Line of Succession
Vice President
Speaker of the House
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE
Secretary of State
SECRETARY OF TREASURY
Secretary of Defense
The succession line is followed by the remaining Cabinet positions in order of when they entered the Cabinet
What is the last line of succession?
Homeland Security
What happens if a President lives but is unable to complete their job?
Sections 3 and 4 of the 25th Amendment
VP becomes acting President if the President informs Congress in writing that he cannot do it, or the VP and a majority of Cabinet members inform Congress in writing
Importance of the Vice Presidential Office
To preside over Senate
To help decide the question of Pres disability
Sometimes to advise the President should he or she desire it
Many Vice Presidents argued that it is largely an unimportant position. Thomas Jefferson said, “the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination ever conceived.”
Usually the VP is chosen to balance the ticket
The presidential candidate chooses a running mate who can strengthen his changes of being elected
If there is a vacancy, the Pres can nominate a new one with the confirmation by a majority vote of both CHAMBERS OF CONGReSS
Section 3: Presidential Selection: The Framers’ Plan
Early in the Constitutional Convention, most of the delegates wanted CONGRESS to select the president
They changed their mind because they felt that this would give too much power to Congress
The final plan dealt with the ELECTORAL COLLEGE
The president and VP are chosen by PreSIDeNTIAL ELECTORS
The electors would cast two ElECTORAL VOTES (now just one)
Section 3: Presidential NominationsPresidential Primaries and Conventions
Each voters votes for one member of a party for their choice as their party’s candidates
There are DELEGATES assigned to each candidate proportional to the amount of votes they received in each state
At the NATIONAL CONVENTION for each party, the candidates for president and vice president for each party are chosen
The national party chooses the number of delegates each state receives. these than vote for their candidates at the NATIONAL CONVENTION.
What are some informal qualifications that you think a president should have?
Section 5: The Election
Arguments against the Electoral College:
You can win the popular election but still lose the electoral election (George W. and Al Gore)
Electors do not always have to VOTE for the candidate favored by the popular votes in their states.
They can “BREAK THEIR PLEDGES”
Third parties can STEAL votes from the two major parties
Arguments in support of E.C.
It is a KNOWN process
In most cases, it DETERMINES the winner quickly and easily
You would need an amendment to change it