Download - EXECUTIVE BRANCH
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
• Presidential Basic Information• Electoral College• Roles & Powers of the President• Executive Departments (Cabinet)• Federal Bureaucracy• Impeachment• Checks & Balances
EXECUTIVE BRANCH BASIC INFORMATION
CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
• 35 years old• Natural Born Citizen• Live in US 14 Years
• TRADITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
• White Males (Except Obama)
• Protestant (Except JFK)• College Educated (Many)
GENERAL• 4 year term• 2 term limit (10 year
maximum) (except FDR)• $400,000 yearly – life
PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION
• Vice-President• Speaker of the House• President Pro Tempore• Cabinet Members
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
• Purpose – Officially Elects the President & Vice-President
NUMBERS• 538 Total• 270 to win• Each State – Equal to total members in Congress• Winner Take All – Majority of Votes in a State – Takes
all Electoral Votes. (Except 2 States)
ROLES & POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT
Chief Executive• Enforce laws passed by
Congress• Issue Executive Orders• Create Budget
Commander-in-Chief• Head of Armed Forces• Call out troops• War Powers Act – report to
Congress within 60 days
Chief Diplomat• Enter into Treaties• Make Executive
Agreements• Appoint Ambassadors
Chief of State• Meet with foreign dignitaries• Throw out first baseball• Easter Egg Hunt• Symbolic Leader
Legislative Leader• Introduce legislation • State of the Union Address
Judicial Leader• Appoint Federal Judges• Issue Pardons & Reprieves
Foreign PolicyNation’s overall plan for dealing with other
countries
Goals of Foreign Policy• National Security – ability to keep nation
safe from attack
• International Trade - provide markets to sell goods
• Promote World Peace
• Promote Democracy
Foreign PolicyNation’s overall plan for dealing with other
countriesExecutive Agencies & Departments• Department of State• Department of Defense• CIA• National Security Council
Foreign Policy Vocabulary• Treaty – formal agreement between two or more
nations. President enters into treaties, must be approved by Senate.
• Executive Agreement – agreement between President and the leader of another country.
• Ambassador – appointed by President to represent US in another country.
• Foreign Aid – money, food, or military assistance given to another country.
• Limitations – Trade Sanctions & Embargoes
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS(CABINET)
Help President fulfill duties.
FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY
3 BASIC TASKS1. Turn laws into action2. Day-to-Day Operation of
the federal government3. Regulate Activities
INDEPENDENT AGENCIES1. Executive Agencies –
NASA2. Government
Corporations – USPS3. Regulatory Boards &
Commissions – FDA, EPA
EXECUTIVE OFFICE of the PRESIDENT
1. White House Office2. Office of Management
& Budget3. National Security
Council4. Council of Economic
Advisors
IMPEACHMENT PROCESS• Impeachment – The process of bringing formal charges against
a public official. According to the Constitution, any public official, including the president, can be impeached and removed from office for treason, bribery, or serious misconduct.
2 Steps of the Impeachment Process1. House of Representatives – must pass by a majority vote the
“Articles of Impeachment”.2. Senate – Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the
Senate acting as a court. A 2/3 vote of Senators is required to remove an official from public office.
3 Historical Examples1. Andrew Johnson (Tenure of Office Act) Impeached, not removed2. Richard Nixon (Watergate Scandal) Resigned before
Impeachment3. Bill Clinton (Perjury) Impeached, not removed
CHECKS & BALANCES