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