What would you do if You Were the President of the United States?

The Executive Branch

Executive Branch

• Article II of the Constitution-– “Executive Power shall be invested in a

President”

• Purpose: To Execute, or carry out, laws passed by Congress

Executive Branch

• 3 rules for becoming a U.S. President– At least 35 years old– Native-Born American Citizen– A resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years

Executive Branch• Presidents serve 4 year terms – Can only serve 2 terms – 22nd Amendment

• Salary: $400,000 year– Plus money for travel and expenses

Presidential Succession

• Presidential succession act – 1947– Created the line of presidential succession

• 25th Amendment– Allows the vice president can assume the

presidency should the president become unable to lead.

Electoral College• Electoral College- a group of people named by

each state legislature to cast votes in the presidential election. – Each state gets as many votes as it has legislatures– House Reps + Senators = electoral votes

Electoral College

• 538 total electoral votes– MAGIC NUMBER- 270

• Winner takes all system – the majority vote getter in a state gets all the states electoral votes

How do we get a President?

• Electoral College

• Does our current election system allow for a democratic reflection of our country?

7.1

Is Now Over!!

Who in this class has a job?

Presidential Roles and Responsibilities

• Where does the Executive Branch get its powers from?– The States– The Judicial Branch– The Constitution– The President

Roles of the

President

3- Chiefs3- Leaders1- State

CHIEF Executive

CHIEF Diplomat

Commander and CHIEF

Legislative LEADER

Economic LEADER

Party LEADER

Head of STATE

Chief Executive

Administrative Head of the Government• Responsibilities-– Use of Executive Orders– Appointment of Head of Departments– Meet with Cabinet– Sign bills

Chief Diplomat

Negotiates with foreign governments for the U.S.

• appoint ambassadors, • make treaties• support or oppose the actions of other nations.

Commander in Chief

Civilian Head of the Armed Forces

• Can order troops into battle or send them overseas.

Legislative Leader

Recommends Legislation to Congress

• Can threaten to veto bills he/she opposes

Economic Leader

Guides financial policies and decisions• Plan Federal Government Budget• Deal with problems of unemployment, taxes,

and inflation

Party Leader

Head of their Respective Party• rewards those who are loyal to the political

party with jobs and support other candidates for public office.

• Helps raise money for their party

Head of State

Ceremonial Symbol of the U. S.• Social Figure• Meeting with important officials• Welcoming Heads of State from other countries.

President Obama appointed Elena Kagan to the Supreme

Court.

(Chief Executive)

Jimmy Carter brings Egypt and Israel together to sign the Camp

David Peace Accords in 1979.

(Chief Diplomat)

President Clinton sends Hillary Clinton to represent the United States at the funeral of Diana,

Princess of Wales.

(Head of State)

President Kennedy orders America's nuclear forces on high

alert during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

(Commander-in-Chief)

President Carter placed restrictions on the sale of gasoline during the

1979 energy crisis.

(Economic Leader)

The president makes his annual state-of-the union address to

Congress to outline his agenda for the year.

(Chief Legislator)

7.2

Is Now Over!!

Foreign Policy7.3

• “The purpose of foreign policy is not to

provide an outlet for our own sentiments of hope; it is to shape real events in a real world.”

• John Fitzgerald Kennedy 35th US President (1961-63)

Foreign Policy

• Primary Goal- National Security• Secondary Goals– International Trade– Promote World Peace– Promote Democracy

• What presidential roles (hats) does the president have when dealing with foreign policy?

• Other key figures are the – State department – Homeland Security– Defense Department– CIA– National Security Council

5 Tools of Foreign Policy1. Treaty- Formal agreement between two

nations– Senate must approve by 2/3 vote– President can by pass with an Executive Agreement –

agreement between the president and leader of another country.

5 Tools of Foreign Policy

2. Ambassadors- Government representative to foreign nations– Must be confirmed by the Senate– Country must be recognized for holding power

legally, legitimate

5 Tools of Foreign Policy

3. Foreign Aid– Provide Money, Food, Medical Supplies, Military

Assistance to foreign countries

5 Tools of Foreign Policy4. International Trade– What items will be traded and rules for trade– Punishments• Trade Sanctions –imposed trade barriers • Embargo- agreement among a group of nations

that prohibits them from trading with a target nation

5 Tools of Foreign Policy

5. Military Force– As commander in Chief the president can order

troops into battle.– Only Congress can officially Declare War

Congress vs. President

7.3

Is Now Over!!

7.4 Organization of the Federal Branch

Advisors

• The Executive Office– About 500 people who work directly for the

president . Holds the presidents 10 -12 closest advisers – The Chief of Staff

Executive Office• Council of Economic Advisers • Council on Environmental Quality • National Security Council and Homeland Security Council • Office of Administration • Office of Management and Budget • Office of National Drug Control Policy • Office of Science and Technology Policy • Office of the United States Trade Representative • Office of the Vice President • Executive Residence

Presidential Cabinet

• 15 top level executive departments– Must be approved by the Senate

• As cabinet members, aka Secretaries, they are responsible for advising the president on issues relating to their departments

Presidential Cabinet

• No mention of the Cabinet in the Constitution– Yet was used as early as in the presidency of

George Washington• Part of the order of Presidential succession–25th Amendment

Federal Bureaucracy

• Collective agencies and employees of the executive branch– Workers are bureaucrats- or Civil Servants

Federal Bureaucracy

• 3 main responsibilities1. Turn laws into action by deciding how you apply

the laws to daily life• Specific rules and procedures

2. Administer day to day operations of the Government• Ex. Deliver mail, collect taxes, social security

3. Regulate various activities• Censorship of media, Food ingredients, Air Travel

Independent Agencies

• These agencies are responsible for carrying out the responsibilities of the Executive branch.

• They are called independent because they are separate from the cabinet

Independent Agencies

• 3 main types– Executive agencies• Responsible for dealing with certain specialized area of

the Government• Ex NASA

Independent Agencies

• 3 main types– Government Corporations• Work like Private businesses owned by the

Government, not individuals• President chooses leadership with senate approval• Make no profit • Ex. Post Office

Independent Agencies

• 3 main types– Regulatory Boards and Commissions• Protect the public• President appoints leaders but only Congress can

remove through impeachment.• Ex. FCC- Federal communications comission

INDEPENDENT AGENCIES• A. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) • B.

Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)

• C. United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• D. Federal Election Commission (FEC) • E. Federal Communications Commission

(FCC) • F. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) • G.

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

• H. Federal Trade Commission (FTC• I. General Services Administration (GSA) • J.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

• K. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

• L. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) • M. National Science Foundation (NSF)

• N. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

• O. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

• P. Peace Corps, • Q. Small Business Administration (SBA) • R. Selective Service System (SSS) • S. Social Security Administration (SSA) • T. Securities and Exchange Commission

(SEC) • U. United States Agency for International

Development (USAID) • V. United States International Trade

Commission (USITC) • W. United States Postal Service• X. Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission (FERC) • Y. Federal Retirement Thrift Investment

Board