starter activity How powerful is the UK PM? What limits his/her powers.
Transcript of starter activity How powerful is the UK PM? What limits his/her powers.
starter activity
How powerful is the UK PM? What limits his/her powers
Powers of UK PMPowers of UK PM
Set legislative agendaSet legislative agenda Decide date of general electionDecide date of general election Make powerful nominations, e.g. cabinet, Make powerful nominations, e.g. cabinet,
Lords, awardsLords, awards Member of European CouncilMember of European Council Declare warDeclare war Negotiate important treaties, e.g. Lisbon Negotiate important treaties, e.g. Lisbon
TreatyTreaty Primus inter paresPrimus inter pares Prominent figure on world stageProminent figure on world stage
LimitationsLimitations Vote of no confidenceVote of no confidence Backbench committees e.g. 1922 Committee, Backbench committees e.g. 1922 Committee,
Public Liaison CommitteePublic Liaison Committee Media makes PMs more accountableMedia makes PMs more accountable Conventions, e.g. ministerial or cabinet Conventions, e.g. ministerial or cabinet
responsibilityresponsibility Electorate – most PMs are sitting MPs, their party Electorate – most PMs are sitting MPs, their party
needs to succeed in electionsneeds to succeed in elections Establishment – e.g. senior members of military, Establishment – e.g. senior members of military,
Lords, ‘men in grey suits’Lords, ‘men in grey suits’ Rule of lawRule of law Europe – European Court of Justice & EU lawEurope – European Court of Justice & EU law Head of government BUT not head of state or C-in-Head of government BUT not head of state or C-in-
CC
How powerful is How powerful is the US the US
president?president?TBAT compare the powers of TBAT compare the powers of presidents with those of PMspresidents with those of PMs
To identify the key formal powers To identify the key formal powers of presidents & assess the extent of presidents & assess the extent to which recent presidents have to which recent presidents have
used those powersused those powers
LOs
Key words: Founding Fathers executive checks and balances OMB EXOP veto
Your taskYour task
Read p.223-4 and note down what were Read p.223-4 and note down what were the original powers of US presidentsthe original powers of US presidents
Highlight in one colour evidence to Highlight in one colour evidence to suggest the president powerful and suggest the president powerful and evidence to suggest his powers are evidence to suggest his powers are limited in anotherlimited in another
Re-read p.17-18 & p.19-20 and briefly Re-read p.17-18 & p.19-20 and briefly list the key checks and balances imposed list the key checks and balances imposed on the president. Which is the most on the president. Which is the most powerful one?powerful one?
You will be given a series of powers of the president. Try to convince your classmates that yours is the most important What
other powers not on the cards would you include?
Your taskYour task Read p.224-229 and create a spider diagram, Read p.224-229 and create a spider diagram,
recording the key functions of a president.recording the key functions of a president. Propose legislationPropose legislation Submit the annual budgetSubmit the annual budget Sign & veto legislationSign & veto legislation Nominate executive officialsNominate executive officials Nominate federal judgesNominate federal judges C-in-C of armed forcesC-in-C of armed forces Negotiate treatiesNegotiate treaties PardonPardon
Explain which is the most important and which Explain which is the most important and which had the fewest checks and balanceshad the fewest checks and balances
Propose of legislationPropose of legislation
State of the Union address – State of the Union address – delivered to Congress in person delivered to Congress in person since 1913since 1913
Power to propose legislation at any Power to propose legislation at any time, e.g. press conferences, foreign time, e.g. press conferences, foreign visitsvisits
Submit the annual Submit the annual budgetbudget
Office of Management & Budget Office of Management & Budget (OMB) draws up annual budget(OMB) draws up annual budget
President submits bill to CongressPresident submits bill to Congress Length, bargaining required, e.g. Length, bargaining required, e.g.
fiscal cliff negotiations (2012)fiscal cliff negotiations (2012)
Sign legislationSign legislation
Signs bills into legislation (similar to Signs bills into legislation (similar to Royal Assent)Royal Assent)
Opportunity for ceremony if Opportunity for ceremony if president wishes to take some creditpresident wishes to take some credit
Other politicians may be present, Other politicians may be present, e.g. 2001 Educ Reform Act, Senator e.g. 2001 Educ Reform Act, Senator Edward Kennedy & Republican Edward Kennedy & Republican congressmen attendedcongressmen attended
Barack Obama used 22 pens to sign the Health Care Bill (2010) – 20 to give away & 2 for the archives.
Chief executiveChief executive
In charge of the executiveIn charge of the executive Powers are delegated to individuals Powers are delegated to individuals
& departments as part of EXOP& departments as part of EXOP
“The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United
States of America’
Article II, US Constitution, 1787
Nominate executive Nominate executive branchbranch
President can nominate whomsoever President can nominate whomsoever to the executive, as well as other to the executive, as well as other posts, e.g. ambassadorsposts, e.g. ambassadors
Most important are 15 heads of Most important are 15 heads of executive departments, e.g. executive departments, e.g. Treasury, State, Defence etcTreasury, State, Defence etc
President Obama, Vice President Biden and Heads of the 15 Executive Departments as
well as other Cabinet members
Nominate all federal Nominate all federal judgesjudges
All levels of All levels of federal judiciaryfederal judiciary
Appointments Appointments are for lifeare for life
Issues of ‘echo Issues of ‘echo chamber’chamber’
Commander-in-chiefCommander-in-chief
Especially important since WWII, e.g. Especially important since WWII, e.g. Eisenhower during Cold War, Johnson Eisenhower during Cold War, Johnson during Vietnam, Reagan during Cold during Vietnam, Reagan during Cold WarWar
Less important in post-Cold War eraLess important in post-Cold War era Congress maintains power to declare Congress maintains power to declare
warwar President asks Congress to authorise President asks Congress to authorise
use of troopsuse of troops
Negotiate treatiesNegotiate treaties
Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Reagan)(Reagan)
President Obama negotiated START President Obama negotiated START with Russia in 2010with Russia in 2010
PardonPardon
Clinton issued 140 pardons Clinton issued 140 pardons including to party donors such as including to party donors such as Marc Rich (below) who had been Marc Rich (below) who had been indicted for tax evasionindicted for tax evasion
Your taskYour task
You will each be given a different You will each be given a different president to research. Your challenge is president to research. Your challenge is to find evidence from their time as to find evidence from their time as president of them controversially president of them controversially exercising different powers orexercising different powers or
Produce a short presentation & handout Produce a short presentation & handout for your classfor your class
The winning team will have to prove that The winning team will have to prove that their president was one the one most their president was one the one most steeped in controversy!steeped in controversy!
PresidentsPresidents
Bush JrBush Jr ClintonClinton Bush SrBush Sr ReaganReagan FordFord NixonNixon JohnsonJohnson KennedyKennedy
How powerful is How powerful is the US the US
president?president?TBAT compare the powers of TBAT compare the powers of presidents with those of PMspresidents with those of PMs
To identify the key formal powers To identify the key formal powers of presidents & assess the extent of presidents & assess the extent to which recent presidents have to which recent presidents have
used those powersused those powers
LOs
Key words: Founding Fathers executive checks and balances OMB EXOP veto