The Presidency

Institutions of National Government #4

Expectations vs. Reality

Americans seek out a powerful President of high character and great skill to lead and solve problems.

However not all men are great. And Americans are skeptical about allowing individuals so much power

The Presidents• Formal Requirements:• Must be 35 years old• Must have resided in U.S.

for 14 years• Natural born citizen

• Informal “Requirements”:• White (One Exception)• Male• Protestant (One

Exception)• All manner of professions, but

mostly political ones (former state governors, for example)

How to Become President

Election: “The Normal” WayOnce elected the President serves a 4 year term

1951 (22nd Amendment) Limits the President to 2 terms

•Succession and Impeachment•The Vice President succeeds if the President leaves office due to death, resignation or removal•25th Amendment (1967) the Vice President becomes the acting president if the VP and Cabinet decide the President is disabled

Presidential Power

• Constitutional Powers of the Presidency are weak and reactive

• Presidents looks for opportunities to expand power and define new roles– Crisis is the most “accepted opportunity”

• “Hallowed Be Thy Presidency”: Until 1960s the American Public willing to allow expansion

• “Deliver Us From The Presidency”: From 1970s on Presidential Power has been checked (mostly) and the public distrusts the President

Informal Powers

• Executive Orders: A Presidential Order that has the force of law that does not require Congressional Approval (technically used to clarify a law or make it easier to enforce)

• Executive Agreements: A Presidential agreement with another country that does not require Senate approval (A political agreement rather than a legally binding one)

• Signing Statements: A written statement by the President upon signing a bill that includes the President’s objections to parts/all of the bill and may indicate how he will choose to enforce it (Constitutional, Political, Rhetorical)

The Jobs of the

President

Chief ExecutiveHead of

Executive Branch and wielder of

executive power

Chief LegislatorLeads legislative direction of the

nation

Chief of PartySets and leads

the Party Agenda

Commander-in-Chief

In command of the entire U.S.

Military

Chief DiplomatCarry out

Foreign Policy and relations

with other countries

Symbol-in-ChiefRepresentative of the American

People.

The Chief Executive Actions: Enforces Laws, Direct Agencies, Issue Executive Orders,

Appoints Officials, Creates and Directs Commissions.

Running the Government: The Chief Executive

Constitutional Charge “take care that the laws are faithfully executed”

Scope of the JobThe Federal Bureaucracy Spends $2.5 trillion

dollars (2,500,000,000,000) a year and employs more than 4 million people

The President directly appoints 500 high level officials and 2,500 other positions

Organization of the Executive Branch

The Vice PresidentBasically just “waits” for things to doPower has grown over time, as recent presidents

have given their VPs important jobsThe CabinetPresidential advisors, not in ConstitutionMade up of 14 cabinet secretaries and one

Attorney General, confirmed by the Senate

Organization of the Executive Branch

Organization of the Executive Branch

The Executive OfficeMade up of policymaking and advisory bodiesThree principle groups: NSC, CEA, OMB

Organization of the Executive Branch

The Executive OfficeNational Security Council (NSC)

Created in 1947 to coordinate the president’s foreign and military policy advisersMembers include the president, vice president, secretary of state and defense, and managed by the president’s national security adviser

Council of Economic Advisers (CEA)A three-member body appointed by the president to advise on economic policy

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)Performs both managerial and budgetary functions, including legislative review and budgetary assessments of proposals

Organization of the Executive Branch

The White House StaffChief aides and staff for the president—some are more for the White House than the president (Includes Chief of Staff, Counselor, and General Advisors)Presidents rely on their information and effort but presidents set tone and style of White House

The First LadyNo official government position, but many get involved politicallyRecent ones focus on a single issue, e.g., Hillary Clinton and health care

Organization of the Executive Branch