The President

Conditions of the office

• 4 years

• 2 terms

• native born (or resident in 1789)

powers--symbolic

• nationally elected

• head of state and govt

Powers--appointment

• Nomination of ambassadors, federal officials, federal judges

• judges and high ranking officials require Senate confirmation

• “recess appointment”

powers--veto

• veto--how do you override?• by 2/3 of both houses

• “pocket veto”• bill dies if unsigned in last 9 days of Congressional session

• “line-item” veto• struck down by the court

Powers--other

• make treaties--subject to Senate approval

• pardon federal crimes

• commander in chief of armed forces• Entitles domestic warrantless spying?

• Suspension of habeus corpus?

The “Imperial Presidency”

• as federal power has expanded--so has presidency

• since FDR, sets major legislative agenda

• use of “executive orders”• Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v Sawyer

• use of “signing statements”

• “theory of unitary executive”

Imperial Presidency--foreign policy

• as U.S. role in foreign policy has grown, so has President’s role

• especially in times of war

• War Powers Resolution (1973)• prior authorization of placing soldiers in combat zone

• some form of declaration of war within 60 days, or soldiers removed