1. The Executive Branch Essential Question: What are the three branches of government and what do they do?

2. The Roles of the President Chief Executive Commander in Chief Chief Diplomat Legislative Leader Judicial Powers Other roles created by tradition: Party leader Chief of State: speaks for the whole nation, expressing the values and goals of the American people 3. The Organization of the Executive Branch Part 1 The Executive Office White House staff (like the West Wing!) Chief of Staff, advisors, press secretary, speechwriters, office workers, legal experts, researchers Vice President Joe Biden! Special advisory groups Office of Management and Budget (OMB), National Security Council (NSC) 4. The Organization of the Executive Branch Part 2 Executive Departments Largest part of the executive branch nuts and bolts of carrying out nation's laws and running government programs The Cabinet (executive department leadership) Ex. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan 5. The Organization of the Executive Branch Part 3 Independent Agencies Executive agencies NASA, EPA Regulatory Commissions Federal Communications Commission (FCC,) Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Government corporations: earns a profit but provides a public service U.S. Postal service 6. Presidents and Power Is too much power in the hands of the President? Freedom to Take Action Executive agreements Doesn't need Senate approval to talk to representatives from other countries Executive privilege: right to keep some information secret from Congress and the Courts Safety and security reasons 7. Presidents and Power When should the President's power be limited? Seeking a Balance President can take decisive action without talking to the other branches Protections against the abuse of power 8. Using Presidential Power Three historical examples of a time when the President used their power After each scenario, we're going to take a poll: Was the President right to take that action? 9. Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase Opportunity to buy a huge area of land the Louisiana Purchase for $15 million from Napoleon Doubled the size of the United States Constitution didn't say that the President or Congress could buy new territory According to Madison (his Secretary of State), the purchase fell under the power to make treaties Later, Senate ratified the treaty and agreed to pay France 10. Truman and the Steel Mills 1952, during the Korean War Steelworkers were going to strike Needed steel to produce weapons for soldiers in Korea Executive order placing the Secretary of Commerce in control of the mills Does the President have the right to take control over private property? Truman said he was acting as Commander in Chief to protect the troops Supreme Court later ruled that the President had no power to take over private property, even in a national emergency 11. Nixon and Watergate 1974, Nixon and his staff were accused of covering up a White House scandal a break in to the DNC Headquarters in D.C. Aim of the break in: to find and take the Democrats' campaign plans Reporters discovered that the burglars were White House staff and the WH had tried to cover up the crime 12. Nixon and Watergate Nixon had taped all of his WH conversations, so the investigators wanted the tapes! Nixon refused to hand them over, claiming executive privilege Supreme Court ordered Nixon to turn them over because executive privilege is not an unlimited power (especially not to cover up crimes!) Nixon resigned before the full House could impeach him http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHnmriyXYeg