The Presidency & Bureaucracy Ch. 8 & 9

AP US Government

Ms. Campbell

Edgren High School

Historical Viewing!

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT7dMHAiCfs

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPNeviHf464

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyIFqf3XH24

President?

• Article II of the Constitution establishes the office of the president and outlines the powers and duties

• There are currently 15 executive departments in the executive branch of government (we will cover these later)

President’s Job Description

• Presidents multiple roles: – Chief of State

– Chief Executive

– Chief Administrator

– Chief Diplomat

– Commander in Chief

– Chief Legislator

– Party Chief

– Chief Citizen

Presidential Roles

Formal Qualifications

• Natural Born Citizen – Born to parents that are American Citizens

• At least 35 years of age

• 14 years a Resident within the US prior to election

Presidential Term • Alexander Hamilton

– Federalist Papers No. 71: four years is a long enough period for a President o have gained experience, demonstrate his abilities and establish stable policies

• 22nd Amendment - 1951 – Official limits placed on number of terms because

Franklin D. Roosevelt won 4 consecutive terms

– President can not be elected more than twice

– Maximum 8 Years as President

Succession and Disability • If President can no longer serve:

– VP will carry out powers and duties

– Constitution did not specifically state the VP shall take over

• 25th Amendment 1964 – VP takes over

– New President can appoint new VP with approval from both houses of Congress

– Presidential Disability • President must inform Congress of inabilities

• VP & Cabinet write a letter from majority of cabinet to Congress

Just for FUN!

• Let’s Get this out of the way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=8Rh-Pslcw8Y

Vice Presidency • Two Duties:

– Preside over Senate, casting tie-breaking votes

– Help determine Presidential disability under the 25th Amendment and take over presidency if necessary

• Qualifications are same as President – No limit on VP terms

• Today: – Take part in cabinet meetings

– Serves on National Security Council

– Diplomatic Missions

Impeachment • Charges of wrongdoing against a government

official

• HOR has authority to impeach – once levied Senate sits on Judgment of charges

• Chief Justice of Supreme Court presides over trial

• If guilty – official is removed from office – Conviction requires 2/3 vote of Senate

Electoral College • 1796

– After Washington left office flaws of the college surfaced

• Election of 1800 – Federalists v. Democratic Republicans

– Three new elements into selecting President: • Party nominations for Presidency and VP

• Nominations of candidates for presidential electors pledged to vote for their party’s presidential ticket

• Automatic casting of electoral votes in line with those pledges

12th Amendment • Electoral College

– Name in ballots for person voted as President and person voted for as Vice-President

How does the Electoral College work?

• http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/about.html

Presidential View • Imperial Presidency

– President is viewed as an emperor • Strong actions without consulting Congress or seeking approval

• Secrets

– Previous Imperial President? • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd12Wz6o_KI

Presidential Powers • Executive Powers

– Enforces Laws, issues executive orders, appoints officials, assumes emergency powers

• Legislative Powers – State of the Union message (Constitutional Requirement), Annual Budget and

economic reports, signs or vetoes bills, proposes legislation, special sessions of Congress

• Diplomatic Powers – Appoints ambassadors, executive agreements, meets with foreign leaders and receives

foreign dignitaries

• Military Powers – Commander-in-Chief, final decision making in matters of national and foreign

defense, provides domestic order

• Judicial Powers – Appoints members of federal judiciary, pardons and amnesty

• Party Powers – Leader of specific party, chooses VP, influences policies and platform of the party

Limitations on Presidential Powers

• Congressional Checks – Override presidential vetoes, impeachment, approval over

appointments, legislation limits (War Powers Act)

– Legislative vetoes to reject actions of President or executive agency by a vote of one or both houses of Congress without consent of the president: Unconstitutional by Supreme Court in 1983

– Power of the Purse: agency budgets authorized and appropriated by Congress – 1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act – denies the President the right to refuse to spend money appropriated by Congress and gave Congress greater role in budget process

• Judicial Checks – Judicial review over actions

• Political Checks – Public opinion, media attention and popularity

Limitations on Presidential Powers Con’t.

Does it Pay to be President? • As of 2001:

– President gets paid $400,000 year

– $50,000 expense allowance

– Lives in White House • 132 Room Mansion on 18 acres in DC

– Fleet of automobiles, planes and helicopters

– Camp David (resort, vacation spot)

– Finest medical, dental and health care available

– Travel and entertainment benefits

Federal Bureaucracy

Bureaucracy • Organizing large complex administrative structure

– Three basic principles; most common for US is hierarchical authority, job specialization and formal rules

• Pendleton Act/Civil Service Act 1883 – replaced spoils system with merit system for hiring and promoting

• Hatch Act of 1939, 1993 – prohibits government employees from engaging in political activities while on Active Duty, running for office or seeking political funding while off duty.

• Civil Service Reform Act 1978 – establishes recruitment, training and salaries for federal employees

President’s Cabinet

Executive Departments State Department (1789)

Treasury Department (1789)

Defense Department (1789)

Justice Department (1870)

Department of Interior (1849)

Department of Agriculture (1889)

Department of Commerce (1903)

Department of Labor (1913)

Department of Health & Human Services (1953) Department of Housing and Urban Development (1965) Department of Transportation (1967) Department of Energy (1977) Department of Education (1979) Department of Veterans Affairs (1988) Department of Homeland Security (2002)

Executive Office of the President White House Office

National Security Council

Office of Management and Budget

Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives

Office of National Drug Control Policy

Office of Policy Development

Council of Economic Advisors

Office of US Trade Representative Office of Administration Council on Environmental Quality Office of Science and Technology Policy Office of the Vice President

Other Agencies • Independent Executive Agencies – without cabinet

status (NASA, Small Business Administration)

• Independent Regulatory Agencies – created to regulate or police (Securities and Exchange Commission; Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Federal Reserve Board)

• Government Corporations – carry out all business like activities and charge for services (AMTRAK, USPS)

Influences on Bureaucracy • Executive influence – appointments; executive orders;

agency’s budget and reorganization of agency

• Congressional influences – appointments; holding hearings, rewriting legislation; affecting agency budget

• Iron Triangles – alliances that develop between agencies, interest groups and congressional committees/subcommittees. Alliances help achieve goals with Congress & President deferring to influence

• Issue Networks – individuals, located within interest groups, congressional staff, think tanks, universities and media – regularly discuss and advocate public policies.

Extra Thoughts

• James Barber & President Personality – Active-Positive:

– Active-Negative:

– Positive-Positive:

– Passive-Negative:

Sample of Presidents

• Presidents Video – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNGuXQHl5Y8