The Presidency: Chapter 13

I. The evolution of the presidency

A. Original ideas

1. plural executive

2. executive checked by a council

3. Settled on a single executive who heads a bureaucracy.

B. Concerns of the Founders

1. Feared dictatorship by the executive.

2. Feared military powers of president

3. Feared presidential reelection corruption

4. Feared shift in power balance between legislative and executive branches

C. Addressing concerns: The electoral college

1. Each state to choose own method of selecting electors

a. Proportional Distribution

b. Winner-Take-All

2. Presidential electors select the president.

D. Formal Qualifications:

1. Natural born citizen of the United States

2. 35 years of age

3. Lived in the country at least 14 years

E. Limiting the President: Term of Office

1. Term of Office 4 years

2. 22nd Amendment

a. two terms (8 yrs.) but no more.

b. If succeeded into office – the limit is then 10 yrs. 

F. Compensation:1. Salary determined by Congress – currently

$400,000 plus. 50,000 expense account.2. Free use of White House – 132 room Mansion3. Presidential Yachts, fleet of automobiles (707 jet,

Air Force One, helicopters)4. Use of Camp David – a resort hideaway5. Free medical, dental and other health care6. Free security and secret service7. Lifetime pension of $143,800 per year - $50,000

expenses

II. The President's RoleA. Chief of state- B. Chief executive -C. Chief administrator – D. Chief diplomat – E. Commander in Chief – F. Chief legislator – G. Chief of party -H. Chief citizen -I. Each role is played simultaneously and is inseparable from

the others.

III. General powers of the presidentA. Formal powers found in Article II

1. Ambiguous clauses of the Constitution- power as commander in chief, "take care that laws be faithfully executed"

B. Greatest source of power lies in politics and public opinion

1. Increase in broad authority, especially since 1930s

IV. Vice PresidentA. Formal Duties

1. Presides over Senate2. Decide with the Cabinet if President is disabled

B. picked to balance the ticketC. President can’t fire him

V. Presidential Succession:A. 25th Amendment

1. established order of succession – V.P., speaker of house, President Pro Temp (senate leader)., Sec State

2. Determines disabilities (if President informs in writing he is unable or if V.P. and Cabinet in writing inform Congress, it changes).

3. The cabinet and the Vice President may challenge the President's resumption of power. If there is a challenge, Congress has 21 days in which to decide the matter.

VI. The Presidential Election: The Electoral College Today

A. Electors are chosen by popular vote and make up the Electoral College.

B. Electoral college: Groups of persons (presidential electors)

1. chosen in each State and the District of Columbia every four years

2. make a formal selection of the President and Vice President.

C. The number of votes a state has in electoral college is equal to its number of members in BOTH houses of Congress

D. “Winner take all”: the party that wins the majority of the popular vote in each State gets all of that State's electoral votes. (Maine and Nebraska split)

E. Vote by registered mail to Washington, D.C., counted on January 6th.F. Tie or no majority, decision made by House of Representatives (state

by state-one vote each). G. Electoral College Protects two freedoms

1. States Rights: Each state is equal with two votes2. Individual Rights: States with high populations get more votes.

H. Flaws in the Electoral College1. Electoral votes not distributed in exact proportion to the

population (winner of popular vote may not win the electoral vote)

2. Electors not bound by the Constitution or by any federal law to vote for the candidate favored by the people of their State.

3. Elections may be thrown into the House of Representatives.4. Winner take all – works well for two major parties.

VII. The CabinetA. The President appoints cabinet members,

confirmed by the Senate.B. Cabinet members CAN be removed by the

President at will.C. Each cabinet member heads one of the executive

departments

VIII.Executive Offices of the President (EOP)1. Size and number vary with the priority of the

president2. Some notables:

a. Office of Management and Budget (OMB)b. National Security Council (NSC)c. Homeland Security Council

VIII.White House Staff

A. Over 600 people staff the White House

B. Very few have access to the President

1. Chief of Staff

2. Assistant Chief of Staff

3. White house council

4. Press secretary