The Presidency

                            

Duties of the President

• Commander-in-Chief

• Appoint heads of departments (with consent of Senate) and ambassadors

• Negotiates treaties with other countries (with “advice and consent” of Senate)

• Represents the United States

• Serves as Head of State

• May pardon or reduce sentences of people convicted of federal crimes.

• Serve as head of the bureaucracy

• Make speeches to Congress

• Propose policy changes

Duties of the President

Faithfully execute the laws of the

United States.

Duties of the President

Constitutional Qualifications

Article II, Section 1 of Constitution:

• Born in the U.S.

• At least 35 years old

• Resident of U.S. for

at least 14 years before

taking office.

Other Qualifications

• Usually need government experience.

• Usually have a political career.

• Must have access to large amounts of money.

Usually are moderates.

Personal Characteristics

• Usually male and white (northern European) (only exception: Obama)

• Usually affluent and middle class

• Usually protestant in religion(only exception: John F. Kennedy)

• Usually successful financially(exceptions: Abraham Lincoln & Harry Truman)

• Usually married (exception: Grover Cleveland) (he was 48, she was the 21 year-old daughter of his dead law partner)

• Usually likeable personality (exception: Nixon)

Personal Characteristics

• In modern times, must be TV-friendly

Personal Characteristics

President’s Term

• Constitution sets term at 4 years

• 22nd Amendment (1951) limits President to only two terms.

Salary and Benefits

Current:

• $400,000 per year

• $100,000 per year in travel expenses

• $50,000 per year for expenses

• Planes, helicopters and limousines

• Free medical, dental, and other health care

• Live in White House (pool, tennis, etc.)

• Servants (cooks, maintenance, maids, etc.)

• Guards/Security

Salary and Benefits

Retirement Benefits

• Pension – currently $151,800 per year

• Free office space

• Free mailing service

• $150,000 per year for office staff

When President dies, spouse

gets $20,000 per year pension

But Remember:

Nobody runs for the Presidency for the salary and benefits.

And a few want to help the world.

Vice-President

• All the same qualifications apply to the V.P.

• Role is flexible.• Serve as President of Senate• More recent V.P.’s have been

important advisors to the Presidents.

            

           

Vice-President Salary and Benefits

Salary • $208,100 per year• $10,000 per year in expenses

Benefits• Mansion • Servants• Travel• Medical, dental and other health care• Pension

Actually better than White House

What happens if the President dies?

The Constitution gives us the answer.

Presidential Succession

• Vice President

• Speaker of the House

• President Pro-Tempore of the Senate

• Then cabinet officers in order in which their office was created:

– Secretary of State

– Secretary of the Treasury

– Secretary of Defense

Presidential Succession

Presidential Succession

Since your book was published, one additional department has been added to the Cabinet:

Secretary of Homeland Security

Presidential Succession

But what happens if the

President is disabled but does not die?

Presidential Disability

James Garfield

Shot but survived

for 80 days

Woodrow Wilson

Stroke

Paralyzed and partially

blind for 1½ years

Presidential Disability

Dwight D.Eisenhower

Heart Attack

Incapacitated for

about one month

Presidential Disability

Abraham Lincoln

Extreme Depression

Didn’t get out of bed for days.

Presidential Disability

• If the President becomes disabled?

• If the President cannot fulfill his/her duties?

Presidential Disability

• What if an enemy attacks while President is disabled?

• What if some other crisis occurs while President is unable to take “forceful” control?

Presidential Disability

• If President informs Congress of disability

• If President is unable (or unwilling) to inform Congress of disability, then V.P. and Cabinet could inform Congress

V.P. becomes “acting” President.

Presidential Disability

V.P. remains Acting President until• The President recovers and

Congress restores power to the “real” President.

• The next election.

Presidential Disability