President-ARTICLE II Qualifications (Constitutional)- 35 yrs old, natural born citizen, live in the US for 14 years Unofficial - ??? ( Rich, white, male, northern European, Protestant/Christian) Term in office- 4 years. Originally unlimited. Washington stepped down after two and created a “tradition”. FDR got elected 4 times. 22 nd Amendment limits President to two terms or ten years. Vice President – Same qualifications and terms.

BALANCE THE TICKET Why are vice presidential candidates chosen? Come up with some reasons as to why certain people are chosen (Think demographic)

Presidential Disability/Succession If President dies, the Vice President assumes the position (Name the Presidents who have died in office) If there is no Vice President, the remainder of succession is done by law (1947 Succession Act) Speaker of the House President Pro Tem of Senate Cabinet members based on date of creation (Sec of State through Dept Homeland Security)

President/Vice President 20 th Amendment- “Lame Duck”. President was usually sworn in on March 4 th. This was changed to Jan. 20 th to limit the time of a “lame duck” President. Vice Presidents are usually chosen to balance the ticket-an attempt to attract voters who might not vote for the President. Think of recent examples of how the President and V.P are different. (In what ways)

Presidential Disability/Succession Presidents who have died in office include W. Harrison, Z Taylor, A Lincoln, J Garfield, J McKinley, W Harding, FDR, JFK 25 th Amendment- a) creates system to declare President disabled temporarily or permanently. b) Created system to replace Vice President by appointment (We have had two. Can you name them?)

Presidential Disability/Succession The two appointed Vice Presidents were Gerald Ford and Nelson Rockefeller To remove a President for disability, the Vice President needs to initiate removal, gaining ½ the members of the cabinet to approve the removal. Congress, or other body certifies the removal by 2/3 vote A President may also temporarily step down due to a disability

Perks and Benefits $400,000 salary Air Force One (767 Plane) Pension of $125,000/yr White House Staff Camp David Secret Service protection for life

Powers Found in Article II Executive Orders- “Laws” made by the President alone. Usually in predetermined areas by Congress or military (Examples FDR interned Japanese Americans in WWII, Truman integrating the military) Treaties- Made by President, approved by Senate Executive Agreements- “Presidential Treaties”, no Senate approval, but next President doesn’t have to follow it.

Powers Appoint cabinet, ambassadors, federal judges (usually with Senate, but can make “recess” appointments. People can serve until next Congress) All except judges can be fired Pardon federal criminals, commute sentences, issue amnesty Recognize foreign nations State of the Union address. Veto, pocket veto (Last 10 days of session) Commander in Chief- use of the military in and out of the US (limited by War Powers Act-limits to days).

Line Item Veto Many states have line item veto (the power of executive to veto parts of a bill, but not the whole thing). President had this power in 1996, but courts ruled the law unconstitutional. Arizona governor has this power

Executive Privilege Power of the President to withhold papers/information from Congress. Based on the idea of Separation of Power

WHERE PRESIDENTS “ADD” THERE OWN DEFINITION TO A LAW, AS THEY ARE SIGNING IT. THE SIGNING STATEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE DETAINEE TREATMENT ACT OF 2005, PROHIBITING CRUEL, INHUMAN AND DEGRADING TREATMENT OF DETAINEES IN U.S. CUSTODY ATTRACTED CONTROVERSY: DETAINEE TREATMENT ACT OF 2005 "THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH SHALL CONSTRUE... THE ACT, RELATING TO DETAINEES, IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY OF THE PRESIDENT TO SUPERVISE THE UNITARY EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF AND CONSISTENT WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITATIONS ON THE JUDICIAL POWER...." SIGNING STATEMENTS

How a President is Elected/Electoral College Each state has electoral vote equal to the number of Representatives + Senators (2). Plus D.C. Total 538 Needed to win:270 Each state has parties that appoint electors equal to their number. Whoever gets the most votes in that state, wins all of the electors (Except in Maine and Nebraska, which does it by districts)

Problems/Issues Winner of the popular vote can lose (ie 2000 Al Gore, 1888 Grover Cleveland, 1876 Rutherford Hayes) Maverick Electors- Electors who vote for someone other than they are suppose to (ie. 1988, ) These could make a difference (but haven’t) Outcome of elections are determined only by swing states (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida) House elections (1800, 1824) are determined by states (26 to win). Regional 3 rd parties could effect outcome/Wallace 1968

Why We Keep It a)Tradition b)Keeps the two party system intact c)We don’t like amendments