The Executive Office of the President

Learning Objectives To understand the role and structure of the EOP To identify the role played by the CEA, WHO, NSC and OMB

Executive Office of the Presidency Its primary responsibilities are; Preparing the budget (which is done by the Office of Management and Budget) Planning long-term economic strategies (which is done by the Council of Economic Advisors) Co-ordinating the country’s diplomatic and military policies (which is done by the National Security Council) Running the White House Office, where the president’s advisors work with him to develop the administration’s political strategies, provide advice on response to emergencies, present the president’s proposals to the American people and the wider world, liaise and negotiate with Congress and provide a link between the White House and the government departments.

Executive Office of the Presidency As government grew throughout the 20 th century, and especially since the New Deal of the 1930s, it became apparent that the president needed support to supervise the bureaucracy. As a result, the Executive Office of the Presidency was established. Its purpose is to ensure that the president is in a position to make ‘responsible decisions, and then when decisions have been made, to assist him in seeing to it that every administrative department and agency is properly informed’. The following entities exist within the Executive Office of the President: Council of Economic Advisers Council on Environmental Quality Executive Residence National Security Staff Office of Administration Office of Management and Budget Office of National Drug Control Policy Office of Science and Technology Policy Office of the United States Trade Representative Office of the Vice President White House Office

President Obama’s White House Staff Domestic Policy Council – Office of National AIDS Policy Office of National AIDS Policy – Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships – Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation National Security Advisor National Economic Council Office of Cabinet Affairs Office of the Chief of Staff Office of Communications – Office of the Press Secretary Office of the Press Secretary – Media Affairs – Research – Speechwriting Office of Digital Strategy Office of the First Lady – Office of the Social Secretary Office of Legislative Affairs Office of Management and Administration – White House Personnel – White House Operations – Telephone Office – Visitors Office Oval Office Operations Office of Presidential Personnel Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs – Office of Public Engagement Office of Public Engagement Council on Women and Girls – Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Office of Intergovernmental Affairs – Office of Urban Affairs Office of Urban Affairs Office of Scheduling and Advance Office of the Staff Secretary – Presidential Correspondence – Executive Clerk – Records Management Office of the White House Counsel

Executive Office of the Presidency The EOP is led by people whose loyalty to the president is unquestioned. Often they have a longstanding relationship with the president, having bee close to him for many years even before he declared to run for election to the position. The top advisors to President Bush Jr, such as Karl Rove, worked with him in Texas, while President Obama and his chief of staff, Rahm Emmanuel, are both from Illinois. In addition, most do not have to be confirmed by the Senate and they are not subject to congressional committee monitoring. The president often has greater confidence that his agenda will be advanced by the EOP than by the cabinet ad relies on the EOP to ensure that government departments implement the law in ways that are consistent with his overall aims and objectives. Is there a loyalty-competency trade off?

What qualities are important for an executive appointee to have? Integrity Loyalty Commitment to the President’s Program Ability – Intellectual – Political – Savvy in ways of Washington – Interpersonal – Managerial!!! Is there a loyalty-competency trade off? Do you find all of these in one person? Would you employ someone either; a) highly capable, but of questionable loyalty OR b) fairly competent, but fiercely loyal

Homework Reading and Note Taking, Chapter 6, EOP Cabinet-rivalries p