Impoundment of funds  When the President refuses to spend money appropriated by Congress  Nixon was infamous for this  Budget Reform Act of 1974  Congress requires President to spend all appropriated funds  EXECUTIVE ORDERS – president enforces the Constitution, treaty, law or modify rules of the  bureaucracy; has the force of law Ex. FDR – Japanese internment camps, Obama shut down Guantanamo Bay, Johnson enforced integration

President’s Domestic Powers  President’s formal enumerated powers to exert influence over domestic policy:  Has legislative powers (veto, pocket veto, signing bills)  Can call Congress into special session  Appointment power (to a domestic office) For example judges, Cabinet members  Makes the State of the Union Address (at beginning of the year/beginning of the yearly session.  Chief executive role (faithfully execute the law via his agencies that actually carry out laws)

President and Domestic Policy troubles Limitations/ troubles with Presidential ability to influence policy in Congress: Lame Duck period - Period of time that a president’s term comes to an end (at end of second term) ->President’s power is perceived as weak; president does not exert control over Congress ->President’s approval ratings usually at lowest point Party Polarization - increased party differences and party loyalty ->Opposing party blocks president’s goals; no moderates to build a coalition Mandatory spending - spending that is nondiscretionary; fixed amounts of money in the budget -> budgetary constraints cause difficulty in accomplishing goals; budget cuts difficulty

Formal powers of President  Commander in chief; power to commit troops  Appointment of ambassadors and foreign policy officials  Negotiate/ make treaties  Recognition of nations (diplomatic power)  Receive ambassadors and other public ministers Formal powers of Congress  Declare war  Confirm ambassadors  Power of the purse in military/ foreign policy affairs  Ratify treaties  Pass laws/ resolutions on foreign policy issues  Regulate foreign commerce (trade agreements); appropriations, funds  Impeachment

 Informal powers of the president:  Executive agreements  Access to media/ bully pulpit/ morale building Agenda setting- determines what is addressed  Meet with world leaders  Crisis manager  International coalition building  President has access to more info, knowledge, or expertise than does Congress  Recognized as global leader  Can persuade Congress, persuade public, and can get around the formal process

President/ Congress Conflict on Foreign Policy  CONSTITUTIONAL CONFLICT…WHEN TO GO TO WAR - President is commander-in-chief, Congress has power to declare war War Powers Resolution  Goal: Limit the power of the President over war making  President must notify Congress within 48 hours of sending troops into combat  Conflicts are limited to 60 days unless Congress takes action  Congress can extend time from the initial 60 days or can withdraw troops after 60 days

Divided Government  Divided Government - Government in which one party controls the White House and a different party controls one or both houses of Congress  Democratic President Bill Clinton, Republican Congress  Norm over the last 50 years due to split-ticket voting  Gridlock – inability to get anything done because the branches bicker with one another and make decisions difficult (no compromise/ bargaining)  Paralysis of policy-making  Slows the process but true checks and balances

Vice presidents  Vice Presidency – empty job perception; only official task is to preside over the Senate and vote in case of a tie AND to decide on the question of presidential disability (never happened)  Absent a crisis, vice pres is weak  Most important role is to take over Presidency if President is unable to fill term 8 presidents died in office (4 assassinations – Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, and Kennedy), Nixon resigned  Vice Presidency role is chosen by President Represents Pres at ceremonies, advise him on specialized issues, special projects (LBJ = civil rights, Gore = environment)

Succession and presidential disability  What if the president is seriously ill but does not die? 25 th Amendment (1967) – VP serves as acting President when the pres cannot discharge his duties of office Either the President decides or the VP and a majority of the cabinet or 2.3 vote in Congress decides is President cannot serve  Succession Act of 1947 – If both Pres and VP are unable to serve, 3) Speaker of the House, 4) Pres Pro Tempore, 5) Cabinet members  If vice pres steps up, who becomes the new vice president?  VP nominates a new VP, confirmed by majority in both houses

Office of the President Overview White House Office (West Wing) Executive Office of the President Cabinet Independent Agencies * Rule of Propinquity The most powerful and influential staff members are closest in proximity (physical and political) to the President

 Heads of the 15 executive departments who “advise” (give suggestions) to President on specialized areas  President appoints; Senate Confirms; President rewards political friends and supporters  Not mentioned in the Constitution  Historically met regularly with the president to help with decision making (“kitchen cabinet”)  Modern day – not influential over Pres decisions and Pres has little power over departments  Cabinet members see selves as representatives of their depts  WHO is chosen?  Appointments come from private business, universities, interest groups, labor unions, state officials, or Congress  experienced, prior federal experience  Politically and demographically diverse

 Examples of independent executive agencies include NASA, the General Services Administration, and the EPA.  Some independent executive agencies are far from well- known, such as the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee.  The independent executive agencies include most of the independent agencies.  The most important difference between the independent executive agencies and the 14 executive departments is that they simply do not have Cabinet status.

 The independent regulatory commissions stand out among the independent agencies because they are largely beyond the reach of presidential direction and control.  Term length of members and staggering of member appointments keep these commissions from falling under control of one party.  The regulatory commissions are quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial, meaning that Congress has given them certain legislative-like and judicial-like powers.

The President’s closest advisors work in the West Wing of the White House, near the oval office.

White House Office/West Wing President’s closest assistants – oversee the political and policy interests of the President West Wing of the White House Not approved by the Senate; hired and fired at will by the President Organization of personal staff Pyramid structure Most assistants report through a hierarchy to a chief of staff who deals directly with the pres. +Orderly flow of information; effective use of time -isolates or misinforms the pres.; chief of staff = powerful Circular structure Cabinet secretaries, assistants and committees report directly to pres +ideas from several sources -too much info – confusion and conflict; ineffective use of time Most end up with pyramid structure for efficiency

Executive Office of the President Agencies report directly to the President and perform specified services for him; experts; career civil servants Top positions are appointed and confirmed by Senate; can be fired by President at will *Office of Management and Budget -Assembles and analyzes the yearly budget the President submits to Congress; reviews & reorganizes the work of departments; 500 person staff National Security Council -lead advisory board in the area of national and international security; advises Pres on military and foreign affairs (Pres, VP, Sec of State and Defense, National Security Advisor -Office of National Drug Control Policy -CIA -Council of Economic Advisers Leading economists who inform Pres on nation’s economy