Executive Branch Enforcement of laws

Executive facts Led by the President of the United States. All but one president has been a white male. All but one has been protestant. Cabinet: Group of advisors to the president.

Qualifications Must be a native-born US citizen. Must be 35 years old. Must have lived in the United States for 14 years. The president is elected every four years by the Electoral College.

Benefits Salary of $400,000. The salary is set by Congress. Live in the White House. Unlimited use of Camp David (Maryland). Good medical benefits and protection. Many assistants.

Vice-President Qualifications are the same as the president. President of the Senate. Salary of $198,600, free residence at the Naval Observatory, and personal assistants. The VP is elected every four years by the Electoral College. No limit on terms.

Succession According to the 25th amendment, the VP takes over if the president can not fulfill his duties for any reason. The presidential line of succession provides a lay out of who would be president in many cases.

Presidential Roles Chief Executive Chief Diplomat Commander in Chief Legislative Leader Party Leader Judicial Leader Chief of State

Presidential Roles Chief Executive The executive branch deals with specifics on bills. There are many agencies that are part of the executive branch. This makes up the federal bureaucracy which is headed by the president. The president can issue executive orders, a command that has the force of law. The president appoints many officials which must be approved by the Senate.

Presidential Roles Chief Diplomat Appoints ambassadors and makes treaties. Ambassador: Official representative to a country. Treaty: Agreement between two or more countries. Must be approved by the Senate by a 2/3 majority. Executive Agreement: Agreement between the president and the leader of another country. Does not require Senate approval.

Presidential Roles Commander in Chief Congress is given the power to maintain an army and declare war. Only the President can order troops into battle. War Powers Act (1973): The president must inform Congress when troops are sent into battle. Troops must be brought home after 90 days unless Congress grants an extension. The president can order troops to stop disturbances in the United States during peace time.

Presidential Roles Legislative leader Presidents must have the support of congress. The president can write a bill, but someone from Congress must introduce the legislation. The president tries to make deals with Congress. The President tries to gain support from the American people through the use of the mass media.

Presidential Roles Party leader Judicial leader The president helps other party members get elected (coattail effect). Appoints people with his views. Judicial leader Appoints judges that serve for life. The president can pardon an individual or give amnesty to a group. The President can reprieve, delay punishment until a higher court rules.

Presidential Roles Chief of State The president represents the entire nation. Acts as the symbolic leader of the United States. People are very interested in the president and his family.

Executive Office of the President (EOP) Created by FDR in 1939. This includes the White House Office: Chief of Staff: Makes decision on what is brought to the Pres. Press Secretary: Provides reporters with news about the Pres. Office of Management and Budget: Prepares the nations budget. National Security Council: Provides for the safety of the nation. Includes the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) which gathers information on other governments. The EOP is there to serve the President.

Federal Bureaucracy Large network of individuals and businesses . The bureaucracy includes: Departments Agencies Regulatory Commissions Government Corporations

Executive Departments Fifteen departments Each led by a secretary except for the Justice Department led by the Attorney General. All are appointed by the President and approved by the Senate. See chart on p. 227

Executive Agencies Deal with specialized areas of government. The pres. chooses the head of each agency. Senate must confirm.

Regulatory Commissions Control certain types of businesses. Have legislative, executive, and judicial powers. Commissions must be impartial and there is no political pressure. Run by a board, appointed by the Pres. and approved by the Senate. Can be removed through impeachment process.

Government Corporations Similar to private corporations. Board of directors and a General Manager run each corporation. Chosen by the president and approved by the Senate. Best known is the post office.

Civil Service Spoils system: Giving federal jobs to people that helped the winner. “To the Victor Belong the Spoils”. Government grew as well as incompetence. Americans demanded change.

Merit System Pendleton Act (1883): Merit system where those most qualified get the jobs. Divided jobs into two categories: Classified: Jobs given based on exams. Unclassified: Jobs still filled by appointment. Hatch Act (1939): Forbids Civil servants from working in a campaign or participating in party politics. In 1978, the Civil Service Commission was divided into: Office of personnel management: Administer tests and hire workers. Merit System protection board: Handles promotions based on merit.