The Presidency

Qualifications and Other Facts

Overview Qualifications-Constitutional requirements Natural born citizen Age requirement Residency Qualifications-“unwritten” - Term of Office Two elected 4 year terms. But how many years (max. and min.) possible? Washington’s precedent was institutionalized with the 22nd Amendment Johnson succeeded JFK in ‘63-possible 2 full terms/Ford succeeded Nixon in ’74 so only 1 full term possible.

Compensation Set by Congress. May NOT be raised or lowered during presidents term. Why? $400,000 (taxable) + many, many perks since 1969 (see page 371) Opportunity to make some serious money after leaving speaking fees. Reagan was paid $2,000,000 for 3 speeches in Japan writing memoirs, e.g. Nixon and others serving on corporate boards of directors, e.g. Ford building homes for Habitat for Humanity, e.g. Carter

Role of the President Constitutional Roles

Chief Legislator Powers proposes laws vetoes legislation calls special sessions of Congress Checks: Congress need not pass legislation and can "override" FDR signs the Social Security Act “We put those payroll contributions there so as to give the contributors a legal, moral, and political right to collect their pensions and their unemployment benefits. With those taxes in there, no damn politician can ever scrap my social security program.” President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1941

Chief Executive Powers enforce laws, treaties and court decisions …Which laws? appoint officials to office and can fire them issues executive orders (have force of laws) to carry out laws e.g., LBJ's executive order #11246 that required affirmative action programs for federal contractors. Checks: Congress actually passes the laws and has the "power of the purse". Additionally, the Senate can reject appointments.

Commander in Chief Power: Head of the armed forces (civilian supremacy) Checks: Congress appropriates funds for the military and declares war. "Wars powers Act of 1973" The Wars Powers Act of 1973 was an attempt by Congress to limit the power of the president during a military conflict.

Chief Diplomat Power: Sets overall foreign policy and gives diplomatic recognition to foreign governments. Appoints ambassadors and negotiates both treaties and executive agreements. Checks: Senate can reject ambassadors and treaties (think Wilson), while the Congress appropriates funds for foreign affairs. With Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Chief Jurist Powers: Appoints federal judges including nominations to Supreme Court and issues pardons and amnesty. Check: Senate can reject judicial appointments

The President’s Program

Cabinet: Who gets appointed? President knows few appointees personally Most appointees have had federal experience "In-and-outers"--alternate federal and private sector jobs Need to consider groups, regions, and organizations when making appointments Rivalry between department heads and White House staff

President’s Program Putting together a program The preparation of a presidential program was not institutionalized until the administration of Franklin Roosevelt. When Eisenhower assumed office, he failed to submit a program in the belief that initiating legislation was a congressional responsibility. Congress finally requested the president to forward his policies for action. President can try to have a policy on everything (Carter) President can concentrate on a small number of initiatives (Reagan) Constraints Public and congressional reaction may be adverse Limited time and attention span of the president Unexpected crises Programs can be changed only marginally

President’s Program Attempts to reorganize Reasons for reorganizing When Congress rebuffed President Nixon's proposal to streamline executive departments, Nixon attempted to institute the reorganization by establishing a few "superdepartments" and having certain secretaries assume supervision over several departments. Watergate intervened. Reasons for reorganizing Large number of agencies Easier to change policy through reorganization Reorganization outside the White House staff must be by law

Presidential Vetoes, 1789–2007 President Washington 1st–4th 2 — Adams Coincident Congresses Regular vetoes Pocket vetoes Total vetoes Vetoes overridden Washington 1st–4th 2 — Adams 5th–6th Jefferson 7th–10th Madison 11th–14th 5 7 Monroe 15th–18th 1 J. Q. Adams 19th–20th Jackson 21st–24th 12 Van Buren 25th–26th W. H. Harrison 27th Tyler 27th–28th 6 4 10 Polk 29th–30th 3 Taylor 31st Fillmore 31st–32nd Pierce 33rd–34th 9 Buchanan 35th–36th Lincoln 37th–39th A. Johnson 39th–40th 21 8 29 15 Grant 41st–44th 45 48 93 Hayes 45th–46th 13 Garfield 47th Arthur 47th–48th 4 8 12 1 Cleveland 49th–50th 304 110 414 2 B. Harrison 51st–52nd 19 25 44 53rd–54th 42 128 170 5 McKinley 55th–57th 6 36 — T. Roosevelt 57th–60th 40 82 Taft 61st–62nd 30 9 39 Wilson 63rd–66th 33 11 Harding 67th Coolidge 68th–70th 20 50 Hoover 71st–72nd 21 16 37 3 F. D. Roosevelt 73rd–79th 372 263 635 Truman 79th–82nd 180 70 250 Eisenhower 83rd–86th 73 108 181 Kennedy 87th–88th L. B. Johnson 88th–90th 14 Nixon 91st–93rd 26 17 43 7 Ford 93rd–94th 48 18 66 Carter 95th–96th 13 31 Reagan 97th–100th 78 G.H.W. Bush1 101st–102nd 29 15 Clinton 103rd–106th G. W. Bush 107th–108th 109th 110th Total   1,490 1,067 2,557 107