Welcome! Seng - AP Government Presidency The presidency has made every man who occupied it, no matter how small, bigger than he was; and no matter how big, not big enough for its demands. -Lyndon B. Johnson

Qualifications 35 years old Native born citizen Resident of the United States for 14 years

Elections They serve a four-year term and then can run for reelection Twenty-second Amendment limits presidents to two terms Does not have to be consecutive

Succession If a president leaves office before the term is finished, the Vice President takes the position The Speaker of the House is second in line behind the Vice President

Twenty-fifth Amendment Permits the Vice President to become acting President if the Vice President and the Cabinet determine that the President is disabled or if the President declares his own disability Also creates a means for selecting a new Vice President when the office becomes vacant

Impeachment House can impeach the president It is the political equivalent of an indictment in criminal law BUT it does not remove the person from office

Impeachment After the House impeaches, the Senate holds a trial with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presiding Then they may convict the president and remove him from office

The Vice President The VP’s primary job is to assume office if the president dies or is incapacitated. His/her only formal duty is to preside over the Senate or to break tie votes in the Senate. Historically, the office has had little power and often VPs have low profiles.

The Cabinet The Cabinet is not mentioned in the Constitution and is formulated by each President as he/she sees fit Washington started the precedent The Cabinet consists of the heads of the major bureaucratic departments (State, Defense, Treasury, etc.) The Senate must approve Cabinet appointments – but overwhelmingly, the Cabinet is controlled by the President

National Security Council Created in 1947 Coordinates the President’s foreign and military policy advisors Its formal members are the President, vice president, secretary of state, and secretary of defense, and it is managed by the president’s National Security Advisor

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Composed of a handful of political appointees and officials They prepare the President’s budget Has enormous power because of its ability to allocate money to the cabinet departments through the budget process of the executive branch

White House staff Loyal to the President Chief of Staff, Congressional liaisons, press secretary, administrative assistants, counselors Current Chief of Staff: Denis McDonough Current Press Secretary: Jay Carney

Presidential Hats Legislative Power Chief-of-State Pardoning Power Treaty-making Power Chief Diplomat Chief Executive Veto Power Commander -in-Chief Appointment Power Presidential Hats

Chief Legislator The President proposes bills to Congress and has the power to sign into law or veto any bill that Congress passes

Veto Constitutional power of the President to send a bill back to Congress with reasons for rejecting it A two-thirds majority in both houses can override a veto Remember this override has only happened about 2 ½ percent of the time The power to veto legislation can be an effective tool of intimidation

Pocket veto A veto taking place when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill to the President who simply lets it die by neither signing nor vetoing it

Line-item veto Governors have the ability to veto certain portions of legislation For two years, President Clinton had this power But it was struck down at the Presidential level by the Supreme Court in Clinton vs. New York

Head of the Party In order to influence policy, presidents must work closely with Congress Political parties help bridge the gap between the legislative and executive branches

Party Leadership The President’s policies shape the agenda of the party Presidential Coattails- these occur when voters cast their ballots for congressional candidates of the President’s party because they support the President Remember: the President’s party is more successful during a presidential election year; during the midterm election, the President’s party usually takes a hit

Chief Diplomat Has the sole power to negotiate treaties with other nations (with 2/3s Senate approval) Executive agreements – made with the heads of foreign governments, does not require Senate approval

Commander-in-Chief Civilian control of the military War Powers War Powers Resolution – passed in 1973 in reaction to Vietnam; requires presidents to consult with Congress whenever possible prior to using military force and to withdraw forces after 60 days unless Congress declares war or grants an extension Considered a legislative veto, or Congress passing a resolution to override a presidential decision