The Executive Branch Powers listed in Article II Main duty: Enforce Laws Includes: The President Vice-President President’s Cabinet

Qualifications At least 35 years of age Born in the U.S. To be the President or Vice President: At least 35 years of age Born in the U.S. Resident for 14 years

Terms 22nd Amendment: -Limits the President to two terms or 10 years

Salary $400,000 per year $50,000 a year allowance Lives in the White House (132 rooms, 18.3 acres) Air Force One Plus other benefits

Powers & Limitations of the President ROLE: CHIEF OF STATE the ceremonial head of the U.S. government & people reigns and rules

Powers & Limitations of the President ROLE: CHIEF EXECUTIVE 1. enforces federal law, treaties, court decisions Executive orders Appoints cabinet members, commissions, federal judges A. Senate approval needed for appointments

Powers and Limitations of the President ROLE: CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR 1. Employs more than 2.7 million civilians. 2. Spends more than 2.5 trillion dollars a year.

Powers & Limitations of the President ROLE: CHIEF DIPLOMAT 1. general charge of foreign policy 2. appoints ambassadors 3. executive agreements 4. negotiates treaties 5. recognition of foreign governments A. Senate must approve appointments B. Senate must approve treaties (2/3 vote)

Powers & Limitations of the President ROLE: COMMANDER IN CHIEF 1. civilian authority over the military (1.4 million) A. War Powers Resolution 1973 (what is this?) B. Congress declares war

Powers & Limitations of the President ROLE: CHIEF LEGISLATOR 1. Veto 2. outlines legislative proposals (ex. The Federal Budget) 3. calls special sessions of Congress A. 2/3- both houses of Congress can override a veto B. Congress is not obligated to pass the president’s proposals

Powers & Limitations of the President ROLE: HEAD OF POLITICAL PARTY 1. Political patronage A. Face of the party B. Party tied to success or failure of the President

Powers & Limitations of the President ROLE: CHIEF CITIZEN “the Representative of all the people” Certain moral obligations

The Federal Bureaucracy All of the agencies, people, and procedures through which the Federal Government operates. The means by which the government makes and administers public policy. The Constitution makes the President the Chief Administrator. Constitution is relatively silent on the organization of the Executive Branch.

Executive Office of the President Established in 1939 and changed by each administration since. The “inner circle” of the President (400) Chief of staff Press secretary Physician Counselor / Senior advisors

Executive Office of the President National Security Council (NSC) Office of Homeland Security Work closely with the President on security issues CIA, military chiefs, etc.

Executive Office of the President Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Office of National Drug Control Policy Office of Science and Technology Trade, Economy, Environment, etc.

The Executive Departments (Cabinet) In 1789, Congress created 3 Today there are 15 departments Each department is headed by a secretary except the Department of Justice (attorney general) Departments are divided into subunits.

Choosing Department Leaders Nominated by President, confirmed by the Senate Party patronage (campaign influence) Professional qualifications Regional balance (Geography) Interest group pressure

Presidential Cabinet

History of… The tradition of the Cabinet dates back to the beginnings of the Presidency itself. One of the principal purposes of the Cabinet (drawn from Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution) is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of their respective offices.

Appointment to Cabinet Positions The President nominates and the Senate must confirm the nominee. President will usually reward loyal party members and may often select 1 position from the opposition party. Multiculturalism is often taken into consideration.

Department of State 1789 Advises President on foreign policy. Negotiates treaties with foreign countries. Office of Passport Services. Thomas Jefferson - 1st Secretary of State today is Rex Tillerson

Treasury - 1789 Produces coins and bills; collects taxes Enforces alcohol, tobacco and firearms laws. Borrows money. IRS and United States Mint. Alexander Hamilton - 1st Secretary of Treasury today is Steven Mnuchin.

Defense - 1947 Provides military forces to deter war and protect the nation’s security. Joint Chiefs of Staff. Departments of Navy, Army and Air Force. Henry Knox – 1st. Secretary of Defense today is James Mattis.

Justice - 1789 Prosecutes those accused of violating federal law. Provides legal advice for President Represents US in court FBI, DEA, ATF, US Marshals. Attorney General today is Jeff Sessions

Interior - 1849 Manages public lands, wildlife refuges, and national parks. Helps Native Americans manage their affairs. US Fish and Wildlife Service. National park Service. Thomas Ewing - 1st Secretary of Interior today is Ryan Zinke.

Agriculture - 1889 Manages national forests. Inspects food. Administers food stamp and school lunch programs. Food and Nutrition Service. Secretary of Agriculture today is Sonny Perdue. (Not Confirmed)

Commerce - 1903 Conducts Census. Grants patents and registers trademarks. Bureau of the Census. International Trade Administration. Secretary of Commerce today is Wilbur Ross.

Labor - 1913 Enforces federal law on minimum wages, maximum hours, and safe working conditions. OSHA, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Secretary of Labor today is Alex Acosta. (not Confirmed)

Health and Human Services 1953 Funds health care research programs. Enforces pure food and drug act. Medicare and Medicaid. Food and Drug Admin and CDC. Secretary of HHS today is Tom Price.

Housing and Urban Development - 1965 Operates home – financing and public housing programs. Enforces fair housing laws. Office of Housing. Secretary of Housing today is Ben Carson.

Transportation - 1967 Administers programs to promote and regulate highways, mass transit, railroads and air travel. Federal Highway and Aviation Administration. Secretary of Transportation today is Elaine Chao.

Energy - 1977 Promotes production of renewable energy, fossil fuels, and nuclear energy. Conducts nuclear weapons research and production. Secretary of Energy today is Rick Perry.

Education - 1979 Administers federal aid to schools and conducts educational research. Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Secretary of Education today is Besty DeVos.

Veterans Affairs - 1989 Administers benefits, pensions, and medical programs for veterans. Veteran Benefits Admin. National Cemetery Admin. Secretary of Veterans Affairs today is David Shulkin.

Homeland Security - 2002 Pres. Bush decides 22 previously disparate domestic agencies should be coordinated in one department. Border and transportation security, analyze threats & intelligence. Emergency preparedness and response. Coast Guard, TSA, and immigration services. Secretary of Homeland Security today is John Kelly.

Independent Agencies 150 agencies independent of the Cabinet (not the President) Some do not fit into departments Congress wanted them independent to escape influence

Independent Agencies FTC- Federal Trade Commission SEC- Securities and Exchange Commission FCC- Federal Communications Commission SSA- Social Security Administration Peace Corps FEC- Federal Election Commission USPS- United States Postal Service FDIC- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Choosing Candidates Primary elections- Each state conducts an election to determine: Delegates to the National Convention Preferred candidate 1st primary in New Hampshire (end of January) 1st Caucus in Iowa (January)

National Conventions At the Convention: Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidates are chosen by majority votes of delegates. Various factions and the leading personalities of the party come together. Party platform is created and adopted.

Electoral College A group of people (electors) chosen from each state and D.C. to formally elect the President and Vice President.

Electoral College Electors are people chosen by the political parties at their State party conventions or by a vote of the party's central committee in each State. They may be State elected officials, party leaders, or persons who have a personal or political affiliation with the Presidential candidate.

Election Process • Inauguration Day January 20: Candidate receiving majority of electoral votes becomes President (at least 270/538)

Jean Jacques Rousseau Social Contract, 1762 “I was born a citizen of a free state and a member of its sovereign body, and however weak may be the influence of my voice in public affairs, my right to vote on them suffices to impose on me the duty of studying them.”

Voter Registration Citizen of the U.S. Resident of the state in which you are voting 18 years at the time of the election Registered to vote Selecting a political party