Presidential Powers Chapter 9 Section 1

Section 1 Constitutional Powers The Founders had two reasons to give the national government a strong executive: One of the main weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation was its lack of an independent executive to carry out the acts of Congress. Many of the Founders distrusted direct participation by the people in decision making.

Section 1 Constitutional Powers (cont.) Article II, Sections 2 and 3 define the president’s powers: The president is commander in chief of the armed forces, responsible for national security. The president appoints, and the Senate confirms, the heads of executive departments.

Section 1 Constitutional Powers (cont.) The president conducts foreign policy—making treaties (with the Senate’s approval) and appointing ambassadors. The president appoints federal court judges, can pardon those convicted of federal crimes and can reduce a person’s jail sentence or fine.

Section 1 Constitutional Powers (cont.) The president ensures that the laws Congress passes are “faithfully executed.” The president delivers an annual State of the Union message to Congress, proposes legislation, and can call Congress into special session when necessary. Comparing Governments

Section 1 Informal Sources of Power A number of presidents have expanded the powers of the executive because of their beliefs about the office. Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from France. Theodore Roosevelt said that the president has the right and duty to “do anything that the needs of the Nation demanded, unless such action was forbidden by the Constitution or by the laws.”

Section 1 Informal Sources of Power (cont.) Some presidents expand their power based on the immediate needs of the nation: During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus and jailed opponents of the Union without trial or the legal authority to do so. During the Great Depression Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded the role of the federal government in the economy.

Section 1 Informal Sources of Power (cont.) Following the terrorist attacks of 2001, George W. Bush gained sweeping authority from Congress to fight terrorism. A mandate—the expressed will of the people, often in an election—is one of the greatest sources of political power. Major newspapers, magazines and the Internet provide a forum, or medium for discussion, for presidential messages.

Section 1 Limits on Executive Power Congress can limit the president’s authority. Congress can pass legislation even after a president has vetoed it. The Senate must confirm a president’s appointees. The House of Representatives must approve the budget. The House and the Senate can use the impeachment process to remove the president from office.

Section 1 Limits on Executive Power (cont.) In Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court said that it had the right to the final interpretation of whether an act of the legislature or the president violates the Constitution. The federal bureaucracy can obstruct presidents’ programs unintentionally by failing to provide needed information, by misinterpreting instructions, and by not completing a task properly.

Section 1 Limits on Executive Power (cont.) Public opinion can also affect a president. Without favorable public opinion, no president can carry out a political program.