Presidency in Action Executive Branch is viewed as most important & powerful branch of U.S. government Led by single person, not many Ability to react quickly to national emergencies
“The true view of the executive function is, as I conceive it, that the President can exercise no power which cannot be fairly and reasonably traced to some specific grant of power… Such specific grant must be either in the Federal Constitution or in an act of Congress...” William H. Taft, 1916
“I decline to adopt the view that what was imperatively necessary for the Nation could not be done by the President unless he could find some specific authorization to do it. My belief was that it was not only a President’s right but his duty to do anything that the needs of the Nation demanded unless such action was forbidden by the Constitution or by the laws…. I did not usurp power, but I did greatly broaden the use of executive power.” Theodore Roosevelt, 1913
Presidency in Action Executive Branch is more powerful than it was 200 years ago Imperial Presidency
Presidential Power Legislative Power – 4 options w/ bills Sign Bill to Law Veto Can be overridden by 2/3 of both houses of Congress No Action Becomes law after 10 days Pocket Veto If Congress adjourns w/in 10 days of sending bill to President & he still has not signed it, Bill expires. Line Item Veto Some governors have this power to edit certain lines w/out Congress’s approval President does NOT have this power
Presidential Succession 18 in line (Presidential Succession Act) 1. Vice President 2. Speaker of the House 3. President Pro Tem of Senate 4. Secretary of State 25 th Amendment also allows VP to take over if President is alive but unable to serve Under anesthesia, stroke, etc.
The Vice President Presides over Senate & breaks ties Helps decide Presidential Disability 9 VPs have succeeded into Presidency during emergencies Truman for FDR (death of natural causes) L. Johnson for Kennedy after assassination Ford for Nixon after resignation