1. President’s Job Description
As we go through this presentation, please fill in the guided notes.
These notes will be used for a quiz.
Notebook checks will be:
Notebook quiz - #1
Either Notebook “hand – in” certain papers – or notebook quiz #2

2. Starting facts
Current President:
Barack Obama
Democrat
President # 44

3. President’s role
The President must fill a number of roles simultaneously.
The President is:
Chief of State:
Ceremonial head of the US
Symbol of the people of the nation

4. President 4 2. Chief Executive:
Has power given to him by the Constitution as executive
Power is broad in both domestic and foreign affairs

5. President 5 3. Chief Administrator
Heads one of the largest governmental organizations in the world
More than 2.7 million people employed by the government

6. President 6 4. Chief diplomat Main architect of US foreign policy
Nation’s chief spokesperson to rest of world
What the President says or does is carefully followed in this country and the world

7. President 7 5. Commander in Chief of the nation’s armed forces
1.4 million men and women in uniform subject to President’s direct and immediate control.

8. President 8 6. Chief legislator
Main architect of nation’s public policy
President initiates, suggests, requests, insists and demands that Congress enact much of the major legislation

9. President 9 7. Chief of party
Leader of the political party in power in the Executive Branch
Parties are not mentioned in the Constitution; this is not a constitutional role
Parties do have a vital place in the workings of the government system

10. President 10 8. Chief citizen
President is representative of the people
Place of moral leadership

11. Formal qualifications 11
President must be a natural born citizen
Who is protesting this?
Technically someone born outside of US could become President – person born to American citizen parents is legally an American citizen at birth
Question on Obama’s status ---
Some claim certificate of birth is a forgery
Some claim he was born in Kenya
Some claim he cannot be natural born because he had British and American citizenship at birth

12. President 12 A President must be at least 35 years of age
Youngest President by election
John F. Kennedy at 43
Youngest President by succession
Theodore Roosevelt at 42
Oldest President elected
Ronald Reagan at 69

13. President 13 A President must have lived in the US for 14 years.
The 14 years refers to 14 years in a person’s life
Dwight Eisenhower was in Europe during World War II and elected as president 7 years after the war ended

14. President 14 President’s term
Framers of the Constitution debated on the length of the term and agreed on four years
There was no mention of number of terms
So until 1940, it was a custom for the President to serve 2 terms because that is what George Washington did
Franklin D Roosevelt was elected to 4 terms (did not complete the 4th)
1932, 1936, 1940, 1944

15. President 15 The 22nd Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1951
President terms set at 2 terms
However, if a person succeeds to office after the midpoint in a term, he could serve two more terms.
In effect, a person could serve for 10 years
Example: Lyndon Johnson became President in He ran for office and was elected in If he had run again in 1968 and won, he would have served for 9 years.

16. President 16
Several measures have been proposed for the 22nd Amendment
Repeal the 22nd Amendment
Undemocratic – people should decide who is President.
Undercuts authority during second term
Some suggest making
Presidency a 6 year term
Single term would free a President from a campaign and allow him/her to concentrate on the demands of the office

17. President 17 Pay and Benefits: Salary: $400,000 per year
Expense account of: $50,000
Residency at the White House
132 room mansion
18.3 acre estate

18. President 18 Money for a large office and staff
Use of the Presidential limousine
Free phone service
Several first class airplanes and helicopters
Air Force One
Unlimited use of mountain resort:
Camp David
Free medical and dental care

19. President 19 A lifetime pension of: $191,300 (based on 2008)
The best personal protection in the world (Secret Service)
Secret Service protection for 10 years after leaving office
Children have Secret Service protection until they are age 16
A Presidential widow will receive a pension of $20,000 per year

20. President 20
To operate the White House per year:
$9,260,000