1. Ap u.s. government & politics
Wednesday, January 31, 2018

2. State of the union address discussion
7 Minutes

3. Warm-Up #1: Practice MCQ
The usefulness to the President of having cabinet members as political advisors is undermined by the fact that:
a. The President has little latitude in choosing cabinet members.
b. Cabinet members have no political support independent of the President.
c. Cabinet members are usually drawn from Congress and retain loyalties to Congress.
d. The loyalties of cabinet members are often divided between loyalty to the President and loyalty to their own executive departments.
e. The cabinet operates as a collective unit and individual members have no access to the President.

4. Warm-Up #2: Practice MCQ
When selecting a vice--‐presidential candidate, a presidential nominee is usually concerned primarily with choosing a running mate who:
a. Has significant personal wealth.
b. Adds balance and appeal to the national ticket.
c. Comes from the same ideological wing of the party as the President.
d. Can serve as the most important domestic policy advisor to the President.
e. Can effectively preside over the Senate.

5. An Environmental Crisis
A Canadian oil tanker runs aground off the coast of Alaska, spilling several millions of gallons of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean. The spill has the potential to cause irreparable environmental damage – to several species of sea life, and to the Alaskan coast.
What should the President do to address this issue?
Advice from:
Interior Department?
State Department?
Defense Department?
Justice Department?

6. Presidential advisors: the presidential staff

7. The organization of the White House staff is largely up to each President.
But, four offices within the Executive Office of the President are more or less permanent:
1) National Security Council
2) Council of Economic Advisors
3) Office of Management and Budget
4) Office of the Chief of Staff (aka, the White House Staff)

8. National Security Council: Headed by the President’s National Security Advisor
Army General H.R. McMaster

9. Council of Economic Advisors: Headed by the President of the National Economic Council
Gary Cohn, formerly an executive at Goldman Sachs
-2015 Salary: $21 million
-Severance package upon leaving Goldman to join the Trump Administration: $285 million, mostly in Goldman Sachs stock

10. Office of Management and Budget: Headed by the OMB Director
OMB is responsible for compiling the President’s annual Budget Proposal
Mick Mulvaney, former Congressman from South Carolina

11. Office of the Chief of Staff: Runs the day-to-day operations in the “West Wing” (White House Offices)
Headed by the Chief of Staff:
Responsible for the President’s daily schedule, daily operations, and Access to the President
Often a close personal advisor to the President
John Kelly, former Marine Corps General

12. Other Officials in the Office of the Chief of Staff:
Deputy Chief of Staff (Kristjen Nielsen)
Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs (Rick Dearborn)

13. The Office of the Chief of Staff typically includes a number of other advisors to the President

14. White House Communications Director
Head of the Office of Communications
Responsible for developing and promoting the agenda of the President and leading its media campaign
Usually reports to the Chief of Staff
Hope Hicks, former Trump Organization employee

15. White House Press Secretary
Reports to the Communications Director
Runs the Daily White House Press Briefings
Sarah Huckabee Sanders

16. White House Counsel: The President’s chief legal advisor
Ty Cobb – President Trump has also hired a personal lawyer to advise him on the White House response to the ongoing Russia investigations
Donald McGahn, White House Counsel, former Chief Counsel for the National Republican Congressional Committee

17. The First Lady: Wife of the President
Important partner of the President in his role as Head of State

18. What Else? The First Lady has her own Office in the West Wing
Often, she will be given responsibility for one or more specific policy initiatives
But…it is entirely dependent her individual interests and abilities

19. Exit Ticket: Practice MCQ
Which official is responsible for overseeing the construction of the President’s annual Budget Proposal to Congress?
A. White House Chief of Staff
B. President of the Council of Economic Advisors
C. Director of the Office of Management and Budget
D. White House Counsel
E. Secretary of the Treasury

20. Practice FRQ #11
Presidents are generally thought to have advantages over Congress in conducting foreign policy because of the formal and informal powers of the presidency.
a. Identify two formal constitutional powers of the President in making foreign policy.
b. Identify two formal constitutional powers of Congress in making foreign policy.
c. Identify two informal powers of the President that contribute to the President’s advantage over Congress in conducting foreign policy.
d. Explain how each of the informal powers identified in (c) contributes to the President’s advantage over Congress in conducting foreign policy.

21. Homework Textbook, Chapter 11: Reading & Outline Due Tomorrow
Vocab Quiz Tomorrow