1. THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
CHAPTER 6

2. EXECUTIVE BRANCH: PRESIDENT
Chief of State
Chief Executive
Chief Administrator
Chief Diplomat
Commander in Chief
Chief Legislator
Party Chief
Chief Citizen

3. ROLES Chief of State/Chief Executive/Chief Administrator:
Head of gov’t, ceremonial figurehead (Super Bowl)
Vested by the Constitution, domestic and foreign affairs
Directs federal gov’t, employs 3 million civilians, spends over $1.5 trillion/year

4. ROLES, CONT’D Chief Diplomat:
Main architect of American foreign policy
Chief spokesman to the world

5. ROLES, CONT’D Commander in Chief:
Responsible for all armed forces/arsenal
War Powers Act: Limits the President’s power to send American troops overseas without Congressional approval
Troop involvement is limited to 60 days unless Congress approves a longer commitment

6. ROLES, CONT’D Chief Legislator: Main architect of public policies
Proposes bills to steer Congress

7. ROLES, CONT’D Manager of prosperity/economy
Protector of domestic peace
Leader of the free world
IS THIS JOB TOO BIG FOR ONE PERSON?

8. THE PRESIDENT Formal qualifications: Must be at least 35 years old
Have lived in country for 14 years
Natural-born US citizen
Term of office:
Two terms (four years per term)
Can also complete the term of a previous president (via succession) and be entitled to two terms of his/her own

9. THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Winning slates of Presidential electors from each state
Slate of Electors: List of party members who represent a particular ticket of candidates for President and Vice President
The Constitution gives the Electoral College, instead of the voting public, the responsibility for choosing the President

10. THE PROCESS
November: We choose which group of electors to represent Obama, McCain, Nader, etc.
December: Electors cast electoral votes for President
January: Electoral votes are counted in Senate

11. THE PROCESS, CONT’D Electoral votes are based on:
# of Members of the House 435
# of Members of the Senate 100
# D.C. Congressman & Senate 3
538
NEED 270 ELECTORAL VOTES TO WIN!

12. If no single candidate gets the required 270 electoral votes then the House of Representatives votes to decide the President

15. OHIO 2 Senators 16 representatives Total 18 electors
A state’s number of electors is the total number of Senators and Representatives in the House
OHIO
Senators
16 representatives
Total 18 electors

16. It is possible to get more popular votes in the election and NOT be elected President
This was the case in 2016
with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

17. Total Votes in 2016 Election:
Clinton 65,844,954 total votes
(48.2%)
232 electoral votes
Trump 62,979,879 total votes
(46.1%)
306 electoral votes

18. The delegates are chosen by the political parties in each state
Historically, the delegates have been 99.9% loyal to their party
After the combined votes in 50 states and DC are counted by a joint session of Congress, the election is official

19. REVIEWING THE PRESIDENT
Identify and explain two roles the President takes on
Describe the War Powers Act
Identify the three qualifications for being President
Describe the term of office for a President
Together name 10 cartoons

20. PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION
Vice President (in charge of Senate)
Speaker of the House
President Pro-Tempore of the Senate
Secretary of State
Mike Pence Paul Ryan Orrin Hatch Rex Tillerson

21. PAY AND BENEFITS $400,000/year (VP makes $208,000/year)
$50,000 expense account/year
Full staff, Air Force One, Camp David, Medical/Dental care, funds for travel, pension

22. EXECUTIVE POWERS Appointment and removal powers
Directly appoints 3,000 people
1/3 are subject to advice and consent
Executive Orders
Rules or regulations instructing executive branch officials on how to carry out their jobs, have the same force as laws

23. EXECUTIVE POWERS, CONT’D…
Executive Privilege
The right of the President to withhold information from Congress, the courts, or the public
Diplomatic Powers
Negotiating treaties, establish alliances, trade relationships (with Senate approval!)
Diplomatic recognition
Military Powers:
Using the military to enforce federal laws to restore order (Little Rock Nine)

24. EXECUTIVE POWERS, CONT’D…
Legislative Powers:
Proposes legislation to Congress
State of the Union and federal budget proposal
Veto power
Judicial Powers:
Nominate federal judges
May alter sentences of those convicted of crimes
Pardons, reprieves, amnesty, commutation

25. CHECKS ON EXECUTIVE POWERS
Actions are subject to judicial review
Nominations can be blocked by Congress
Media checks

26. EXECUTIVE BRANCH EMPLOYEES
Made of almost three million workers including U.S. Postal Service, Amtrak, etc.
Not ALL are appointed, if they are, they must be approved by Senate
Three ways to get a government job:
Civil Service Test
Be Appointed
Be Elected

27. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT & CABINET
Executive Office is known as the President’s “Right Arm”
Created by Congress in 1939, rearranged by every President
West Wing: Oval Offices and Cabinet Room
Chief of Staff: Close advisor to President and runs operations of whole staff

28. THE CABINET Interior Justice Labor State Transportation Treasury
An informal advisory body brought together by the President to serve his needs
Agriculture
Commerce
Defense
Energy
Health & Human Services
Education
Housing & Urban Development
Interior
Justice
Labor
State
Transportation
Treasury
Veterans Affairs
Homeland Security

29. EXECUTIVE OFFICE, CONT’D
Staff also includes:
Press Secretary
Physician
350 men & women
Deputy Assistant to President
Serves as Chief of Staff to the First Lady

30. NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
Advises President in all domestic, foreign and military matters
President is Chair of council
Members include:
Vice President
Secretaries of State and Defense
Chairman of CIA
Joint Chiefs of Staff

31. COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISORS
Provides the president with expert analysis of the economy
Helps the president form economic policy

32. OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
Largest and 2nd most influential unit in Executive Office
Headed by a director which is appointed
Responsible for preparing federal budget and oversees its execution

33. VICE PRESIDENT Three duties assigned by the Constitution:
Preside over Senate
Opening and counting the electoral votes in presidential elections
Serving as president if the president is unable to do the job
Obviously the duties of the VP have grown over time