1. Intro to the Presidency
Policy Makers

2. How does the President of the United States run the government?
Presidency
intro
How does the President of the United States run the government?

3. Constitution
The President

4. Presidency Constitution Articles of Confederation
Under the Articles, there was no independent executive branch
The president was chosen by the members of the Congress to serve one year terms
They were the presiding officer of Congress and served other administrative functions
There were 8 different people who served in this position

5. Presidency Constitution Constitution
It is the second thing set up in the Constitution
It is not as long as Article 1 and the powers expressed for the president are much more vague
The powers prescribed to the president are open to interpretation
Much more of the constitution is devoted to the election and removal process than the day to day job

6. Section 1 sets up the office of the presidency
Constitution
Article II
Section 1 sets up the office of the presidency
The President, with the Vice President, is the head of the executive branch
“Vesting clause” – all executive power of the United States shall be vested in the President of the United States
It sets up the Electoral College process by giving state legislatures the power to deicide how they choose electors

7. The process set up was later changed by the 12th Amendment
Presidency
Constitution
Article II
The process set up was later changed by the 12th Amendment
If no majority is reached by the EC, the House chooses POTUS & Senate chooses the Vice President
The official qualifications for president are that he is 35 years old, lived in the US for 14 years, and is a “natural born citizen”
** natural born has been interpreted by the courts to mean citizen at birth, not necessarily born in the United States

8. The Vice President takes over for if there is a vacancy
Presidency
Constitution
Article II
The Vice President takes over for if there is a vacancy
This was clarified by the 25th Amendment which makes it official that he serves as president for the remainder of the term
The VP first took over when W.H.Harrison died & Tyler took the title of POTUS and finished his term – creating precedent

9. The president’s salary cannot be changed during a term of office.
Presidency
Constitution
Article II
The president’s salary cannot be changed during a term of office.
He cannot be paid by any other part of the federal government or state govt.
The president’s term must begin with the oath of office (the rest is all tradition)

10. Presidency Constitution Article II
Section 2 outlines the power of POTUS
He is the commander in chief of the military
The president can grant pardons
With the “Advice and Consent” of the Senate he can enter into treaties and make appointments to the Cabinet, judiciary, and ambassadors.

11. Presidency Constitution Article II
Section 2 outlines the power of POTUS
He is the “commander in chief”
of the military
The president can grant pardons
With the “Advice and Consent” of the Senate he can enter into treaties and make appointments to the Cabinet, judiciary, and ambassadors.
He also makes “recess appointments” when Senate is not in session.

12. Presidency Constitution Article II
Section 3 outlines the responsibilities of the president
He is to report to Congress on the state of the union “from time to time”
The SOTU address is all tradition now.
He recommends major policy actions to Congress – they do not have to comply.
This has become one of the major roles of the SOTU address

13. Presidency Constitution Article II He can call Congress into session
He can adjourn Congress which serves as a check
This has never been exercised.
He receives ambassadors from other countries – so he is in charge of diplomatic recognition

14. Presidency Constitution Article II
The POTUS must “take care that the laws be faithfully executed”
This is the “take care clause” or “faithful execution clause”
This is basically an elastic clause for the president.
It also states his job is to carry out the law, even if he disagrees with it.

15. Section 4 sets up the process of impeachment
Presidency
Constitution
Article II
Section 4 sets up the process of impeachment
He can be impeached for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors”
The House impeaches the president. Any member can start the process and it just requires a simple majority
The Senate votes on removal from office. 2/3 majority is required to remove

16. Presidency Constitution 12th Amendment
Fixes problems with the Electoral College
The president and vice president are on separate ballots – no longer 1st place is president and 2nd place is VP
The president and VP must be from different states.
This was a reaction to the development of political parties

17. Presidency Constitution 22nd Amendment Sets a two term limit on POTUS
The VP that takes over for the POTUS can serve 2 of their own terms if they serve less than ½ of the POTUS’s term
The maximum time a person could be president is ten years.
The 22nd and 12th amendment together create a problem – can a former president be a vice president?!?!

18. Presidential Succession
The President

19. Presidency Constitution 25th Amendment
Clarifies the process of presidential succession
The VP officially becomes POTUS if there is a vacancy
If the VP is vacant, POTUS appoints a replacement that must be approved by a majority of both houses of Congress
The POTUS can give written declaration to the President Pro Tempore and Speaker of the house that makes the VP the acting president until he informs them in writing he is able to resume duties

20. Presidency Constitution 25th Amendment
The Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet can submit in writing to the President Pro Tempore and Speaker of the House that POTUS is unable to perform duties & VP
If the POTUS wants to come back and they still say he’s unable, both houses of Congress can make VP the POTUS with a 2/3 vote.
This process deals with the temporary disability of the president or when he is alive, but unable to serve as POTUS because of modern medical advances

21. Presidential Succession Act
Presidency
Succession Act
Presidential Succession Act
Most recent version from 1947 outlines the order in which people are to serve as acting president in the event of vacancy
If the offices of president & VP are both vacant, the Speaker of the House serves as president until one of those positions is filled again.
If there’s no Speaker either, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate fills the role.
Followed by Secretaries of Cabinet Departments in the order they were created

22. Presidency Succession Act Order of Succession Secretary of Defense
Secretary of HUD
Attorney General
Secretary of Transportation
Vice President
Secretary of Interior
Secretary of Energy
Speaker of the House
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Education
President Pro Tempore
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of VA
Secretary of State
Secretary of Labor
Secretary of Homeland Security
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of HHS

23. Roles of the President
The President

24. Presidency Constitutional Chief of State
The president is Head of State for the United States
This means he is responsible for meeting other important world leaders
He speaks as the voice of the US. He is our representative on the global stage
Think of this as the “mascot role”

25. Presidency Constitutional Chief Executive
The president is Head of Govt for the United States
This means he is responsible for implementing policy
He carries out the laws of the US whether he agrees with them or not
He has powers to do what is necessary to carry out those policies

26. Presidency Constitutional Chief Administrator
The president is the manager of the federal government
This means he is responsible for running the govt like a business
He is the head of every specialized department and chooses their leaders
He has powers to do control the budget, to hire and remove federal employees, makes decisions about HOW laws will be enforced.

27. Presidency Constitutional Chief Legislator
The president is the director of lawmaking for the government
He has the final say on every policy passed by Congress – sign or veto it.
He can make policy on his own through executive orders
He usually announces his legislative agenda at the SOTU address

28. Presidency Constitutional Chief Diplomat
The president is in charge of US foreign policy
He picks all of the ambassadors to every country
He decides which governments
we have normal relations with
(diplomatic recognition)
He makes treaties and executive agreements with other world leaders

29. Presidency Constitutional Commander in Chief
The president is in charge of
the US military
He makes decisions about when and how to use the military
He is the head of every branch of our military
Congress declares war, but the president “makes war”
This is the role that has evolved the most from Washington to Obama.

30. Informal Roles of the President

31. Presidency Informal Role Chief of Party
The president is the de facto head of his political party
The party organizes itself around defending or criticizing the president
The president decides the direction of his political party while in office
He is an important ally in campaigns for elections

32. Presidency Informal Role Chief Citizen
They are supposed to serve as a role model or example for citizens to follow
In general, the president is expected to lead and live by example
The president is expected to have a strong set of morals he lives by
The president performs ceremonial tasks and charity work

33. Compensation
The President

34. Presidency Perks Compensation $400,000 per year salary
$50,000 per year for expenses
Lives in the White House with an elaborate White House Staff
Air Force One (airplane), Marine One (helicopter) & fleet of armored cars
Camp David – a vacation home for the president to use when he wants
Secret Service protection for life

35. Bigly Ideas
Beliefs & Behaviors

36. Presidential Succession
Presidency
Wrap Up
Article 2
Constitutional Roles
Presidential Succession
Electoral College
Focus on these things: