1. Powers of President
SSCG4

2. REVIEW 3 Formal Qualifications of the President?
Age: 35
Citizenship: natural born
Residency: 14 years
Informal Qualifications?
Party affiliation
$$$
Popular name
Party backing
REVIEW

3. Executive Powers: Oath of Office
As chief executive, president executes (enforces, carries out) laws.
Power comes from oath of office
“I do solemnly swear that I will… preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States”
Must execute all laws Congress passes, despite personal/political beliefs
Executive Powers: Oath of Office

4. Executive Powers: Executive Order
Executive order: A directive rule or regulation that has the effect of law
Does NOT pass through the legislative process
Often very unpopular
Executive Powers: Executive Order

5. Executive Powers: Appointment and Removal Power
President may appoint people to serve as:
Supreme Court Justices
Federal Judges
Ambassadors
Cabinet members (Secretary of State, Defense, etc)
Requires “advice and consent of Senate”
President may remove anyone they appoint EXCEPT Supreme Court Justices
Executive Powers: Appointment and Removal Power

6. President negotiates treaties- formal agreements between two nations
Senate must approve with 2/3 vote
Treaties have the force of law
Diplomatic Powers

7. President serves as Commander in Chief of all the armed forces
Power is almost without limit
Limited by Congress’ “power of the purse”
President may send troops abroad without declaration of war
War Powers Resolution of 1973
Notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops
Troops must return after 60 days or Congress must extend
Congress can vote to bring troops home at any time
Military Powers

8. Legislative Powers Recommending legislation Veto Power
President can recommend legislation or sponsor a bill but not formally present it
EX. Obamacare- Affordable Care Act
Veto Power
President may veto a bill once passed by Congress- can be overridden with 2/3 vote by each house
Line item veto- can veto only certain portions of a bill
gives president’s great power; very controversial
Legislative Powers

9. Judicial Powers President may grant
Reprieve- postponing execution of sentence
Pardon-legal forgiveness of crime
Ford’s pardon of Nixon for Watergate
Clemency- mercy or leniency
Commutation- reduced sentence
Judicial Powers