1. Terms and Powers of the Executive Branch Unit IV: The Presidency and the Bureaucracy Lesson 1 Is the modern presidency too powerful or not powerful enough?

2. Qualifications and Term Formal qualifications (established by Article II) Natural-born citizen Must be 35 years old Resident of U.S. for 14 years prior to election Informal “Qualifications” White male (except one) – who? Protestant (except one) - who? Prior political or military experience Married All manner of professions, but mostly political ones (former state governors, for example) Term Term: four years. Originally number of terms of president unlimited. In 1951, after FDR won office four times, the 22 nd Amendment limited the number of terms to two.

3. Line of Succession Constitution: If president leaves office due to death, resignation, or removal, the vice president carries out powers and duties of office. 25 th Amendment Added after JFK’s assassination The vice president becomes acting president if Pres informs Congress of inability to perform duties Vice president and majority of president’s cabinet determine that the president is disabled

4. Recent Presidents

5. Presidency and the Founding Fathers Wanted a strong executive, but far more limited in its power than Congress Invested federal policymaking in Congress Looked to the president as the one to execute those policies Until the 19 th century, the presidency looked pretty much as the Framers had intended Some call this period that of the “dormant presidency”

6. Formal (Constitutional) Powers Executive Legislative Diplomatic / MilitaryJudicial Enforces laws, treaties, & court decisions Presents information on state of union to Congress (identifies problems, recommends policies, offers specific proposals) Serves as commander-in- chief of armed forces Appoints federal judges Appoints or removes top officials of executive agencies, departments Signs or vetoes legislation (veto, pocket veto) Appoints ambassadors and other diplomats Grants reprieves and pardons for federal offenses (except impeachment) Issues executive orders to carry out policies Proposes legislation and uses influence to get it passed. Negotiates treaties and executive agreements Oversees executive branch Issues annual budget and economic reports (under Budget and Accounting Act of 1921) Confers diplomatic recognition on other governments Requests written opinions of administrative officials Calls for special sessions of Congress Meets with foreign leaders

7. Expansion of Powers of the Presidency The Expansion of Power Presidents may develop new roles for and expand power of the office. Factors: Responses to Developments Industrial Revolution and the rise of a corporate-dominated economy Great Depression WW II and rise of U.S. as a world power Cold War War on Terror

8. Presidential Powers Perspectives on Presidential Power During the 1950’s and 1960’s people favored a powerful president. By the 1970’s, presidential power was checked and distrusted by the public.