2.  President is the highest elected official › What does the President do?  Heads the executive branch –  Most important duty:

3.  Framers were scared › Terms of office  Limit on the President’s power   This came into effect on February 27, 1951:

4.  Limited Power › Separation of powers  › System of checks and balances  Congress  Supreme Court

5.  Qualifications and Salary › President must be –  › Salary is set by Congress (it is about $400,00)

6.  George Washington was the role model for this office. Throughout the years the roles has been more clearly defined.  Chief Executive › Head of the executive branch  “take care that the laws be faithfully executed”   Gives executive orders –   Congress must confirm the top appointments

7.  Commander in Chief › “The President shall be commander in chief of the army and the navy of the United States”  Leader of armed forces   War Powers Resolution –

8.  Chief Diplomat › Representative of the United States when it comes to relations with foreign nations  Leads foreign policy –  Make treaties and formal agreements   Appoint ambassadors –   Make executive agreements – 

9.  Legislative Leader › President can influence laws   Give a speech to Congress  State of the Union   By describing problems and solutions the President is setting domestic policy

10.  Legislative Leader › How can the President influence Congress?   Give speeches to special interest groups  Give public speeches  Take action by veto 

11.  Legislative Leader › Makes a budget ( )  Puts the policy ideas into action by setting aside money for them ›

12.  Judicial Powers ›  Senate must approve these appointments ›

13.  Roles created by tradition › Party Leader  › Chief of State  Expresses the values and goals of the American people  Ceremonial duties   Symbol of the US

15.  As the nation grows the powers and duties of the president do as well › Executive branch has become a large bureaucracy –  Hired as permanent employees  President appoints people to his/her administration  Executive Office of the President  The Executive Departments  Independent Agencies

16.  EOP is made up of people the President wants to help make foreign and domestic policy  Main job –  The White House Staff ›  Appointed without approval from Senate  Why? › Includes most trusted advisors and assistants  Gives advice on things like -

17.  The Vice President › › President assigns duties  Some play active roles › Becomes President if the current one dies or becomes ill

18.  Special Advisory Groups › Help the President make decisions on domestic and foreign policy  Office of Management and Budget (OMB)   National Security Council (NSC) 

19.  Each departments fulfills some of the President’s duties › Department of State  ›  › Department of Homeland Security   Coordinate antiterrorist activities of different federal agencies [Coast Guard/ INS]

20.  The Cabinet › Heads of each department are part of the President’s cabinet –   All heads are called  Exception:

21.  Three types of independent agencies – executive, regulatory commissions, and government corporations  Executive Agencies › Under direct control of the President   Examples –

22.  Regulatory commissions › Congress forms 12   Ex-  Federal Communications Commission (FCC)  Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)  Settles disputes between businesses they regulate   President chooses member of the boards 

23.  Government Corporations ›

24.  President chooses  1883 Congress set up the Civil Service System ›  Tests  Provides a group of trained workers who stay on the job from President to President

26.  President’s freedom ›  Talks represent agreements with other countries  Some lead to treaties  › Protection for Presidential independence is executive privilege  Sometimes the nation’s safety is wrapped up in a secret  Not written in the Constitution  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t

27.  President is able to act without other branches of government ›

28.  Louisiana Purchase

29.  Steel Mills

30.  Watergate