1. The President

2. Warm-Up: True or False?
 1) The President can declare war if America's national
security is threatened.
 2) The President has the right to withhold certain information
from Congress if he thinks it would endanger America.
 3) The power of the vice-presidency has been increasing
since the early 1990s.
 4) No president has ever made it to the highest office without
being elected to either the Presidency or the vice-
presidency.
 5) The president is one of the highest paid members of
American society.

3. Qualifications
 Must be born as a US citizen
 Be at least 35
Kennedy was youngest elected (42)
 Have lived in US for at least 14 years

4. Length of Term
 May only be ELECTED twice
Four year terms
 IF one gains presidency through
succession (VP becomes pres after Pres
dies) for more than two years, then can
only serve ONE additional term.
 IF serving for LESS than two years, then
can still be elected for two full terms
Thus a total of 10 years is possible.

5. The Two Term Precedent
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)
 FDR was the only president to win more than
two terms
 He led the US through the Depression and
WW II
 George Washington set the precedent for the
limit of two terms until the 22nd Amendment
made law in 1951

6. Benefits
 $400,000 a year
 (Note: VP makes $230K,
Congressmen make $165K and
Supreme Court judges make $203K)
 Free room and board
 The White House
 Get your own airplane
 747 “Air Force One”
 Get your own mountain hideaway
 Camp David in Maryland
 Nice Pension - $165K
 Expense account - $50K

7. The Roles
 The Constitution speaks briefly about the
duties of the President
 His duties can be broken into 6 main roles:
Chief of State
Chief Executive
Chief Diplomat
Commander in Chief
Chief Legislator
Chief of Party

8. Chief of
State
President is ceremonial head of
the government.
We don’t have a king, so he does
the social job of one – with an
American Twist
EXAMPLES:
–Decorating War Heroes
–Throwing Out The 1st Pitch
–Dedication Ceremonies
–Receiving VIPs at White House

9. The Chief of State
 Some believe it
limits the
President’s ability
to do “real work.”
 Takes up too much
of his time
 Some have called GWB and QE2
for a separate Chief
of State to take
over this role

10. The Chief Executive Role
 Acts as boss of the executive branch of
the gov’t – 15 executive departments
 He is the CEO of the Government
Makes sure govt is running efficiently
Carries out, enforces, executes the law
 Constitutionally bound to enforce the acts
of Congress, judgments of federal courts,
and treaties signed by the United States.

11. The Chief Executive
 Has the bureaucracy to
help him with these tasks
Cabinet positions
Federal Agencies
 Powers of the Chief
Executive:
Appointment and
Removal

12. Chief Executive
(Guardian of the Economy)
 Controls budget
 Monitors
unemployment,
Inflation, taxation, business,
and general welfare of the nation.
He does not control the economy, but he
gets credit if it goes well.

13. Oversees Numerous Departments Offices, Agencies, Bureaus, etc
Executive Departments
://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Feder
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
al/All_Agencies/Includes/Agenc
Department of Commerce (DOC)
y_Index.pdf
Department of Defense (DOD)
Department of Education (ED)
Department of Energy (DOE)
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Department of Justice (DOJ)
Department of Labor (DOL)
Department of State (DOS)
Department of the Interior (DOI)
Department of the Treasury
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

14. Commander in Chief
 The armed services
are under civilian
rather than military
control
Secty of Defense
Chrmn of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff
 The supreme
commander of the
military forces of the
United States
Commander in Chief - Bush

15. Commander in Chief
 This gives Presidents a
tremendous amount of power
Powers based upon Washington
as President
 Exercises more authority
than in any other role.
Where ever the President goes, so
goes the Nuclear Code briefcase (the
“football”). Theoretically, only the
President has the power to order the
launch nuclear weapons.

16. Commander In Chief
 Congress has the power to declare war, but
the President can send troops.
In many cases the situation is confrontational
 War Powers Act (1973)
Spelled out conditions when the
President can send troops
President must report within 48 hours
If Congress does not issue a
declaration of war, troops must be
withdrawn in 60 days.
○ Yeah, Right. Never been done

17. Chief Diplomat
 Conducts foreign
policy, directs
actions of
ambassadors
 Under this Role
the President has
3 main powers:
1. Recognition Power
2. Sign Treaties
3. Executive
Agreements
Nuclear Test Ban Treat (JFK)

18. Recognition Power
 Recognition power
is the power to
recognize, or
refusal to, foreign
countries.
 Receives foreign
diplomats;
therefore the
President
recognizes their
government.
Hussein, Rabin & Clinton

19. Creation of Treaties
 Has the sole power to negotiate treaties
The Senate must approve these treaties (2/3)
The Senate can also make amendments to the
treaties, possibly leading to the dismissal of the
entire treaty
 Woodrow Wilson felt that changes to the
Versailles Treaty were so extensive that it led
to the US not becoming a part of the League
of Nations
Senate changes made the treaty ineffective

20. Executive Agreements
 What are executive agreements?
 Answer: international agreements made by
the President w/o Senatorial ratification.
However, the Senate and House may not
appropriate funds to support the agreement
P.S. When putting the American Flag alongside other
nations’ flags – the US flag always goes on the right (as in
this picture)

21. Advantages / Problems
•Advantages of this power is speed and secrecy
•Essential during a crisis
•Agreements and treaties are binding on all future
administrations.
•.
John F Kennedy and Nikita Kruschev
during the Cuban Missile Crisis
“You pull your missiles out and
I will pull our missiles out.”

22. Chief Legislator
 Influences the making of laws
 The President can recommend laws to
Congress.
 Helps create Congressional Agenda
What is the big push this year?
What was it last year?
State of the Union Address

23. Chief Legislator
 President must give a State of the Union
Address every year.
Displays what legislation the President would
like to see passed in the upcoming session of
Congress
 Getting Legislation Passed
Power of Persuasion
Compromise
 Presidents who share the majority party in
Congress have an easier time passing
legislation

24. Chief Legislator
 The President has the power to veto legislation.
Congress may override w/ a 2/3 majority
○ VERY hard to override a veto
 If you are curious -Top 3 “Vetoing” Presidents:
 1. Franklin Roosevelt 635 vetoes
 2. Grover Cleveland 414 vetoes
 3. Henry Truman 250 vetoes
 How many has President Obama vetoed?

25. Chief of Par ty
 Not mentioned in
Constitution
 Chooses national
chairperson
 Disciplines party
President Obama supporting fellow
members who do not Democratic Candidate last October
support him.
 Rewards those that
support him
(patronage)

26. Chief of Par ty
 Try to maintain a high level of public
opinion ratings. This gives them even
greater influence
Can help others in party
○ Unpopular presidents can hurt others in party

27. Special Powers
 Presidents have a variety
of powers and special
privileges not available
to other branches of the
U.S. government.
 The 4 types are:
1.Emergency Powers
2.Executive Orders
3.Judicial Powers
4.Executive Privilege

28. Emergency Powers
 These are also known as inherent powers.
 Exercised by the President during a period of
national crisis, particularly in foreign affairs
 EXAMPLE: 1952 – Truman tried to take over
steel mills because he needed weapons for
Korean War.
Supreme Court said the President could not take
away private property.
 Example: President sent soldiers to deliver
mail during 1970s postal strike

29. Executive Orders
 Rules issued by the President that have the force of
law.
 They can do 3 things:
 1. Give force to legislative statutes
 2. Enforce the Constitution or treaties with nation
 3. Establish practices of administrative agencies
 This represents the Presidents legislative pwr.
 EXAMPLES: 1) to classify gvt. Information as secret, 2)
ration consumer goods, and 3) restructure the White
House bureaucracy (dept of Homeland Security was
created by Executive Order)

30. Granting Reprieves and Pardons
 Pardon: granting of a release from
the punishment of a crime. Legal
forgiveness. A pardon can be
granted before/after a conviction
 Amnesty – forgiveness of a crime to a
group of law violators
 Reprieve: To postpone the execution
of sentence imposed by a court of
law; usually done to await new
evidence/humanitarian.
 Commutation: reduction in severity of
legal penalty

31. Executive Privilege
 The President’s right to refuse to appear
before, or to withhold information from a
court or Congressional investigation.
 Nixon and Watergate Tapes
 The Supreme Court held that executive privilege could not be
used to prevent evidence from being heard in criminal
proceedings.

32. Identify the President’s Role
 1) President Clinton appointed Ruth Bader Ginsberg to the
Supreme Court.
 2) Jimmy Carter brought Egypt and Israel together to sign
the Camp David Peace Accords in 1979.
 3) President Clinton sent Hillary Clinton to represent the
United States at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales.
 4) President Kennedy ordered America's nuclear forces on
high alert during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
 5) President Carter placed restrictions on the sale of
gasoline during the 1979 energy crisis.
 6) The president made his annual state-of-the union address
to Congress to outline his agenda for the year.

33. Homework:
 Read about the Vice President’s role
and the order of succession to the
presidency on the Moodle
 Answer:
What is the President’s most important
role? (Your opinion)
○ TEAEAC response (Due Weds.)