Chapter 14 Power Of The Presidency

The Presidency in Action

U.S. PRESIDENT
One of the most powerful elective offices in world today
Serves as head of Executive Branch
ENFORCES & ADMINISTERS LAWS
Created by delegates to Constitutional Convention as a compromise

Article II
Constitution created the presidency and gives the President certain expressed powers

Article II
Is remarkably brief.
Using the Constitution as a guide, do you think the President should be…
weak or powerful
????

Back to Article II
Gives the president the power to “execute the laws”
Means he (or she) follows and faithfully carries out the laws made by Congress
(the Executive Branch does what it’s told to do!)
However, two powers of the President have been used more recently (last 50 years) to expand the power of the President!

The Growth of Presidential Power

Executive Orders
Executive orders are official documents, numbered consecutively, through which the President of the United States manages the operations of the Federal Government.
Have been used to protect Striped Bass and Red Drum Fish
Put people in internment camps (Japanese-Americans in WWII 9066)
Fight wars (Kosovo, Vietnam)
Have been used since 1789
First used extensively in the
20 th Century (Truman, Nixon,
George W. Bush)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/orders/

Signing Statements
Give the president the ability to define and hone laws written by Congress
Gives a great deal of flexibility in deciding how specifically the laws are carried out
Defining “torture,” how money is specifically spent
First used extensively by George W. Bush (over 1,000 times)

Can appoint and remove top federal officials
Attorney General, Department Chairs, Head of CIA
Makes a big difference in how the Departments are run

Diplomatic and Military Powers

Diplomatic and Military Powers
President shares treaty making powers with Congress
Certain diplomatic powers can be carried out without the approval of congress
Executive agreements
Agreement between US and foreign country
Recognition
‘ recognize foreign country’
(Presidents have used these more)

Commander and Chief
Possess almost unlimited military power
Must ask Congress to “declare war”
War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II
But congress has not declared war once since World War II
Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf War 1991, Afghanistan, all not declared wars
Congress approved these wars through funding not declarations of war
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_war_by_the_United_States

Legislative and Judicial Powers
The Constitution gives the President important legislative and judicial powers as a part of the system of checks and balances in the Federal Government

Legislative Powers
The President’s key legislative powers are to submit legislation for Congress to consider and to reject legislation that he opposes
Does not MAKE the laws, but he influences the laws
Veto!!!
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0408/9435.html

Appoints
Supreme Court Justices
Federal Judges
Must be confirmed by a majority in the Senate
Judicial Powers

Judicial Powers
Power of Clemency - The Constitution gives the President several powers of clemency - powers with which he can show mercy to those convicted of federal crimes
Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby (Chief of Staff for the VP) was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice
President Bush ‘commuted’ his sentence.
Still guilty, didn’t have to go to jail.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqTEUDEUT-I&feature=related

COMPENSATION
$400,000 PER YEAR SALARY
FIXED BY CONGRESS BUT CANNOT BE INCREASED NOR DECREASED DURING A TERM
LIVE IN WHITE HOUSE (132 ROOMS) W/ STAFF

SUITE OF OFFICES WITH STAFF
YACHT
FLEET OF AUTOMOBILES
AIR FORCE ONE
CAMP DAVID – RESORT HIDEAWAY
FINEST MEDICAL , DENTAL AND HEALTH CARE
$50,000 EXPENSE ACCOUNT (TAXABLE)

Presidential Facts:
No one under 40 has ever been elected President. Most Presidents have been in their fifties or sixties when elected
Youngest President elected - Kennedy
All Presidents have been male
All Presidents have been white
All but one (maybe two) have been Protestant
All but two have been married
Only one has been divorced (Reagan)
2/3 rds have had legal training

Who will our next President be???
Senator John McCain
Senator Barack Obama

Chapter 14 Power Of The Presidency

by David Osman

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