The document outlines the structure and powers of the Executive Branch of the US government, including that it is headed by the President and includes the Vice President, Cabinet, and regulatory agencies. It describes the roles and qualifications of the President, as well as the powers and limitations of the office, including roles as Chief of State, Chief Executive, Commander in Chief, and Chief Legislator. The document also discusses the Executive Office of the President, executive departments, independent agencies, and the election and inauguration processes.

3. The Executive Branch
• Powers listed in Article II
• Main duty: Enforce Laws
• Includes:
The President
Vice-President
President’s Cabinet

4. The Executive Branch:
President & Vice President
Main Function: Lead
Executive Branch
Cabinet
Main Function:
Advisors to the President
Regulatory Agencies
Main Function: Enforce laws
and regulations 4

5. Qualifications
To be the President or Vice President:
• At least 35 years of age
• Born in the U.S.
• Resident for 14 years
• Informal Requirements: government
experience, education, money,
character

6. Terms
• 22nd Amendment:
-Limits the President to two
terms or 10 years

7. Salary
• $400,000 per year
• $50,000 a year allowance
• Lives in the White House (132
rooms, 18.3 acres)
• Air Force One
• Plus other benefits

8. Powers & Limitations
of the President
ROLE: CHIEF OF STATE
1. the ceremonial head of the U.S.
government & people
2. reigns and rules

9. Powers & Limitations
of the President
ROLE: CHIEF EXECUTIVE
1. enforces federal law, treaties,
court decisions
2. Executive orders
3. Appoints cabinet members,
commissions, federal judges
A. Senate approval needed for
appointments

10. Powers & Limitations
of the President
ROLE: CHIEF DIPLOMAT
1. general charge of foreign policy
2. appoints ambassadors
3. executive agreements
4. negotiates treaties
5. recognition of foreign governments
A. Senate must approve appointments
B. Senate must approve treaties (2/3
vote)

11. Powers & Limitations
of the President
ROLE: COMMANDER IN CHIEF
1. civilian authority over the
military (1.4 million)
A. War Powers Resolution
1973
B. Congress declares war

12. Powers & Limitations
of the President
ROLE: CHIEF LEGISLATOR
1. Veto
2. outlines legislative proposals
(ex. The Federal Budget)
3. calls special sessions of
Congress
A. 2/3- both houses of Congress
can override a veto
B. Congress is not obligated to
pass the president’s proposals

13. Powers & Limitations
of the President
ROLE: HEAD OF POLITICAL
PARTY
1. Political patronage
A. Face of the party
B. Party tied to success or
failure of the President

14. Powers & Limitations
of the President
ROLE: CHIEF CITIZEN
1. “the Representative of all the
people”
2. Certain moral obligations

15. The Federal Bureaucracy
• All of the agencies, people, and procedures
through which the Federal Government
operates.
• The means by which the government makes
and administers public policy.
• The Constitution makes the President the
Chief Administrator.
• Constitution is relatively silent on the
organization of the Executive Branch.

16. Executive Office of the
President
• Established in 1939 and changed
by each administration since.
• The “inner circle” of the
President (400)
• Chief of staff
• Press secretary
• Physician
• Counselor / Senior
advisors

17. Executive Office of the
President
• National Security Council (NSC)
• Office of Homeland Security
– Work closely with the President on
security issues
– CIA, military chiefs, etc.

18. Executive Office of the
President
• Office of Management and Budget
(OMB)
• Office of National Drug Control
Policy
• Office of Science and Technology
• Trade, Economy, Environment, etc.

19. The Executive
Departments (Cabinet)
• In 1789, Congress created 3
• Today there are 15 departments
• Each department is headed by a
secretary except the Department
of Justice (attorney general)
• Departments are divided into
subunits.

20. Choosing Department
Leaders
• Nominated by President,
confirmed by the Senate
• Party patronage (campaign
influence)
• Professional qualifications
• Regional balance (Geography)
• Interest group pressure

21. Independent Agencies
• 150 agencies independent of the
Cabinet (not the President)
– Some do not fit into departments
– Congress wanted them
independent to escape influence

22. Independent Agencies
• FTC- Federal Trade Commission
• SEC- Securities and Exchange Commission
• FCC- Federal Communications
Commission
• SSA- Social Security Administration
• Peace Corps
• FEC- Federal Election Commission
• USPS- United States Postal Service
• FDIC- Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation

23. Welcome to Election Day!
Please choose the next President of the
United States.
The Candidates are:
Candidate 1: Associates with ward healers and
consults with astrologists. Has two mistresses.
He chain smokes and drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day.
Candidate 2: Kicked out of office twice, sleeps until
noon, used opium in college and drinks a quart of
brandy every evening.
Candidate 3: A decorated war hero, a vegetarian,
doesn’t smoke, drinks an occasional beer and
hasn’t had any illicit affairs.

24. The Actual Person
Candidate 1: Franklin D.
Roosevelt
Candidate 2: Winston Churchill
Candidate 3: Adolf Hitler
The Point: People can manipulate
you. Don’t read one thing and
make a decision. You have to read
and be informed.

25. Election Process
Inauguration Day
According to 20th Amendment,
inauguration is to take place at
noon on January 20
Candidate receiving majority of
electoral votes becomes
President (at least 270/538)

26. • The President stands on the east steps of
the Capitol and recites the oath
prescribed by the Constitution:
• I do solemnly swear [or affirm] that I
will faithfully execute the office of the
President of the United States, and will to
the best of my ability, preserve, protect
and defend the Constitution of the United
States.
• After taking the oath, the President gives
a short inaugural address, which usually
expresses the main point to be followed
by his new administration. 26

27. • STATE OF THE UNION MESSAGE
• Shortly after Congress convenes in
January to begin a new session, the
President gives his annual State of the
Union message to Congress.
• Most give them in person. Thomas
Jefferson began the tradition of sending
written messages to be read to the
legislators. Tradition broken with
Woodrow Wilson administration.
• Now have new meaning since carried to
the people through media.
27

28. • Read page 111 about American
Presidents and the Bible
28