6. 6
Qualifications
Article II of the Constitution
■ Formal
■ natural born citizen
■ at least 35 years of age
■ resident of the US 14 years prior to
the election
8. 8
Term and Tenure
■ Single Executive, indirectly elected
through an electoral college for a 4
year term.
■ 1951 - 22nd Amendment
■ Limits president to two elected
terms
9. 9
Succession and Disability
■ The Constitution provides that if the
president can no longer serve in office,
the vice president will carry out the
duties and powers of the office
■ 25th Amendment - states that the vice
president becomes president if the
office becomes vacant or unable to
perform duties, and provides for the
nomination of a new vice president
10. 10
Impeachment and Removal
■ The Constitution allows for the
removal of the president through the
impeachment process
■ The House of Representatives brings
charges of wrongdoing
■ The Senate sits in judgment, the
chief justice of the Supreme Court
presides
■ Conviction requires a 2/3 vote of the
Senate
11. 11
The Road to the White House
■ Succession
■ Election
■ Constitution and 12th Amendment
give an electoral college the power
to elect the president
■ Electoral College - HOR + Senators
+ DC
■ Need 270 or HOR chooses
13. 13
The Vice Presidency
■ Choice influenced by desire to
balance the ticket
■ Constitutionally
■ preside over Senate, cast tie-
breaking vote
■ help determine presidential
disability under the 25th
Amendment
■ terms not limited
15. 15
Executive Powers
■ Enforce laws, treaties, court
decisions
■ issue executive orders to carry out
policies
■ appoints / removes officials
■ assumes emergency powers
■ presides over the cabinet and
executive branch
16. 16
Legislative Powers
■ Gives annual State of the Union
■ Issues annual budget and economic
report
■ Signs or vetoes bills
■ Proposes legislation and uses
influence to get it passed
■ Calls for special sessions of Congress
17. 17
Diplomatic Powers
■ Appoints ambassadors and other
diplomats
■ Negotiates treaties and executive
agreements
■ Meets with foreign leaders at
international conferences
■ Accords diplomatic recognition to
foreign governments
■ Receives foreign dignitaries
18. 18
Military Powers
■ Serves as commander-in-chief of the
armed forces
■ Has final decision-making authority
in matters of national and foreign
defense
■ Provides for domestic order
20. 20
Party Powers
■ Recognized leader of the party
■ Chooses Vice-Presidential nominee
■ Strengthens the party by helping
members get elected (coattails)
■ Appoints party members to
government positions (patronage)
■ Influences policies and platform of
the party
22. 22
Limitations
■ Congressional Checks
■ override vetoes (2/3)
■ power of the purse (appropriations)
■ impeachment
■ appointment approval
■ legislation to limit (War Powers Act -
limit president’s ability to use military
force)
■ legislative veto (unconstitutional
1983)
23. 23
Limitations
■ Judicial - Judicial Review
■ Political Checks
■ public opinion
■ media attention
■ popularity
24. 24
The Bureaucracy
■ A systematic way of organizing a
complex and large administrative
structure
■ hierarchical - like pyramid, those at
top have authority over those below
■ job specialization - defined duties and
responsibilities, division of labor
■ formal rules - established regulations
and procedures
25. 25
History and Growth
■ spoils system - giving offices and
government favors to political
supporters and friends
■ reform movement - competitive
exams were tried but failed due to
inadequate funding from Congress
■ Pendleton Act - Civil Service Act of
1883, replaces spoils system with
merit system
26. 26
History and Growth
■ Hatch Act of 1939, amended 1993 -
prohibits government employees
from engaging political activities
while on duty, running for office or
seeking political funding while off
duty
■ Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 -
created the Office of Personnel
Management to recruit, train, classify
federal employees
27. 27
Organization
■ Cabinet Departments - 15 executive
departments created to advice the
president and operate specific policy
■ Independent Executive Agencies - similar
to departments but without cabinet status
■ Independent Regulatory Agencies -
independent from executive, to regulate
or police
■ Government Corporations - business
activities, charge for services
29. 29
Influences
■ Executive - appointing the right
people, issuing executive orders,
affecting the agency’s budget
■ Congressional - hearings,
legislations, approve appointments,
affect budget
30. 30
Influences
■ Iron Triangle - alliance between
bureaucratic agencies, interest
groups, and congressional
committees
■ Issue Networks - interest groups,
Congressional staff, think tanks,
universities, media that discuss and
advocate public policy
31. 31
Executive Office of the
President
■ Established 1939
■ Includes closest advisors to the
president
■ White House Office
■ National Security Council
■ Office of Management and Budget
■ Office of the Vice-President
