Transcript Executive Branch

Executive Branch
Article II
TRUE OR FALSE
1.
The President can declare war if America's national security is threatened.
1. (False. Only Congress can declare war)
2.
The President has the right to withhold certain information from Congress if he thinks
it would endanger America.
1. (True, Executive Privilege)
3.
No president has ever made it to the highest office without being elected to either the
Presidency or the vice-presidency
1. (false. Gerald Ford was not elected to either post. He was appointed to V.P. and
became President when Nixon resigned) 25th Amendment
4.
The president is one of the highest paid members of American society.
1. (False. he makes a mere $400,000)
5.
No president has ever been elected to more than two terms
1. (False. FDR gained four terms)
Section One: President & Vice President
1. Clause one—How long is the President in office?
 Four year terms
 1951—22nd Amendment changed it to a maximum
of 2 terms or ten years
 FDR served the most years in office (12)
 Grover Cleveland served 2 nonconsecutive terms
(22nd & 24th President of the United States)
Clause Two
2. Clause Two - How is the U.S. President elected?
Electors—Presidential voters
Electoral college—system used to elect the President,
founders didn’t want a pure form of democracy, wanted a
representative democracy
538=total number of Presidential electors, must have
270 to become president
Purpose of the electoral college---give each state
somewhat equal representation
Clause Three
3. Clause Three—former method of electoral college
(changed by 12th Amendment)
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12th Amendment:
 Electoral college votes for the President and
Vice on separate ballots.
 If no person receives a majority of the electoral
votes, the House elects the President.
 In such an election, the representatives from
each state have one vote among them.
 Majority of these votes necessary to elect
President
Clause Four and Five
4. Clause 4 - When does the Electoral College vote?

Official ballot for President is cast by the Electoral College

Electoral College—cast votes on the first Monday after the second
Wednesday in December
5. Clause Five—What are the qualifications

35 years old, 14 year resident, natural born citizen

1st seven presidents were not natural born

1st natural born was Martin Van Buren

Youngest—Teddy Roosevelt=42

Youngest elected—John Kennedy=43

Oldest—Ronald Reagan=69
Clause 6 and 7
6.
Clause Six - Changed by the 25th Amendment

7.
8.
The amendment provides for involuntary removal of the President from
his power. Vice President to fill vacancy takes into account if President is
temporarily not able to serve.
Clause Seven - Can the Congress decrease the President’s salary
midway through the term? (No)

Can not increase or decrease during the term

Can not receive any other salary from the federal government during the
term

Pays taxes on the income

2001 - Salary doubled to $400,000/ year
Clause Eight - The Presidential Oath

Any judge can swear a president into office, most common is the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court
Section Two: Powers
Clause One—What are the
Military Powers?
1.


President is the head of the
military: Commander in Chief
President can grant pardons to
criminals who have committed
federal crimes
Clause Two—Treaties and
Appointments
2.

President needs approval by the
U.S. Senate to create certain
and specific treaties and
appointments
Clause Three - What if an
ambassador dies when the
Senate is in recess?
3.

The President can fill position
temporarily
Section Three
What are the Duties of the President?
State of the Union Address - The
President explains the condition
of the country - usually in
January
 President can convene and
adjourn Congress in the event of
a special circumstance
 Main job is to see that the laws
are faithfully executed
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Section Four--Impeachment

President, Vice President, and
all civil officers can be
impeached
 Can only be impeached for
three things: treason, bribery, or
other high crimes and
misdemeanors.
 Judges are civil officers that are
the most often convicted of
impeachment
 Members of the Congress are
expelled by their own house,
they do not go through the
formal impeachment process
Role of the President
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Chief of State
Chief Executive
Chief Diplomat
Commander-In-Chief
Chief Legislator
Chief of the Party
Chief Guardian of the Economy
Role: Chief Executive
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Acts as boss of federal government workers in 14
executive departments.
These departments help the President carry out, enforce,
or execute the law.
President has “the Executive Power”
Power is very broad in both domestic and foreign affairs
The president chooses cabinet members to advise and
assist him.
Example: Holding cabinet meetings and appointing
supreme court judges.
Role: Chief Diplomat
Conducts foreign policy by directing the
actions of American ambassadors.
 The main architect of American foreign
policy and the nation's chief spokesperson.
 Signs treaties and trade agreements with
leaders of other nations.
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Role: Commander-In-Chief
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In charge of US Armed Forces.
President decides where armed
forces are to be stationed,
weapons to be used.
Secretary of Defense under
President.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is
the top military commander
under President.
Role: Chief Legislator
Congress has the power to make laws.
 President can propose bills and must sign
bills into law.
 He often calls members of Congress to
lobby for his agenda.
 Presents his agenda to Congress in the
annual State of the Union address.
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Role: Chief of the Party
Presidents help members of their party get
elected or appointed to office.
 They make campaign speeches needed for
re-election.
 Head of fund-raising for the party.
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Chief Guardian of the Economy
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Monitors
– unemployment,
– Inflation, taxation, business,
– and general welfare of the
nation.
– Meeting with economic
advisers to discuss ways to
reduce unemployment.
– He does not control the
economy, but he gets credit
if it goes well.
Head of State
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The head of state embodies the political
community and continuity of the state,
and carries out ceremonial functions
associated with representing the state both
at home and in foreign policy, for instance
in committing the state to treaty
obligations.
MATCHING FUN 
Head of State
Chief Executive
Chief Diplomat
Commander-In-Chief
Chief Legislator
Chief of the Party
Chief Guardian of the Economy
1)President Clinton appointed Ruth Bader Ginsberg to the Supreme Court.
(Chief Executive)
2) Jimmy Carter brings Egypt and Israel together to sign the Camp David Peace
Accords in 1979.
(Chief Diplomat)
3) President Clinton sends Hillary Clinton to represent the United States at the funeral
of Diana, Princess of Wales.
(Head of State)
4) President Kennedy orders America's nuclear forces on high alert during the Cuban
Missile Crisis of 1962.
(Commander-in-chief)
5) President Carter placed restrictions on the sale of gasoline during the 1979 energy
crisis.
(Guardian of the economy).
6) The president makes his annual state-of-the union address to Congress to outline
his agenda for the year.
(Chief legislator).
7) President Clinton may have broken federal law as he raised money for the
Democratic National Committee in 1996.
(Chief of the Party)
The Presidency
Why do you think it is the most visible
part of the American political system?
 Does the President really serve the needs
of the American people?
 How does the office of the Presidency
actually help the American people?
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