Transcript American Presidents 1 WS06

America and its Presidents
Proseminar WS 2006/07
Instructor: Steve Maksymiuk
Official information
• Office: R12 R03 A30
• Office hours: Tuesdays 12:30-13:30
and by appointment
• Phone: TBA
• E-mail: [email protected]
Course Aims
• Introduction to the history and function of
the office of President of the United States
• Survey of U.S. Presidents with later 20th
century emphasis: Modules III and V
Course Requirements
PS Landeskunde
• Regular attendance (2 unexcused absences
maximum)
• Oral presentation (20 minutes)
• Final exam 60% + (final class)
The First U.S. Government
• 1774 12 colonies (Georgia refused) set up
Continental Congress: united stand against
Britain
• 1781 Articles of Confederation created
confederation of 13 colonies
• Congress renamed: Congress of the
Confederation
Congress of the Confederation
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Confederation: power at state level
Ran matters of war & peace,
Post office, minting coins,
Native affairs (when states didn‘t want to)
But: No power to tax,
Create national army, or
Make states listen to its authority
Problems
• No taxes to finance large military
(Russians, British, Spanish still in
America)
• War bonds not redeemed
• Trade restrictions between states
Drawing up a Constitution
• Philadelphia 1787: Constitutional
Convention
• Goal: strong, united country
• Abolished Articles of Confederation
• New document: Constitution of the United
States
U.S. Constitution
• Creation of federal republic – states and
federal govt. share powers
• Bicameral Congress –House of
Representatives and Senate
• President, elected every 4 years by
Electoral College
• Supreme Court nominated by president and
ratified by Senate
Presidential Powers (I)
• Commander in chief of armed forces
• Grant reprieves and pardons (exception:
impeachment)
• Make treaties
• Appoint Supreme Court Justices and
ambassadors
Presidential Powers (II)
• Convene Congress in emergencies
• Receive ambassadors
• Ensure that laws are faithfully executed
(interpreted today as power to make
policies)
• Sign or veto legislation passed by Congress
Checks and Balances (I)
• Congress can override President‘s veto with 2/3
majority (both houses)
• Senate can refuse to confirm presidential
appointments
• Senate can refuse to ratify treaties (2/3 majority
needed)
• Supreme Court can declare executive acts
unconstitutional
• Congress can impeach and remove federal judges
• Congress can impeach and remove president
Checks and Balances (II)
H
ow to get impeached
• Article 2, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution gives
Congress power to impeach president for
„Treason, Bribery, or otherHigh Crimes and
Misdemeanors“
• H
ouse of Representatives recommend
impeachment by a simple majority vote
• Senate tries the case and has power to impeach
and remove president with a 2/3 majority vote
Checks and Balances (III)
• War Powers Act (1973)
• President must inform Congress in writing 48
hours after he commits troops into a hostile
situation
• 60 days later Congress has to declare war or
authorize continued commitment
• Congress can at any time pass a concurrent
resolution (passed by both houses) to recall
troops. President cannot veto this resolution
Checks and Balances (IV)
• Budget Act (1974)
• Presidents could refuse to spend money
appropriated by Congress for certain
programs (Back to Thomas Jefferson)
• Now president has to inform Congress if
he does so
• Congress can pass resolution forcing
president to spend this money.
Succession
(if president removed, ill or dies)
• 1) Vice President
• 2) Speaker of theHouse
• 3) President pro
tempore of Senate
• 4) Sec. of State
• 5) Sec. of Treasury
• 6) Sec. of Defense
• 7) Attorney General
• 8) Sec. of Interior
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9) Sec. of Agriculture
10) Sec. of Comm.
11) Sec. of Labor
12) Sec. of Health
13) Sec. of Housing
14) Sec. of Transport
15) Sec. of Energy
16) Sec. of Ed.
Influence of Presidents on the
Presidency – Some Examples (I)
• Early U.S. history, Congress dominated
politics, presidents: caretakers
implementing policies passed by Congress
• Andrew Jackson (1829-37) „Guardian of
the people“ mission to protect them from
excesses of Congress. Actively policymaker; vetoed more legislation than all
predecessors combined.
Influence of Presidents on the
Presidency – Some Examples (II)
• Abraham Lincoln (1861-65) „presidential
prerogative“ in emergencies (Civil War)
executive can assume additional powers for good
of the country
• Franklin Roosevelt (1933-45) „imperial
presidency“ New Deal programs with large
federal bureaucracy headed by President
• Richard Nixon (1968-74) Watergate scandal
weakened presidency and gave Congress
opportunity to pass War Powers Act (1973) and
Budget Act (1974)
The Role of the President Today
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H
ead of State
Commander in Chief
Chief Foreign Policy Maker
Chief Executive
Chief Legislator
Crisis Manager
Party Leader