starter activity

How powerful is the UK PM? What limits his/her powers

Powers of UK PMPowers of UK PM

Set legislative agendaSet legislative agenda Decide date of general electionDecide date of general election Make powerful nominations, e.g. cabinet, Make powerful nominations, e.g. cabinet,

Lords, awardsLords, awards Member of European CouncilMember of European Council Declare warDeclare war Negotiate important treaties, e.g. Lisbon Negotiate important treaties, e.g. Lisbon

TreatyTreaty Primus inter paresPrimus inter pares Prominent figure on world stageProminent figure on world stage

LimitationsLimitations Vote of no confidenceVote of no confidence Backbench committees e.g. 1922 Committee, Backbench committees e.g. 1922 Committee,

Public Liaison CommitteePublic Liaison Committee Media makes PMs more accountableMedia makes PMs more accountable Conventions, e.g. ministerial or cabinet Conventions, e.g. ministerial or cabinet

responsibilityresponsibility Electorate – most PMs are sitting MPs, their party Electorate – most PMs are sitting MPs, their party

needs to succeed in electionsneeds to succeed in elections Establishment – e.g. senior members of military, Establishment – e.g. senior members of military,

Lords, ‘men in grey suits’Lords, ‘men in grey suits’ Rule of lawRule of law Europe – European Court of Justice & EU lawEurope – European Court of Justice & EU law Head of government BUT not head of state or C-in-Head of government BUT not head of state or C-in-

CC

How powerful is How powerful is the US the US

president?president?TBAT compare the powers of TBAT compare the powers of presidents with those of PMspresidents with those of PMs

To identify the key formal powers To identify the key formal powers of presidents & assess the extent of presidents & assess the extent to which recent presidents have to which recent presidents have

used those powersused those powers

LOs

Key words: Founding Fathers executive checks and balances OMB EXOP veto

Your taskYour task

Read p.223-4 and note down what were Read p.223-4 and note down what were the original powers of US presidentsthe original powers of US presidents

Highlight in one colour evidence to Highlight in one colour evidence to suggest the president powerful and suggest the president powerful and evidence to suggest his powers are evidence to suggest his powers are limited in anotherlimited in another

Re-read p.17-18 & p.19-20 and briefly Re-read p.17-18 & p.19-20 and briefly list the key checks and balances imposed list the key checks and balances imposed on the president. Which is the most on the president. Which is the most powerful one?powerful one?

You will be given a series of powers of the president. Try to convince your classmates that yours is the most important What

other powers not on the cards would you include?

Your taskYour task Read p.224-229 and create a spider diagram, Read p.224-229 and create a spider diagram,

recording the key functions of a president.recording the key functions of a president. Propose legislationPropose legislation Submit the annual budgetSubmit the annual budget Sign & veto legislationSign & veto legislation Nominate executive officialsNominate executive officials Nominate federal judgesNominate federal judges C-in-C of armed forcesC-in-C of armed forces Negotiate treatiesNegotiate treaties PardonPardon

Explain which is the most important and which Explain which is the most important and which had the fewest checks and balanceshad the fewest checks and balances

Propose of legislationPropose of legislation

State of the Union address – State of the Union address – delivered to Congress in person delivered to Congress in person since 1913since 1913

Power to propose legislation at any Power to propose legislation at any time, e.g. press conferences, foreign time, e.g. press conferences, foreign visitsvisits

Submit the annual Submit the annual budgetbudget

Office of Management & Budget Office of Management & Budget (OMB) draws up annual budget(OMB) draws up annual budget

President submits bill to CongressPresident submits bill to Congress Length, bargaining required, e.g. Length, bargaining required, e.g.

fiscal cliff negotiations (2012)fiscal cliff negotiations (2012)

Sign legislationSign legislation

Signs bills into legislation (similar to Signs bills into legislation (similar to Royal Assent)Royal Assent)

Opportunity for ceremony if Opportunity for ceremony if president wishes to take some creditpresident wishes to take some credit

Other politicians may be present, Other politicians may be present, e.g. 2001 Educ Reform Act, Senator e.g. 2001 Educ Reform Act, Senator Edward Kennedy & Republican Edward Kennedy & Republican congressmen attendedcongressmen attended

Barack Obama used 22 pens to sign the Health Care Bill (2010) – 20 to give away & 2 for the archives.

Chief executiveChief executive

In charge of the executiveIn charge of the executive Powers are delegated to individuals Powers are delegated to individuals

& departments as part of EXOP& departments as part of EXOP

“The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United

States of America’

Article II, US Constitution, 1787

Nominate executive Nominate executive branchbranch

President can nominate whomsoever President can nominate whomsoever to the executive, as well as other to the executive, as well as other posts, e.g. ambassadorsposts, e.g. ambassadors

Most important are 15 heads of Most important are 15 heads of executive departments, e.g. executive departments, e.g. Treasury, State, Defence etcTreasury, State, Defence etc

President Obama, Vice President Biden and Heads of the 15 Executive Departments as

well as other Cabinet members

Nominate all federal Nominate all federal judgesjudges

All levels of All levels of federal judiciaryfederal judiciary

Appointments Appointments are for lifeare for life

Issues of ‘echo Issues of ‘echo chamber’chamber’

Commander-in-chiefCommander-in-chief

Especially important since WWII, e.g. Especially important since WWII, e.g. Eisenhower during Cold War, Johnson Eisenhower during Cold War, Johnson during Vietnam, Reagan during Cold during Vietnam, Reagan during Cold WarWar

Less important in post-Cold War eraLess important in post-Cold War era Congress maintains power to declare Congress maintains power to declare

warwar President asks Congress to authorise President asks Congress to authorise

use of troopsuse of troops

Negotiate treatiesNegotiate treaties

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Reagan)(Reagan)

President Obama negotiated START President Obama negotiated START with Russia in 2010with Russia in 2010

PardonPardon

Clinton issued 140 pardons Clinton issued 140 pardons including to party donors such as including to party donors such as Marc Rich (below) who had been Marc Rich (below) who had been indicted for tax evasionindicted for tax evasion

Your taskYour task

You will each be given a different You will each be given a different president to research. Your challenge is president to research. Your challenge is to find evidence from their time as to find evidence from their time as president of them controversially president of them controversially exercising different powers orexercising different powers or

Produce a short presentation & handout Produce a short presentation & handout for your classfor your class

The winning team will have to prove that The winning team will have to prove that their president was one the one most their president was one the one most steeped in controversy!steeped in controversy!

PresidentsPresidents

Bush JrBush Jr ClintonClinton Bush SrBush Sr ReaganReagan FordFord NixonNixon JohnsonJohnson KennedyKennedy

How powerful is How powerful is the US the US

president?president?TBAT compare the powers of TBAT compare the powers of presidents with those of PMspresidents with those of PMs

To identify the key formal powers To identify the key formal powers of presidents & assess the extent of presidents & assess the extent to which recent presidents have to which recent presidents have

used those powersused those powers

LOs

Key words: Founding Fathers executive checks and balances OMB EXOP veto