Chapter 9: The Chapter 9: The Executive BranchExecutive Branch

Formal Qualifications for the Formal Qualifications for the President of the United StatesPresident of the United States

Must be at least 35 years oldMust be at least 35 years old Must be a “natural-born” citizen of Must be a “natural-born” citizen of

the United Statesthe United States Must have lived in the United States Must have lived in the United States

for at least 14 yearsfor at least 14 years Serves a term of four years in officeServes a term of four years in office *The 22*The 22ndnd Amendment (1951) limits a Amendment (1951) limits a

President to only two termsPresident to only two terms

Informal QualificationsInformal Qualifications WhiteWhite MaleMale ProtestantProtestant Between 50-60 years old when they became Between 50-60 years old when they became

PresidentPresident College-educated (many went to ivy-league College-educated (many went to ivy-league

schools)schools) Worked as lawyers Worked as lawyers Served as Senators, Governors, & other Served as Senators, Governors, & other

gov’t officialsgov’t officials (14) Presidents once served as Vice (14) Presidents once served as Vice

PresidentPresident

The Roles of the PresidentThe Roles of the President Chief executiveChief executive: :

President is the head of President is the head of the executive branch, the executive branch, enforces laws & enforces laws & appoints over 4,000 appoints over 4,000 executive branch executive branch officialsofficials

Issues executive orders: Issues executive orders: rules/regulations that rules/regulations that gov’t officials must gov’t officials must obeyobey

Roles Continued. . .Roles Continued. . .

Commander-in-Commander-in-ChiefChief: the President : the President is the leader of the is the leader of the armed forces and armed forces and makes the makes the important important decisions during decisions during times of wartimes of war

Roles Continued. . .Roles Continued. . .

Chief DiplomatChief Diplomat: the President is the leader : the President is the leader of our foreign policies & guides our of our foreign policies & guides our relationships with other countriesrelationships with other countries

Roles Continued. . .Roles Continued. . . As the Chief Diplomat:As the Chief Diplomat:

1) The President negotiates 1) The President negotiates treatiestreaties: : formal agreements with other countries formal agreements with other countries ratified by the Senateratified by the Senate

2) Appoints 2) Appoints ambassadorsambassadors (official (official representatives to foreign gov’ts)representatives to foreign gov’ts)

3) Makes 3) Makes executive agreementsexecutive agreements: : agreements with other countries that don’t agreements with other countries that don’t need Senate approvalneed Senate approval

Roles Continued. . .Roles Continued. . .

Legislative LeaderLegislative Leader: the President recommends : the President recommends laws to Congress & creates our domestic laws to Congress & creates our domestic policies (plans for dealing with nat’l problems)policies (plans for dealing with nat’l problems)

Creates the federal budgetCreates the federal budget Delivers the State of the Union addressDelivers the State of the Union address Calls special sessions of CongressCalls special sessions of Congress

Roles Continued. . .Roles Continued. . .

Judicial LeaderJudicial Leader: The : The President has many President has many powers the affect the powers the affect the judicial branchjudicial branch

For example:For example:

1) Appoints Supreme 1) Appoints Supreme Court JusticesCourt Justices

2) Issues pardons2) Issues pardons

Roles Continued. . .Roles Continued. . . Party LeaderParty Leader: as the : as the

highest elected U.S. highest elected U.S. official, the President official, the President is the leader of is the leader of his/her partyhis/her party

Chief of StateChief of State: the : the President shares the President shares the values of the values of the American people American people and participates in and participates in important important ceremoniesceremonies

9.2 The Organization of the 9.2 The Organization of the Executive BranchExecutive Branch

BureaucracyBureaucracy: an organization of gov’t : an organization of gov’t departments, agencies, and offices departments, agencies, and offices (has a negative connotation in gov’t (has a negative connotation in gov’t today)today)

AdministrationAdministration: a team of people : a team of people (about 2,000) appointed by the (about 2,000) appointed by the President who work in the West Wing President who work in the West Wing and executive branchand executive branch

The Three Major Parts of The Three Major Parts of the Executive Branchthe Executive Branch

The Executive Branch

ExecutiveOffice of the

President

Executive Departments(The Cabinet)

IndependentAgencies

I. The Executive Office of I. The Executive Office of the Presidentthe President

Made up of the President’s closest advisors Made up of the President’s closest advisors

Includes the White House Staff Includes the White House Staff -Chief of Staff-Chief of Staff-Press secretaries-Press secretaries-Speechwriters-Speechwriters-Legal experts-Legal experts

The Vice PresidentThe Vice President

Special Advisory groups like the OMB & the NSCSpecial Advisory groups like the OMB & the NSC

II.II. The Executive The Executive Departments (The Cabinet)Departments (The Cabinet)

There are 15 There are 15 different different departments departments currently (see currently (see additional handout).additional handout).

Each dept. advises Each dept. advises the President on the President on foreign & domestic foreign & domestic policy issuespolicy issues

III. The Independent III. The Independent AgenciesAgencies

Independent Agencies

Executive Agencies

RegulatoryCommissions

GovernmentCorporations

The Executive AgenciesThe Executive Agencies

Directly controlled Directly controlled by the Presidentby the President

The President hires The President hires or removes their or removes their directorsdirectors

Examples in include Examples in include NASA, FBI, CIANASA, FBI, CIA

Regulatory CommissionsRegulatory Commissions These agencies make & enforce rules for These agencies make & enforce rules for

a particular business or economic activitya particular business or economic activity

Examples include:Examples include:-Federal Communications Commission -Federal Communications Commission (FCC)(FCC)-Equal Employment Opportunity -Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)Commission (EEOC)-Consumer Product Safety Commission -Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)(CPSC)

Government Government CorporationsCorporations

Similar to private Similar to private businesses that businesses that make a profit BUT make a profit BUT they also provide they also provide public services that public services that are often too risky are often too risky or expensiveor expensive

Examples include Examples include the USPS & FDICthe USPS & FDIC

The Civil Service SystemThe Civil Service System

Established in 1883 to Established in 1883 to make sure that gov’t make sure that gov’t workers (called civil workers (called civil servants) were hired servants) were hired on the basis of meriton the basis of merit

Outlawed the Outlawed the spoils spoils systemsystem where loyalty where loyalty to the President was to the President was more important than more important than knowing how to do the knowing how to do the jobjob

9.3 Presidents and 9.3 Presidents and PowerPower

Some of the perks/privileges of the Some of the perks/privileges of the President includes:President includes:

Annual salary of $400,000 (also $50,000 Annual salary of $400,000 (also $50,000 annual expense account)annual expense account)

Living in the White House Living in the White House Air Force One/Marine I/Fleet of automobilesAir Force One/Marine I/Fleet of automobiles Vacation house called Camp DavidVacation house called Camp David Personal ChefPersonal Chef PensionPension Health CareHealth Care Executive privilegeExecutive privilege

Using Presidential PowerUsing Presidential Power

Imagine that President Barack Obama Imagine that President Barack Obama is given the chance to purchase both is given the chance to purchase both Canada and Mexico for the bargain Canada and Mexico for the bargain price of $10 trillion! If he was able to price of $10 trillion! If he was able to buy the land, it would double the size buy the land, it would double the size of the U.S. and increase our trade of the U.S. and increase our trade deficit; however, he’s not sure if the deficit; however, he’s not sure if the Constitution gives him the power to Constitution gives him the power to do it. What do you think?do it. What do you think?

Jefferson & The Louisiana Jefferson & The Louisiana PurchasePurchase

France offers to sell France offers to sell the Louisiana the Louisiana territory to President territory to President Jefferson in 1803 for Jefferson in 1803 for $15 million$15 million

He secretly He secretly authorized the Lewis authorized the Lewis & Clark expedition & Clark expedition to inspect the landto inspect the land

Nixon & WatergateNixon & Watergate Nixon’s White House Nixon’s White House

staff is accused of staff is accused of covering up the covering up the Watergate break-inWatergate break-in

Congress discovered Congress discovered the Nixon had taped the Nixon had taped all of his conversationsall of his conversations

Congress asked for the Congress asked for the tapes & Nixon refused tapes & Nixon refused