Essential Question

• How do we select the president of the United States?

Qualifications for President

Quote, Harry S Truman

• “I don’t know if you fellows ever had a load of hay fall on you, but when they told me yesterday what happened, I felt like the moon, the stars and all the planets had fallen on me.”

The Constitution

• In Article II, Section 1, the Constitution defines requirements for president

• List 3

Experience

• Does the candidate have political experience?

• Most were senators or governors

• Examples?

Money

• Candidates are limited to $33.78 million in the primaries and $67.56 million in the general election

Political Beliefs

• Major parties generally choose presidential candidates who hold moderate positions on most issues

Presidential Term

• The Constitution did not specify how many terms a president could serve in office

• Which president broke the 2 term precedent set by Washington?

Twenty-second Amendment

• 1951

• Presidents may only serve a maximum of two terms or ten years in office

Salary

• Compensation is determined by Congress

• Since 2001 - $400,000 with $100,000 travel allowance

Benefits

• Above the salary?

Travel

• Air Force One

• Helicopters

• Limousines

Housing

• White House with swimming pool, bowling alley, private movie theater, tennis courts

Food and Other

• White House domestic staff

• Cooking, shopping, cleaning

Retirement

• Lifetime pension ($148,400 per year)

• Spouses are eligible for $20,000 a year

Presidential Succession

• Eight presidents have died in office

• Four by natural causes

• Four by assassination

Twenty-fifth Amendment

• If the President is removed from office, the Vice President takes over

Twenty-fifth Amendment

• If the Vice Presidency becomes vacant, the President nominates a vice president to be confirmed by a majority of Congress

Succession Act of 1947

• Established the line of presidential succession

Presidential Succession

1. Vice President2. Speaker of the House3. President pro tempore of the Senate4. Secretary of State5. Secretary of the Treasury6. Secretary of Defense7. Attorney General

Twenty-fifth Amendment

• If the president becomes disabled?

• Vice president takes control if Congress agrees