the presidency ۩article ii, section 1, of the constitution sets forth the qualifications to be...
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THE PRESIDENCY۩ Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution sets forth the
qualifications to be president. ۩ Must be 35, a natural-born citizen, and 14 year residency.
States in the Nation
2008 Presidential Election
The White House
www.whitehousemuseum.org
The Expanding Presidency Presidential responsibilities, burdens,
power, and impact have increased dramatically since the nation’s founding.
The Founders’ conception of the office of President was much more limited than what we see in the modern Presidency.
The vague language of the Constitution has been flexible enough to include the great expansion of the Presidency that has occurred.
The Dormant Presidency
Until the end of the 19th century, the Presidency conformed basically to the designs and intentions of the Founders.
The nation did not often require a very strong Presidency prior to the 20th century.
Structural changes since the end of the nineteenth century: America becomes a world power with a corporate-dominated economy
Important early Presidents Washington Jefferson Jackson Polk Lincoln
Twentieth-Century Transformation In the 20th century, new structural conditions made
an expanded Presidency both possible and necessary. Theodore Roosevelt Woodrow Wilson Franklin Roosevelt
World War II Since FDR’s time, all U.S. Presidents have administered
a huge national state with large standing armed forces, nuclear weapons, and bases all around the world.
Harry Truman John F. Kennedy Ronald Reagan
The Many Roles of the President
The many “hats” that presidents wear simultaneously Chief of State Chief Executive
The Powers of Appointment and Removal The Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons
Commander in Chief Wartime Powers War Powers Resolution
Joint Chief Legislator Getting Legislation Passed Saying No to Legislation The Line-Item Veto Congress’ Power to Override Presidential Vetoes
The Many Roles of the President
More “hats” that presidents wear simultaneously Manager of the Economy Chief Diplomat
Diplomatic Recognition Proposal and Ratification of Treaties Executive Agreements
Head of the Political Party Other Presidential Powers
Powers that Congress has bestowed on the president by statute (statutory powers) and those that are considered inherent powers.
Each of the Presidential functions or “hats” is demanding; together, they are overwhelming.
The President’s Staff and Cabinet White House staff
Key aides who are the President’s closest and most trusted advisors Chief of Staff National Security Adviser
The exact shape of the White House staff changes from one Presidency to another and is used by different presidents in various ways.
Typically the White House staff has more influence over the president than the Cabinet.
Executive Office of the President (EOP) —a group of permanent Presidential staff organizations that perform specialized functions Office of Management and Budget Council of Economic Advisers National Security Council
Vice-Presidency
Originally, the vice-president was the runner-up in the electoral college vote
The 12th Amendment (1804) encouraged two candidates to run together as a presidential ticket
No constitutional powers or duties except to serve as President of the Senate, a ceremonial function of no real power
Beginning in the 1950s, the role of vice president became more important
Presidential succession
The Cabinet —not mentioned in the Constitution, but all Presidents have had one; the cabinet is a highly visible symbol of the executive branch, but Presidents have usually not relied upon it as a decision-making body.
A new administration taking shape
The President and the Bureaucracy
Presidents have significant controls with regard to the bureaucracy, but the President’s ability to give orders and to gain bureaucratic acquiescence is limited.
Many people erroneously assume that the President has firm control over the executive branch of government.
To a large extent, Presidents must persuade other executive branch officials to take certain actions.
“Presidential power is the power to persuade.”
Going Public By the beginning of the twentieth century, the
presidency had undergone a basic transformation: presidents began to speak directly to the public.
Woodrow Wilson created a new constitutional theory advocating close connections between the president and the public.
All presidents now attempt to respond to public opinion, and all try to speak directly to the people about policy.
Contemporary presidents frequently go public by using television to bypass Congress and the press.
Using the Media
Modern Presidents have used television to enhance their power to shape public opinion.
Leading public opinion Responding to the public Quiet influence Listening to the public
The President and the People: An Evolving Relationship Early Presidents: seen as an elite leader,
relatively distant from the public Quickly evolved into a more democratic
system, in which the people played a more direct role.
By 1880, the two-party system had begun to develop.
Early in the 19th century, state legislatures began to turn the power to choose Presidential electors over to the people through direct election.
The base of suffrage broadened.
How Democratic Is the Presidency? Determining how democratic the
Presidency is becomes an extremely difficult task.
However, the office is considerably more democratic than envisioned by the authors of the Constitution.
The Powers of the PresidencyDivided PowersPresidential Powers
•Commander in Chief of the armed forces, but Congress is charged with declaring wars
“Presidential prerogative” versus War Powers Act
•Diplomat in Chief Appoint & Receive ambassadors Negotiate Treaties Executive Agreements Fast-track trade authority Meet with foreign leaders to forge
ties and make formal alliances
The Powers of the Presidency•Administrator in Chief•Additional Executive Powers
Appointment Veto and pocket veto Pardon “Take care” power
Article II, Sec. 3: Presidents take care that the laws are faithfully executed, even if they disagree with the purpose of those laws
Sometimes used by presidents to claim inherent powers (powers that grow out of the very existence of government)
Inform and convene Congress State of the Union address
The War PowerPresidents have defended their power to engage American
military troopsIn 1973, Congress enacted the War Powers Act in order to
limit the ability of the president to commit the armed forces of the United States; however, presidents have generally ignored it
In Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Iraq (twice), Kosovo, and Afghanistan, the president did
not ask Congress for a formal declaration of war
Executive Orders Formal directives that are just as strong as laws and can be
challenged in the courts Used frequently throughout American history
Executive OrdersPresidents have issued nearly 14,000 executive orders since Washington. The average number of the executive orders has declined over the past six decades because presidents are using other tools.
Executive PrivilegeThe courts have recognized that presidents have the power
to keep secrets; however, some experts argue that executive privilege has no constitutional basis
Richard Nixon and George W. Bush created controversy by invoking executive privilege
Boxes of newly released files from Richard M. Nixon's presidential
papers
United States v. Nixon - limited executive privilege
Clinton’s Attempted Use of Executive Privilege
The Structure of the PresidencyPresidential Succession:•Twentieth Amendment•Twenty-second Amendment•Twenty-fifth Amendment
* Impeachment • Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton: Charged by House, acquitted by Senate
* Resignation • Richard Nixon: Resigned while House was drafting charges
* Reelection defeat* Retirement * Death
Abuses of Executive Power and Impeachment
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Roles Assumed by the PresidentPresidents as Crisis Managers
• Emergency Powers• Executive Orders
Presidents as Morale BuildersPresidents as RecruitersPresidents as Priority and Agenda Setters
• National Security Policy• Economic Policy• Domestic Policy
Roles Assumed by the President (continue)
Presidents as Legislative and Political Coalition Builders
Presidents and the Public
Presidents as Party Leaders
Holding Presidents Accountable
Reelection and Legacy
Congress and the President
The Supreme Court and the President
The Media and the President
Public Opinion and Presidential Accountability
Judging Presidential Greatness
Presidential Greatness ۩ So many opinions.
۩ Your educated opinion counts too.
Presidential Mandates
A president’s claim of broad public support for the president or a policy issue
Depends in part on public approval, which generally falls over time
Presidents also benefit from rally points, spikes in public approval following a crisis
The Role of Presidential Popularity The public’s influence works through
Presidential popularity or unpopularity. Presidents have strong incentives to anticipate
public reactions and to do things that will please the public.
Determinants of Presidential popularity Time The economy War
• History tends to judge wars as the most significant test of a president’s leadership.
• Presidents also are judged by their ability to promote a distinctive vision of where the nation should go.
• Corruption and inability to deal with economic problems are sure paths to failure.
What makes a President successful with Congress?
Barack Obama, Democrat
DemocratsS – D, H - D
20082010
Party and ideology Foreign policy and
national security issues
Presidential vetoes
Presidential popularity
Legislative skills
Presidential Popularity
The President& Congress: Perpetual Tug-of-War
Conflict by constitutional design Separate elections Competing
constituencies Competing calendars Competing campaigns Shared powers Potential for divided
government and “gridlock”
Presidential Vetoes
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