presidential roles and powers
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Presidential Roles and Powers. Formal Powers of the President. Constitutional or expressed powers of the presidency Found primarily in Article II of the Constitution (the Executive Article ). - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Presidential Roles and Powers
Formal Powers of the President
Constitutional or expressed powers of the presidency
Found primarily in Article II of the Constitution (the Executive Article)
Head of State
Queen Elizabeth and President Reagan, 1983
President Kennedy speaks at Berlin Wall, 1963
The President is chief of state. This means he is the ceremonial head of the government of the United States, the symbol of all the people of the nation.
Chief Executive
President Bush holds cabinet meeting in October, 2005
President Clinton with Janet Reno, the first female Attorney General,
February, 1993
The Constitution vests the President with the executive power of the United States, making him or her the nation’s chief executive.
Formal Powers: Chief Executive
“Faithfully execute” the lawsGrant pardons for federal offenses except for
cases of impeachmentNominate judges of the Supreme Court and
all other officers of the U.S. with consent of the Senate
Fill vacancies that may happen during recess of the Senate (recess appointments)
Commander-in-Chief
President Bush aboard U.S.S. Lincoln, May, 2003
President Johnson decorates a soldier in Vietnam, October, 1966
The Constitution makes the President the commander in chief, giving him or her complete control of the nation’s armed forces.
Formal Powers: Commander-in-Chief
Commander in Chief of the Army & NavyMaking undeclared war
Limited by War Powers Act 1973President must inform congress within 24
hours of troops being used for combat President can commit troops for more 90
days without consent of congress
Chief Legislator
President Clinton delivers the State of the Union Address, 1997
President Roosevelt signs into law the Social Security Act, 1935
The President is the chief legislator, the main architect of the nation’s public policies.
Formal Powers:Chief Legislator
Give State of the Union address to Congress
Recommend “measures” to the CongressUpon “extraordinary occasions” convene
both houses of Congress
Formal Powers:Chief Legislator (cont.)
Presidential Veto Veto Message within 10 days of passing the House of
originPocket Veto - President does not sign within 10 daysCongress can override with 2/3 majority from both
HousesVeto Politics
Congressional override is difficult (only 4%)Threat of veto can cause Congress to make changes in
legislation
Political Party Leader
President Reagan & Vice-President Bush accepting their party’s nomination in 1980
The President acts as the chief of party, the acknowledged leader of the political party that controls the executive branch.
Chief Administrator
Vice-President Johnson sworn in aboard Air Force One
after President Kennedy’s assassination, 1963
President Bush at Ground Zero after 9-11
The President is the chief administrator, or director, of the United States government.
Chief Diplomat
President Lincoln during the Civil War, 1862
President Roosevelt and the “Bully Pulpit,” 1910
As the nation’s chief diplomat, the President is the main architect of American foreign policy and chief spokesperson to the rest of the world.
Formal Powers:Foreign Affairs
Appoint ambassadors, ministers and consuls
Make treaties subject to Senate confirmation
Receive ambassadorsDiplomatic Recognition – acknowledging
the legal existence of a country/state
Chief CitizenThe President is expected to be “the representative of all the people.”
Informal PowersThose powers not explicitly written in the
Constitution Similar to “necessary and proper” powers of
CongressIn the modern era (since 1933), the President’s
informal powers may be significantly more powerful than his formal powers
Executive OrdersOrders issued by the
President that carry the force of law
Clinton’s “Don’t ask don’t tell” gays in the military policy
FDR’s internment of Japanese Americans
GWB trying suspected terrorists in military tribunals
Notice for Japanese “relocation,” 1942
Executive Agreements
International agreements, usually related to trade, made by a president that has the force of a treaty; does NOT need Senate approval
Jefferson’s purchase of Louisiana in 1803 • GWB announced cuts in
the nuclear arsenal, but not in a treaty; usually trade agreements between
US and other nations
Executive PrivilegeClaim by a president that he has the right to decide
that the national interest will be better served if certain information is withheld from the public, including the Courts and Congress
• United States v. Nixon (1973) – presidents do NOT have unqualified executive privilege (Nixon Watergate tapes)