Chapter 3 Gov Test on the President
Line of succession for president
vice president, speaker of the house, president pro tempore of the Senate, secretary of state, secretary of treasury
Expanding Power of President (FDR)
was elected four times to the presidency, led the nation through the crises of the GREAT DEPRESSION and WORLD WAR II. Roosevelt gained power through his New Deal programs to regulate the economy, and the war required that he lead the country in foreign affairs as well. Order 9066 - Japanese internment camps
Presidential Succession Act
A 1947 law enacted by Congress that provides for the filing of any simultaneous vacancy of the presidency and VP.
Qualifications to be President
A Natural born citizen of the US, At Least 35 years old, and A resident of the US for 14 years or longer.
Leader of Party
A Role of the President. Being the face of the executive branch.
Executive Office of the President (EOP)
A mini-bureaucracy created in 1939 to help the president oversee the executive branch of the bureaucracy.
League of Nations
A multilateral diplomatic organization that existed from 1920-46 that sought, unsuccessfully, to prevent future wars, the US never joined.
Shaper of Public Policy
A role of the President, can't make laws, but can use the media and their popularity to influence legislation/laws that they won't pass
Chief of state
A role of the President, the titular head of a nation as distinct from the head of the government. Acts as the symbolic leader of the country.
Watergate
A scandal in the 1970's involving a break-in at the Democratic National Committee offices in the watergate office complex. The involvement of members of the Nixon administration and subsequent cover-up attempts led to President Nixon's resignation from office and jail sentences for some members of his administration.
Executive Agreements
Formal international agreements entered into by the president that do not require the advice and consent of the US senate. (Sneaky)
Veto
Given by the Framers to the president, it is the formal, constitutional authority of the president to reject bills passed by both houses of Congress, thus preventing them from becoming law without further congressional action. ⅔ of Congress can override a veto.
Shaper of Public Policy
Implements initiatives and creates necessary programs and is held responsible for results.
Executive Agreements
(No role from the Senate), a formal international agreement entered into by the president that do not require the advice and consent of the senate.
Expanding Power of President (Wilson)
(Truman - order to integrate armed forces)
Requirements to be President
- one must be 35 years of age, a resident "within the United States" for 14 years, and a "natural born Citizen," a term not defined in the Constitution.
Executive Office of the President
-established in 1939 to oversee New Deal programs -has been greatly expanded and parts of it now are really the key policy makers of an administration -includes National Security Council, the Council of Economic Advisers, the Office of Management and Budget National Security Council - started in 1947 to advise the President on American military affairs and foreign policy. Made up of President, VP, Secretaries of State, Defense, and Treasury. Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and CIA director also take part.
First Lady
-informal advisor of the President -well known = Edith Wilson when Woodrow partially paralyzed in 1919, Eleanor Roosevelt actually wrote a newspaper column and after FDR's death ended up being US delegate to the UN, Michelle Obama focused on health and physical fitness, Laura Bush on reading, and Hillary Clinton on health care
President
The chief executive officer of the US, established by Article ll of the US constitution.
White House Staff
-several hundred people -typically have a Chief of Staff (John Kelly now) whose purpose is to make sure the executive branch runs as smoothly as possible
Strengthening Power of President (Lincoln)
ABRAHAM LINCOLN assumed powers that no President before him had claimed, partly because of the emergency created by the Civil War (1861-1865). He suspended HABEAS CORPUS (the right to an appearance in court), and jailed people suspected of disloyalty. He ignored Congress by expanding the size of the army and ordering blockades of southern ports without the consent of Congress.
22nd Amendment
Adopted in 1951; it prevents presidents from serving more than 2 terms, or more than ten years if they came to office via the death, registration, or removal of the predecessor. (In response to FDR serving for more than 8 years, bad for the country)
25th Amendment
Adopted in 1967 to establish procedures for filing cancenties in the office of president and VP as well as providing for procedures to deal with the disability of a president.
Pardon
An executive grant providing restoration of all rights and privileges of citizenship to a specific individual charged with or convicted of a crime. (Not checked).
Executive Privilege
An implied Presidential power that allows the President to refuse to disclose information regarding confidential conversations or national security to congress or the judiciary.
Executive Power
An implied presidential power that allows the President to refuse to disclose information regarding confidential conversations or national security to Congress or the judiciary.
Vice President
An officer created by Article ll of the US constitution to preside over the US Senate and to fill any vacancy in the office of the president due to death, registration, or disability. Framers did not respect the position well.
Key Player - Legislative Process
Another role of the President, sign bills and uses position to influence, ex: wanting the repeal of Obama care.
Presidential Powers
Appointment power (also power to remove) (confirmed by Senate) Convene Congress Make Treaties Veto Pardon (only power that has no check by other branches)
Powers of the President
Appointment power, convene a congress, make treaties, veto, pardon.
Roles of the President
Chief law enforcer, leader of the party, commander in cheif, shaper of the public policy, a key player in legislation power, chief of state.
Checks on the President
Congress can impeach and remove the president w/ Chief Justice presiding over the trial. Presidential vetoes can be overwritten by two thirds majority in each house of Congress - president does not have absolute veto power, Congress can pass a law that overturns an executive order, and the Supreme Court can rule an executive action as unconstitutional. Only Congress can declare war or appropriate funding. The ability exists for a president to be either strong or weak, or a mix of the two.
Impeachment
Majority of the House and ⅔ of the Senate. A formal accusation of wrongdoing against a public official. According to the United States Constitution, the House of Representatives can vote to do this to an official, but the Senate actually tries the case.
Signing statement
Occasional written comments attached to a bill signed by the president.
Inherent Powers
Powers that belong to the president because they can be inferred from the Constitution.
Woodword Interview
President Obama had poor relationship with chief of staff (Admiral Mullen David Petraeus) Refused to give Obama more than one option (send 40,000 troops to Afghanistan when they could only send 20,000)
Power to Convene Congress
President can force either or both houses to convene in cases of "Extraordinary occasions".
Line item veto
Presidential power to strike, or remove, specific items from a spending bill without vetoing the entire package; declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Decision making process of president
Presidents use Congress, their cabinet, political advisors, agency bureaucrats, the court system, their political parties, interest groups and others to help guide presidential decisions.
Presidential approval
Refers to the degree to which the American public as a whole approves the way the President is performing his responsibilities as the nation's leader.
Executive order
Rule or regulation issued by the president that has the effect of law. All executive orders must be published in the Federal Register.
Executive orders
Ruler of regulation issued by the president that has the effect of law. These orders have to be published in the federal register.
US vs Nixon (1974)
Supreme Court ruling on power of the president, holding that no absolute constitutional executive privilege allows a president to refuse to comply with a court order to produce information needed in a criminal trial.
Appointment Power
The President has the power to either remove or appoint officials, with the Senate's confirmation.
Chief Law Enforcer
The President is the country's position. The President also plays a judicial role at the end of the law enforcement process, through the power to pardon.
Going Public
they attempt to influence the decisions, actions, and opinions of others through speechmaking and other public engagement.
First Lady
The designation provided to the wife of the president or, at the state level, of a governor; no specific analogue exists for a male spouse. Have their own projects
Cabinet
The formal body of presidential advisors who head the 15 executive departments. Presidents add others to this body of formal advisors. Used to help the President make decisions and executive laws.
Office of Management and Budget
The office that prepares the president's annual budget proposal, reviews the budget and programs of the executive departments, supplies economic forecasts, and conducts detailed analysis of proposed bills and agency rules.
Commander in Chief
The role of the president as supreme commander of the military forces of the United States and of the state National Guard units when they are called into federal service.
Bully Pulpit
The view that a major power of the presidency, abelt not one prescribed by the Constitution, is to draw attention to and generate support for particular positions. A stage where a President can get clout.
Presidential Line of Succession
VP, Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore of the senate, Secretary of state, and then secretary of the treasury.
Pardoning Power
a president's authority to release or excuse a person from the legal penalties of a crime without a check from anyone.
What presidents expanded the power of the office?
early on Washington and Jefferson (expanded presidential role in legislative process - example Louisiana Purchase). Washington stepped down after 2 terms in hopes of establishing a precedent for time in office. Washington used militia from four states to put down Whiskey Rebellion after some western PA farmers protested federal tax on liquor. He established the authority of executive branch to collect taxes. He also started meeting with his advisors on a regular basis (starting cabinet system). He also established his authority to make foreign treaties. He also stayed neutral when British and French at war. The idea of inherent powers, powers that can be inferred from the Constitution from Jefferson to FDR Congress was the more powerful. Not much expansion of powers. Citizens felt much more connected to their representatives than to the president. Jackson expanded the electorate (people loved him / utilized veto power), Lincoln fought the Civil War (ignoring Congress as he moved toward that war). Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson expanded powers a bit. Creation of New Deal. Govt spending to get economy going. Effect of "fireside chats" Since FDR, presidency has become very powerful -Growth of federal bureaucracy -leading role for president with foreign policy and legislation -advent of technology and its use (radio, tv, internet and social media)
War power resolution
is a federal law intended to check the president's power to commit the United States to an armed conflict without the consent of the U.S. Congress.
The Cabinet
no official basis in the Constitution (implied by Article II Section 2). It is an advisory group selected by the president that heads major executive departments. VP not part of Cabinet, but recent presidents usually have their VPs at Cabinet mtgs. -function is to help the president execute the laws and advise him (as much as President wants advice) in making decisions -how influential they are varies by president and by executive department
Presidents usually do not fire ________ because it looks weak
nominations
Power to Make Treaties
president's power to make international agreements that must be confirmed by 2/3 of Senate.
Veto Power
presidential power to stop a bill from becoming a law by rejecting it can be overturned by 2/3's vote of Congress
Vice President
presidential ticket balance - power depends on how much President allows them to do - John Adams - "the most insignificant office that was the invention of man..."
Joint Chiefs of Staff
the chiefs of staff of the US Army and Air Force, the commandant of the US Marine Corps, and the chief of US Naval Operations. This group's chairman, selected from one of the branches, is the highest-ranking military adviser to the president of the US.
Commuted sentence
the power of a chief executive to reduce the prison time served by a convicted criminal
Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer (1952)
the president does not have the authority to seize private steel mills even in wartime (Truman during Korean War)
