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Understanding the President's Roles and Responsibilities: Chief of State, Chief Executive, Chief Administrator, Chief Di

This article explores the various roles of the President, including being the Chief of State, Chief Executive, Chief Administrator, Chief Diplomat, Commander in Chief, Chief Legislator, Chief of the Party, and Chief Citizen. It also discusses the qualifications, term limits, pay, benefits, succession, and the role of the Vice President.

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Understanding the President's Roles and Responsibilities: Chief of State, Chief Executive, Chief Administrator, Chief Di

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  1. Hail to the Chief(TPS: Define the president’s roles) Chief of State Chief Executive Chief Administrator Chief Diplomat Commander In Chief Chief Legislator Chief of the party Chief citizen

  2. The President’s Roles Chief of State • 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 • The Constitution vests the President with the executive power of the United States, making him or her the nation’s chief executive. Chief Administrator • The President is the chief administrator, or director, of the United States government. Chief Diplomat • 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. 2 3 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 1

  3. More Roles of the President Commander in Chief • The Constitution makes the President the commander in chief, giving him or her complete control of the nation’s armed forces. Chief Legislator • The President is the chief legislator,the main architect of the nation’s public policies. Chief of Party • The President acts as the chief of party,the acknowledged leader of the political party that controls the executive branch. Chief Citizen • The President is expected to be “the representative of all the people.” 2 3 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 1

  4. Qualifications for President Article II, Section 1, Clause 5, of the Constitution says that the President must: 2 3 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 1

  5. The President’s Term • Until 1951, the Constitution placed no limit on the number of terms a President might serve. • Traditionally, Presidents limited the number of terms served to two. This tradition was broken by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940 when he ran for and won a third term in office. He then went on to be elected to a fourth term in 1944. • The 22nd Amendment placed limits on presidential terms. A President now may not be elected more than twice or only once if they became President due to succession…Was this a good Idea? 2 3 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 1

  6. The President’s pay was first set at $25,000 a year. Currently, the President is paid $400,000 a year. Congress has also approved an expense allowance for the President, which is currently $50,000 a year. Besides monetary benefits, the President gets to live in the 132-room mansion that we call the White House. The President is also granted other benefits, including a large suite of offices, a staff, the use of Air Force One, and many other fringe benefits. Pay and Benefits Congress determines the President’s salary, and this salary cannot be changed during a presidential term. 2 3 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 1

  7. S E C T I O N 2Presidential Succession and the Vice Presidency • How does the Constitution provide for presidential succession? • What are the constitutional provisions for presidential disability? • What is the role of the Vice President? 1 3 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 2

  8. The Constitution and Succession: 25th Amendment • Presidential succession is the plan by which a presidential vacancy is filled. • The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, made it clear that the Vice President will become President if the President is removed from office. • The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 set the order of succession following the Vice President. 1 3 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 2

  9. Presidential Disability • Sections 3 and 4 of the 25th Amendment provide procedures to follow when the President is disabled. • The Vice President is to become acting President if (1) the President informs Congress, in writing, “that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office,” or (2) the Vice President and a majority of the members of the Cabinet inform Congress, in writing, that the President is thus incapacitated. 1 3 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 2

  10. The Vice Presidency • The Constitution only gives the Vice President two duties besides becoming President if the President is removed from office: 1) to preside over the Senate, and 2) to help decide the question of presidential disability. • If the office of Vice President becomes vacant, the President nominates a new Vice President subject to the approval of Congress. • Today, the Vice President often performs diplomatic and political chores for the President. 1 3 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 2

  11. Into the Oval Office 1 3 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 2

  12. Choosing a VP • What are the possible consequences of the practice of choosing a VP to “Balance the ticket?” • The president cannot fire the Vice President, no matter what the circumstances. (#6,p.363) • Why is this the case? • What might be the consequences if this were not the case?

  13. Choosing the VP Read the “Close Up” feature on page 364. Respond to questions 1-3 Do you support or refute Garraty’s suggestions.

  14. The Founders’ Great Mistake • Why does Epps assert that, “The wonder is not that they got so much wrong, but that they got anything right at all.” • Why did the founders’ leave so much about the executive branch up for interpretation? Why so vague? • Why did Madison think that it, “…would rarely if ever happen that the executive constituted as ours is proposed to be would have firmness enough to resist the legislature?” • What was Hamilton’s plan for the presidency? How did his view of presidential power contrast with his view of legislative power? (left column, last paragraph, p.59) • Why did Madison argue for a system of state electors (electoral college) rather than direct (popular) vote? • What does Epps mean by “the runaway presidency?” Why do we accept it? Should we accept it?

  15. S E C T I O N 3Presidential Selection: The Framers’ Plan • What were the Framers’ original provisions for choosing the President? • How did the rise of political parties change the original provisions set out in the Constitution? 1 2 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 3

  16. Presidential Selection: Why not…? • …have congress select the president and vice president? • …elect the president and vice president with the popular vote? 1 2 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 3

  17. Original Provisions • According to the Constitution, the President and Vice President are chosen by a special body of presidential electors. • Originally, these electors each cast two electoral votes,each for a different candidate. The candidate with the most votes would become President, and the candidate with the second highest total would become Vice President. 1 2 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 3

  18. The Rise of Parties • The electoral college is the group of people (electors) chosen from each State and the District of Columbia that formally selects the President and Vice President. With the rise of political parties in 1796, flaws began to be seen in the system. 1 2 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 3

  19. The 12th Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1804 following the election of 1800. The major change in the electoral college made by the amendment was that each elector would distinctly cast one electoral vote for President and one for Vice President. The 12th Amendment 1 2 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 3

  20. The Rise of Parties • The election of 1800 led to three (make that 4) changes that persist to today. • 1 Party nomination of candidates • 2 Party nomination of electors • 3 no more free agents* • (4 the 12th amendment) * there have been 9 “faithless electors” in the modern era 1 2 4 5 Chapter 13, Section 3

  21. How are electors chosen? • In Wisconsin electors are chosen by the political parties state legislative candidates and state officers • 2012, Wisconsin: 10 Electors. Population 2010 census: 5,363,675. 1,677,211 popular votes cast for electors pledged to Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

  22. Presidential Selection In the United States, the election process occurs in two steps: 1. Nomination, in which the field of candidates is narrowed 2. General election, the regularly scheduled election where voters make the final choice of officeholder 2 3 Chapter 7, Section 1

  23. Presidential Selection • Stage 1: Caucuses & Primaries • The Battle for the Party Faithful • Stage 2: Nominating Conventions • “Glorified Infomercials?” • Stage 3: General Election • The Fight for the Center • Stage 4: Electoral College • Power to the People?

  24. Three Ways to Nominate 2 3 Chapter 7, Section 1

  25. Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions Types of Direct Primaries Methods of Selecting Delegates Caucus – Closed meeting of party members in each state in which delegates select the party’s choice for presidential candidate Primary Election – special election in which voters select candidates to be the party’s nominee for president in the general election. Advantages and disadvantages? Nonpartisan Primary Candidates are not identified by party labels Runoff Primary If a required majority is not met, the two people with the most votes run again Closed Primary Only declared party members can vote. Open Primary Any qualified voter can take part.

  26. Primaries Across the United States 2 3 Chapter 7, Section 1

  27. S E C T I O N 2Elections • How does the administration of elections in the United States make democracy work? • What role do precincts and polling places play in the election process? • In what ways can voters cast their ballots? • What role do voting machines and other innovations play in the election process? 1 3 Chapter 7, Section 2

  28. Congress has the power to set the time, place, and manner of congressional and presidential elections. Congress has chosen the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every even-numbered year for congressional elections, with the presidential election being held the same day every fourth year. States determine the details of the election of thousands of State and local officials. Most States provide for absentee voting, for voters who are unable to get to their regular polling places on election day. Some States within the last few years have started to allow voting a few days before election day to increase voter participation. The Administration of Elections Elections are primarily regulated by State law, but there are some overreaching federal regulations. 1 3 Chapter 7, Section 2

  29. Precincts A precinctis a voting district. Precincts are the smallest geographic units used to carry out elections. A precinct election board supervises the voting process in each precinct. Polling Places A polling place is where the voters who live in a precinct go to vote. It is located in or near each precinct. Polling places are supposed to be located conveniently for voters. Precincts and Polling Places 1 3 Chapter 7, Section 2

  30. Casting the Ballot • Voting was initially done orally. It was considered “manly” to speak out your vote without fear of reprisal. • Paper ballots began to be used in the mid-1800s. At first, people provided their own ballots. Then, political machines began to take advantage of the flexibility of the process to intimidate, buy, or manufacture votes. • In the late 1800s, ballot reforms cleaned up ballot fraud by supplying standardized, accurate ballots and mandating that voting be secret. History of the Ballot 1 3 Chapter 7, Section 2

  31. Office-Group and Party-Column Ballots 1 3 Chapter 7, Section 2

  32. Voting Machines and Innovations • Electronic vote counting has been in use since the 1960s. Punch-card ballots are often used to cast votes. • Vote-by-mail elections have come into use in recent years. • Online voting is a trend that may be encountered in the near future. 1 3 Chapter 7, Section 2

  33. The Electoral College • 1. Identify and explain 4 reasons for the creation of the electoral college. • 2. Identify the problems with the electoral college. • 3. Identify and explain arguments for and against elimination of the electoral college. • 4. Assess four possible reforms to the electoral college.

  34. Voters do not vote directly for the President. Instead, they vote for electors in the electoral college. On January 6, the electoral votes cast are counted by the president of the Senate, and the President and Vice President are formally elected. If no candidate wins a majority of electoral votes (270), the election is thrown into the House of Representatives. The Electoral College Today • All States, except two (Maine and Nebraska), select electors based on the winner of the popular vote in that State. • Electors then meet in the State capitals on the Monday after the second Wednesday in December and cast their votes for President and Vice President. 1 2 3 4 Chapter 13, Section 5

  35. Flaws in the Electoral College • There are three major defects in the electoral college: (1) It is possible to win the popular vote in the presidential election, but lose the electoral college vote. This has happened four times in U.S. history (1824, 1876, 1888, and 2000). (2) Nothing in the Constitution, nor in any federal statute, requires the electors to vote for the candidate favored by the popular vote in their State. (3) If no candidate gains a majority in the electoral college, the election is thrown into the House, a situation that has happened twice (1800 and 1824). In this process, each State is given one vote, meaning that States with smaller populations wield the same power as those with larger populations. 1 2 3 4 Chapter 13, Section 5

  36. In the district plan, electors would be chosen the same way members of Congress are selected: each congressional district would select one elector (just as they select representatives), and two electors would be selected based on the overall popular vote in a State (just as senators are selected). A commonly heard reform suggests that the electoral college be done away with altogether in favor of direct popular election. At the polls, voters would vote directly for the President and Vice President instead of electors. Proposed Reforms • The proportional plan suggests that each candidate would receive the same share of a State’s electoral vote as he or she received in the State’s popular vote. • The national bonus plan would automatically offer the winner of the popular vote 102 electoral votes in addition to the other electoral votes he or she might gain. 1 2 3 4 Chapter 13, Section 5

  37. Small group act: (pp. 382 - 384) In your group discuss and choose 1 of the four electoral reforms outlined: The District Plan The Proportional Plan The Direct Popular Election Plan The National Bonus Plan Explain (in writing) your rationale for this choice as well as how you will convince 3/4 of the states (most importantly the small states) to agree with it (remember, such a change will require a constitutional amendment) Electoral College Reform 1 2 3 4 Chapter 13, Section 5

  38. Sources of Funding Private and Public Sources of Campaign Money Nonparty groups such as PACs Small contributors Temporary fund-raising organizations Wealthy supporters • 2008 Candidates Government subsidies 1 2 Chapter 7, Section 3

  39. S E C T I O N 3Money and Elections • What are the issues raised by campaign spending? • What are the various sources of campaign funding? • How do federal laws regulate campaign finance? • What role does the Federal Election Commission have in enforcing campaign finance laws? • What loopholes exist in today’s campaign finance laws? 1 2 Chapter 7, Section 3

  40. The Federal Election Commission The Federal Election Commission (FEC) enforces: • the timely disclosure of campaign finance information • 2.limits on campaign contributions. • Individuals, PACS (segregated fund committees, and unconnected committees) 3. limits on campaign expenditures. • Buckley v. Valeo, • provisions for public funding of presidential campaigns… • Hard money, Soft Money and the BCRA (McCain/Feingold). 1 2 Chapter 7, Section 3

  41. Loopholes in the Law “More loophole than law…” —Lyndon Johnson • Citizens United • Video Clip 1 2 Chapter 7, Section 3

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