1 / 42

The Presidency

The Presidency. Article II. Original Intent. The framers created a presidency of limited powers that would stay clear of parties and factions. enforce laws passed by Congress handle foreign relations enforce peace and order

nessa
Download Presentation

The Presidency

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. The Presidency Article II

  2. Original Intent • The framers created a presidency of limited powers that would stay clear of parties and factions. • enforce laws passed by Congress • handle foreign relations • enforce peace and order • Strong enough to balance Congress but not strong enough to overpower Congress. • combined the ceremonial head of the nation with the chief executive of government • Four year term with no limits.

  3. Checks on Presidential Power • Checks and Balances to make sure president did not acquire too much power. • Independent from the legislature, but would still share power with Congress. • The two branches would have to cooperate and consult with one another. • appointments had to be ratified • could override a veto • had to ratify treaties • appropriations start with Congress

  4. Divided Powers • The Framers intentionally set up President and Congress for conflict • Elected by different constituencies • checks and balances require that they compromise. • Policy changes and leadership can come from both the legislature and the president. • To succeed, President must work with Congress. Thus, must share credit. • System set up to require compromise.

  5. Presidential Power • The power an individual president depends on a number of factors • character and energy • needs of the time • party balance in Congress • values and desires of the citizens • challenges of current events.

  6. Growth of Presidential Power • The power the president has in fact has steadily grown through history • Most of those who have been noted as great presidents have extended presidential power. • Once extended it is hard to get it back. • Washington • Lincoln • Jackson • both Roosevelts

  7. Reasons Presidential Power Has Expanded • Congress has delegated power to the president in times of emergency • Supreme Court has looked favorably on expansive powers for the President. • Growing threat of war • The Media favors presidential power • Growth of federal role in social and economic matters

  8. Formal Qualifications • The Supreme Court sets out very sparse qualifications for the president. • 35 • Natural born citizen • Lived in the United States for 14 years (need not be continuous) • Oldest and Youngest Presidents

  9. Informal Qualifications • Polls indicate that _________is the most important factor • Honesty and Integrity • Private character vs. public character • Other important qualifications: • Courage • Experience • Political Savvy • A Sense of History and Constitutionalism • Vision • Listening and teaching skills • Communication skills • Moral-Building skills.

  10. The Job Of The President • The Constitutional and subsequent laws give the president responsibility in a number of areas: • chief executive of the bureaucracy • nominate and appoint key officials • implement and enforce laws • sign or veto laws • negotiate treaties • recognize foreign nations • serve as commander in chief • serve as chief of state • pardon or grant clemency • propose an annual budge • develop policies

  11. Informal Job DutiesCrisis Manager • Commander in Chief • Civilian Control of Military • Congress often cedes authority to the President during a crisis • Changing Role of US Military • Undeclared Wars

  12. Informal Job DutiesPresident as Morale Builder • President is the symbolic head of state • President as national spokesman, motivator and inspirational leader. • Radiate national self confidence; • instill a sense of pride • lead national mourning • bring out the best in the nation

  13. Informal Job DutiesPresidents as Recruiters • President must bring in good people to serve in Government. • President typically makes over 4000 appointments. • Factors in selecting • Reward supporters • Send message regarding priorities and policies • Forge ties within the party. • Forge ties with Congress by appointing one of their own. John Ashcroft

  14. Informal Job DutiesPresidents as Recruiters • Recruiting good people getting more difficult • Ethics in Government Act of 1978 • Much lower pay than the private sector, and cost of living in Washington is high • Take a great deal of grief • Often must settle for a second or third choice • Appointees often don’t serve for a full four-year term. • Many vacancies below cabinet head level

  15. Informal Job DutiesPresidents as Priority Setters • President has an important role to play in setting the national agenda. • State of the Union Speech. • One of the ways in which the president has increased in power. • Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson • Presidents punished by the voters when they fail to lead in setting the agenda.

  16. National Security Policy • The Constitution gives the president a great deal of leeway in setting foreign policy. • President has command of the two major instruments of foreign policy—diplomatic corps and armed forces. • Also power to negotiate treaties. • Supreme Court has ruled that the President is the sole organ for handling foreign relations within the confines of the Constitution. (United States v. Curtiss-Wright)

  17. Economic Policy • No Constitutional authority over economic policy • Exercised power ever since New Deal. • Works to keep unemployment low, fight inflation, keep taxes down and promote economic growth. • Presidents held responsible for economy Presidents rely upon • Sec. of Treasury • Council of Eco advisors • Director of Office of Management and Budget.

  18. Domestic Policy • President must be a leader in recognizing domestic issues, finding solutions to them and leading the nation so that has support • Civil Rights, Medical Care, Social Security

  19. Presidents as Coalition Builders • The President must work well with Congress behind the scenes to build coalitions and support for his policies. • May be the most important skill a president can have. • President’s power to command is limited, so the president must be able to persuade and bargain. • No permanent enemies or friends. • President has potent bargaining chips • patronage • defense contracts • federal spending • support for a Congressman’s pet bill • Presidents are best at arm twisting indirectly

  20. Presidents and Public Opinion • Presidents pay close attention to public opinion. • Presidents can’t afford to take actions or propose policies that are too far from public opinion. • Public opinion and popularity of president is very fickle.

  21. Bush and Public Opinion

  22. Media Relations • Presidents use media to shape public opinion. • President’s goals and media’s goals conflict. • Presidents work to cultivate the media. • Presidents have staff devoted to media relations • Presidents have looked for avenues to bypass traditional media. • Media is much more aggressive with politicians than they used to be.

  23. Presidents as Party Leaders • The President is leader of the party. • Strength of that leadership is dependent on the strength of the president. • Weak presidents have a harder time controlling their party and this increases their ineffectiveness.

  24. Presidents as Administrators • President is charged by the Constitution with ensuring that the laws are faithfully executed. • Must rely on subordinates. • Administrative agencies created by Congress to handle governmental business • President is boss in chief over everyone in the executive branch.

  25. The White House Staff • The President increasingly has come to rely upon staff. More loyal and reliable than cabinet. Why? • Must be careful not to rely too much on staff • Staff today numbers about 400. • Staff have 6 primary functions • domestic policy • economic policy • national security or foreign policy • administration and personnel matters • congressional relations • public relations. Josh Bolton, White House Chief of Staff

  26. Institutionalized Executive Office • The Executive Office of the President was created in 1939 at the recommendation of FDR. • Purpose: help the president carry out the growing responsibilities of the office, especially those caused by the great depression. • Made up of: • Office of Management and Budget • Council of Economic Advisors • Other support groups

  27. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) • OMB is the central presidential staff agency. • Director advises the president in detail about the numerous other governmental agencies. • how much funding each should have. • how well each is performing • clears all agency policy recommendations before passed on to President • Prepares budget President submits to Congress • Is a central watch-dog over all agencies to make sure that they stay on the same game-plan with the President.

  28. The Cabinet • Cabinet: Presidents central advisors. • Typically defined as the head of the 15 executive departments, Vice-President and others. • Some presidents will treat others as “cabinet level” • Cabinet is not mentioned in the Constitution, but was established by Washington. • Selection of Cabinet sets the tone for the President’s new administration.

  29. Cabinet • Use of the cabinet has varied from President to President. • President is not required to meet with them. • Often tension between the president’s staff and cabinet members. • Why? • Staff and sometimes presidents begin to discount advice of department heads • Kitchen Cabinet

  30. Presidential Succession • Article II, Section 1 makes the Vice President first in the line of succession • Presidential Succession Act of 1947 • Sec. of State • Pres. Pro Tempore • Cabinet in order offices created • Never gotten below the VP • Surprising • Unlikely now with 25th Amendment.

  31. The Constitution and Succession • VP automatically takes over as president if Pres. dies, resigns or is removed from office. • John Tyler and the 25th Amendment

  32. Vice Presidency • One-in-five Vice Presidents have become President because of death or resignation. • Five of our last 11 presidents have been vice presidents at some point. • Humphrey, Mondale and Gore were nominated by their parties. • Vice Presidency is a much more important stepping-stone to the presidency than it once was.

  33. The Vice Presidency • The VP has only three formal duties: • Preside over the senate • break ties, • help decide questions of presidential disability. • VP has filled unexpired terms nine times. 4 assassinations, 4 deaths, 1 resignation. • Some have been disasters—Tyler, Andrew Johnson • Some have been surprise successes—T. Roosevelt, Truman, Chester Arthur.

  34. THE VICE-PRESIDENT • President define VPs other duties. • Historically, the VP played a very limited role. • Reasons: • Often selected to balance the ticket had views different from the president. • VP was often a former rival; not trusted. • Presidents have been hesitant to share power. • VP can’t be fired, thus hard for the president to control.

  35. History of the VP • A dead-end job • a way to get rid of troublesome politicians. • Some dreadful VPs. • VP was often selected for political reasons • VP’s were often jettisoned between elections • Historically, VPs have had little direct involvement in government. • Why?

  36. Changing VP • Last two VPs have had a larger role in government. • Prior to 1944 Van Buren was the last VP to become President without benefit of president dying. 1836. • Since 1944, Truman, Nixon, Johnson, Bush all former VPs who won on their own. • Gore, Humphrey, Mondale all former VPs who got party nomination. • In modern politics VP has become a stepping-stone to presidency. • Reasons?

  37. Twenty-Fifth Amendment • VP is president in fact upon death of President. • Filling VP vacancy • Ford, Nelson Rockefeller. • Majority of both houses

  38. 25th AmendmentPresidential Disability • Voluntary Disability • Involuntary Disability • VP and Majority of Cabinet • 2/3 of both Houses

  39. Keeping Presidents Accountable • Reelection and Legacy • Congress • Supreme Court • Media • Public Opinion • Presidents and Public Approval Rating

More Related