Ch. 7

1. Ch. 7 The Executive Branch

2. The President’s Job: Ch. 7.2 • The President’s main job is to carry out the laws passed by Congress. • The Constitution gives the president power to veto, call Congress into special session, serve as commander-in-chief, and receive foreign officials. • The president can also make treaties, appoint judges and top government officials, and pardon convicted criminals

3. Jobs of the President • The Constitution also requires the president to give Congress an update of the nation with the “State of the Union” address. • The president discusses the most important issues facing the nation and describes new legislation he would liked passed.

4. 7 Roles of the President • Chief Executive • Chief Diplomat • Commander-in-Chief • Chief Legislator • Head of State • Economic Leader • Party Leader

5. Chief Executive • As Chief Executive, the president is in charge of 15 cabinet departments and more than 3 million government workers. • The president appoints the heads of cabinet departments and large agencies (Senate must approve) • Ex. Dept. of Defense, State Dept., Dept. of Treasury

6. Chief Executive • The president does not have any legislative powers (can not make laws), but he can issue executive orders—rules or commands that have the force of law. • Can be good for the nation—Ex. Order 9981 (1948) desegregates military • Can be detrimental to the country—Ex. Order 9066 (1942) Japanese American Internment camps

7. Chief Executive • The president can appoint federal judges, including Supreme Court justices. • This is important because the way the Supreme Court interprets laws greatly affects life in the U.S. • Most presidents will appoint justices who share views similar to their own • Influence will be felt long after they leave the White House

8. Chief Executive • Besides the power of appointment, the president does have some judicial powers. • The president can grant pardons, or declarations of forgiveness and freedom from punishment • The president can also issue a reprieve, an order to delay a person’s punishment until a higher court can hear the case. • Can also grant amnesty, a pardon toward a group of people.

9. Chief Diplomat • The president is responsible for directing foreign policy, or the country’s strategy on how we deal with foreign nations and the relationships we build • Directs the U.S. in making key decisions about how we conduct ourselves in the world

10. Commander-in-Chief • As commander-in-chief, the president is in charge of all branches of the armed forces. • Congress and the president share the power to make war. Only Congress can declare war, but only the president can order soldiers into battle.

11. Commander-in-Chief • Congress has declared war only 5 times, yet presidents have sent troops into action over 150 times. • Can potentially threaten the system of checks and balances • After the undeclared Vietnam War, Congress passed the War Powers Act. This law requires the president to notify Congress immediately when troops are sent into battle. • The troops must be brought home after 60 days unless Congress approves a longer stay or declares war.

12. Chief Legislator • Only Congress may introduce bills, but the executive branch proposes most legislation. • All presidents have a legislative program that they want Congress to pass. • The speeches they give to key members of Congress and the public is done so to build support for their programs. • The presidents’ staff works on the laws with members of Congress. Ex. Patriot Act or tax cuts

13. Chief Legislator • The president and Congress often disagree. • A main reason for that the president represents the whole nation. Congress members only represent their states or districts • Another reason is that the president can only serve two terms. Many Congress members win reelection many times and remain in office sometimes for decades. • As a result, the president often wants to move faster on programs than members of Congress do. (Status Quo v. Change)

14. Head of State • The president is the living symbol of the U.S. • As head of state, the president is responsible for hosting visiting foreign leaders and carrying out ceremonial functions. Ex. Awarding medals or throwing out the first pitch at a baseball game.

15. Economic Leader • As a country’s economic leader, it is the presidents’ job to ensure that the economy is prospering. • The president must plan the federal budget and try to deal with problems such as unemployment, rising prices (inflation), and high taxation.

16. Party Leader • The president is the face of his or her political party. • Members of the political party work hard to elect the president into office. • In return, the president gives speeches to raise campaign money and help fellow party members win political office in the Senate, House, and Governor’s seats.

17. Making Foreign Policy: Ch. 7.3 • Foreign policy is a nations’ overall plan for dealing with other nations. • There are many goals our country tries to achieve: • National Security • International Trade • Promotion of World Peace • Promotion of Human Rights and Democracy

18. Foreign Policy Bureaucracy • The Executive Branch includes a large foreign policy bureaucracy. • It includes: - State Department - Department of Defense - Central Intelligence Agency - National Security Council (NSC)

19. Congress v. the President • The president and Congress share the power to conduct foreign affairs. • The president is the chief diplomat and commander-in-chief, but Congress has the power to declare war, prohibit certain military actions, and spend or withhold money for defense.

20. Congress v. the President • The Constitution does not make clear how the executive and legislative branches can use their powers. • Because of this, the branches compete for control of foreign policy.

21. Tools of Foreign Policy Treaties and Executive Agreements • Treaties are formal agreements between the governments of two or more countries. • Some treaties, such as NATO (April 1949), are agreements among nations for mutual defense; NAFTA was made as an economic free trade agreement. • The Senate must approve a treaty by a 2/3 vote. • President can however make an executive agreement with the leader of another country without Senate approval. Deal with routine matters

22. Tools of Foreign Policy Appointing Ambassadors • An ambassador is an official representative of a country’s government. • The president appoints ambassadors, with Senate approval. • Ambassadors are only sent to countries where the U.S. accepts the government as legally in power.

23. Tools of Foreign Policy Foreign Aid • The U.S. gives foreign aid in the form of money, food, military assistance, or other supplies to help other countries. • Ex. The Marshall Plan 1947-1951 which helped rebuild Western Europe after World War II. $13 Billion total.

24. Tools of Foreign Policy International Trade • The president makes agreements with other nations about what products may be traded and the rules of trade. • Sometimes the rules include trade sanctions – efforts to punish another country by imposing trade barriers. • Another punishing tool is an embargo, an agreement among a group of nations that prohibits them all from trading with the target nation.

25. Tools of Foreign Policy • Congress takes the lead in imposing tariffs on imported goods and in joining international trade groups • One such trade group is the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

26. Tools of Foreign Policy Military Force • As commander-in chief, presidents may use the military to carry out some foreign policy decisions that could involve deploying armed forces or launching missile attacks. • Powerful tool, but must be used with care. • Ex. Iraq and Afghanistan; Vietnam

27. Ch. 7.4: Executive Office of the President • The Executive Office of the President (EOP) was created in 1939 by FDR. • Assists the President in doing his job • Includes over 2000 employees and $100 million budget • Prepares reports, drafts bills, checks the work of various executive agencies

28. White House Staff • Consists of 500 people/10-12 closest advisors to the President • Most powerful person Chief of Staff: screens the flow of information and people to the President • Press Secretary: deals with the media on behalf of the President. Updates press on the President’s position on various issues.

29. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) • Prepares the federal budget and helps the President monitor government spending • Federal budget lays out the administrations plans and goals for the upcoming year

30. National Security Council (NSC) • Helps President coordinate the military and construct foreign policy. • Includes the V.P., Sec. of State, Sec. of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and top commanders of each of the armed forces. • Forms our nations foreign policies and principles of the U.S. Supervises the CIA.

31. Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) • Contains three independent members or economists • Advise the President about economic matters: employment in the U.S., tax policy, inflation, trade with other countries, etc.

32. President’s Cabinet Depts • These are the advisers who are the heads of the 15 top level executive depts. (state, treasury, justice, defense) • Head of the Dept. of Justice is the Attorney General. All other heads will have the title of secretary.

33. Department Heads • Must be approved by the Senate • Any advise given to the President will usually be on issues related to their departments • President will determine when they meet and how much to rely on their advise.

34. The Federal Bureaucracy • The Executive Branch is shaped like a triangle. • Top down: President depts hundreds of executive agencies

35. The Federal Bureaucracy (cont.) • Departments and agencies carry out government programs in 3 ways: • Develop procedures for putting new laws into practice • Administer day-to-day operations of government • Regulate or police various governmental activities This all helps shape government policy

36. Independent agencies • Not a part of any cabinet, but still have to report out to the President • 3 types: Executive Agencies Government Corporations Regulatory Commissions

37. Executive Agencies • Deal with specialized areas of expertise • Ex. NASA, FED, NSA, FDA, EPA

38. Government Corporations • Act like private businesses but government owns and runs them. • They charge for services, but are not supposed to make a profit, all $ go back into the business • Ex. U.S. postal service

39. Regulatory Commissions • DOES NOT REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT • President appoints the head of regulatory commissions but only Congress can remove (impeach) • Protects the public by making and enforcing rules for certain industries • Ex. FCC, FAA

40. Political Appointees • Top department jobs usually go to political appointees • Employment usually ends when the President leaves office • 90% of national government employees are civil service workers

41. Political Appointees • Usually have permanent employment • Hiring is usually based on open, competitive examinations and merit. • Before 1883, hiring was based on “who you knew”

42. Spoils system • Abuse of the spoils system led to Congress passing the Pendleton Act or Civil Service Reform Act of 1883. • This established the Office of Personnel Management