1 / 19

PRESIDENT: The Executive Branch

PRESIDENT: The Executive Branch. LESSON 9. Who can be the President of the United States?. Selecting a Candidate Requirements 35 years of age Native-born citizen of United States Resident for at least 14 years. How do we nominate candidates?. Traditional Nominating Procedure

luz
Download Presentation

PRESIDENT: The Executive Branch

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. PRESIDENT:The Executive Branch LESSON 9

  2. Who can be the President of the United States? • Selecting a Candidate • Requirements • 35 years of age • Native-born citizen of United States • Resident for at least 14 years

  3. How do we nominate candidates? • Traditional Nominating Procedure • Caucus System • “KING CAUCUS”:Small group of party leaders selected candidates • Used until 1828 • Nominating Convention • Used since 1828 • Large groups of party members • More democratic

  4. How do we nominate candidates? • Nominating Procedures Today • State Conventions • Not used due to cost and time concerns • Worry that state party “bosses” would have considerable control over selecting nominees

  5. How do we nominate candidates? • Presidential Primaries & Caucuses • All states now use this procedure • Delegates chosen by primaries • Most democratic, but… • Low voter turnout • Expensive to run

  6. How do we nominate candidates? • National Conventions • Held summer before the election • “Political circus” • Purposes • Unite the party • Introduce the party platform • Nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates

  7. How do candidates get their message out to the people? • The Election Campaign • The candidate must appeal to the voters“go to the people” • Travel, dinners, speeches, TV, etc. • Campaigns cost millions of dollars • Campaign finance laws • 1972: People’s donations must be made public • 1974: Government will provide matching funds

  8. Why doesn’t the popular vote end the election? • Electoral College System • Electoral votes = • People vote for “electors for…”

  9. Why doesn’t the popular vote end the election? • The winning candidate is the one that receives the majority (plurality) of the popular votes in a state; the winner of the state receives all of the state’s electoral votes. • A candidate needs 270electoral votes to win a Presidential election. “WINNER-TAKE-ALL” SYSTEM

  10. How does the Electoral College affect Presidential elections? • Effects of the Electoral College System • Distorts the popular vote • 1980:Reagan v. Carter • 2000:Bush v. Gore • Candidate could lose small states overwhelmingly in popular vote, but carry large states by small margins • 1888:Cleveland v. Harrison • 2000:Bush v. Gore

  11. How does the Electoral College affect Presidential elections? • Discourages minor parties  only Democrats and Republicans have legitimate chance to win • Affects the way candidates campaign  focus on large states with many electoral votes and ignore small states

  12. When does the President-elect actually start their new job? • Presidential Inauguration January 20th (following Election Day)  formerly March 4th when travel was harder…

  13. How long does the President serve? • Presidential Term of Office • PRECEDENT: Two-term tradition until 1940 • 1940:Franklin Roosevelt (FDR) broke the two-term precedent  elected 4 times, but only served 3 full terms! • 1951:22nd Amendmentpassed after FDR’s death  limits President to 2 full terms or 10 years total Who set the precedent? GEORGE WASHINGTON: He refused to run for a third term in 1796…

  14. If something happens to the President, then… • Presidential Succession • Original Constitution:Vice President assumes the powers of the President for any reason (death, removal, resignation, etc.) • Presidential Succession Act (1947) • Vice President • Speaker of the House • President Pro Tempore (Senate) • Cabinet Members (starts with Secretary of State)

  15. If something happens to the President, then… • 25th Amendment (1967)Presidential Disabilities and Succession Act • Vice Presidency vacant? President nominates new VP to be approved by majority of Congress (both houses) • President disabled?Vice President shall serve as President

  16. What’s the need for the President’s “right-hand man”? • The Vice Presidency • Requirements: Same as Presidency (35/native/14) • Powers • Presides over the Senate • Votes on Senate deadlocks (50-50 ties) • Takes over for President under following conditions • Resignation • Removal • Death

  17. Who helps the President? • Presidential Advisors and Assistants • EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS: The President’s Cabinethas grown from 3 positions to 15 today

  18. Who helps the President? • PRESIDENT’S CABINET:George Washington began practice of having department heads and advisors meet with President  developed through precedent • THOMAS JEFFERSON: Secretary of State • ALEXANDER HAMILTON: Secretary of Treasury • HENRY KNOX:Secretary of War • EDMUND RANDOLPH: Attorney General

  19. How has the President expanded his power throughout history? • The Unwritten Constitution UNWRITTEN CONSTITUTION: Concepts not specifically written in the Constitution, but developed through precedent and time • The President’s “elastic clause”:Events and laws that result from Presidential action (ex: Louisiana Purchase) • Cabinet • Political parties

More Related