Unit 3:
The Executive
Branch
Unit 3: The Executive Branch
Chapter 8 The Presidency
Chapter 9 Presidential
Leadership
Chapter 10 The Federal
Bureaucracy
8.1 President and Vice President
8.2 Electing the President
8.3 The Cabinet
8.4 The Executive Office
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2. Analyze purposes, organization, functions, and
principles of the Constitution of the United States and
the Bill of Rights.
7. Trace the development and impact of the media on
the political process and public opinion in the United
States.
8. Identify roles political parties play in the
functioning of the political system of the United States.
10. Identify constitutional provisions of the executive
branch of the government of the United States.
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Duties of the President
President’s Term and Salary
Presidential Qualifications
Presidential Succession
The Vice President’s Role
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Command of military
Appointment of some
federal officials
Foreign Policy
Enforcement of the
Law
Lawmaking agenda
Which of the
presidential duties are
reflected in the
pictures on the
following slides?
Obama’s State of the Union Address
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The 22nd amendment limits
presidential terms to two.
 This amendment was
created in response to
FDR’s 4 terms.
 A VP can serve up to 10
years as president if he
becomes president with
two years or less left on
his predecessor.
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Congress determines how much compensation
presidents receive.
As of 2001, presidents make $400,000 annually.
Presidents receive other benefits. Examples:
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Air Force One
Marine One
Free medical, dental, and health care
Rent free housing (The White House)
After retirement, they receive a pension of $148,400 a
year.
Presidential Qualifications
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Constitutional Requirements
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natural born citizen
at least 35 years old
resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years before taking
office
Informal Requirements
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Government experience
Importance of money
Moderate Political Beliefs
Personal Characteristics
(ethnic, economic, racial, and gender backgrounds)
Johnson’s personal characteristics helped him
“persuade” lawmakers.
What do you
consider the most
important
qualification for the
office of the
president?
 Explain.
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The 25th amendment
establishes the order of
succession for the
presidency.
It also establishes procedure
for a vacancy in the vice
presidency.
It also sets the procedure if
the president becomes
disabled.
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In 1967, why was the 25th
amendment added to the
Constitution?
President Kennedy’s
assassination helped show
that the rules for
succession were
inadequate.
Balancing the Ticket
 President of the Senate
 Advisor to the President
 Representative of the
President
 Successor to the
President
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Why have recent
presidents tried to give
their vice presidents more
responsibilities?
 To promote them as
future presidential
candidates
 To use their expertise
 To prepare them for the
highest office
Interpreting Political Cartoons Activity
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What does the father
think is the most
important
requirement to
become president?
He thinks access to
money is the most
important
.
requirement to
become president.
Interpreting Political Cartoons Activity
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Does the cartoon
make references to
any of the formal
qualifications for
the office of
president?
No.
Interpreting Political Cartoons Activity
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Do you agree with
the statement
made in the
cartoon? Why or
why not?
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The Original System
Impact of Political Parties
The Electoral College Today
Electoral College Issues
The Inauguration
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2. Analyze purposes, organization, functions, and
principles of the Constitution of the United States and
the Bill of Rights.
7. Trace the development and impact of the media on
the political process and public opinion in the United
States.
8. Identify roles political parties play in the
functioning of the political system of the United States.
10. Identify constitutional provisions of the executive
branch of the government of the United States.
8.2 Electing the President
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The Original System
Impact of Political Parties
The Electoral College
Today
Electoral College Issues
The Inauguration
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Article II, Section 1 of the
Constitution states that the
candidate with the
majority of the electoral
votes becomes president.
The candidate who comes
in second wins the vice
presidency.
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What political problem could result
from the vice president being the
second-highest electoral vote?
The vice president may be a
political foe of the president.
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The Election of 1800 was decided by the House of
Representatives.
To prevent a tie vote for president in the Electoral
College, the 12th amendment was added.
It provided that electors must cast separate ballots
for the president and vice president.
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The Electoral College is still used to
choose the president and vice president.
The College uses a winner-take-all
system.
 Maine and Nebraska are the only
exceptions.
 Electoral votes go to the candidate
receiving the largest popular vote.
Electors cast the official vote in
December.
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Should an elector be
required to vote for
the candidate who
won that state’s
popular vote? Explain.
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FYI: Faithless electors
have never changed
election results.
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In 1976, a Washington
elector voted for Ronald
Reagan although Ford had
won the state’s popular
vote.
In 2004, a Minnesota
elector voted for Jonathan
Edwards for president and
vice president.
9 other electors have
broken with custom.
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Critics claim the winner-take-all system is unfair.
It is possible for a candidate to lose the total
popular vote and win the electoral vote.
A third-party candidate could prevent any
candidate from an electoral majority.
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The House of Representatives then determines the
winner.
Suggestions to improve the electoral college have been
made.
Some believe the Electoral College should be replaced by
direct election.
Bush/Gore 2000
Bush/Kerry 2004
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How can the Electoral College be improved?
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Read pages 224-225.
Should the Electoral College Be Replaced? Create charts listing
the advantages and disadvantages of the Electoral College and of a
direct election. Evaluate your charts and decide whether they support
the Electoral College or direct election of the president. Then form two
groups accordingly. Have group members merge their charts into a
group chart showing the advantages of the system they support. Allow
each group to explain one advantage at a time and the other group to
debate that advantage until all advantages have been explained and
debated. Tally the number of students in each group and note which
system each group supported.
Concluding the Debate Hold a secret-ballot vote for the Electoral
College or for direct election, and tally the results. Compare these
totals with the total number of students in each group. Discuss the
changes in number of votes and number of group members. Ask who
originally supported one system and later voted for another to evaluate
why they changed their views.
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The new president is sworn into office in an
inauguration ceremony.
All leading officials from the three branches
attend the January 20 ceremony.
8.3 The Bureaucracy
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The Selection of the Cabinet
The Role of the Cabinet
Factors Limiting the
Cabinet’s Role
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2. Analyze purposes, organization, functions, and
principles of the Constitution of the United States and
the Bill of Rights.
7. Trace the development and impact of the media on
the political process and public opinion in the United
States.
8. Identify roles political parties play in the
functioning of the political system of the United States.
10. Identify constitutional provisions of the executive
branch of the government of the United States.
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The president selects
cabinet members
based on:
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Background
Geographical balance
Interest group relations
Administrative skills
Minority characteristics
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/cabinet
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Members are
usually college
graduates and
leaders in their field.
The Senate must
confirm
appointments.
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Members are the heads of executive departments.
The president determines the members’ roles.
Modern presidents rely less on the cabinet than their
predecessors.
Some cabinet members
form the president’s
“inner cabinet” like
the secretaries of
state, defense, and
treasury.
John Adams
Vice
President
Thomas
Jefferson
Secretary of
State
Henry Knox
Secretary of
War
George
Washington
President
Alexander
Hamilton
Secretary of
the Treasury
Edmund
Randolph
Attorney
General
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The president does not
necessarily have their
complete loyalty.
Members may disagree over
presidential policies
amongst themselves.
Secrecy among a large
cabinet is difficult.
The president may not know
the members personally.
Do you think the president should
appoint to cabinet positions people
he knows and trusts or relative
strangers who have dspecialized
expertise? Explain.
Creating a “Who’s Who” Booklet Research the people who
currently hold each executive branch position mentioned in this unit.
Write a brief paragraph about each official, providing background
information and major accomplishments while in office. Include a
picture or a drawing of each person in their “Who’s Who” booklet.
Share booklets with the class.
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Executive Office Agencies
The White House Office
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The Executive Office of the President (EOP):
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Was created in 1939.
Grown rapidly because
 Presidents add new agencies to address new
problems.
 Presidents want experts nearby to advise them
about complex issues.
 Federal programs sometimes require
coordination between different agencies.
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The Office of
Management and
Budget (OMB) is the
largest agency in the
EOP.
It prepares the national
budget that the
president submits to
Congress each year.
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The National Security
Council advises the
president on military and
foreign policy.
The Council of Economic
Advisers helps the
president develop
economic policy.
National Security Council
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The president appoints staff without Senate
confirmation.
The White House Office is the most important office of
the EOP.
The WHO staff members:
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Gather information and provide advise
Ensure executive departments and agencies
carry out the president’s policies.
Presents the president’s view to the outside world.
Deciding who and what information gets through to the
president.