Unit 4: The Presidency
Notes on Chapter 8
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Qualifications of the President and
Vice President
• 35 years old
• Born in the U.S.
• Lived in the U.S. for 14 years
Know this guy.
President’s salary and benefits
• Congress raised the president’s salary
(beginning in 2001) to $400,000/year +
$100,000 in travel allowance.
• For travel, Air Force One, helicopters, and
bullet proof limos are provided.
• Free room and board at the White House, free
medical, dental, and health care
• Pension of 148k/year, survivor benefit to 1st
lady of 20k/year
22nd Amendment (1951)
• Limits the president to 2 four year terms or 10
total years should one assume the role for a
president who could not finish a term.
• This amendment was the result of F.D.R.
winning 4 terms as president, breaking
tradition of leaving after two terms.
Role of V.P. according to the
Constitution
• Serve as President of the Senate and break any
ties concerning the passage of legislation.
• Assist in the determination of whether or not a
sitting president is able to continue his duties.
(25th Amendment)
• The 25th Amendment also
outlines the order of Presidential
succession. (V.P., Speaker, Pres. Pro
Tempore, Sec. of State)
The Electoral College
• The 12th Amendment- requires that electors
cast separate ballots for President and V.P.
• Except for Maine and Nebraska, the candidate
who wins the popular vote in a state gets all of
that state’s electoral votes (usually).
• This is a “winner-take-all” system and has on
occasion elected a president who did not win
the popular vote throughout the country.
Powers of the President: Article II of
the Constitution
• Grant pardons except in cases of
impeachment.
• Appoints heads of the executive departments
with the advise and consent of the Senate.
• Creates treaties with the advise and consent
of the Senate.
The Cabinet
• The President appoints members to this
board, but many factors influence his
appointments.
• Made of the heads of the 15 major executive
departments, and some of the heads of the
independent agencies, and the V.P.
Know this guy.
The Executive Office of the President
• Created by FDR in 1939, the EOP is more loyal to
the President than the Cabinet.
• The EOP assists the President more with policy
creation rather than policy implementation.
• Some dept. of the EOP are National Security Council, Office of
National Drug Control Policy, National Economic Council, Office of Science and
Technology Policy, Domestic Policy Council, and the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB)
• The head of the EOP is
the President’s Chief of Staff
Know this guy
Roles of the President
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Chief of State
Chief Executive
Chief Legislator
Chief Economic Planner
Party Leader
Chief Diplomat
Commander in Chief
Head of State
• Refers to the President’s ceremonial duties
• Entertaining other heads of state
• Throwing out the 1st pitch of the baseball
season
• Lighting the Christmas tree
• Giving out medals
Chief Executive
• The President is in charge of all executive
departments.
• Direct supervision of the millions of employees is
impossible.
• Executive orders- president uses these to express
his intention of how laws are to be carried out.
• President delegates responsibility thru
appointments
• Impoundment- President refuses to spend money
appropriated by Congress
Chief Legislator
• The President can suggest legislation for
Congress to focus on.
• Influences legislation in the State of the Union
address and other public speeches.
• Meets with Congressmen and appoints staff to
assist with bill creation.
• Veto power
Economic Planner
• Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
prepares the nation’s budget each year.
• Decides what programs to cut, where to
increase spending, and the size of the federal
deficit.
Party Leader
• President supports his party through speech
making and support for other members
running for office.
• Patronage- the president is expected to fill
many appointments with party members.
Chief Diplomat
• The President Directs foreign policy, outlining
the U.S. relationship with other countries
• Making treaties
• Executive Agreements-like treaties, but no
Senate approval, may be secret and therefore
not published in the Federal Register.
• Recognizing Governments, or not (like Cuba)
Commander in Chief
• The President is in charge of the Army, Navy,
Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard.
• With the Approval of Congress, the President
can declare war.
• The President controls strategy of war,
including the use of atomic weapons.
• War Powers Act- President can commit troops
to combat for only 60 days without Congress’
approval.
Ch 10, section 1
Independent Regulatory Commissions
vs. Independent Regulatory Agencies
Independent Agencies
Independent Commissions
• Over 100 independent
organizations that are not
part of the cabinet dept. but
under the executive branch.
• President still appoints
heads and has authority to
remove them.
• Ex: CIA, EPA and over 60
gov’t corporations like TVA,
FDIC, USPS
• Not part of any branch of
gov’t to reduce political
influence.
• President appoints and
Senate approves heads, but
they serve long terms of
office and can’t be
removed.
• Regulate industries and
business that affect public
interest.
• Ex: SEC, FCC, FAA, Fed.
Reserve Board
Know which Cabinet Department each of these
Executive Agencies are part of, or coordinate with!
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FBI and DEA- Dept. of Justice
Census Bureau- Commerce Dept.
IRS- Treasury Dept.
OSHA- Dept. of Labor
FEMA- Dept. of Homeland Security
FDA- Dept. of Health and Human Resources
DRL (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and
Labor)- State Dept.
• FAA- Dept. of Transportation
Ch 10, section 2
Bureaucracy and Civil Service
• Federal Bureaucracy- everyone who works for
a department within the executive branch of
government
• Spoils System- another word for patronage,
appointing supporters to gov’t positions
• Civil Service system- refers to getting a
government job on the basis of examination
and merit.
Pendleton Act (1883)
• This act created the civil service system after
President Garfield was shot by Charles
Guiteau, who believed he was owed a job for
supporting Garfield’s campaign.
Hatch Act (1939)
• Limits how involved federal employees can be
in the election process.
• Cons: the law limits free speech of federal
employees.
• Pros: it protects them from political pressure
from supervisors
Ch 10, Section 3: Iron Triangles
• exist when executive/independent gov’t
agencies, Congressional committees, and interest
groups cooperate to pass laws.
• Agencies rely on Congress for their budget and
laws supportive to the desires of the agency.
• Congress relies on interest groups for campaign
support.
• Ex: Dept. of V.A., House/Senate Committees on
Veteran’s Affairs, and the American Legion
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