WHO CAN BECOME PRESIDENT?
( As it is outlined in article II of section I of the
Constitution)
1. A person who is a natural born citizen, or
2. Citizen of the United States
3. At least 35 years old
4. Been 14 years a resident within the United
States
Some Demographics
• Out of 44 presidents, 27 have been lawyers and
wealthy
• There was a hat maker(Harry Truman), a peanut
farmer(Jimmy Carter) and an actor(Ronald
Reagan)
• Kennedy was 43 years old-the youngest elected,
Reagan was 69 years old-the oldest electedpresident
• Average age is 54
• All have been WASP, except Kennedy, a Roman
Catholic
The Constitutional Powers of the
Presidency – Wears Many Hats
• Expressed Powers - These are specific powers
granted to the president under Article II of the
Constitution. For example, the president is
authorized to make treaties, grant pardons, and
nominate judges and other public officials.
• Military
• Judicial
• Diplomatic
• Executive
• Legislative
Military and War Powers of the
President
• Among the most important powers, the position of
commander in chief makes the president the chief military
authority in the United States, with control over the entire
Department of Defense.
• Congress declares war. However, presidents try to deploy the
American military without congressional approval. In 1973, in
response to President Nixon’s actions during the Vietnam
War, Congress passed the War Powers Resolution, a
congressional resolution indicating that the president can
send troops into action abroad only with congressional
authorization, or if American troops are already under attack
or serious threat.
• The President does retain the sole right to authorize the use
of nuclear weapons and is constantly accompanied by a
special military officer who carries the "nuclear football".
Military Sources of Domestic Power
• Presidential military power extends to the domestic
arena. Article IV, Section 4, provides for the national
government’s protection of the states “against
invasion…and…domestic violence.”
• Only in response to a state’s request may the president
send national troops to restore the public order.
• Recently, the USA PATRIOT Act expanded executive
power by giving executive agencies the ability to
engage in domestic surveillance activities, including
electronic surveillance, and by restricting judicial
review of such efforts.
Diplomatic and Executive Power
• The president in the U.S. head of state and chief
representative in dealings with other nations. Presidents can
receive ambassadors and recognize other countries to enter
treaties with them.
• In recent times, presidents have used executive agreements
(agreements made between the president and countries that
have the force of a treaty but do not require the Senate’s
advice and consent) to bypass the Senate’s approval.
• Article II, Section 2, gives the president power to appoint,
remove, and supervise all executive officers and appoint all
federal judges. Appointment power makes the president the
chief executive officer of the nation. Section 3 stipulates that
the president must see that all laws are faithfully executed.
Legislative Power of the President
• Article I, Section 7, and Article II, Section 3, gives the
president the power to participate in the legislative
process. The first provision says the president “shall
from time to time give to Congress information of the
state of the union, and recommend to their
consideration such matters as he shall judge necessary
and expedient.”
• Presidents use the State of the Union address public
awareness.
• The second provision is the veto power (the president’s
constitutional power to turn down acts of Congress). A
presidential veto may be overridden by a two thirds
congressional vote.
The Presidency as an Institution
• The president has thousands of officials and staffers
who work for, assist, and/or advise him. Together,
these individuals make up the institutional
presidency, giving the president a capacity for
action.
• The Cabinet
• The White House Staff
• The Executive Office of the President
• The Vice Presidency
• The First Spouse
• The President and Policy
Presidential Salary and Benefits
• The President earns a $400,000 annual salary, along
with a $50,000 annual expense account, a $100,000
non-taxable travel account and $19,000 for
entertainment.
• The White House in Washington, D.C. serves as the
official place of residence for the President; he is
entitled to use its staff and facilities, including medical
care, recreation, housekeeping, and security services.
• The United States Secret Service is charged with
protecting the sitting President and his family.
• Beginning in 1959, all living former presidents were
granted a pension, an office and a staff. The pension
has increased numerous times with Congressional
approval. Retired presidents now receive a pension
based on the salary of the current administration's
cabinet secretaries, which is $191,300 as of 2013.
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Comparison of President’s salary to
other professions in 2014
Average NBA Player - $5.15 million
Average MLB Player - $3.3 million
Kim Kardashian - $28 million
Floyd Mayweather - $105 million
Mayor of Los Angeles - $235,679
Governor of California - $212,179
The Contemporary (Present) Bases of
Presidential Power
• At one time there was debate about whether
presidents were weak or strong. Today, every president
is strong. This is a reflection of the increasing power of
the presidency. Presidents seek to dominate the policy
making process and to lead the nation in time of war.
• Party as a Source of Power
• Going Public - In this case, presidents use popular
appeals to create a mass base of support that will allow
them to subordinate their political foes.
• Limits of Going Public - Some presidents have used
popular appeals to overcome congressional opposition.
However, popular support is not a firm foundation for
presidential power, because popular support can be
fickle.
Continued.. The Contemporary
(Present) Bases of Presidential Power
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The Administrative State
The Executive Office of the President
Regulatory Review
Governing by Decree: Executive Orders
Signing Statements - Signing statements were put
into increased use beginning with the Reagan
administration, and are typically understood to be a
statement issued when a president signs a bill into
law that lays out the president’s interpretation of
the law.