Political Science
The Executive Branch
5.3 Powers of the President
Name ___________________________
1. How much power should one person have? Is there an inherent danger to the
presidency?
2. What are two ways a president interprets the power of the presidency?
a. ____________________________________________
i. If the Constitution __________________________________ __________
_______ _______________________________________________ _____
ii. James _________________________
1. President has no power to compel the Southern States not to
secede from the Union
b. ______________________________________________
i. If the Constitution ______________ __________________________, then
the ______________________________ _____________________
ii. Teddy ____________________________________
1. Created thousands of acres of protected lands because
_____________________ _______________________________
3. Why Presidential Power Has Grown?
a. World’s __________________________________________ ___________ __
_________________________________ has created new issues
i. Industrial Revolution, World Wars, Nuclear weapons, globalization
ii. ______________________________ ________________________ when
immediate action is required
b. _____________________________________________
i. Newspapers, Radio, Television _______________________ ____________
__________________________________________________________ __
4. What is an Executive Order?
a. _______________________________________________
i. A _______________________________________ _________________ to
help enforce the law
ii. deciding ___________________________________ __________________,
dealing with emergencies, waging war
iii. _______________________________________ _____________________
1. Except Article II, Section 3, Clause 5
2. Laws be faithfully executed
iv. Subject to Judicial Review
b. Executive Order ____________________________
i. ______________________________________________ _____________
______________________________________________ during WWII
c. Truman Executive Order #9981
i. ________________________________________________________
5. What is Executive Privilege?
a. Executive ___________________________________–
i. Presidential ______________ ___________________ ________________
________________________ _____________________ ____________
ii. Justified under principle of separation of powers and because of need for
secrecy in high-level communications
b. Critics charge this power is used to hide questionable – even illegal – actions
i. ______________________________________________
1. US v Nixon
a. _______________________________ ______
__________________________________ in Oval
Office
b. Showed that he ordered cover-up of Plumbers
Activities in Watergate
6. What are the President’s Powers?
a. ____________________________________ Power
i. Constitution provides that the President shall report the condition of the
nation to Congress
ii. __________________________________________________ __________
_____________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________ Power
i. President may _______________________________________________
ii. veto may be _________________________________________________
iii. just the threat of a veto is often enough to kill a bill
c. ______________________________ Powers
i. Constitution gives the President power to “...___________________
____________________________ _________________________ except in
cases of impeachment.” —Article II, Section 2, Clause 1
ii. A __________________________ is the __________________________ of
a sentence.
iii. A ______________________________ is ______________________ for a
crime
iv. President Ford pardoned Nixon for the crimes he committed (Watergate)
v. _____________________________ –
1. Presidents may ______________________________
_______________________________, usually for political offenses
– called an amnesty –
2. President
_______________________________________________
_________ _____________________________________________
d. ___________________________________ Power
i. With Senate approval, the _____________________________________
________________________ of the Federal Government, including:
1. ambassadors and other diplomats
2. Cabinet members and their top aides
3. all federal judges, attorneys, and U.S. marshals
4. all officers in the armed forces
e. The ________________________________________ Power
i. President _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
1. except federal judges
ii. This power is controversial
iii. ______________________________________________
1. ________________________________________________
__________ ___________________________________________
2. Led to Nixon’s resignation
f. Power to _________________________________________________
i. A treaty is a _______________________________________________
_______ __________________________________________________
ii. President, usually through the secretary of state, negotiates these
international agreements
iii. All treaties must pass approval by 2/3 vote in the Senate
g. _________________________________ Powers
i. President’s powers as commander in chief are far greater during a war than
they are in normal times
1. Control War Industries
a. Ration food and supplies
2. Suspend _______________________________________
a. ___________________________ of 1917
i. Any obstruction to the war effort illegal
b. Sedition Act of 1918
i. forbade "disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or
abusive language"
ii. Encouraged reporting on disloyal people
iii. Post Office read socialist mail
ii. Power as the __________________________________________
1. Constitution makes the President the commander in chief of the
nation’s armed forces
2. Making ____________________________________________
a. Many Presidents have _______________________
_________ _________________________________
b. Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Osama Bin
Laden
3. The ________________________________________________
a. The War Powers Resolution of 1973
________________ ____________________________
b. Passed over President Nixon’s veto
c. Restricts the use of American troops abroad
d. President __________________________________
___________________________________________
e. Or _________________________________________
i. If there is a national emergency – President can
send troops, but _______________________
_____________________________________
ii. After that, troops cannot remain longer than
60 days without congressional approval