The Presidency
Power to Enforce the Laws
Learning Target: EB 1.1 – I can identify the requirements of the presidency, the
purpose of the Executive Branch of government, and the main roles of the
President of the United States in modern day democracy.
Global Studies/Civics
Brahe, Cornell, Wimberly
Presidential Roles
• The President has eight major roles:
1. Chief Executive – “Leader of the Free World”
2. Chief Diplomat – meets with foreign nations
3. Chief of State – presides over ceremonial events
4. Chief of Party – leads/unites political party
5. Commander in Chief – in charge of troops
6. Chief Legislator – suggests legislation
7. Judicial Leader – can grant pardons/amnesty
8. Chief Citizen
Formal Qualifications
 Be a “natural born citizen.” Is it possible for a
person born abroad to be President? Yes! Has it
ever happened? No. http://www.americancitizenship.org/
 Be at least 35 years old. Ronald Reagan was
the oldest President at age 69. Most Presidents
served in their 50’s.
 Have lived in the United States for at least 14
years.
The President’s Term
• Four Year Term
• Term Limit?
– Until 1951, the Constitution placed no limit on the
number of terms a President might serve. George
Washington began the “two-term tradition” which
became an unwritten rule.
– Franklin D. Roosevelt felt the need to break the
“two-term tradition as the USA headed into World
War II in 1940. Congress passed the 22nd
amendment put a cap on how many terms(2) and
years (10) a president could serve.
Pay and Benefits of the President
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$400,000 salary (including a $50,000 a-year-expense account.)
A 132 room mansion (The White House).
Camp David – the resort hideaway in the Catoctin Mountains in Maryland.
The finest medical, dental, and other health care available.
Transportation:
 A fleet of limos
 Air Force One
 Cars, including “Cadillac One: the Car that thinks it’s a Tank”…
A Few Powers of the President
• Executive Order: a rule or order issued by the
president which has the force of law (examples:
FDR’s internment of Japanese-Americans during
WWII, Truman’s desegregation of units in the army,
pardoning Vietnam War draft dodgers, etc.)
• Pardon: crime is forgiven and person is freed (or
not charged)
• Amnesty: similar to a pardon, but often for a
larger group
• Reprieve: convicted criminal’s sentence is delayed
Presidential Succession
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1 Vice President of the United States Joe Biden (D)
2 Speaker of the House John Boehner (R)
3 President pro tempore of the Senate Orrin Hatch (R)
(Leaders of the 15 Executive Departments, in order of creation)
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4 Secretary of State John Kerry (D) – in charge of foreign policy (our relations with other nations)
5 Secretary of the Treasury
6 Secretary of Defense
7 Attorney General – Loretta Lynch (Dept. of Justice)
8 Secretary of the Interior
9 Secretary of Agriculture
10 Secretary of Commerce
11 Secretary of Labor
12 Secretary of Health and Human Services
13 Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
14 Secretary of Transportation
15 Secretary of Energy
16 Secretary of Education
17 Secretary of Veterans Affairs
18 Secretary of Homeland Security
President’s Cabinet
Advisors to the President – 15 departmental
secretaries, Vice President, plus:
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White House Chief of Staff
Environmental Protection Agency Acting
Administrator
Office of Management & Budget
United States Trade Representative
Ambassador
United States Ambassador to the United
Nations Ambassador
Council of Economic Advisers Chairman
Small Business Administration Administrator
The Cabinet are people who are appointed
by the President and Confirmed by the
Senate to assist the president with the
duties involved in running the Executive
Branch.
State of the Union Address
• U.S. Constitution: The President “shall • Technological changes— State of
from time to time give to the Congress
the Union is now a forum for the
Information of the State of the Union,
President to speak directly to the
and recommend to their Consideration
American people
such measures as he shall judge
necessary and expedient.” Article II,
Section 3, Clause 1.
• The constitutionally mandated
presidential address has gone
through a few name changes:
– 1790 to 1946 = Annual Message
– Since 1947 = State of the Union
• After 1913, Woodrow Wilson
revived the practice of presenting
the message to Congress (joint
session – both Houses) in person
• Allows President to rally support
for his agenda
– First radio broadcast: President
Calvin Coolidge, 1923
– First television broadcast:
President Harry Truman, 1947
– First televised evening delivery:
President Lyndon Johnson, 1965
– First live webcast on Internet:
President George W. Bush, 2002