The Roles of the President
Chief of State
• Ceremonial head of
the government and
nation. Symbol of
the people.
• Different from other
countries with a
Prime Minister
(political head) and
an Emperor or
Queen (ceremonial
head). U.S.
President does both.
Chief Executive
- Job to carry out the laws and programs passed by
Congress.
- Head of all government agencies, bureaus, commissions
and departments.
- The President appoints with the consent of Congress, the
top officials in all the federal agencies, cabinet, armed
forces, federal judges, attorneys, and marshals.
Chief Administrator
• A. Controls the largest business organization in the
world.
• B. Hires and fires top governmental employees.
C. Directs and employs more than 2.7 million
civilians and spends nearly 2 trillion a year.
Chief Diplomat
• A. Makes key appointments of diplomats &
ambassadors with the consent of the Senate.
• B. Recognizes governments. (Exchanges diplomats and
sets up embassies).
• C. Enters into Executive agreements with other
country’s leaders. This does not require Senate consent.
Chief Diplomat (cont.)
• D. Sets our foreign policy.
• E. Meets with advisors on foreign affairs.
• F. Factors in decisions include: political
ideology, development of a country, threats,
economy/trade issues, past relationships with that
country.
• A. Key military decisions are
left to the President
• B. Only Congress can declare
war, but the President can use
troops before this on a limited
basis according to the War
Powers Act, which states:
– 1. Within 48 hours of committing
U.S. forces, the President must report
to Congress detailing the
circumstances and scope of his/her
actions.
– 2. Combat commitment must end
within 60 days unless Congress agrees
to a longer period.
– 3. Congress may end the combat
commitment at any time by passing a
resolution.
– 4. The constitutionality of this Act is
in dispute. It has never been put to the
test.
Commander &
Chief
Commander & Chief
C. Presidential Military Advisors include:
Secretary of State, Defense Secretary,
Heads of the Military.
Chief Legislator
• A. Develops a legislative
program spelled out through
public policies.
• B. Sets the congressional
agenda.
• C. Sends a budget for
Congressional approval or
changes.
• D. Sends messages along with
bills on specific issues to
Congress (executive staff and
agencies may do this as well).
• E. Has the power to veto. This
can be overturned with a 2/3 vote
in Congress.
• F.
President has requested line item veto. What is this
and what problems can occur with it?
– a.
Allows President to cancel specific spending amounts in
spending bills enacted by Congress.
– b. Gives President too much power of the legislation process.
– c.
It is not granted in the Constitution. Would need an
Amendment to have it.
• G.
Judicial Power include the power of clemency
(mercy or forgiveness). These include the power to:
– a.
Pardon or forgive a crime,
– b.
Reprieve or postpone an execution sentence,
– c. Commutation or the power to reduce the length of a
sentence or amount of fine,
– d. Amnesty or pardons to groups of people.
THESE FIRST SIX ROLE OF THE
PRESIDENT COME DIRECTLY
FROM THE CONSTITUTION.
Chief of Party
A. Leader of the Democratic or
Republican party.
B. Helps plan the party’s future
selection and election strategy.
C. Patronage – political job
appointments
D. Party spokesperson (speaks
at fundraisers)
E. Campaign for self and others.
Chief Citizen
• A. The President is the representative of all the
people of the U.S. – Our voice.
• B. Media Power – Talk to the nation through radio
and TV.
• C. Represent the public interest against the many
private interests.
FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS
OF THE PRESIDENT:
A. Must be a natural born citizen of the U.S.
B. Must be at least 35 years of age.
C. Must have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.
TERM OF THE PRESIDENT:
• A. Agreed to be 4 years. Although at first there
was no limit to the number of terms one could serve.
• B. George Washington served only two terms and
started the “no third term tradition.”
• C. FDR sought and won a third and fourth term.
The 22nd Amendment was passed limiting Presidents
to serving two terms only.
1. A President may finish out a
predecessor’s term and then seek two full terms but
cannot be president more than 10 years.
Presidential Perks
Congress decides the President’s
annual salary.
• This salary cannot be changed while a
President is in office.
• The current salary, set in 2001, is
$400,000 a year plus $50,000 a year
for expenses.
• The Constitution forbids the President
from receiving any other pay from the
government or the States while in
office.