Executive Branch
Chapter 13
The President’s Roles
Chief
Citizen
Chief of
State
Chief of
Party
Chief
Executive
Chief
Administrator
Chief
Chief
Legislator Commander Diplomat
In Chief
Chief of State

ceremonial head of the government of the
United States, the symbol of all the people
of the nation.
EX:
 speech
 throws a pitch
 lighting Christmas Tree
 Pardons the National Turkey
Chief Executive



The Constitution makes him or her the
nation’s chief executive.
The most powerful person in the world
Runs both foreign and domestic affairs
EX:
 decisions
 executive order or agreements
Chief Administrator
•
•
Director of the United States government.
Directs 3,000,000 employees and oversees
spending $1.6 Trillion
EX:
 appointments
 talks with Cabinet members
 employees
Chief Diplomat

The main architect of American foreign
policy and chief spokesperson to the rest of
the world.
EX:
 treaties
 meets with another head of state
 Summit Meetings
 United Nations
Commander in Chief



Complete control of the nation’s armed forces.
2,000,000 troops in the most powerful military
Limited by War Powers Act
EX:
 send troops into battle
 declare war
 address the military
Chief Agenda Setter
 Main
architect of the nation’s
public policies.
 Initiates, Suggests, and Shapes
Legislation
EX:
create laws or programs
started
Chief of Party
 The
acknowledged leader of the
political party that controls the
executive branch.
EX:
campaigning
Endorsing
Inauguration
Chief Citizen
•
•
The President is expected to be “the
representative of all the people.”
All US citizens are constituents of the
President
Bad
Good
Qualifications for
the Presidency
 35
years old
 Have lived in the US for the last 14 years
 Natural born citizen
 Informal

Qualifications
Intelligence, character, political background, etc.
The President’s Term
 1951
– 22nd Amendment was added to
the Constitution.
 Who was the only President to serve
more than 2 terms?
 FDR – served 4 terms
 Person
can serve for 10
years total
Pay and Benefits
Congress
determines the President’s
salary, and this salary cannot be
changed during a presidential term.
Currently, the President is paid
$400,000 a year.
expense allowance for the President,
which is currently $50,000 a year.
Pay and Benefits Cont.
He
also gets to live in the 132room mansion that we call the
White House.
Other benefits: a large suite of
offices, a staff, the use of Air
Force One, and many other
fringe benefits.






https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE477DFE835B79966 (WH Tour)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FswYpQ6mOoU (marines)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-MaU_-ZQ8w (air force one)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-U0-0anzV0 (inside the WH w/Obama)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92J9gMOV7Yc (bowling alley)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x062Dc1xIc (grounds)
Presidential Succession
the plan by which a presidential
vacancy is filled.
 25th





Amendment
1. Vice President – Joe Biden
2. Speaker of the House – John Boehner
3. President Pro Temp – Orrin Hatch
4. Secretary of State - John Kerry
5. Secretary of Treasury – Jack Lew
Presidential Disability
 Sections
 The
3 and 4 of the 25th Amendment
Vice President is to become acting
President if
(1)
the President informs Congress, in
writing
(2) the Vice President and a majority of
the members of the Cabinet inform
Congress, in writing
The Vice Presidency
 Constitution


 If
gives the VP two duties:
President of the Senate
To help decide the question of presidential
disability
the office of VP becomes vacant, the
President nominates a new one
Vice Presidents
“Balance the Ticket”

Presidents choose running mates who can
strengthen his chance of being elected by virtue
of certain ideological, geographic, racial, ethnic,
gender or other characteristics
Electoral College
 Must
reach 270 of 538
 Possible to win popular vote and not
electoral vote
4



Presidents:
JQAdams, Hayes, Harrison, Bush
Electors vote the way they want to
If no one reaches 270, every state only gets 1 vote.
(House)
Electoral
College
Benefits



Winner is defined
quickly
All problems have
been worked out
already
Stability of two-party
system
Cons
 Irrelevancy
of
national popular
vote
 Focus more on
swing states
 Discourages
turnout and
participation
 Disadvantage for
third parties
2012 Electoral College Votes
2016 Election
http://www.270towin.com/