Chapter 7: The Executive Branch
Law and public policy are created and
implemented by three branches of
government; each functions with its own set
of powers and responsibilities.
The political process creates a dynamic
interaction among the three branches of
government in addressing current issues.
What are three qualities that
make a good leader?
What are some examples of
good leaders?
Section 1: The Presidential Office

Executive


Bureaucracy


Having the power to put plans, actions, or laws into
effect.
A system of government in which most of the
important decisions are made by state officials rather
than by elected representatives
Administration

The process or activity of running a business,
organization, etc.
Chief
Executive
Foreign
Policy
Director
Commander
in Chief
Roles of
The
President
Chief
Agenda
Setter
Head of
State
Party Leader
Chief Executive—carries out the nation’s laws
 Commander in Chief—leader of the nation’s armed
forces
 Chief Agenda Setter
 State of the Union Address
 Budget proposal
 Representative on the Nation
 Chief of State—symbolizes the US and its people
 Foreign Policy Leader—our plans for dealing with
other countries
 Party Leader

Native Born
Citizen
Must be
at least 35
Reside In
US for 14
years


4 Year Term
2 term limit

A president can serve a total of ten years… how is
that possible?




$ 400,000/ year Salary
$50,000/ year expense allowance
White House & Camp David
“The Beast”, Marine One, Air Force One

Does the President make too much ?


Median Income in U.S. Home $50,000
Fortune 500 CEO’s $10,600,000
President
Vice
President
Speaker of
the House
President
Pro Temp
Attorney
General
Secretary of
Defense
Secretary of
Treasury
Secretary of
State
Secretary of
the Interior
Secretary of
Agriculture
…
Section 2: Presidential Powers




Executive Powers
Diplomatic Powers
Judicial Powers
Legislative Powers
Appoint Officials
Execute Laws
•Executive orders- A
regulation made by the
president that has the
effect of law
•Ambassadors
•Supreme Court Justices
•Executive Depts & Agencies
Executive
Powers
Executive Privilege
•Executive branch
“confidential information”
•The privilege, claimed by
the president for the
executive branch of the US
Government, of
withholding information in
the public interest
Make Treaties & Executive Agreements
(senate approval)
Recognize other nations
Diplomatic Powers
War Powers Act--President has got US
into Vietnam and Korean Wars (and
others) without Congress declaring war
Committing troops
Troops brought back after 60 days with
no approval from Congress
Could extend to 90 days for safe
removal
Appoint SC Justices and
other federal judges
Reprieves--postpones the
carrying out of a sentence
so the convicted can
gather more evidence
Judicial
Powers
Pardon—grants
forgiveness to a convicted
criminal and frees the
person from serving out
his or her sentence
Commutation—lessens
the severity of a convicted
person’s sentence
Legislative
Powers
Veto—pres can
veto law passed
by Congress
Recommend
Legislation
Lobbying


Presidential power has increased over time, mostly
because of the men who have held the office
Do you think the President has too much
power? Why or why not?
Section 3: Presidential Nomination
and Election



Framers did not set a means for nominating presidential candidates,
only for electing the President and VP
Nomination procedures have changed over time
 1800’s—Congressional caucuses were used
 Later, national conventions used to nominate
Presidential primaries
 Choosing delegates for the conventions
 Show voter preference
 Some states use caucuses instead of primaries
 These are held early in the year
 Most weak candidates are eliminated
 Most nominees are known before the convention

National Nomination Convention
 Speeches
 Adoption of a party platform
 State roll call of votes for the candidates
 Candidate who wins the nomination then campaigns for several
months before the general election is held
 Actually chooses the president and VP
 Each state has electoral votes = to number in
Congress
 Popular vote in each state determines who the
electors will vote for
 3 criticisms of electoral college
 Candidate can win election and lose popular vote
 A state’s electoral votes do not have to reflect its popular
vote
 A strong bid by a third-party or independent candidate
could mean that neither major-party candidate receives the
majority of the electoral votes, throwing the election into
the House of Representatives
http://www.archives.gov/federalregister/electoral-college/about.html
Section 4: Executive Office of the
President and the Cabinet



THERE ARE 2 PARTS TO THE EXECUTIVE
BRANCH:
1. Executive Office of the President
2. The Cabinet
1. White
House
Office
6. The
Vice
President
5.
National
Economic
Council
Executive
Office of
the
President
2.
National
Security
Council
3. Office of
Management
and Budget
4.
Council of
Economic
Advisors

1. White House Office
 Before Civil War
 No help
 Presidents paid for help out of own pocket
 Today
 Large office staff
 President picks—no Senate approval
 Chief of Staff is leader
 Controls access to the President
 Advisors
 National security
 Domestic policy
 Speechwriters
 How to deal with Congress
 Press secretary
 Deal with mail
 20,000 letters/week
 Thousands of emails
 Many, many others

2. National Security Council
 Set up in 1947
 Improve coordination among gov depts. That deal w/ national
security issues (CIA, FBI, State Dept)
 National Security Advisor is head
 Sometimes travel to other countries to negotiate


3. Office of Management and Budget
 Executive branch agencies submit budgets to the OMB
 Helps Pres. prepare budgets
4. Council of Economic Advisors
 Set up in 1946
 Econ advise to President

5. National Economic Council
 Set up in 1993 (Clinton)
 Monitor and advise the Pres on US trade and industrial
technology

6. The Vice President
 Constitution
 Lead the Senate
 Take over if President can’t perform duties
 Today—move involved
 Help agencies run more smoothly
 Many more important duties




15 departments that assist the president in carrying
out the work of the executive branch
Heads are called secretaries (Exception: Attorney
General)
Early days—president relied heavily on Cabinet for
advice
Today—not as much because of White House staff
 Pres does not need full Cabinet meetings
 Each deal with specific area















Dept. of Agriculture
Dep. of Interior
Dept. of Commerce
Dept. of Justice
Dept. of Defense
Dept. of Labor
Dept. of Education
Dept. of State
Dept. of Energy
Dept. of Transportation
Dept. of Health and Human Services
Dept. of the Treasury
Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
Dept. of Veteran Affairs
Dept. of Homeland Security
http://www.whi
tehouse.gov/adm
inistration/cabine
t