CHAPTER 9.2: THE
ORGANIZATION OF THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Class Notes
Introduction


Bureaucracy=organization that helps the President
carry out laws
Administration=helps to direct the bureaucracy
Three Parts of the Administration

1. Executive Office of the President
 main
job— advise the President on important matters
 White House Staff
 President’s
most trusted advisers
 Information and advice on important matters
 all hired by the President without Senate approval
Three Parts of the Administration

Vice-President
 Constitution
gives one job—President of the Senate
 Choice of each President the extent of the VP’s role
 Becomes President if President dies

Special Advisory Groups
 OMB=Office
 decided
of Management and Budget
how much programs will cost, prepares budget
 NSC=National
 major
Security Council
role in foreign policy
Three Parts of the Administration

2. The Executive Departments




15—do much of the work in carrying out nation’s laws and
running government programs
each one helps fulfill one of the President’s duties
Newest Department: Homeland Security
 Includes Coast Guard, Immigration and Naturalization Service,
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Transportation
Security Administration
The Cabinet


President appoints head of each department
 all called Secretary except Attorney General
Head of each department is a member of the Cabinet
Three Parts of the Administration

3. Independent Agencies
 Three
types:
 Executive

Agencies
Direct control of the President—NASA, EPA
 Regulatory


Commissions
12 Commissions—make and carry out rules for specific business
or economic activity
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
 Government

Corporations
Try to make a profit, too risky/expensive for private business
 For example: Post Office
The Civil Service System


President appoints less than 1% of workers in
Executive Branch
1883—Civil Service System began
 Government
workers, “civil servants,” hired on basis of
merit
 Tests exist for most jobs
 Trained workers stay from one administration to the
next
9.3: PRESIDENTS AND
POWER
Introduction




President has freedom to take action to meet
national goals.
Negotiate executive agreements with other
countries
Executive privilege keep vital information secret
President needs to act quickly in a time of crisis
Examples of Presidential Power

Jefferson and Louisiana Purchase
 Very
large expenditure
 Added new territory to the U.S.
 Ruled acceptable—reasonable extension of power to
make treaties
Examples of Presidential Power

Truman and the Steel Mills
 Steel
Workers threatened to strike
 Korean War—military needed steel
 Truman issued executive order
 Secretary
 Ruled
of Commerce in charge of mills
illegal:
 Supreme
Court ruled that the President does not have the
power to take private property even in a national
emergency
Examples of Presidential Power

Nixon and Watergate
 1972
break in at Democratic National Headquarters,
Watergate Hotel
 reporters discovered that members of the White
House Staff helped plan the burglary and tried to
cover up the events
 Congressional Investigation
 Nixon
had tape recorded all his conversations
 Refused
to make public, claimed executive privilege
 Supreme Court ordered Nixon to turn over tape
 Resigned
before Congress could impeach