The Constitution & the President

Article Two

Section 1

· “The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States”

Section 2

· Commander in Chief

· Reprieves and Pardons

With Advice and Consent of the Senate

· Negotiate Treaties

· Appointment Power

Section 3

· State of the Union Address

Section 4

· “shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

Formal Powers of President

Appointments and Treaties

Veto Power

· Veto

· Pocket Veto

Post-adjournment veto

Does not sign bill

· Line Item Veto

Veto Threats

Do they Work?

Why? Why not?

Other Important Powers

· Executive Orders

· Executive Agreements

President vs. Presidency

Initially intended to be weaker than Congress

Constitution Unclear on Definition of Explicit Powers

Trend has been increased power, expectations for president.

· 19^th Century: President as “Chief Clerk”

· 20^th Century: Foremost Political Figure in America

Individual Presidents Continually Define Powers of Office

Individuals Who Shaped Powers of Presidency

George Washington

· Set many precedents

· 2 terms

· Ensured Presidency not a Monarchy

· Presidential Power in foreign affairs

Abraham Lincoln

· Emergency powers

· Congress took them away, but precedent had been set

Theodore Roosevelt

· Bully Pulpit

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

· Father of Modern Presidency

· Active Presidents

· National leaders

· Policy leaders

Why FDR?

· Great Depression

· New Deal

· WWII

· Fire Side Chats

Truman to Nixon

· Acquired additional powers until early 1970s.

· Imperial presidency (foreign affairs)

· Korean Conflict, Cold War, Viet Nam [military action without declaration of war]

· Unilateral Troop Deployment

Presidential Jobs

Chief Policy Maker

· Sets political agenda

· Support important to get legislation passed

· Prepares budget

· Leader of free world

High Expectations:

· First 100 Days/Honeymoon

· Held responsible for good and bad events

Party Leader

· Lead Party Members in Congress

· Define Agenda

· Effectiveness?

Chief Executive

· Constitution – “take care that the laws be faithfully executed”

· Manages Executive Branch

Responsibility as Chief Executive:

· Oversee Executive Branch

· Federal government: more than 5million employees

· About 4,000 appointed by President

· Recommends budget to Congress

Important Components of Executive Branch

Cabinet.

· Appointed Heads of Executive Departments

· Appointments reflect different priorities of president

· Cabinet Members in Line for Presidency

Considerations for making cabinet appointments

· Ideology

· Geographic balance

· Symbolic representation

Cabinet not advisory body

Why?

· Chosen for political not policy reasons

· Personal Advisors perform this role

· Going Native

White House Office

· Large Growth in White House Staff Since FDR

· About 350 people who report directly to president

· personal advisors, press aides: ex. Chief of Staff

Chief Diplomat

Head of State

· Head of State vs. Head of Government

Presidential Approval

Survey Responses

Do you approve or disapprove of the way [president’s name] is handling his job as president?

Relevance?

· Reelection Prospects

· Presidential Influence

What Factors Influence Presidential Approval

1. Honeymoon

2. Rally-round-the-flag Events

3. It’s the Economy Stupid Pocketbook voting vs. Expectations

4. President-Specific Events

Approval Ratings and Presidential Strategy

Do they “pull the levers of public opinion”?