chapter 13southwest.mpls.k12.mn.us/uploads/my_presidency2.pdfgreat expectations ... how they got...

Chapter 13

Chapter 13: The Presidency

The Presidents

Great Expectations

Americans want peace, prosperity, and security.

Americans want a president who is powerful

and who can do good like Washington,

Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Kennedy.

Yet Americans do not like a concentration of

power because they are individualistic and

skeptical of authority.

The Presidents

Who They Are

Formal Requirements:

○ Must be 35 years old

○ Must be a natural-born citizen

○ Must have resided in U.S. for 14 years

Presidential Backgrounds

A haberdasher from Missouri, a war

hero, a Boston-Irish politician, a small

town Texas boy, a California lawyer, a

former Rose Bowl player…

…a peanut farmer turned governor, an actor

turned governor, a CIA chief and ambassador…

…a small state governor, a baseball

team owner, and a community

organizer turned senator.

The Presidents

How They Got There

Most run for office

The accidental presidency

<10% of US history an unelected president

The Presidents

How They Got There

22nd Amendment (1951)

Only 13 of 43 have served two complete

terms

○ Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe,

Jackson, Grant, Cleveland, Wilson, FDR,

Eisenhower, Reagan, Clinton and Bush

The Presidents

How They Got There


Impeachment

The Presidents

Impeachment

Impeachment is an accusation, requiring a majority vote in the House.

Charges may be brought for ―Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.‖

If impeached, the president is tried by the Senate with the Chief Justice presiding.

Only two presidents have been impeached—Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton—and neither was convicted.

The Presidents How They Got There


Impeachment

Succession – 25th Amendment (1967)

1. Vice President

2. Speaker of the House

3. President pro tempore

4. Cabinet heads in order

Constitutional Powers

Framers feared anarchy and monarchy

Created a unique chief executive

Reelection and short term of office

Relatively few powers


Four Broad Powers Article 2

1. Administrative/Executive Powers

2. Legislative Powers

3. National Security Powers

4. Judicial Powers

Framers checked those powers considered

most dangerous

Power to declare war to the congress

Senate approves treaties and appointments

Expansion of Presidential Power

More power today than the Constitution

suggests.

Prominence of the US

Technology

http://www.jrsfilm.com/President in Oval Office full.jpg

Presidential Powers

The Expansion of Power

Presidents may develop new roles for and

expand power of the office.

Perspectives on Presidential Power

During the 1950’s and 1960’s people

favored a powerful president.

By the 1970’s, presidential power was

checked and distrusted by the public.

Perspectives on Presidential Power

Strong Presidency 1950s and 1960s

Strong-weak rating

The Imperial Presidency 1970s

Presidency too powerful

Nixon

Ford/Carter

Reagan

G.H.W. Bush

Clinton

G. W. Bush

How has the power of the presidency

grown since the country began?

Is the term ―Imperial Presidency‖ a

criticism? Why or why not?



The Chief Executive

Constitution: ―take care that the laws be faithfully executed‖

Fed. bureaucracy

$2.5 trillion a year

more than 4 million employees.

Appoints

500 high-level positions

2,500 lesser jobs

Chief Executive

Large executive branch

…complex public policy

…policy goals.

Centralized decision-making in the White House

Pro Con

Bureaucracy should

be more responsive

to elected officials

Bureaucracy should

be independent,

supporting intent of

laws

Chief Executive

The Vice Presidency

1. Preside over the senate and break tie votes

2. Assume the presidency if called upon

3. Symbolic constituency

4. Larger role

1. Al Gore

2. Dick Cheney

3. Joe Biden

Chief Executive

The Cabinet

Not in the Constitution

15 departments

○ 14 Secretaries

○ 1 Attorney General

http://www.whitehouse.gov/

Chief Executive

The Executive Office of the President

EEOB (Eisenhower Executive Office Building)


Chief Executive

National Security Council (NSC)

Created in 1947 to coordinate the president’s foreign and military policy advisers

Members include the president, vice president, secretary of state and defense, and managed by the president’s national security adviser

Chief Executive

Office of Management

and Budget (OMB)

1921

Prepares president’s budget

Performs managerial and

budgetary functions

Reviews regulations

Chief Executive

Council of Economic Advisors (CEA)

A 3 member appointed by the president to advise

on economic policy Inflation, unemployment,

Economic Report of the President

Identify and explain three policymaking bodies of

the Executive Office?


Chief Executive

The White House Staff (West Wing residents)

Chief Executive

Personal staff & key aides

Chief of staff, congressional liaisons, press secretary, etc..

Travel plans, answer letters

About 600 people

Completely loyal to the president

No senate confirmations

Harry Hopkins, Henry Kissinger, John Sununu

Chief Executive: Access

Hierarchical: the pyramid

or

Circular: wheel-and-spokes

Try to be original

Detail manager vs. delegator

Ad hoc approach

First Lady No official position

Has evolved

How is the White House difference from the

Executive Office staff?



What is the difference between a hierarchical

organization and a wheel-and-spokes system of

White House management?






What is the cabinet and what does it do?







Identify four formal powers of the presidents?








What is the process for the president to be

impeached?









impeached?

What is the 22nd Amendment?









impeached?

What is the 22nd Amendment?

What is the 25th Amendment?

Chief Legislator

Phrase is not in the Constitution.

Phrase invented to emphasize

president’s importance in the legislative

process.


Initiate Policy “from time to time”

Veto legislation

State of the Union address

Chief Legislator Presidential Options

1. Sign a bill into law

2. Veto

3. Pocket veto

Chief Legislator Veto: the president can send a bill back to

Congress with his reasons for rejecting it. It

may be overridden with 2/3 support of both

Houses.

The Veto

Congress usually cannot override a

vote

Presidents often use the threat of a veto

to force Congress to modify legislation

A vetoed bill is often revised and then

passed in another form

Requires 2/3 vote in each chamber

Chief Legislator Vetoes are most used to prevent legislation.




Houses.

Pocket Veto: a president can let a bill die

by not signing it when Congress adjourns

within 10 days of submitting a bill.




Houses.

Pocket Veto: a president can let a bill die

by not signing it when Congress adjourns

within 10 days of submitting a bill.

Line Item Veto: ability to veto parts of a

bill--some state governors have it, but not

the president

Chief Legislator: Legislative Skills

Bargaining, personal appeals, consulting

with Congress, setting priorities,

―honeymoon‖ period, structuring votes

Bargaining: trading support for specific

benefits

Occurs less often than thought

Does not have to bargain with every

member of Congress


Strategic moves

Exploit the honeymoon period

Set priorities

Set the agenda for Congress

Allows for effective lobbying of Congress

○ Reagan was successful

○ Bush #41 was not

○ Clinton was not

○ Bush #43 was successful


Presidential legislative skills must

compete with…

Party, ideology, personal views and

commitments, constituency interests etc…

Presidents with legislative backgrounds

no more successful than those without

How effective are presidential vetoes?


What three options does a president

have after Congress passes a bill?


What three options does a president

have after Congress passes a bill?

What is the difference between the

following:

Veto

Pocket veto

Line-item veto

The President and National Security

Defense and Foreign Policy

Occupies much of the president’s time

__________________________________

Chief Diplomat

Commander in Chief


Formal Constitutional Powers:

1. CinC – power to deploy troops

2. Appoints ambassadors subject to Senate

approval

3. Negotiates treaties, subject to Senate

ratification

4. Sole power to recognize (or not) nations.

5. Receive ambassadors and other public

ministers


Informal Powers:

1. Negotiate executive agreements

2. Meet with world leaders

3. Manage international crisis

4. Access to secret/confidential information

President as Chief Diplomat

Derived from Constitutional powers

Congress normally defers to the

president in foreign affairs

Extends and terminate diplomatic

relations

Sole power to negotiate treaties

Senate can ratify or reject with 2/3 vote

Presidents rely more on executive

agreements than formal treaties

President as Chief Diplomat

Executive Agreements

Pact between president and head of a

foreign state

Do not need Senate approval

Not part of U.S. law

Not binding on future presidents

Examples include the Vietnam peace

agreement, and SALT I.

President as CinC

Constitution specifically gives the

president this power

Constitution specifically grants Congress

the power to declare war.

Great controversy between the

executive and legislative branches

The Problem Congress

Declare war

“raise and

support armies”

“provide and

maintain a navy”

“make rules for

the government

and regulation of

land and naval

forces”

President

“Commander in

chief of the

Army and

Navy...when

called into

actual Service

of the United

States;”

Undeclared “wars”

Clinton

Haiti

Bosnia

Somalia

Kenya

Yugoslavia

Iraq

Afghanistan

Sudan

Bush

Iraq

Afghanistan

Somalia

Columbia

Pakistan

Syria

Djibouti

Ethiopia

Solution: War Powers Resolution (1973)

Intended to limit the president’s ability to use military

Requirements

1. President must consult with Congress,

whenever possible, before using military

force

2. Mandates withdrawal of forces after 60 days

unless Congress declares war or grant

extension

3. Congress can pass a concurrent resolution

(which cannot be vetoed) ending US

participation.

The Solution

War Powers Resolution (1973)

Every president considers it unconstitutional

Legislative veto??? -- Violation of the doctrine

of separation of powers

Presidents mostly ignore the law

Congress has difficulty challenging presidents

Largely political, not legal issue

President as Crisis Manager

Sudden, unpredictable, potentially dangerous event

Mostly in foreign policy

More today than in the past

Rapid action, secrecy, constant management, consistent judgment and expert advice.

Presidents still have to work with Congress for support and funding of foreign policies.

The President, Congress and National Security

Founders divided the powers

Supply and command

President has a more prominent role

Centralized leadership

Secrecy

Initiate policy

Two presidencies – domestic policy and

national security policy

How is an executive agreement different

than a treaty?

Identify three provisions of the War

Powers Act.

How effective has the War Powers Act

been?



Chapter 13

President’s Judicial Powers

Granting Reprieves and Pardons


A reprieve is a postponement of the

execution of a sentence

A pardon is a legal forgiveness of a crime

President’s Judicial Powers

Appointing Supreme Court Justices and

federal judges

Nominations must be confirmed by the

Senate

Presidents use this power to select judges

and justices with compatible philosophies.

Leadership

Three most useful resources:

1. Public Support

2. Party Leadership

3. Legislative Skills

Leadership

―Power of Persuasion‖

Three constituencies

1. Public

○ Use the polls

2. Political Pundits (media)

○ 100 days (the honeymoon)

3. Party

○ Be a good democrat (or republican)

Leadership: The Public

Public support is crucial to presidential

success.


1. ―Do you approve or disapprove of the

way [name of the President] is handling

his job as president?‖

Over 50 years

Gallup

Data shows

Increase approval ratings Decrease approval ratings

Honeymoon period

Positive media coverage

Foreign policy success

―Rally‖ events

Strong economic growth

Low unemployment

Scandals

Gap between

expectations and

performance

Foreign events that go

badly over a period of

time

Weak economic growth

High unemployment


Political resource

Operates in the background, sets limits

Some will always support the president,

some never will

Congress more in step with their

constituencies

―Going Public‖

Gives the president leverage, not

command


Mandate: the people have spoken

Rarely exists, often claimed

Powerful symbol-legitimacy and credibility


Going Public

Presidential appearances

Head of State

Approval ratings

Correlation b/w public approval and

presidential influence

Frequently, POTUS does not have

widespread support


Mobilizing the Public

The president may attempt to motivate the

public to contact Congress.

A difficult task, given inattentive and

apathetic public

May backfire: a lack of response speaks

loudly


Bully pulpit

Presidents attempt to gain public support through televised messages, with little success

The Public may not be receptive to the president’s message or misperceive it all together.

Media advisers, skilled communicators

○ FDR, JFK, Reagan, Clinton, Obama


Political party identification

Honeymoon

President’s efforts and positions NOT

personality or pocketbook

Rally events: events involving

international relations directly involving

the US that are specific, dramatic and

sharply focused.

Leadership: The Media

Plays a key role in how the public

perceives the president.

Generally more successful than members

of Congress in using the media to set the

agenda


Following factors give the president an

advantage over Congress in gaining

media attention:

1. Represents the entire nation

2. Leader of the ―free world‖

3. More powerful than any individual member

of Congress

4. Single voice vs. 535 members of Congress


Media interpret and analyze –intermediary

Media needs stories, president wants to get a message out

Press Secretary

Press Conferences

―Body Watch‖

No systemic bias

Tends to emphasize the negativeRobert Gibbs

Leadership: Chief of the Party

The Bonds of Party

○ Being in the president’s party

creates a psychological bond

between legislators and

presidents, increasing

agreement.

Personal loyalties

Reelection

General ideological agreement

Distrust of the opposition party


Slippage in Party Support

○ Presidents cannot always count on party

support, especially on controversial issues.

2/3rds of the time

Presidents forced to be active in party leadership

○ Primary obstacle – lack of consensus

Diverse constituencies


Leading the party

Presidents can offer party candidates

support and punishment by withholding

favors.

Presidential coattails occur when voters cast

their ballots for congressional candidates of

the president’s party because they support

the president. Races are rarely won in this

way.

Understanding the American Presidency

The Presidency and Democracy

Concerns over the president having too much power often tied to policy concerns

Others argue there are too many checks and balances on the president

The Presidency and the Scope of Government

Some presidents have increased the functions of government.

Summary

Americans expect a lot from presidents.

Presidents work as part of an

organization.

Presidential leadership of Congress is

central but difficult

Presidential roles and responsibilities,

even national security, tied to

Madisonian system of checks and

balances





What events cause presidential approval

ratings to increase? Decrease?





What events cause presidential approval

ratings to increase? Decrease?

What is meant by presidential coattails

and how effective are they?

Describe what is meant by the term ―chief

legislator.‖


legislator.‖

To what extent does the office of the

presidency enlarge the scope of

government? Why or why not? Provide

examples.


legislator.‖




examples.

Assess how public support and party support

affects the president’s relationship with

Congress.


legislator.‖




examples.

Assess how public support and party support

affects the president’s relationship with

Congress.

This is the unit that links the president’s key

foreign and military policy advisors.

What is the role and importance of the OMB?


This limits the president to two terms.



Describe and explain the significance of the

Watergate scandal.




Watergate scandal.

This determines who steps into the

presidency if the office is vacated.




Watergate scandal.

This determines who steps into the

presidency if the office is vacated.

In the mid-term elections the party of the

president tends to do this.

chapter 13southwest.mpls.k12.mn.us/uploads/my_presidency2.pdfgreat expectations ... how they got...

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