Chapter 13Chief Executives andBureaucracies

Formal Qualifications: Age, Citizenship, and Presidents Native-born citizen, at least 35 years old,

must have lived in country for at least 14 years, can only serve for 2 terms

Informal qualifications: experience, education, and other factors Backgrounds in law, business or public

service, college educated, traditionally white, male, middle or upper class, religious affiliation

Exceptions and changes over time: Abraham Lincoln, women, African Americans, Latinos

Chief executive: acts like the head of a large corporation, presides over federal bureaucracy, power to issue executive orders

Chief of state: ceremonial leader of government, represents the United States at various events

Commander in chief: head of the armed forces, overall security of the U.S., Congress checks this role

Chief diplomat: oversees U.S. foreign policy, talks with foreign leaders, negotiates treaties, Senate checks all treaties

Chief policy maker: significant influence over the legislative process, may propose or pressure congress members to pass legislation, veto power

Chief manager of the economy: helps to write federal budget and set tax policy, appoints of the Federal Reserve Board

Chief of party: leader of his/her political party, deep loyalty and exerts great influence over members of the party

Chief citizen: embodies American ideals and to serve the nation by acting in its best interest

Independent Agencies Help implement federal policy Do not fall within executive departments Examples: NASA, CIA, FCC and the Peace

CorpsRely on tax dollars with a few

exceptions: U.S. Postal Service