Chapter 7.1 Qualifications and Terms of Executive Office

QUALIFICATIONSArticle II, Section 1 of U.S. Constitution• 35 years of age or older

• 14 years U.S. residency– They must live here for at

least that long before they run for office

• Natural born citizen* Barack Obama?

*Do you believe this?

The Story of Barack Obama

• Born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961– Or was he?

• Born to Ann Dunham (white) and Barack Obama, Sr. (from Africa)

The Birth Certificate

Presidential Background

• Out of the 44 POTUS– All but 1 has been white!

• Not until the 1980’s has anyone but white men run for executive office. – 1984

• Geraldine Ferraro ran for VP

By 2000, other minorities have tried to run for POTUS or VP

The Smartest Man in the Room?

• 75% of all our POTUS have college degrees– Over 40% have an

advanced degree in • Law• Business• Political Science

• Keep in mind– George W. Bush

• Had an MBA from Harvard

Terms• The U.S. Constitution sets

the number of years the POTUS term – 4 year terms

• Question: – How many terms can he

run for?

– Remember:– George Washington served

only 2 terms • He retired afterwards

Term Limits

• 1789 – 1933– Every POTUS after

George Washington served no more than 2 terms • 8 years total in office

• 1933 -1945– Franklin D. Roosevelt

• Was elected 4 times! • Served 13 years

– Died in office.

Constitutional Amendment

• 22nd Amendment– 1951

• States that a POTUS can only serve for 2 terms total! – 8 years and done.

– Should we keep this amendment?

FLAT BROKE AND BUSTED

• Some presidents left office poor– James Monroe– Ulysses S. Grant – Harry Truman

• Herbert Hoover – Accepted funds to save

Harry Truman from embarrassment.

THE BENEFITS….after 1950• A nice house

• A salary of $400,000 per year (taxable)

• Expense account of $50,000 per year (taxable)

• Travel expenses of $100,000 per year (tax-free)

• Secret Service protection*

• Pension, on retirement, cabinet member's salary (taxable)

• A house in the woods - Camp David

• A personal airplane and helicopter • Air Force One• Marine Corps One

• A fine chef (24/7)

*Lifetime up to Bill Clinton, President Bush will have ten years

What happens if the POTUS gets shot?

• 25th Amendment – Outlines the

presidential succession

• People who would become POTUS if something happened to the POTUS while in office.

1. POTUS1. Obama

2. VP1. Joe Biden

3. Speaker of the House1. John Boehner

4. President Pro Tempore1. Dan Inouye

5. Secretary of State1. Hillary Clinton

6. Secretary of the Treasury1. Tim Geithner