1. The Executive Branch:Executing the Laws

What is the Executive Branch?X-Branch is more than just the President. It includes: All cabinet level departments most federal agencies, bureaus and commissions over 3 m employees & 1.8 m armed forces members you, your parent(s) and me!

HERES THE KICKER: The Constitution does not specifically mention any of it either! It simply states that the President has the power to: take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

2. The President and Vice President

Thanks SmartArt!

Wanted: President 4 year term (2x max, or 10 years) No limit on number of terms until 1951 (After FDR was elected 4 times), 22nd Amendment: only two 4-year terms Salary: $400,000 Other Benefits: $50,000 expense account, 132-room White House, a yacht, Air Force One, Secret Service Detail, helo, Camp David, free health care, travel

Presidential Succession

If President dies, resigns or is removed from office, next to take over is.

1. Vice President2. Speaker of the House3. President pro tempore of the Senate4. Secretary of State5.Secretary of the Treasury

Would a Prime Minister or Chancellor have to do this?

The VPConstitutional Duties: 1. Serve as president of Senate (break ties)2. Decide on presidential disability (25th Amendment)9 VPs have become President (4 assassinations, 4 deaths, 1 resignation)Recently, VPs have increased the profile and power of Vice President after someone made the office a joke....Curse of the 20s is broken!

James Danforth "Dan" QuayleRepublicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child.

"I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and democracy -- but that could change.

"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any vice president, and that one word is 'to be prepared.

"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls."

"I love California, I practically grew up in Phoenix."

44th VP of the USA

The VPHistorically, President in waiting with little to do.

The most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived. -VP John Adams

The vice presidency isnt worth a warm pitcher of spit (or piss) VP John Garner

3. POWER of the PRESIDENT

Powers of the President

Formal Powers: Commander in Chief of the militaryMilitary Powers: Pres. can make undeclared war by executive orders. Has happened often in US history (Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Libya, Gulf War, Somalia, Kosovo, and now)War Powers Resolution: Congresss attempt to check the Presidents undeclared war power:Congress must be briefed with 48 hoursCombat commitment must end in 60 days, unless Congress approves moreCongress can end combat commitment at any time

Formal Powers: Chief ExecutiveFaithfully execute the lawsRequire the opinion of heads of executive departmentsGrant pardons for federal offenses except for cases of impeachmentNominate judges of the Supreme Court and all other officers of the U.S. with consent of the SenateFill vacancies that may happen during recess of the Senate

Those powers not explicitly written in the Constitution Similar to necessary and proper powers of CongressPersuader in Chief: to be successful, presidents must convince Congress, citizens, foreign leadersIn the modern era (since 1933), the Presidents informal powers may be significantly more powerful than his formal powers. Informal Powers

Executive OrdersOrders issued by the President that carry the force of lawClintons Dont ask dont tell gays in the military policyFDRs internment of Japanese AmericansGWB trying suspected terrorists in military tribunalsNotice for Japanese relocation, 1942

Executive AgreementsInternational agreements, usually related to trade, made by a president that has the force of a treaty; does NOT need Senate approvalJeffersons purchase of Louisiana in 1803

Executive PrivilegeClaim by a president that he has the right to decide that the national interest will be better served if certain information is withheld from the public, including the Courts and CongressUnited States v. Nixon (1973) presidents do NOT have unqualified executive privilege (Nixon Watergate tapes)

STARTER:1. How many employees worked in the White House office IN FDRs time? Now?2. Describe and explain 3 criticisms of the modern presidency.3. How did 9/11 make being the president easier?4. How has modern media affected the presidents ability to perform his job?5. Describe 3 possible solutions to the problem.

The Presidency : the First Branch?

Over the past 225 years, the power of the U.S. President has grown. Why you ask?1.Executive branch is not divided. 2. Pres. have increased the power of the office (Bush)3. U.S.A. has become more complex, so has the office.4. National emergencies require quick response.

Why has the Presidency become the First Branch?

5.Congress has increased the size of ex. branch 6.All the presidents roles.7.Large staff.8. Media attention.

Public Opinion & Political CapitalWhy does public opinion matter to a president?High Popularity= congressional support for Presidents programsLow Popularity= tough go in Congress

Presidents tend to most popular at the beginning of their term when they have lots of political capitalPOLITICAL CAPITAL: collection of political assets (good will, popularity, connections) that can be spent on a politicians programsWhat creates political capital? Success

Presidents popularity is usually highest at beginning of term (honeymoon), therefore a new president will spend some political capital early.FDR: First 100 daysClinton: Health Care ReformBush: Energy Policy, Anti-Terrorism EffortsObama: Economic Stimulus

Public Opinion & Political Capital

Starter1. Create a T-Chart listing arguments both FOR and AGAINST the expansion of presidential power.

2. What is political capital? How is it gained? When should it be used? Why?

4. The Cabinet

CabinetCabinet is group of advisors chosen by President to help accomplish work of Executive BranchToday, it consists of the heads of the following depts:

Housing and Urban Dev.InteriorLabor StateTransportationTreasuryVeterans AffairsAgriculture CommerceDefenseEducationEnergyJusticeHealth and Human ServicesHomeland Security

Obamas Cabinet (2009)

Cabinet

President usually selects a diverse group of cabinet member (geographically and ethnically)

Conflicting Roles of Cabinet Members

Top Cabinet Positions

Sec. of DefensePanettaAttorney GeneralHolderSec. of TreasuryAnglim(Geithner)Sec. of StateClintonVHS XC

The Bureaucracy is

All the offices and individuals under the president charged with carrying out the governments policiesTHE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY has

. Hierarchical structure. Job specialization. Formal rules

BIG, MASSIVE BUREAUCRACYWhy SO BIG?Laws passed have given govt more to do---who does it? The Bureaucracy17 Million workers in all (6 % of USA)5.6 M Contractors4.6 M State/local on federal mandate2.4 M Federal grants1.9 M Civil servants1.5 M Military0.9 M Postal

Powerful? Depends if it has discretionary authority (the power to make policies)Some powerful agencies have the power to:pay subsidies to groups (farmers)transfer $ from Fed.States (grants)create regulations (air bags

CRITICISM:WasteRed TapeConflictImperialism

REFORM? Tried often, but hard to do.

Why do bureaucracies suffer from inefficiencies when private organizations do not? Why is McDonalds better than the DMV?

According to Wilson: No incentives for bureaucracies to profit. Extra money? Bureaucracies spend it or send it back.Bureaucracies are controlled by outside masters (Congress)Cannot make changes easilyCannot respond to customers demandsManagers lack independence Lack of Competition Bureaucracies do not fear the customer will go somewhere else, they only fear complaints of congress which are rare.

Congress:Appropriate InvestigateCreate lawsConfirm

Presidency:Appoint RemoveDirect

BureaucracyControl of the Federal Bureaucracy

Name the Bureaucracy

ATFDODIRSFBICIANASAFDAFTCFCCUSPSSECEPADOECDCFAATSADeCAAAFESDODDSFDIC

Financing the Government

Fiscal Policy: TaxingTAXES: 2010: 2.1 Billion(Income taxes are progressiverich pay more)You make < $22,100 =15% income taxYou make > $ 250, 000 = 39% income tax

BorrowingBORROWING: Over the past 50 years the US Govt usually spends more than it makes, so it has to borrow. How? Sells Treasury Bonds: Govt IOUs w/ interestPublic Debt today: Is this good or bad?

Fiscal Policy: SpendingFederal spending:2/3 of this is spent on entitlements (SS, Medicare ,etc.)Top spenders (discretionary)Dept. of Defense: 515 BWho decides the budget?President submits budget to CongressCongress dissects budget and tries to pass it by October 1st.

Chart1

793

701

689

660

416

197

(in billions)

Sales

Federal Spending 20103.1 trillion

Sheet1

Sales

Medicare/medicaid793

Social Security701

Defense689

Discretionary660

Other Mandatory416

Interest197

To resize chart data range, drag lower right corner of range.

Policy Making

War on TerrorEducation Reform

Green Energy

Health CareReform

Military Transformation

Policy Making 101So far we have studied how of government (how a law is made, how the Supreme Court works or how the president is elected). Policies are the what of government and differ greatly from one government to the next (tax cuts, welfare reform or war on Iraq). Types of Policiesfiscal policy : involving taxing and spendingmonetary policy: involving govt regulation of money supplyforeign policy: relationship with other nationssocial policy: welfare (TANF: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), health care, unemployment, social security, etc.

Economic PolicyKey Economic Factors: Unemployment: % of people wanting work w/o workInflation: increase in pricesGrowth: increase in goods/servicesThe Fed (Fedl Reserve Bank) implements monetary policy by:1. Buying/Selling T-Bonds2. Sets % of money banks must have in vault3. Sets interest rates for banks

Economic PolicyEconomic Policy Choices: Whats the role of govt in the economyMonetarian: increase $ supply= economic growth Keynesian: Govt spends to jumpstart economy (New Deal)Planning: Govt regulates prices and wages (socialism)Supply-Side: Govt cut taxes and stay out of way of business (Reagan)

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