Chapter 5

Chapter 5The Executive Branch

Who is in Charge of the Executive Branch?President ObamaThe executive branch carries out the laws created by the legislative branch. The president of the United States is the leader of the executive branch. The executive branch is established under Article II of the Constitution.

The president makes sure all of the groups within the executive branch are carrying out their duties. Assistants work with the president to help carry out the laws. The vice president is the presidents main assistant. The president has a staff of advisers that help the president gather information, answer mail, and plan schedules.

The Cabinet of 2009AgencyA division within the executive branch that serves a special purpose.Organization of Executive BranchThe president oversees all of the agencies and departments. The men and women in the agenciesand departments carry on the daily functionsof the executive department. OrganizationA group that carries out certain activities.

Can You be President?

The following are the qualifications for being a candidateFor president of the United States. You must be:A natural-born American citizenAt least 35 years oldA resident of the United States for at least 14 years

Votingpolling placeEvery four years on the first Tuesday of November, the people vote for the president of the United States and the Vice President. On election day, voters go to a polling place where American citizens are guaranteed the right to vote in a secret ballot. The secret ballot is a private space where no one can see your choices.

The voters know the day of voting who won, however, the Electoral College meets in December to make the election official.

The Twenty-fourth Amendment (Amendment XXIV) prohibits both Congress and the states from conditioning the right to vote in federal elections on payment of a poll tax or other types of tax.~Wikipedia 2013

What is the Electoral College?

The Electoral College is a group of electors who vote for the president and vice president. The number of votes that citizens cast in a presidential election is called the popular vote.

Although citizens vote for the president and vice president by name, they are actually voting for an elector. The elector who wins the most popular votes will vote for that president and vice president when the Electoral College meets about one month later.Each state has electors that include senators and representatives. Each state has two senators and the number of representatives depends on a states population. Notice how California has 55 electors.

Popular Vote vs. Electoral Vote

There are a total of 538 electoral votes. A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win the election. All the votes for a state are given to the candidate who wins the states popular vote.

The Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution set up the Electoral College system. Today, many people think the Electoral College is confusing and no longer needed. They think the president and vice president should be elected by popular vote without the electors. In several elections, a candidate has won the popular vote and lost the electoral college.

George W. Bush Republican Party Popular VoteAl Gore Democratic Party2000 Presidential Election Candidates QuestionExplain why you think the electoral college existed in the first place.

Popular Vote vs. Electoral Vote

George W. Bush Republican Party Popular VoteAl Gore Democratic Party2000 Presidential Election Candidates What happened in the 2000 presidential election? In the 2000 election, Al Gore won the popular vote nationally, but George W. Bush won the electoral vote. All states but Florida were decided. Floridas 25 electoral votes would decide the election. Bush was only a few hundred popular votes ahead in Florida. By Florida state law, if an election is that close, the votes must be recounted.

After recounts, Bush had even fewer votes but still had more votes than Gore. Gore requested another recount in four counties. Bush wanted no more recounts. Gore took the issue to the Florida State Supreme Court. In the end it was determined by the Supreme Court a recount was unconstitutional. Bush won 271 electoral votes. Gore had 500,000 more popular votes than Bush.

Franklin D. Roosevelt Democrat and 32 president. Presidential Term LimitThe only president elected four times!The Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution was created in 1951. The amendment limited the number of terms a president could be in office to two terms of four years each. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the only president to serve more than two terms. QuestionPlease answer the following question:Why do you think there is a limit to the number of terms a president may serve?

Duties of the PresidentIf you were looking up the job description of the president, the job description would look like this:Must perform the following dutiesPresident

Details of the DutiesDiplomatic DutiesDiplomatic means to deal with people skillfully or tactfully. President makes decisions about relations with other nations. Appoints ambassadors to represent US in other countries.Legislative DutiesAs chief legislator, the president signs or vetoes bills. Gives State of the Union Address. Balances the budget.Political Party LeaderCarries out the plan of the party. Follow parties plan. Appoints people to jobs.

Commander in ChiefCommander in chief of the armed forces. The Constitution states that only Congress can declare war. Congress has declared war five times. The president can send troops where danger is.

World LeaderHelps and guides smaller nations. Other leaders follow and study presidents actions. Ideally, promotes peace.

ReviewThe president is______________ of the armed forces.As chief diplomat of the United States, the president appoints __________to foreign countries. ____________has the power to declare war.What actions of the president could change the presidents popularity with citizens?

People Who AdviseThe President15 Executive DepartmentsPRESIDENTThe Presidents Cabinet

Must be approved by Senate.I appoint the cabinet members!

People Who AdviseThe PresidentThe National Security CouncilCouncil of EconomicAffairsThe White House OfficeThe Office of Budget and ManagementCouncil on Environmental QualityExecutive Office

Chapter Review FinalThe Executive office

Insert the main agencies of the executive department and NAME at least one task each agency does. Ask for help or refer to prior slides.