President:bureaucracy review

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Chapter 14 The Presidency

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The Evolution of the Presidency■ Concerns of the Founders

■ Did NOT want a King ■ Wanted power to rest with the

people ■ Decided on a single executive

with powers limited by checks and balances of the legislative and judicial branches

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Presidents and Prime Ministers

■ Presidents are Often Outsiders ■ Presidents Choose Cabinet Members

from Outside Congress ■ Presidents Have No Guaranteed

Majority in Congress ■ Presidents and Prime Ministers at

War

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Divided Government■ Divided government – One party

controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress

■ Unified government – The same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress

■ Does gridlock matter? ■ Is policy gridlock bad?

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Qualifications Article II of the Constitution

■ Formal ■ natural born citizen ■ at least 35 years of age ■ resident of the US 14 years prior to

the election

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Historically■ Shared Characteristics

■ political/military experience ■ married ■ white male ■ protestant ■ north European ancestry

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Term and Tenure■ Single Executive, indirectly elected

through an electoral college for a 4 year term.

■ 1951 - 22nd Amendment ■ Limits president to two elected

terms

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Succession and Disability■ The Constitution provides that if the

president can no longer serve in office, the vice president will carry out the duties and powers of the office

■ 25th Amendment - states that the vice president becomes president if the office becomes vacant or unable to perform duties, and provides for the nomination of a new vice president

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Impeachment and Removal■ The Constitution allows for the

removal of the president through the impeachment process

■ The House of Representatives brings charges of wrongdoing

■ The Senate sits in judgment, the chief justice of the Supreme Court presides

■ Conviction requires a 2/3 vote of the Senate

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The Road to the White House■ Succession ■ Election

■ Constitution and 12th Amendment give an electoral college the power to elect the president

■ Electoral College - HOR + Senators + DC

■ Need 270 or HOR chooses

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The Vice Presidency■ Choice influenced by desire to

balance the ticket ■ Constitutionally

■ preside over Senate, cast tie-breaking vote

■ help determine presidential disability under the 25th Amendment

■ terms not limited

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Presidential Powers■ Executive ■ Legislative ■ Diplomatic ■ Military ■ Judicial ■ Party Powers

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Executive Powers■ Enforce laws, treaties, court

decisions ■ issue executive orders to carry out

policies ■ appoints / removes officials ■ assumes emergency powers ■ presides over the cabinet and

executive branch

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Legislative Powers■ Gives annual State of the Union ■ Issues annual budget and economic

report ■ Signs or vetoes bills ■ Proposes legislation and uses

influence to get it passed ■ Calls for special sessions of Congress

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Diplomatic Powers■ Appoints ambassadors and other

diplomats ■ Negotiates treaties and executive

agreements ■ Meets with foreign leaders at

international conferences ■ Accords diplomatic recognition to

foreign governments ■ Receives foreign dignitaries

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Military Powers■ Serves as commander-in-chief of the

armed forces ■ Has final decision-making authority

in matters of national and foreign defense

■ Provides for domestic order

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Judicial Powers■ Appoints members of the federal

judiciary ■ Grants pardons, reprieves, amnesty

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Party Powers■ Recognized leader of the party ■ Chooses Vice-Presidential nominee ■ Strengthens the party by helping

members get elected (coattails) ■ Appoints party members to

government positions (patronage) ■ Influences policies and platform of

the party

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Limitations■ Congressional Checks

■ override vetoes (2/3) ■ power of the purse (appropriations) ■ impeachment ■ appointment approval ■ legislation to limit (War Powers Act -

limit president’s ability to use military force)

■ legislative veto (unconstitutional 1983)

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Limitations■ Judicial - Judicial Review ■ Political Checks

■ public opinion ■ media attention ■ popularity

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The Bureaucracy■ A systematic way of organizing a

complex and large administrative structure ■ hierarchical - like pyramid, those at

top have authority over those below ■ job specialization - defined duties and

responsibilities, division of labor ■ formal rules - established regulations

and procedures

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History and Growth■ spoils system - giving offices and

government favors to political supporters and friends

■ reform movement - competitive exams were tried but failed due to inadequate funding from Congress

■ Pendleton Act - Civil Service Act of 1883, replaces spoils system with merit system

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History and Growth■ Hatch Act of 1939, amended 1993 -

prohibits government employees from engaging political activities while on duty, running for office or seeking political funding while off duty

■ Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 - created the Office of Personnel Management to recruit, train, classify federal employees

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Organization■ Cabinet Departments - 15 executive

departments created to advice the president and operate specific policy

■ Independent Executive Agencies - similar to departments but without cabinet status

■ Independent Regulatory Agencies - independent from executive, to regulate or police

■ Government Corporations - business activities, charge for services

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Influences

■ Executive - appointing the right people, issuing executive orders, affecting the agency’s budget

■ Congressional - hearings, legislations, approve appointments, affect budget

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Influences■ Iron Triangle - alliance between

bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees

■ Issue Networks - interest groups, Congressional staff, think tanks, universities, media that discuss and advocate public policy

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Executive Office of the President

■ Established 1939 ■ Includes closest advisors to the

president ■ White House Office ■ National Security Council ■ Office of Management and Budget ■ Office of the Vice-President

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The Office of the President

■ The White House Office • Pyramid structure • Circular structure • Ad hoc structure

■ The Executive Office of the President ■ The Cabinet ■ Independent Agencies, Commissions,

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Executive Departments (Cabinet)

■ State, Treasury, Defense, Interior, Justice, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security