Presidential Duties Minimum Qualifications: Minimum of 35 years of age Natural-born citizen of the U.S. Resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years before.

Presidential DutiesMinimum Qualifications:• Minimum of 35 years of age• Natural-born citizen of the U.S.• Resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years before taking

office • Same qualifications for vice president

Presidential DutiesPresidential Duties:• Commander in Chief• Appoints (with consent of the Senate) Executive

Departmental Leaders, Federal Court Judges, Top Officials

• Ensures the law is executed properly• Ability to lower a criminal sentence or grant a pardon• Power to make laws• Gives State of the Union address each year

Presidential DutiesPresidential Duties:• Commander in Chief• Appoints (with consent of the Senate) Executive

Departmental Leaders, Federal Court Judges, Top Officials

• Ensures the law is executed properly• Ability to lower a criminal sentence or grant a pardon• Power to make laws• Gives State of the Union address each year

Presidential DutiesPresidential Term:• 4 year terms• Can serve two 4 year terms. If a VP takes over as President

for <2 years, they can serve 2 more terms (total 10 years).• Assignment: Originally, the Constitution did not specify

how many terms could be served. What amendment specifies the number of terms?

Presidential DutiesPresidential Salary:• 1969-2001: $200,000 per year• 2001: Congress raised the salary to $400,000 per year• Travel expense: $100,000 per year• Congress cannot increase or decrease the salary during a

president’s term

Presidential DutiesPresidential Benefits:• Protected transportation• Free medical, dental and health care• 132-room mansion (swimming pool, bowling alley,

private movie theater, tennis courts, basketball court)• Cooking, shopping, and cleaning• 10 year of secret service protection after retirement

Presidential DutiesRetirement:• After retirement, presidents receive a lifetime pension

of $148,400 per year• Free office space and free mailing services• $96,000 per year for office help• When a president dies, the widow can receive $20,000

per year

Presidential DutiesPresidential Campaign Costs:• In 2008 candidate endorsements:• $269,985,803 for top 4 Republicans• $588,443,633 for top 4 Democrats

• Mitt Romney spent approximately $44 million of his own money in ’08

Presidential DutiesLimitations on Campaign Funds:• Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) 2002:• Presidential candidates that accept public financing

agree to limit their spending• $37.3 million for the primaries• $74.6 million for the general election• McCain accepted public funding • Obama did private financing

Presidential DutiesPresidential Succession:• Assignment: What is the Succession Act of 1947?• Assignment: What is the 25th Amendment?• Assignment: List the Presidential Succession (all 18)

Presidential DutiesVice President:• Two primary roles:• Presides over the Senate• Votes in the Senate if there is a tie

• President may assign additional duties and responsibilities to the VP

• Assignment: How many Vice Presidents have become President?