The Executive Branch. Qualifications for Presidency Natural Born Citizen 35 years old Live in the US for at least 14 years.

The Executive BranchThe Executive Branch

Qualifications for PresidencyQualifications for Presidency

Natural Born CitizenNatural Born Citizen

35 years old 35 years old

Live in the US for at Live in the US for at least 14 yearsleast 14 years

Traditional (“unwritten”) Traditional (“unwritten”) QualificationsQualifications

All menAll menWhiteWhiteProtestant Protestant All ChristianAll Christian

WealthyWealthyMarried (sometimes Married (sometimes more than once, but more than once, but not often)not often)Have some military Have some military experience experience

Electoral CollegeElectoral College

Each state has a body of electors equal to Each state has a body of electors equal to the number of representatives the state the number of representatives the state hashas

Each state guaranteed three electoral Each state guaranteed three electoral votesvotes

Votes are to reflect the vote of the people Votes are to reflect the vote of the people from each respective statefrom each respective state

State RepresentationState Representation

Electoral votes are given to winner of the Electoral votes are given to winner of the state (winner take all)state (winner take all)

Maine and Nebraska have proportional Maine and Nebraska have proportional electoral voteselectoral votes

Race to 270Race to 270

538 total electoral votes538 total electoral votes

Must receive a majority (270)Must receive a majority (270)

If no candidate get to 270 then the House If no candidate get to 270 then the House of Representatives decidesof Representatives decides

Flaws in Electoral CollegeFlaws in Electoral College

Winner of popular vote is not guaranteed Winner of popular vote is not guaranteed presidencypresidency

Has happened four timesHas happened four times 1824, 1876, 1888, 20001824, 1876, 1888, 2000

Flaw #2Flaw #2

Electors are not required to vote in accord Electors are not required to vote in accord with popular votewith popular vote Never been a major issue, but it could Never been a major issue, but it could

potentially bepotentially be

Flaw #3Flaw #3

The House decides if no candidate gets to The House decides if no candidate gets to 270270 Strong third party candidates could influence Strong third party candidates could influence

election, thus leaving election to Houseelection, thus leaving election to House

What else could we use?What else could we use?

District PlanDistrict Plan

Proportional PlanProportional Plan

Direct Popular ElectionDirect Popular Election

Is this the best we can do?Is this the best we can do?

Is the Electoral College fair?Is the Electoral College fair?

Does it work?Does it work?

Should we change? Why or why not?Should we change? Why or why not?

Term of OfficeTerm of Office

Limited to two terms Limited to two terms (FDR)(FDR)

2222ndnd Amendment Amendment No one can be elected No one can be elected

more than twicemore than twice Anyone who serves more Anyone who serves more

than 2 years of another’s than 2 years of another’s elected term can be elected term can be reelected oncereelected once

2020thth Amendment Amendment Newly elected President is Newly elected President is

sworn in on January 20sworn in on January 20thth

Salary and BenefitsSalary and Benefits

$400,000 annually$400,000 annuallyPerks-Fringe benefits the President receives, set Perks-Fringe benefits the President receives, set by congressby congress Travel $100,000Travel $100,000 Expense $50,000Expense $50,000 Residence at the White House (gym, library, bowling Residence at the White House (gym, library, bowling

alley and movie room)alley and movie room) Executive Staff, over 100 peopleExecutive Staff, over 100 people Camp David Camp David Doctors, Dentists and other healthcare professionalsDoctors, Dentists and other healthcare professionals Air Force One, Marine OneAir Force One, Marine One Retirement BenefitsRetirement Benefits

Roles of the PresidentRoles of the President

Chief Executive-The Chief Executive-The official who actually official who actually runs the Governmentruns the Government Armed forcesArmed forces PardonsPardons Negotiate TreatiesNegotiate Treaties AppointmentsAppointments Meet with foreign Meet with foreign

leadersleaders Carry out the LawCarry out the Law

Roles of the PresidentRoles of the President

Chief of State –Figure Chief of State –Figure Head for the USHead for the US Foreign Relations Foreign Relations

(entertainment)(entertainment) Speaks to Charitable Speaks to Charitable

GroupsGroups Unveils MonumentsUnveils Monuments Recognizes effort in Recognizes effort in

battle battle First PitchFirst Pitch

Line of SuccessionLine of SuccessionEight American Presidents have died in office (four of natural Eight American Presidents have died in office (four of natural causes, four assassinated)causes, four assassinated)

Line of Succession is the order in which determines who serves as Line of Succession is the order in which determines who serves as president if the president dies, is disabled, or removed from officepresident if the president dies, is disabled, or removed from office

The Vice President The Vice President Joseph Biden Speaker of the House Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi President Pro Tempore of the Senate President Pro Tempore of the Senate Daniel InouyeDaniel Inouye Secretary of State Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of the Treasury Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner Secretary of Defense Secretary of Defense Robert Gates Attorney General Attorney General Eric Holder Secretary of the Interior Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar Secretary of Agriculture Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack Secretary of Commerce Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke Secretary of Labor Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan Secretary of Transportation Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood Secretary of Energy Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu Secretary of Education Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Secretary of Veterans Affairs Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki Secretary of Homeland Security Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano

Executive Privilege or ImmunityExecutive Privilege or Immunity

Right to withhold info from Congress and the Right to withhold info from Congress and the courtscourts

Why would the President want to do this?Why would the President want to do this?

Messages to CongressMessages to Congress

State of the UnionState of the Union

Economic ReportEconomic Report

Budget MessageBudget Message

Approving LegislationApproving Legislation

Options:Options: Sign bill into lawSign bill into law Veto billVeto bill Do nothing (pocket veto)Do nothing (pocket veto)

Does not have line-item vetoDoes not have line-item veto

Judicial PowersJudicial Powers

Appoints Supreme Court JusticesAppoints Supreme Court Justices

Able to grant pardons-release from Able to grant pardons-release from punishmentpunishment

““absolute” or “conditional”absolute” or “conditional”

Judicial PowersJudicial Powers

Amnesty-general or blanket pardonAmnesty-general or blanket pardon

Voting Trends and Voting Trends and BehaviorBehavior

Why is voter turnout so low?Why is voter turnout so low?

Socioeconomic factorsSocioeconomic factors OccupationOccupation AgeAge RaceRace GenderGender EducationEducation IncomeIncome ResidenceResidence

Education and IncomeEducation and Income

More education = More wealth (generally)More education = More wealth (generally)

More education & $$$ = More likely to vote More education & $$$ = More likely to vote (Republican)(Republican)

OccupationOccupation

Employed are much more likely to voteEmployed are much more likely to vote

In 2000, 60% of employed voted, only In 2000, 60% of employed voted, only 46% of unemployed46% of unemployed

Gov’t workers-75%Gov’t workers-75%

AgeAge

Older more likely to voteOlder more likely to vote

Lowest participation is in 18-24 year oldsLowest participation is in 18-24 year olds More mobile group More mobile group (college, military, travel)(college, military, travel)

2008 Election2008 Election

AgesAges % of pop. that % of pop. that reg. to votereg. to vote

% of pop. that % of pop. that actually votedactually voted

18-2418-24 53%53% 49%49%

25-4425-44 68%68% 60%60%

45-6445-64 75%75% 69%69%

65-7465-74 78%78% 72%72%

75 and older75 and older 77%77% 68%68%

Total (225 mil.)Total (225 mil.) 71% (146 mil.)71% (146 mil.) 64% (131 mil.)64% (131 mil.)

RaceRace

Whites more likely to voteWhites more likely to vote 2008-65% of whites voted2008-65% of whites voted 54% of blacks54% of blacks 24% of Latinos24% of Latinos

GenderGender

2008 election2008 election 62% of men62% of men 66% of women66% of women

ResidenceResidence

Midwest and Northeast much higher than Midwest and Northeast much higher than South or WestSouth or West

Rural areas more likely to vote than Rural areas more likely to vote than metropolitan areasmetropolitan areas

Voter attitudesVoter attitudes

Apathy or indifferenceApathy or indifference 27% of registered 27% of registered

voters claimed they voters claimed they didn’t vote because didn’t vote because they didn’t want to, they didn’t want to, didn’t prefer any didn’t prefer any candidate, or were candidate, or were simply uneducatedsimply uneducated

41% claim they were 41% claim they were unable to get to polling unable to get to polling placeplace

TrendsTrends

Only Switzerland has lower turnoutOnly Switzerland has lower turnout

Some say U.S. doesn’t necessarily have a Some say U.S. doesn’t necessarily have a problem, other nations are just more problem, other nations are just more politically activepolitically active

Suffering for suffrageSuffering for suffrage

Voter turnout has declined as suffrage (the Voter turnout has declined as suffrage (the right to vote) has increasedright to vote) has increased

2626thth Amendment gave 11 million more Amendment gave 11 million more people the right to votepeople the right to vote Less than ½ actually turned outLess than ½ actually turned out Number of voters went up 4 millionNumber of voters went up 4 million Percentage went down 6%Percentage went down 6%

When do people vote?When do people vote?

Presidential elections draw more voters than Presidential elections draw more voters than Congressional, state, and local electionsCongressional, state, and local elections

Easier VotingEasier Voting

Motor Voter Act of 1993Motor Voter Act of 1993 Registration at Dept. of Motor VehiclesRegistration at Dept. of Motor Vehicles

Election PredictionsElection Predictions

Media influences Media influences votersvoters ImageImage Heighten interestHeighten interest Can hurt turnout by Can hurt turnout by

predicting winnerspredicting winners

What do we look for in a What do we look for in a candidate?candidate?

Why?Why?

DiscussDiscuss

Voting DecisionsVoting Decisions

Party identificationParty identification Party loyalty-”coattail effect”Party loyalty-”coattail effect” Split ticket votingSplit ticket voting

IssuesIssues

Where does the candidate stand on the issues?Where does the candidate stand on the issues?

ImageImage

1952 Eisenhower vs. Stevenson 1952 Eisenhower vs. Stevenson

ImageImage

1960 Kennedy vs. Nixon1960 Kennedy vs. Nixon

ImageImage

1984 Reagan vs. Mondale1984 Reagan vs. Mondale

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1992 Clinton vs. Bush1992 Clinton vs. Bush

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1996 Clinton vs. Dole1996 Clinton vs. Dole

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2000 Bush vs. Gore2000 Bush vs. Gore

ImageImage2008 Obama vs. McCain2008 Obama vs. McCain