1	THE PRESIDENT
2	The Presidents All white males Most Anglo-Saxon Mostly Protestant (except JFK) Military experience less important Baby boomers – (1^st generation w/ no experience of war)
3	Qualifications Natural born citizen 35 years of age Resident of U.S. for 14 years
4	Benefits Nice House $400,000 per year salary $50,000 per year expense account $100,000 per year travel allowance
5	Benefits cont. Pension = cabinet member Staff after leaving office Secret service after leaving office Salary after office = cabinet head
6	Benefits cont. Place in the country (Camp David) Personal airplanes / helicopters Great chef
7	Presidents Roles Commander in Chief Executive branch Administrator Influence Courts (nominates judges)
8	Presidents Roles Cont. Chief diplomat - foreign relations Chief legislator – - propose new laws - signs / vetoes laws
9	Presidents Roles Cont. Chief of State – Appoints ambassadors / receives ambassadors / attends ceremonies Legal power – Submit budget to Congress / has emergency powers / organizes executive branch his way
10	The Office Weak office Senate must ratify treaties Congress has final word on budgets President an outsider – elected in open election Must choose cabinet from outside Congress
11	The Office Continued No guaranteed majority in Congress (even in own party) Role strengthened by crisis – Pearl Harbor, Korea, Iranian hostage crisis, War on Terrorism
12	The Office Continued Role weakened by crisis – Vietnam, Watergate, Iran-Contra Must appeal to both parties – Reagan did / Carter didn’t
13	Electoral College 12th amendment (1804) Electors from each state – not elected, 535 + 3 from D.C. Candidate with most popular vote in state gets all state’s electoral votes Winner takes all
14	Presidential Attributes Jackson – peoples representative Wilson – 1^st income tax (16^th Amendment 1913), ended limited government Truman – troops to Korea, 2 term limit
15	Attributes Continued FDR – Japanese internment camps, mobilized for war, elected 4 times, court packing scheme LBJ – Gulf of Tonkin, Great Society, end poverty, increased size of government
16	Impeachment 1868 Andrew Johnson – failed by one vote 1974 Nixon resigned before impeachment Impeachable offenses – high crimes and misdemeanors (obstruction of justice)
17	Expanding Presidency Increased responsibilities / power Vague language of Constitution flexible enough to allow expansion of the presidency
18	Transformation 20^th Century - new conditions expanded presidency WW II – presidency grew All presidents since FDR administered a super power w/large standing army / nuclear weapons / bases around world
19	Are Individual Presidents Important? Some individual presidents expanded the office Some presidential power resulted from domestic/foreign forces
20	President’s Many Hats Chief of State Commander in Chief Joint Chief Legislator Manager of the Economy Chief Diplomat Head of the Political Party
21	President’s Staff and Cabinet White House staff Key aides - president’s most trusted advisors Shape of White House staff changes with each president
22	Presidential Assistance Executive Office of the President (EOP) - performs specialized functions Vice-Presidency - no constitutional powers except President of Senate The Cabinet - not in the Constitution
23	President v. Bureaucracy Have little control of bureaucracy Perceived to have more control than in actuality Presidential power is “Power to Persuade”
24	President v. Congress Conflict by Constitutional design President’s power limited by Congress. (shared powers) President / Congress - adversarial
25	President v. Congress Shifting power from one branch to another Cycles of power Great Depression, New Deal, World War II - the presidency gained power
26	Presidential Success with Congress? Party and ideology Foreign policy issues Presidential vetoes Presidential popularity Legislative skills
27	Evolving Relationship Complicated relationships between the president / executive branch / Congress Adversarial relationships – impacts public opinion, political parties, and organized interests
28	Democratic Elections System became more democratic (people play a more direct role) 1880 - two-party system developed
29	Going Public 1900 - presidents speak directly to the public
30	Using the Media Modern presidents use TV to shape public opinion generate support
31	Presidential Popularity Influence related to presidential popularity / unpopularity Presidents try to anticipate public reactions to react appropriately
32	Interest Groups v. President Organized groups influence presidential policy Interest groups w/greatest influence on policy depends on party of the presidency
33	Social Movements Mass demonstrations / protests motivate presidents Mass movements in general public opinion affect presidents
34	International System Foreign policies from WWII until end of Cold War Containment Strengthen Western alliance Encouragement of open economies
35	More International Foreign polices reflected pipolarity, with two superpowers
36	Still More International After Cold War - Reagan and Bush softened Cold War policy - anti-Communism
37	The Economy Healthy economy essential for popularity Strong economy required to fund programs Healthy economy requires investors with confidence in the future
38	Presidency Democratic? More democratic than envisioned by the authors of the Constitution
39	Abused Authority? Jefferson – La. Purchase Jackson – Defied Supreme Court Lincoln – Trashed Habeas Corpus Polk – Started war w/Mexico (1846) LBJ – Gulf of Tonkin incident Nixon – Watergate Clinton – Lied / Obstructed Justice
40	Life Cycle Transition / Honeymoon (100 days) Struggles between branches President’s influence w/Congress declines President’s image diminishes
41	More Life Cycle Detachment (fewer press conferences) Midterm Elections – his party loses seats End of 2^nd Term – relationship exhausted
42	Transfer of Power President / V P cannot be fired 25^th Amendment – President can declare himself to be disabled If VP and majority of cabinet agree president is unfit – VP can take over w/ 2/3 majority of both Houses
43	Transfer of Power Cont. If VP removed – Pres. appoints new VP 6 VPs died in office / 2 resigned / 9 filled president’s remaining term