US History I Honors Unit 4 Part 2.2: Article 2

Article 2: Executive Powers

Electoral College

Electoral College

By this process, states elect the president/vice president. Each state appoints electors to this group to select a president.

This is a filter of democracy and also checks Congress —> they cannot influence who gets chosen. Senators and Representatives are not allowed to run for electors

Natural born

To become president, you need to be a _________ citizen, be at least 35 years old, and have to have lived in the US for at least 14 years

22

This amendment limits the president to two terms, or 10 years

535

How many electors are there in the electoral college?

Slate

To elect electors, the Democratic/Republican parties draft a ______ of elector names and run it on an all or nothing vote

1796

This election year saw the first time political parties were present (Federalist vs Democratic Republican)

1800

This election resulted in a tie, and was sent to the House of Representatives. They chose Thomas Jefferson over incumbent John Adams

12

This amendment makes it that the president and vice president must run for office together

270

How many electoral votes are needed to win the presidential election?

11

What is the fewest number of states a candidate must win over to win presidency?

Large State Advantage

This type of advantage uses the fact that 11 states can win the entire election for a president

Small State Advantage

This type of advantage shows that states such as South Dakota have 295k people per elector (3 in total), and states such as New York have 640k people per elector (31 in total). This means that you can win the electoral college without the popular vote

Election Day

1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November every 4 years.

Presidential Succession

1. Vice President

2. Speaker of the House

3. Senate Pro Tempore

4. Secretary of State

5. Secretary of Defense

6. Secretary of the Treasury

   1. Attorney General

Presidential Succession Act

Created in 1947, this act establishes the presidential line of succession

25

This amendment formalizes the line of succession in 1967 beyond the presidency:

• Section 1: The Vice President replaces the President

• Section 2: When there is a vice president vacancy, the president elects a new one with senate approval (majority)

• Section 3: A written letter of transferring power from president to the vice president written to the speaker and the president pro tempore

  • If the president transition is contested, both houses of Congress vote to remove

Unelected Administration of 1974

During this time,  No P/VP was elected after Nixon and his VP were convicted of tax fraud. Nixon chooses Gerald Ford as the new VP, and then Nixon resigns due to Watergate. Gerald becomes the president without an election.

Emergency powers

The president has the power in times of war to react immediately (ex: internment camps)

War Powers Act

This act in 1973 is after the Korean War and Vietnam. The president still has the authority to react, but any deployment of soldiers for longer than two months must be approved by congress

Commander in Chief

The president has this title that means “Commander of the Armed Forces”

Cabinet Chief

The president has this title which establishes them as head of the cabinet

Cabinet

This group of people runs business and reports to the president. They are appointed by the president but must be approved by the senate

Attorney General

The head of the department of justice is called ________

Executive Agreements

This measure of diplomacy by the president does not require senate approval, but it does not have the same weight as treaties

Appoint

The president may _______ SCOTUS members and ambassadors with senate approval

Commissions

The president may issue _____ but they are not fully activated until signed and delivered

Reprieve

A presidential power. The accusation is still on record, but the person receiving this does not need to serve punishment

Pardon

A presidential power. This is total (legal) forgiveness that is not on someone’s criminal record

Commutation

A presidential power. The reduction of a sentence

Amnesty

A presidential power. A pardon for a group.

State of the Union Address

The president delivers this to a joint session of Congress. Their job is to lay out the agenda and issues to discuss

Joint Session of Congress

 When both the house and senate meet under special circumstances (ie Pearl Harbor)

Take Care Clause

The presidential version of the flex clause: executive orders that are significant powers, but congress can overturn. This basically gives the president power over how laws are executed.

Impeachment

This is a legal way to get rid of a president or a person holding federal office without requiring assassination.

A president, vice president, and civil officers (judges) can be removed from office for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors