Executive Branch and Bureaucracy

unitary executive

one head of gov, more efficient (Fed 70)

energetic

power to work with and check other branches (Fed 70)

federalist 70

Hamilton, unitary exec, energetic

president qualifications

35 years old, natural born citizen, lived in US for 14 years

formal presidential powers

take care, nominate officials, commander in chief, treaties, ambassadors/diplomatic recognition, veto power and pocket veto

president checks on judicial

pardons, nominate judges

presidential checks on legislative

recommend ideas to Congress, state of the union, convene Congress, veto power

removing the president

house brings impeachment charges, senate questions, acts as jury, 2/3 to convict, separate vote to remove

imperial presidency

presidency has slowly overtaken Congress as primary power due to efficiency, popularity/personality, and globalization

war powers act

president must advise Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops, Congress must authorize troop engagement after 90 days *never been invoked

informal/inherent powers

bargaining/persuasion, political party leader, exec orders, signing statements, exec agreements, exec privilege

signing statements

optional statements when signing law to explain/identify issues, no legal impact

executive agreements

simple contract between 2 heads of state, binding as long as each side keeps promises, not binding to successive presidents, bypasses senate

executive orders

force of law, in emergencies, can be challenged by judicial

executive privilege

right to withhold information from another branch, open discussion w/out going to Congress (often in wartime)

12 amendment

electors vote for president and vice president

20 amendment

moved inauguration day to 1/10 to reduce lame duck period

presidential succession act of 1947

line of succession to president

22 amendment

limits president to 2 terms or 10 years

25 amendment

procedures for president or VP vacancy

vice president

only official duty is to break senate ties

cabinet departments

15 secretaries that advise president, appointed/approved by senate

executive office of the president (EOP)

coordinates federal agencies, handles budget. economy, staffing bureaucracy

white house staff

no senate approval, inner circle, serve directly, gatekeeper: chief of staff

national security council

president, vp, secretary of defense, secretary of state, cia, national security advisor, military leaders—brief president on dangers

bureaucracy

people employed by federal gov

bureaucracy functions

implementation, administration, regulation

cabinet departments

15 departments headed by secretaries, appointed by president, confirmed by senate, each is expert in area and has own budget

independent executive agencies

established by Congress, separate status outside exec branch, given specific mandate, service function rather than regulatory

independent regulatory agencies

exist to regulate economic activity, independent of Congress/president, not removed w/out cause

government corporations

government-owned businesses created by Congress, may/may not be profitable, serve public need

rule making authority of bureaucracy

create regulations, quasi-legislative

discretionary authority of bureaucracy

enforce regulations by determining whether they’re being followed, quasi-judicial

congress checks on bureaucracy

funding, investigations, passing laws to alter function/limit discretion, approve department secretary

president checks on bureaucracy

appointments/removal of secretaries, executive orders, reduce/change agencies proposals

judicial checks on bureaucracy

judicial review (constitutionality), separation of power (overstep power)

iron triangle

relationships between bureaucracy, Congress, and interest group

complaints about bureaucracy

duplication (redundancy), red tape (procedures/paperwork), accountability (accountability to exec branch adds delays), public perception (impersonal)

pendleton act

merit system for hiring employees

hatch act

federal workers cant be involved in political campaigns

civil service reform act

prohibits nepotism/discrimination in hiring, created office of personnel management (human resources)

foia (freedom of information act)

public rights to access records or info

sunshine act

hold meetings in publicly accessible spaces

whistleblower protection act

no threatening employees for reporting wrongdoing

department of Homeland security

cabinet departments examples

cia, NASA, ssa

independent executive agencies examples

fcc, sec, federal reserve

independent regulatory agencies/commissions examples

amtrak, us postal service, tva

government corporations examples