Formal and Informal Powers

veto power

formal, president power to stop a bill Congress has passed

pocket veto

formal, president power to indirectly veto a bill by taking no action on it when Congress adjourns

commander in chief

formal, president responsible for overall military strategy and command the armed forces

appointment power

formal, president appoint ambassadors, federal judges, Cabinet secretaries

treaty making

formal, president negotiate treaties (2/3 Senate approval)

pardoning power

formal, president grant reprieves or pardons for federal offenses

convening congress

formal, call special Congress sessions and adjourn them if necessary

executive orders

informal, president orders to bureaucracy to implement or interpret laws

executive agreements

informal, president pacts with other heads of state that don’t need Senate approval

executive privilege

informal, president right to withhold information from Congress for confidentiality

bully pulpit

informal, president uses prestige of the office to shape public opinion and pressure Congress

power of persuasion

informal, president bargain with Congress to secure policy goals

signing statements

informal, docs explaining how president interprets a law passed by Congress

using the bureaucracy

informal, president using agency discretion to influence policy

lawmaking

formal, Congress passing legislation

budgeting

formal, “power of the purse” - taxing, borrowing, spending money

foreign policy

formal, declaring war and Senate ratifying treaties

appointments/impeachment

formal, Senate confirms presidential appointments/House has power to impeach

oversight

formal, Congress creates lower courts and regulates armed forces

party leadership

informal, Congress uses party structure to pass legislation

public pressure

informal, Congress influences policy by shaping public opinion

power of the purse (informal)

informal, Congress threatens to cut funding to executive agencies to influence policy decisions

negotiation

informal, Congress bypasses gridlock to secure votes for legislation

judicial review

formal, SC declares laws or executive actions unconstitutional

original jurisdiction

formal, SC power to hear a case first, such as cases between states or cases involving ambassadors

appellate jurisdiction

formal, SC power to review decisions made by lower federal and state courts

lifetime appointments

formal, federal judges serve for life

writ of certiorari

informal, SC power to choose which cases to hear, which shapes which constitutional issues are addressed

amicus curiae briefs

informal, SC considers ‘friend of the court’ briefs - interest groups’ written docs to influence judicial policy