unit 2 gov

12th grade ap government

executive office of the president

- assists the president in overseeing the executive branch (his "experts" on national security, budget matters, domestic policy, etc)

- office of management and budget, us trade representative, council of economic advisors

white house staff

- closest political advisors to the president

- often very partisan (friends)

- as president's personal employees, do not require senate confirmation

cabinet

- includes the secretaries of the 15 executive departments

- all secretaries must be confirmed by the senate

- advises the president and helps him to actually execute the laws of the land

- not necessarily very partisan (bosses)

attorney general

heads the department of justice

department of state

the main foreign affairs executive department of the federal government

chief of staff

- person responsible for the overall operations of the white house office

- handles day to day scheduling/events for the president

- must be politically savvy

press secretary

spokesperson for the president and the administration and meets with the white house press corps daily

department of the interior

responsible for the management and protection of national parks and territories

department of justice

- responsible for protecting the public safety by enforcing the law, preventing and controlling crime

- FBI and DEA are apart of this

department of defense

responsible for maintaining and directing the military; a civilian

department of homeland security

- responsible for protecting the us from terrorist attacks and responding to natural disasters

- immigration, customs enforcement, and the us coast guard now fall under its jurisdiction

department of housing and urban development

focuses on national housing needs, insures low interest mortgages, provides federal housing subsidies

department of commerce

promote international trade, economic development, and technological innovation (patents/trademarks)

department of treasury

collect national taxes and distribute refunds

national security council

made up of the secretaries of state and defense, the director of the CIA, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, the national security advisor, and others the president wants to discuss national security and foreign policy

office of management and budget

- primary responsibility is to help the president with preparing his annual budget which will be submitted to congress

- congress can ignore budget

department of health and human services

runs medicare and CDC

national aeronautics and space administration (NASA)

independent federal agency which sent a man to the moon

bureaucratic discretion

adds rules and regulations to laws to make the law work

executive departments and federal agencies

make sure that laws from congress are carried out and enforced

hamilton's federalist 70

- executive branch should be led by one leader

- he's accountable to congress and the people; no blaming of others on an executive council

- carrying out the nation's law would occur more smoothly

- fighting foreign attacks would be safer and more effective; less danger of difference of opinion and more decisive action

president qualifications

- article 2

- natural born citizen

- 35 years

- 14 year resident

- 4 year terms

22nd amendment (1951)

limits presidents to two terms

vice president duties

constitution doesn't say much about this role

presidency main duty

see that all laws are faithfully carried out

how presidency changed

powers significantly expanded

inherent powers

- implied powers that the president has claimed bc he is the head of a national gov

- not expressly written in the constitution

- ex: louisiana purchase

implied powers

- congress

- powers that are not explicitly stated in the constitution but are inferred from the constitution's expressed powers (read between the lines)

george washington precedents

- establishing legitimacy of national gov (stepping down after two terms)

- cabinet system

- exerting role of the executive in foreign affairs

- claimed there were inherent powers of the presidency

powers of the president

- nominates cabinet level gov officials (recess appointment)

- make treaties and executive agreements

- veto legislation (pocket veto)

- commander in chief of armed forces

- grant pardons for federal crimes

subject to senate confirmation (majority vote)

supreme court justices and all other federal judges

recess appointment

- president can fill vacant positions (federal judge, cabinet member) when congress in on recess

- that person can finish out the term

pocket veto

- if the president gets a bill and 10 days pass with no action from the president, it is a law

- if the president gets a bill and 10 days pass with no action from the president and congress is not in session, the bill is vetoed automatically

exception to pardons

federal officials impeached or the president himself (hasn't happened)

wars powers act (1973)

- president must inform congress within 48 hours of sending troops overseas to a conflict and explain general purpose of mission

- president has 60 days to get congressional approval for the use of these troops overseas or they must be brought home

- limits commander in chief powers

2/3 senate vote

to ratify a treaty

executive agreement

- understanding between the president and the chief executive of another country

- gets around senate ratification bc it involves less important matters than a treaty, so it does not require senate approval

president uses in foreign policy

- threat of use of military force

- promise of foreign aid

- works with intergovernmental organizations

- uses personal diplomacy and persuasion

- authorizing covert operations (secret missions)

impeachment

- president who has committed treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors worthy of removal from office

- house impeaches by majority vote

- senate conducts trial and can remove with 2/3 vote

executive privilege

- allows the president to refuse to disclose confidential information (whats said in the white house stays in the white house)

- purpose is so the president and his cabinet/advisors can freely discuss political matters and public policy

- ensures separation of powers and the need to protect diplomatic and military secrets

- there are limits according to the supreme court

us v. nixon (1974)

- nixon claimed executive privilege but the supreme court ruled that the president does not have an absolute right to refuse to turn over evidence sought by the judiciary

- shows limits to executive privilege

25th amendment

- lays out rules of presidential succession

- if vice president is vacant, president selects a nominee and both houses must approve the nominee with a majority vote in each chamber

- vice president becomes acting president when the president declares that he cannot discharge the duties of the office

- congress approves a president's VP nominee when there is a vacancy with majority in both houses to confirm

presidential succession

1. vice president

2. speaker of the house of representatives

3. president pro tempore of the senate

4. cabinet secretaries in order of when they were established by congress

lincoln expanding presidential power

- suspended habeas corpus

- expanded us army size

- ordered blockade of southern ports -> initiating war without approval of congress

FDR expanding presidential power

- new deal

- national gov involved in country's welfare

- personalized the presidency

- "fireside chats"

break a senate tie vote

only constitutional duty of the vice president

bully pulpit

"going public" to mobilize public opinion

president's approval ratings

- increases president's political capital

- low ratings alienate even presidential partisans

- highest during president's honeymoon period and after times of national crisis (best time for legislation)

president as policy maker

- president works with the OMB to make a budget proposal to congress for federal programs

- can make policies without congress by using executive order

executive order

adds to/clarifies a law

roles of the president

- chief executive/head of government

- chief of state/head of state

- chief diplomat

- head of his party

- commander in chief

- chief legislator

chief executive/head of government

- president is head of executive branch

- makes sure that the nation's laws, policies, and programs are carried out

chief of state/head of state

ceremonial leader

chief diplomat

- manages and is responsible for a country's foreign policy

- ex: traveling to meet with british leaders, entertaining japanese diplomats in the white house, writing a message/letter to leaders of russia

head of his party

the president is the unofficial leader of his political party because of his power and influence

commander in chief

- president is head of all us military forces

- broadens powers

chief legislator

president suggests new laws to congress and asks congress to take action on important problems

bicameral

two house legislature (house and senate)

founding fathers' vision of congress

- house: more responsive to the will of the people bc its members would be up for reelection every two years and were directly elected

- senate: more independent and deliberative/reasoning, not elected by the people

17th amendment (1913)

direct election of senators

enumerated powers in article 1, section 8

- right to impose and collect taxes

- right to borrow and coin money

- right to regulate foreign and interstate trade

- right to declare war

- right to create post offices, executive departments, and federal courts below the supreme court

- right to raise and maintain the army and navy

- right to pass legislation

article 4, section 3

allows congress the power to admit new territories as states

article 6

allows congress the power to propose amendments

16th amendment (1913)

- congress collects federal income taxes

- revenue for the national gov increased significantly after this

house of representatives

decides elections if no presidential candidate gets the 270 electoral votes needed

house exclusive powers

- all revenue/tax bills must originate here

- sole power of impeachment

senate exclusive powers

- tries cases of impeachment to determine removal of office

- ratifies treaties with 2/3 vote

- approves presidential appointments with majority vote

reapportionment act of 1929

was needed bc more representatives were added to the house as the country's population grew, resulting in the house becoming too large to effectively do its job (max number set to 435)

reapportionment

redistribution of seats in the house based on changes in population

redistricting

redrawing congressional districts

state legislators

- responsible for redistricting

- can redraw the lines to work in the majority party's favor

baker v. carr (1962)

- determined that claims of gerrymandering could be tried in federal courts

- congressional districts had to be roughly the same number of ppl so that one person's vote is worth the same as another ("one person, one vote")

gerrymandering

- drawing the congressional districts to favor one party over another

- leads to less competition elections, but more polarization and partisanship

bipartisan committee

- california's solution to gerrymandering

- consists of 5 republicans, 5 democrats, and 4 independents

- responsibility of redistricting

shaw v. reno (1993)

districts can not be too oddly shaped or be drawn to exclusively help one race

congress members characteristics

- white, middle-aged men

- more highly educated than average american

- lawyers or business background

franking privilege

allows incumbents to communicate regularly with constituents back home by way of newsletters, reports, surveys, and setting up meetings and public forums

pork-barrel legislation

- wasteful federal programs that legislators win for their district that create jobs for their state

- "junk" in the bill to help get it pass

casework

- congressman can provide a wide range of services for its constituents

- miscellaneous stuff

- ex: help veterans get their benefits

campaign money

congressman often get money from powerful organizations and individuals bc they have name recognition

more difficult for senate incumbents to win reelection

- senate challengers often have name recognition and money

- senators are not as close to their constituents and so they don't have the advantage a representative may have in their congressional district

senatorial courtesy

- president consults with a senator from the state which has a federal judge vacancy

- senator will usually confirm out of courtesy

power of the purse

congress funds programs or withholds money from the executive branch

house

- 2 year term

- 25 years old

- 435 members

- closest to the people

- gerrymandering, reapportionment, redistricting

- impeach

senate

- 6 year term

- 100 members

- older and wiser

- ratify treaty

- 17th amendment

- impeachment trial

- confirm cabinet

congress

- 535 members

- power of the purse

- 16th amendment

- declare war

- interstate commerce

- tax rates

- propose amendments

- creates federal courts and executive departments

how the constitution is silent on the organization of congress

- it just names three congressional officers

- vice president serving as president of the senate and voting to break a tie

- president pro tempore who is the senator with the most seniority of the majority party and presides over the senate

- speaker of the house

- many rules have been made to organize congress so it can do its job

speaker of the house duties

- influences committee assignments

- heads powerful rules committee

- assigns bills to committees, allowing bills to be voted on

house minority leader

leader of the opposition in the house

whips

- intermediaries between the leadership and the rank and file

- make sure the members of their party vote for the important bills or against the important bills

senate majority leader

- influences committee assignments

- schedules legislation

- speaks first during debate

senate minority leader

- influences committee assignments

- helps to schedule legislation with majority leader

- leader of the party in the senate

standing committee

- permanent committees that first deal with a proposed bill

- involved in the oversight of federal agencies

subcommittees

- created from standing committees

- hold hearings on matter relating to bills

joint committees

- made up of members of both houses

- purpose of keeping congress informed on major policy studies or taking care of miscellaneous duties

select/special committees

temporary committees set up fro a specific purpose outside the scope of the standing committees

conference committees

reconcile differences between bills passed in the house and senate

committee staff duties

- drafting bills

- negotiating with other congressional staff and the white house on legislation

- research

- run errands

congressional research service

- provides research for members of congress

- nonpartisan group

general accountability office

- audits federal spending of the executive branch, thereby helping congress with its oversight responsibilities

- nonpartisan group