Executive Branch

Article 2

created the executive branch and vested its power in the president. The article is relatively brief compared to Article I, outlining the president’s duties as commander in chief, chief diplomat, and enforcer of the nation’s laws. It also establishes the process for election, impeachment, and succession.

Executive order (EO)

Executive orders are official directives from the president to federal agencies, carrying the force of law without needing congressional approval. They are used to guide the implementation of existing laws, respond to emergencies, or advance policy priorities when Congress is gridlocked.

imperial presidency

describe presidents who dominate foreign and domestic policy beyond constitutional limits. Critics worry this trend resembles monarchy.

unitary executive theory

argues that the president must have direct control over the entire executive branch and that Congress cannot interfere with this authority. Supporters claim this strengthens accountability, while opponents see it as a threat to checks and balances.

Electoral college

the method for electing the president. Rather than being chosen directly by the people or solely by Congress, the president is formally elected by a group of electors from each state. This compromise balanced competing concerns: it gave states a role in the process, limited the risk of “mob rule” that some framers feared, and checked the power of Congress by creating an independent body for presidential selection.

Each state’s number of electors equals its total representation in Congress (senators plus representatives). As a result, smaller states are guaranteed at least three electoral votes, giving them slightly more influence per voter than large states.

Electors

are chosen by political parties in each state, often as loyal members or activists.

. In almost every state, electors are legally or formally bound to support the winner of their state’s popular vote, and the Supreme Court has upheld laws that punish or replace “faithless electors” who attempt to vote differently.

winner-takes-all

whichever candidate wins the popular vote in that state receives all of its electoral votes. This magnifies the influence of swing states and can produce outcomes where a candidate wins the presidency while losing the national popular vote.