ap gov

Constitutional requirements for presidency

35+ years old, natural-born citizen, resident for 14 years, 4-year terms with a 2-term limit (22nd Amendment).

Formal powers of the President

Include Commander in Chief, appointment power (with Senate approval), treaty-making (2/3 Senate approval), veto power, convening Congress, and granting pardons/reprieves.

Informal powers of the President

Include issuing executive orders, making executive agreements, signing statements, utilizing media, and engaging in bargaining and persuasion.

Roles of the President

Chief Executive, Chief Legislator, Commander in Chief, Chief Diplomat, Chief of State, and Party Leader.

Bureaucracy

System of agencies, departments, and commissions that implement and enforce laws, growing with increased government responsibilities.

Types of bureaucratic agencies

Include Cabinet Departments, Independent Executive Agencies, Independent Regulatory Commissions, and Government Corporations.

Merit System

A selection process based on qualifications, established by the Pendleton Act, which ended the patronage or spoils system.

Bureaucratic oversight by the President

Includes appointing heads, issuing executive orders, and limited reorganization of the bureaucracy.

Congressional control over bureaucracy

Includes creating agencies, funding (power of the purse), oversight hearings, and ability to rewrite laws.

Judicial review of bureaucratic decisions

Courts have the power to assess the legality of agency decisions.

Reasons for bureaucratic power

Expertise, continuity (longevity beyond presidential terms), and rule-making authority.