The Presidency and the Federal Bureaucracy

Flashcards on the US Presidency and Federal Bureaucracy

Presidential Requirements

Natural born citizen, 35 years old, resident of the US for 14 years or longer

Presidential Term

4 year term, 2 terms

Impeachment

Formal process for removing a specified official from office

• ben franklin fought for provision of impeachment

• watergate helped define what is executive privilege

• HOUSE INVESTIGATES ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT

• SENATE ACTS AS TRIAL COURT. SENATORS ARE JURORS

• 2/3 MAJORITY TO REMOVE PREZ FROM OFFICE

Executive Privilege

Defined during Watergate, allows prez to refuse to disclose confidential convo/ national security to other branches of gov

Presidential Succession Act of 1947

Deals with who will take over if the president dies or is unable to fulfill their duties

25th Amendment

• after JFK

• new vice prez needs vp to take over for them when original prez. dies

• needs majority approval from congress

Expressed / enumerated powers of the prez

• appointments

• convene congress

• foreign policy

• vetoes

• commander in chief of military

• can pardon ppl

who can the prez appoint?

• justices to supreme court

• judges to fed court

• BUT NEED TO BE CONFIRMED BY SENATE

how is the prez in charge of foreign policy?

• chief diplomat and negotiator

• but treaties have to approved by congress

Diplomatic Power

Presidential power related to foreign affairs

Executive Power

Presidential power to enforce laws

Legislative Power

Presidential power related to legislation

Washington

• established primacy of national government

• regular meetings w/ advisors , establishing cabinet system

• established chief executive’s prominent role in foreign affairs

Andrew Jackson

• man of the ppl. represented more than elite

• launched jacksonian democracy

• used image and personal power to buttress by rewarding loyal followers w/ presidential appointments

• made use of veto powers 12 bills

• asserted supremacy of national government by confronting south carolina’s nullification of federal tarrif law

Jacksonian Democracy

Egalitarian spirit, masses loved him, rewarded loyal followers with presidential appointments

Jackson's Vetoes

Vetoed against 12 bills, surpassing the total of all of his predecessors

Nullification Crisis

South Carolina's nullification of a federal tariff law, Jackson asserted supremacy of the national government

Lincoln

• suspended writ of habeas corpus

• expanded size of US army

• ordered blockade of southern ports

• closed US mail to treasonable correspondence

Inherent Powers

Powers claimed by Lincoln to circumvent the Constitution in a time of war

FDR

• start of modern presidency

• growth of prez. power and fed gov and programs through new deal, social security, involvement in WWII

• personalized prez. fireside chats

• left huge roll for prez. in foreign policy

Fireside Chats

FDR's way of personalizing the presidency

Presidential Establishment

• The Cabinet

  • lead of all major gov departments

• The White House Staff

  • assistants and advisors to prez

• The Executive Office of the President

  • permanent agencies that perform defined management tasks for prez

• The Vice-President

  • succeed prez

  • cast a vote in senate ties

• The First Spouse

expanding power for prez

• popular mobilization

• through administration

Going Public

Presidents can make effective use of popular appeals to overcome congressional opposition

president as policy maker

• proposing and facilitating legislation

• budgetary process and implementation

tools of presidential power

• regulatory review

• governing by decree: executive orders

• signing statements

  • announcement made by prez when signing congressional bills into law. his interpretation of law and how he’d like to see it enacted

• presidential non-enforcement of laws

  • prez can choose not to enforce laws they don’t agree with

there were 3 cab departments during the articles of confederation. what did they become

• foreign affairs to dep. of state

• war to dep. of defense

• treasury

spoils system

A tool of Presidential Power

Homeland Security

Department created after 9/11 in the biggest government reorganization in over half a century

Spoils System

Replacing government employees based on loyalty

Merit System

System of employment based on qualifications, test scores, and ability

Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC)

Created in 1887 to regulate railroads and unfair business practices

FTC

Created to protect small businesses and the public from unfair competition, especially from big businesses

GI Bill

Created after WWII, provided benefits to veterans

Veterans Housing Authority

Allowed WWII vets to buy homes

LBJ's Great Society

Programs that led to additional growth in the bureaucracy

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Led to creation of EEOC in 1965 and helped created the departments of housing and urban development and transportation

Bureaucracy

A form of organization, a structure of offices, tasks, and rules

Cabinet Departments

A category of Agencies

Government Corporations

A category of Agencies

Independent Executive Agencies

A category of Agencies

Independent Regulatory Commissions

A category of Agencies

Bureaucrats Implement Laws

One of the things that Bureaucrats Do

Bureaucrats Make Rules

One of the things that Bureaucrats Do

Bureaucrats Enforce Laws

One of the things that Bureaucrats Do

Bureaucrats Innovate

One of the things that Bureaucrats Do

Promoting the Public Welfare

A Goal of the Federal Bureaucracy

Providing National Security

A Goal of the Federal Bureaucracy

Maintaining a Strong Economy

A Goal of the Federal Bureaucracy

Fiscal Agencies

Agencies critical to maintaining a strong economy

Monetary Agencies

Agencies critical to maintaining a strong economy

Revenue Agencies

Agencies critical to maintaining a strong economy

Economic Development Agencies

Agencies critical to maintaining a strong economy

Executive control

How to make agencies under the umbrella of the bureaucracy more accountable to the public interest?

Congressional Control

How to make agencies under the umbrella of the bureaucracy more accountable to the public interest?

Judicial control

How to make agencies under the umbrella of the bureaucracy more accountable to the public interest?

Expressed Powers

Powers specifically granted to the president by the Constitution.

Executive Order

A directive issued by the president that has the force of law.

Veto Power

The president's authority to reject a law passed by Congress.

Cabinet

The group of advisors to the president, composed of the heads of the executive departments.

Bureaucracy

The complex organization of government departments, agencies, and offices.

Regulation

A rule or directive issued by a government agency with the force of law.

Budget

A plan for how the government will spend money each year.

Policy

A course of action taken by the government to address an issue or problem.

Civil Service

The system of hiring and promoting government employees based on merit.