The Presidency

What are the formal powers of the president?

- Proposes legislation
- Submits the annual budget
- Signs legislation
- Veto legislation
- Acts as chief executive
- Nominates executive branch officials
- Nominates all federal judges
- Acts as commander in chief
- Negotiates treaties
- Head of state

What are the powers of the Vice President?

- Presiding officer of the Senate (rarely performed)
- Granted the power to break a tie in the Senate
- Counts, and announces the results of the electoral college votes
- Vice President becomes President if the President resigns or is removed from office (Nixon in August 1974)
- Can step in as President if they are unwell (Bush in 2007)

What is the cabinet?

The advisory group selected by the president to aid him in making decisions and coordinating the work of the federal government

How many people are in the President's cabinet?

15

Is the Cabinet mentioned in the Constitution?

No, the Constitution mentions a singular executive- no councils or cabinets

Where can the president recruit cabinet members from?

- Congress (would have to give up their seats)
- Serving or former state governors
- Big city mayors
- Academia

What kind of cabinet do presidents like to have?

A balanced cabinet (e.g. balance of gender, race, region, age and ideology

Does a cabinet officer have to be from the same party as the President?

No

How frequently do Cabinet meetings occur?

- There are no formal requirements for how often they meet
- In Bill Clinton's first year he held just 6 meetings- however Reagan held 36
- Usually, meetings are held more frequently in the President's first year in office, then the frequency declines

What are the functions of cabinet meetings for the President?

- Team spirit
- Collegiality
- Exchanging information
- Policy debate
- Presenting 'big picture items'
- Monitoring Congress
- Prompting action
- Personal contact

What are the functions of cabinet meetings for the Cabinet officers?

- Getting to know each other
- Resolving disputes
- Speaking to Cabinet colleagues
- Speaking to the president
- Increased status for cabinet officers

Arguments in favour of the cabinet being importance

- It contains some of the most important people in the executive branch (e.g. Secretary of State)
- All heads of the 15 executive departments are automatically members
- The President always chairs the meetings
- Cabinet meetings can fulfil a number of important functions for a President and cabinet officer
- Some Presidents hold frequent meetings

Arguments against the cabinet being important

- All executive power is vested in the President
- No doctrine of collective responsibility
- Members are not the President's equals
- EXOP is the main source of advice-giving for the President
- President does not have to listen to his cabinet

What is EXOP?

This is the umbrella term for the top staff agencies in the White House that assist the President in carrying out the major responsibilities of office

What are the different parts of EXOP?

- Chief of Staff
- Office of Management and Budget
- National Security Council

What are executive orders?

- An official document issued by the executive branch with the effect of law, through which the President directs Federal officials to take certain actions

What is the imperial presidency?

- A presidency characterised by the misuse of presidential powers, especially excessive secrecy- particularly in foreign policy

What is an example of when a President has been imperial?

Truman invading North Korea, Nixon bombing Cambodia (Congress had no knowledge), Reagan

What is the Imperilled presidency?

A term coined by Ford, to refer to a presidency characterised by ineffectiveness and weakness, resulting from congressional overassertiveness

When have presidents become more imperilled?

Post-Watergate (also shortness of terms of Carter and Ford)

How could one describe Reagan's presidency?

Post- imperial (ambitious legislative program, 'Reaganism', won by a landslide in his second term)

What are some limitations on presidential powers?

- Congress
- Supreme Court

What are some factors that affect presidential success?

- Electoral mandate
- Public approval
- First/second term
- Unified/divided government
- Crises