The Executive Branch: Full Unit

bureaucracy

A large administration that handles the everyday business of the govt

hierarchical authority

a characteristic of a bureaucracy. There is a clear structure for authority

job specialization

a characteristic of a bureaucracy. Jobs have specified duties, everyone has a different job

formalized rules

a characteristic of a bureaucracy. There are clear rules for the entire structure

Cabinet

A group of the president’s advisors. They all manage one of the Executive departments

Department of Defense

Largest cabinet departnment

independent agencies

Executive agencies, regulatory commissions and government corporations all fall under this umbrella

independent executive agencies

agencies that are technically a part of the executive branch but the president doesn’t control them

Ex:

• CIA

• FDA

• NASA

regulatory commissions

Agencies that enforce different types of regulations to protect the public.

Ex:

• FTC

• FCC
  FEC

government corporations

An agency established by the government that provides state-owned public services

Ex:

• FIDC

• Postal service

• Amtrak

domestic affairs

Things that happen in America

foreign affairs

Things that happen internationally

isolationism

a former focus of the US’s foreign policy where the country tried not to get involved in international affairs and just tried to take care of itself

collective security

A cooperation of countries in alliances to keep all of them safe

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance to protect western Europe from the USSR/Russia

UN

The United Nations, an organization created after WW2 to unite the world and try to promote peace

UN Security Council

Responsible for maintaining international peace, 15 member countries.

Article 2

The article of the constitution that sets up the presidency

President

who are these qualifications for?

• natural born citizen

• 35 yrs old

• US resident for 14 years

$400,000

salary of a US president

chief of state

a role of the president in which they serve as the ceremonial head of the country and interact with other leaders to represent America

chief executive

a role of the president in which they lead all of the executive agencies and serve as the boss of all federal employees.

chief diplomat

a role of the president in which they represent the US to other nations and serve as the main author of American foreign policies

commander in chief

a role of the president in which they command the nation’s armed forces

chief legislator

a role of the president in which they sign laws, suggest laws to Congress, give the state of the union, and convene both houses

party leader

a role of the president in which they represent the values of their political party to the public and helps the party raise money

moral persuader

a role of the president in which they try to make a moral appeal to the country or change the moral perspective of america

crisis manager

a role of the president in which they deal with emergencies and crises across the globe by providing aid, managing situations

11

how many formal powers does the constitution grant to the president?

commander in chief

one of the formal powers granted to the president by the constitution

he can command the military

cabinet

one of the formal powers granted to the president by the constitution

he can have other officials to help him manage different agencies

pardon

one of the formal powers granted to the president by the constitution

he can dismiss charges against someone criminally convicted

treaties

one of the formal powers granted to the president by the constitution

he can make agreements with other nations (with senate approval)

nominate/appoint

one of the formal powers granted to the president by the constitution

he can choose officials to serve different roles in the govt

recess appointment

one of the formal powers granted to the president by the constitution]

he can appoint someone to fill an empty seat if Congress is not in session

state of the union

one of the formal powers granted to the president by the constitution

he can give a speech about how America is doing to congress

convene congress

one of the formal powers granted to the president by the constitution

he can call Congress to session in an emergency situation

receive ambassadors

one of the formal powers granted to the president by the constitution

he can talk to ambassadors from other countries

execute laws

one of the formal powers granted to the president by the constitution

he can carry out laws through federal agencies

commission officers

one of the formal powers granted to the president by the constitution

he can give officers their posts (generally ceremonial)

executive orders

orders issued by the president that carry the force of law, similar to laws

Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066

an executive order that established japanese-american internment camps

Truman’s executive order 9981

an executive order that desegregated the military

Eisenhower’s Executive order 10730

an executive order that dispatched troops to protect black students integrating into a high school

George W Bush’s Executive Order 13228

an executive order that established the department of Homeland security

Executive agreements

international agreements (often related to trade) that are made by a president. Used often

Executive privilege

a claim by a president that they can withhold info from Congress/the public for the sake of national good

US v. Nixon

the supreme court case that decided that executive privilege had limits

22nd amendment

an amendment that changed the number of terms a president could serve from unlimited to 2 after FDR served 4 terms

25th amendment

an amendment that stated that in cases where the president is unable to fulfill his duties the vice president will take over governing and become president

legislative

which branch do these checks on presidential power come from?

• override presidential veto

• approve presidential nominations

judicial

what branch do these checks on presidential power come from?

• can rule a presidential action unconstitutional