Keeping the Republic Chapter 7

Head of Government

The political role of the president as leader of a political party and chief arbiter of who gets what resources.

Head of State

The apolitical, unifying role of the president as symbolic representative of the whole country.

Chief Administrator

The president's executive role as the head of federal agencies and the person responsible for the implementation of national policy.

Commander-in-Chief

The president's role as the top officer of the country's military establishment.

Chief Foreign Policy Maker

The president's executive role as the head of federal agencies and the person responsible for the implementation of national policy.

Treaties

Formal agreements with other countries; negotiated by the president and requiring approval by 2/3 of the Senate.

Executive Agreements

A presidential arrangement with another country that creates foreign policy without the need for Senate approval.

State of the Union Address

A speech given annually by the president to a joint session of Congress and to the nation announcing the president's agenda.

Presidential Veto

A president's authority to reject a bill passed by Congress; may be over-ridden only by a 2/3 majority in each house.

Executive Orders

Clarifications of congressional policy issued by the president and having full force of the law.

Senatorial Courtesy

Traditional of granting senior senators of the president's party considerable power over federal judicial appointments in their home states.

Solicitor General

Justice Department officer who argues the government's cases before the Supreme Court.

Pardoning Power

A president's authority to release or excuse a person from the legal penalties of a crime.

Inherent Powers

Presidential powers implied but not explicitly stated in the Constitution.

Power to Persuade

A president's ability to convince Congress, other political actors, and the public to cooperate with the administration's agenda.

Going Public

A president's strategy of appealing to the public on an issue, expecting that public pressure will be brought to bear on other political actors.

The Cycle Effect

The predictable rise and fall of a president's popularity at different stages of a term in office.

Honeymoon Period

The time following an election when a president's popularity is high and congressional relations are likely to be productive.

Legislative Liaison

Executive personnel who work with members of Congress to secure their support in getting a president's legislation passed.

Divided Government

Political rule split between 2 parties: one controlling the White House and other controlling one or both houses on Congress

Office of Management and Budget

Organization within the EOP that oversees the budgets of departments and agencies.

Council of Economic Advisers

Organization within the EOP that advises the president on economic matters.

National Security Council

Organization within the executive office of the president that provides foreign police advice to the president.

White House Office

The approximately 400 employees within the EOP who work most closely and directly with the president.

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

Collection of 9 organizations that help the president with policy and political objectives.

Chief of Staff

The person who oversees the operations of all White House staff and controls access to the president.

Presidential Style

Image projected by the president that represents how he would like to be perceived at home and abroad.

Crisis vs. Non-crisis mode

Determines how much power the president has at any given time. Executive have a wide latitude in defining the state of the country.

Theories of Executive Power

1. Powers for stewardship theory - the president has all powers necessary to run the country. So long as neither the Constitution nor Congress prohibit him from exercising a power he can.

2. Unitary Executive Theory - the president's hierarchical control over implementation of federal law.

Foreign Powers of the President

Includes the president's role as commander in chief, chief diplomat, chief trade negotiator, etc. The president has much more power in this realm.

Domestic Powers of the President

Includes chief executive, chief legislator, party leader, and leader of the nation. These powers are much more limited because the president must answer to Congress.

Electoral College

The group who selects the president. They are equal to the number of members in Congress in each state. States can choose how to appoint electors.

Signing Statements

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Presidential Tools

Executive Orders, Pardons, Party Loyalty, Direct Appeals to the Public, Special Favors, Political trades and promises, veto, line-item veto, signing statements.

Crisis Mode

A time when normal politics is suspended, policy is set in hierarchical, centralized fashion, executive given wide room to lead, decisions based largely on substantive information and analysis, executive decisions are authoritative.