The Executive Branch Study Guide

35 years old

Minimum age to become President of the United States

Natural Born Citizen

Required concerning citizenship status

14

Presidential candidate have maintained residency within the U.S.

2

Max president terms

10

Max years president can serve

270

How many electoral college needed to get elected

The House of Representatives

Who decides the president if there is no majority

Vice President

Constitutional role of deciding a vote when there’s a tie in the Senate

Speaker of the House

Takes the president’s role if both President and Vice President are unable

Chief Executive

Enforces laws and manages the executive branch

Judicial Leader

Appoints judges and grants pardons/reprieves

Chief Diplomat

Represents the U.S. to other countries and negotiates treaties

Commander in Chief

Supreme commander of the armed forces

Legislative Leader

Influences lawmaking and proposes legislation

Head of State

Ceremonial leader and symbol of the nation

Economic Leader

Monitors the economy and proposes policies to foster growth and stability

Party Leader

Leads their political party

Cabinet

Specialist of key areas that the President deals with on a daily basis.

Federal Bureaucracy

manages government programs, enforces regulations, issues permits and licenses, provides services to the public, and handles day-to-day administrative tasks essential for government operation.

Civil Service

system of hiring and promoting government employees based on merit rather than political connections

bully pulpit

A president's power to persuade the public to support his agenda or policies

White House Staff

the president’s most important advisory body – provides information, policy options, and analysis

Persuasion

The key to successfully exerting presidential power and influence

public approval rating

how much the public approves you of being president

divided government

when the presidency is controlled by one political party, while the other party controls one or both houses of Congress

executive privilege

When president of high officials are allowed to withhold information

Senates

ratifies treaties that have been negotiated by the President

Senates

approves the President’s Cabinet and Supreme Court nominations

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1965)

Unlimited Power to rage war in Vietnam

The War Powers Resolution (1973)

After 60 days of war, Congress approval is required 

The National Emergencies Act (1976)

President gets unlimited power after emergency wars

22nd Amendment (1951)

Limits the president to two elected terms in office (a maximum of 8 years), preventing any president from serving more than two full terms.

25^th Amendment (1967)

Clarifies presidential succession and disability procedures, including how the vice president becomes acting president if the president is incapacitated, and how a president can resume duties after illness.

executive order

directive issued by the president that has the force of law, usually based on existing statutory powers, and doesn't require congressional approval