POLS Ch7 Presidency (stopped pg 242 of book and 8 of slides)

Requisites for Presidency

1. Natural Born Citizen

2. 35 Years or Older

3. Resident within US for at least 14 years

22nd Amendment

Restricts one person from being elected into the presidency more than twice

• after FDR had four consecutive terms

Impeachment + Eligibility

• Process of removing a president from office

• Article 2 Section 4

• Majority vote of House and 2/3 of Senate

• Offenses including high crime and misdemeanor

• Duties passed to VP

Evolution of Presidency: Washingtons Presidency

1789 - 1836

• generously cooperated with other branches

• rejected title of “King”

• established exec role in crafting public policy

• supported industrialization, creation of national bank, and isolationist foreign policy

Evolution of Presidency: Thomas Jeffersons Presidency

1801- 1809

• Theory that government is best which governs least

• Abolished many judgeships

• trimmed gov economic planning

• scaled back armed forces

• exception: purchased the large Louisiana territory from France

When war of 1812 came, downsizing had disadvantages

Evolution of American Presidency: James Madison

• 1809-1817

• During War of 1812, struggled with small size of fed army and lack of powerful national bank to fund the war

Evolution of Presidency: Andrew Jackson

1829-1837

• main idea: made presidency have tremendous political power

• dismissed hundreds of office holders, forced out cabinet members who angered him

• Vetoed congress’ bill to recharter the Second National Bank

• introduced the spoils system- which rewarded those who performed “political service” federal office positions

Evolution of Presidency: After Jackson + Lincoln’s Presidency

• Pre-civil war presidents after Andrew Jackson were weaker

  • James K Polk incited war with Mexico over Texas ==> US acquired California, Arizona territories and oregon territories

  • Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan failed to address tensions b/w pro-slavery and abolitionist movements

• Lincoln (1861-1865)

  • Proclaimed a blockade of Southern Ports, gathered 75000 soldiers from North for battle

  • Suspended writ of habeus corpus- stating that anyone arrested is to be brought to court to determine if there is reason to hold them for trial

    • allowed Lincoln to hold some criminal defendants independently

  • Spent from the US Treasury w/o congressional approval

• Main idea from Lincoln’s presidency: reinterpreted article 2 into source of exec authority during emergencies

• After assasination, Congress reclaims control over nation’s agenda and domestic policy

Evolution of American Presidency: Birth of Modern Presidency

• Presidency emerged as premier institution in US politics bc of increasingly connected world + world wars

• Theodore Roosevelt (1901- 1909)

  • GRAND displays of presidential power

  • Ex

  • Bold assertions of power gambled political trust, influence, reputation

  • efforts to break up political monopolies

    • Supreme court narrowly upheld, Congress had to establish anti-trust legislation

  • Increase area of national parks

  • Encouraged recolution in Panama and build Panama Canal

  • Mediated war settlements b/w Japan and Russia

  • US Sent naval fleet around the world to demonstrate military authority

  • Expanded the monroe doctrine

Monroe doctrine