Pols Chapter 12- The Presidency

How many electors in the electoral college? Who are they?

583

(435-House of Representatives)

(100 in senate)

(3 in D.C)

How many electoral votes does a president need? How?

simple majority- 270 votes

line-item veto

(UNCONSTITUTIONAL IN 1997) power of the president to strike out specific line items on an appropriations bill while allowing the rest of the bill to become law

signing statement

a written message that the president issues upon signing a bill into law

Roles of President:

DOMESTIC SPHERE

1) chief legislator (veto)

2) chief economist (submit budget to congress) (appoint FED chair)

3) party leader (at the end of term, campaigns for his party)

FOREIGN POLICY SPHERE

4) chief diplomat (creates and administers foreign policy)

(negotiates treaties, int agreements, represents US in international summits)

5) commander in chief (commander of armed forces)

OVERLAP

6) chief executive (appoints cabinet, heads of other federal gov't agencies)

(determines how bureaucracy will implement laws congress has passed)

7) chief of state (ceremonial role)

executive agreement

international agreement between the US and other nations, no senate, only in effect during presidents term.

balanced ticket

the selection of a running mate who brings diversity

cabinet

group of experts chosen by the president to serve as advisers on running the country

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

offices, counsils, and boards that help the president carry out the day-to-day responsibilities of the office

(help implement policy)

White House Office (WHO)

the office that develops policies and protects the president's legal and political interests

(research policy and keep president informed about approaching issues)

(get presidential priorities enacted into law)

chief of staff

one of the most important members of the WHO. Serves as both an adviser of the president and manager of the WHO

press secretary

(WHO) president's spokesperson to the media

white house counsel

the presidents lawyer

National Security Counsel (NSC)

consisting of top foreign policy advisers and relevant cabinet officials. Arm of Executive Office of the President (EOP) that the president consults on matters of foreign policy & national security

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

(part of the Department of Treasury)

office that creates the presidents annual budget

25th amendment

when the president cannot serve

expressed powers

presidential powers mentioned in constitution

take care clause

the constitutional basis for inherent powers. The president "shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed"

inherent powers

powers implied in the constitution

(ex. Louisiana Purchase, New Deal)

statutory powers

powers granted to presidents by actions of congress

(ex. Line Item Veto Act)

executive order

power of president to issue orders that carry the force of law

emergency powers

broad powers exercised by the president during times of national crisis

executive privelage

the right of the president and members of congress to withhold information from congress or the courts, or the right to refuse to appear before legislative bodies

approval ratings

the % of survey respondents who say the "approve" or "strongly approve" of the way the president is doing his job

rally 'round the flag effect

peaks in presidential approval rating during short-term military action

Works Progress Administration (WPA)

a New Deal program that employed 8.5 million people at a cost of more than $11 million between 1935 and 1943

Watergate

during the Nixon administration, a scandal involving burglaries and the following cover-up by high-level administration officials

impeachment

if a majority of the members of the House of Representatives vote to impeach the president, they forward the charges (articles of impeachment) to the senate. Senate can remove from office