AP Gov Unit 3 Executive Branch

Head of State (Formal Power)

Represent country

Symbol of nation

Chief executive (Formal Power)

Execute laws

Appoint cabinet and federal judges

Grant pardons

Commander in Chief (Formal Power)

Command Military

Chief diplomat (Formal Power)

Meet with foreign leaders 

Negotiate treaties

Appoint ambassadors (w Senate approval)

Foreign aid 

Legislative leader (Formal Power)

Sign/veto law

GIve state of the union address

Call Congress into special session

Economic Power (Formal Power)

Prepare and propose budget 

Appoint leaders of federal reserve (with Senate approval)

Executive orders (Informal Power)

Order issued by POTIUS, direct cabinet and bureaucracy on how to implement/execute law

Carry force of law

Congress can pass laws to counter EO

Judicial can declare EO unconstitutional 

Signing statement (Informal Power)

Statement by POTUS when signing legislative, informs Congress and public POTUS interpretation of law.

Persuader in Chief (Informal Power)

Persuades and bargain to try to secure action

Try to get public to pressure Congress 

Bully pulpit

POTUS use of speech, media, etc to push an agenda.

Use platform to persuade media, public, and congress

Executive Privilege (Informal Power)

Claim by POTUS to withhold certain info from public, including courts and congress

Party leader (Informal Power)

Head of party

Help get other members elected to congress

Foreign policy (Informal Power)

International policy-force of treaty but not official (no Senate approval)
Any POTUS can withdraw from it

Cabinet

Advisory body to see POTUS needs

Head of federal departments and higher level staff

Bureaucracy

Civil servants (all but senior levels)

Oversight

Congress can review, monitor, and supervise bureaucratic agencies

Through investigation and hearings

Power of the purse

Check bureaucracy by appropriating or withholding funds

Independent agencies

Directors and head serve fixed terms and cannot be easily removed by POTUS, helping maintain independence from political pressure. 

Have regulatory powers, allow them to create and enforce regulations their specific field 

Interest groups

Any association of individuals or organizations that attempts to influence public policy in its favor

Iron Triangle

Relationship that develop between committees, federal bureaucracy, and interest group during policy making process

For mutual gains