AP Gov Executive Branch

president's expressed powers in foreign affairs

appoint ambassadors, ministers, consuls, Secretaries of State/Defense/Treasury with Senate majority approval

negotiate/make treaties subject to 2/3 Senate confirmation

president's expressed powers as Commander-in-Chief

leader of all military branches and national guard

president's expressed powers as chief executive

require the opinion of heads of executive departments

faithfully execute the law

nominate SC judges and department heads with Senate approval

full executive agency vacancies that may happen during recess of the Senate

grant pardons

president's expressed powers as chief legislator

give State of the Union

recommend measures to Congress

convene both houses of Congress in an emergency

sign or veto laws

informal powers of the president (aka inherent powers)

persuasion, executive orders/agreements/privilege

historical examples

persuasion/bully pulpit

president is given more media coverage and can persuade the public more easily

can use formal powers to persuade the legislative branch

foreign policy powers can influence foreign countries and organizations

faithfully execute clause

part of Constitution Article II

informal powers derive here

executive order

orders issued by the President that carry the force of the law and do not need Congressional approval

must be tied to an expressed power or an existing law

courts can overrule

executive privilege

idea that the president should have the right to withhold information from the public or government if national interest is better served

executive agreement

international agreements made by the President and State Department that do not require Senate approval

mostly deal with international trade

not formal so they can be reversed or ignored

how did US v Nixon affect executive privilege

presidents do not have unqualified executive privilege

must have good reasoning

Executive Office of the President

offices that aid the president and executive branch with policy development and the execution of laws

National Security Council

aids the president in foreign policy and domestic security

NSC statutory members

President

Vice President

Secretary of State/Defense/Energy/Treasury

Office of Management and Budget

prepares president's annual budget proposal

reviews the budget and programs in executive departments

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

main military advisor that is still in the military

head of all military branches

Chief of Staff

determines who can meet with the president

organizes their appointments and policy agendas

press secretary

main communicator between the White House Press Corps and the general press

national security advisor

director of the National Security Council staff

political advisors

political appointees who are loyal to the governing party

cabinet

Secretaries of major departments and heads of major subdivisions

impeachment

charges against a government official approved by a majority of the House of Representatives

Presidential veto powers

given 10 days to decide

can either sign, veto, or do nothing

line-item veto

no longer allowed

president keeping/vetoing specific parts of a proposed law

pocket veto

president's power to kill a bill, if Congress is not in session, by not signing it for 10 days

veto override

Congress can override President veto by 2/3 vote

How has the power of the president changed over time?

president has become more powerful, especially because they are given a lot of media coverage

What is the presidential line of succession?

Vice President

Speaker of the House

President Pro Temp

Secretary of State

Secretary of the Treasury

What nominees need Senate approval?

heads of departments and their major subdivisions (FBI, CIA) need approval

head of OMB and national security advisor need approval

What nominees do not need Senate approval?

press secretary, chief of staff, political advisors, speech writers, etc.

presidential honeymoon period

first six months of presidency

lame duck period

last few months of presidency (between election and new president swearing in)

bureaucracy

a system of managing government through departments run by appointed officials

departmental agencies

part of 15 major departments

ex: Department of Agriculture and Department of Commerce

independent agencies

not part of 15 major departments

tend to have more regulatory power/less influence from President

ex: EPA and Federal Reserve Board

government corporations

government supported and funded company

ex: Post Office, TVA, Amtrak, FDIC

discretionary authority

power to make decisions about how policy will be executed

judicial discretionary authority

power to settle disputes between agencies and/or public and industry instead of it going to a federal court

legislative discretionary authority

power to create rules/policy for executing specifics of laws regarding the executive agency

executive discretionary authority

agencies can use discretion in executing regulatory power

can decide who gets punished and what the punishment will be

iron triangle

relationship between Congressional committees, interest groups, and executive agencies

issue network

expanded iron triangle

includes professors, think tanks, media, etc.

Pendleton Act

law that transferred the hiring of US gov employees to Merit based system

Hatch Act

revisions in 1993 with the Federal Employees Political Activities act

lists what federal employees can and can't do

patronage system

old system of hiring for US government based on "who you knew"

merit system

new system of hiring for US government based on civil service exams, education, and experience

civil service test

test to determine skills needed for a particular government job

ex: computer skills, language, foreign policy

General Service schedule

pay scales for executive branch employees

G1 = lowest, goes to G15

Senior Executive Service

most government positions classified above the G15 level

Freedom of Information Act

any person has a right to obtain federal agency records

What are the constitutional qualifications for president?

natural born citizen

35 years old

resident of the US for 14 years

How does Congress check (constitutionally) the power of the president?

must approve nominations

How does Congress check executive agencies?

congressional oversight

How does the president check Congress?

veto power

How does the president check the Judicial branch?

nomination of judges

How does the president check the executive agencies?

chooses the heads of the agencies

How does the judicial branch check the president?

judicial review of executive orders and other actions

public opinion and presidential power

typically declines over course of presidency

best time to get policies initiated is the beginning during the honeymoon period

How is the White House staff chosen?

appointed by the president

circular white house structure

staff and advisors report directly to the Oval Office

ex: Carter

pyramidal white house structure

strict military-like chain of command that emphasizes a powerful Chief of Staff

ex: Reagan

role of VP in the election versus presidency

election: balance ticket

presidency: attend meetings, other things depend on relationship with president

role of cabinet secretaries

advise the president and serve as administrators of large bureaucracies

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

branch of the Department of Justice responsible for investigating violations of federal law

Federal Emergency Management Agency

branch of the Department of Homeland Security that aids in disaster relief

most expensive departments

Defense

Health and Human Services

employ the most people in the government

US Postal Service and Department of Defense

Department of Justice

enforces the law and prosecutes crime in federal courts

includes group of lawyers who deal with federal cases in federal courts

Department of Defense

deters war and protects security of US and allies

Department of Homeland Security

sets threat level

protects against terrorist attacks

assist during disaster

border security

How are independent agencies different from the 15 departmental agencies?

more independent

more discretionary authority

have narrow mandates (specific goals and projects)

more regulatory function/specialized service

Why are government corporations created

offer a service that is not being done by a business in the private sector

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

regulates federal elections and their laws

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

regulates TV and radio

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

regulates businesses for environmental laws

Federal Reserve

regulates monetary policy such as interest rates, bank reserves, and bond rates

Office of Personnel Management

office that coordinates the hiring of most of the federal employees

Even though the executive seems to have an advantage in military and foreign affairs areas, what powers/roles does Congress have to control foreign affairs and military?

approve treaties

declare war

create/maintain military

regulate foreign commerce

Most recent presidents have asked for _____________ for more prolonged military activities, but many do not always abide by the rules of the _____________

Authorization for Use of Military Force; War Powers Act

impeachment process for president

House brings charges/starts trial

Senate tries President and needs a 2/3 vote