Formal and Informal Powers of the Presidency

Signing/Vetoing Bills

President approves or rejects legislation; Congress can override.

Pocket Veto

Bill fails if unsigned within 10 days after adjournment.

Pardoning

President grants pardons for federal offenses, excluding impeachments.

State of the Union Address

Constitutional update to Congress on national status.

Nominating Justices/Ambassadors

President appoints officials with Senate approval required.

Negotiating Treaties

Treaties need 2/3rds Senate ratification to be valid.

Commander in Chief

President leads military but cannot declare war independently.

Party Leader

Influences party policies and supports election campaigns.

Executive Orders

Directives with force of law, bypassing Congress approval.

Scope of Executive Orders

Used for enforcing laws and addressing urgent policies.

Common Uses of Executive Orders

Regulate federal operations and manage emergencies.

Executive Agreements

International agreements bypassing Senate approval, legally binding.

Signing Statements

Comments indicating interpretation while signing bills into law.

Bully Pulpit

Using media to advance policies or gain public support.

Federalist 70

Advocates for a strong, singular executive for efficiency.

Federalist 51

Emphasizes separation of powers to prevent tyranny.

War Powers Act

Limits presidential military actions without Congressional approval.

Youngstown Sheet Case

Court ruled Truman's order unconstitutional without Congress.

Nixon Case

Executive privilege not absolute; must comply with investigations.

Overriding Vetoes

Requires two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress.

Impeachment Process

House indicts; Senate tries and removes with 2/3rds vote.

Judicial Checks

Supreme Court can declare executive actions unconstitutional.

Bureaucracy

Administrative system used by corporations and public institutions.

Bureaucracy

Administrative system for corporations and public institutions.

Independent Agencies

Entities outside cabinet departments with specific functions.

Iron Triangle

Policy-making relationship among agencies, interest groups, Congress.

Cabinet

Advises president and manages government departments.

House of Representatives

435 members serving 2-year terms, represents districts.

Senate

100 members serving 6-year terms, represents states.

Enumerated Powers

Specific powers granted to Congress by the Constitution.

Delegate Model

Represents constituents' desires in decision-making.

Trustee Model

Acts on personal judgment over constituents' desires.

Politico Model

Balances delegate and trustee approaches in representation.

Speaker of the House

Most powerful, sets agenda, assigns bills.

Majority Leader (House)

Assists Speaker, manages legislative priorities.

Majority Leader (Senate)

Most powerful member, sets legislative agenda.

Minority Leader

Leads opposition, strategizes against majority party.

Whips

Tracks votes, enforces party discipline in both chambers.

President pro tempore

Ceremonial role in Senate, presides in VP's absence.

Committee System

Organizes legislative work through various committees.

Chairperson

Majority party member leading committee activities.

Standing Committees

Permanent committees handling specific policy areas.

Select Committees

Temporary committees for specific investigations or purposes.

Joint Committees

Composed of members from both House and Senate.

Conference Committees

Reconcile differences between House and Senate bills.

Debate Differences

House has strict limits; Senate allows filibusters.

Bill Process

Drafted, reviewed, and voted on by both chambers.

Committee Inaction

Failure to act on a bill by a committee.

Senate Holds

Senator blocks a bill temporarily for negotiation.

Filibusters

Extended speeches to delay or block legislation.

Pork Barrel Projects

Government spending for local, politically motivated projects.

Logrolling

Mutual support among legislators for bills.

Deficit

Annual gap between government spending and revenue.

Debt

Cumulative total of annual deficits over time.

Mandatory Spending

Funding for entitlement programs like Medicare.

Discretionary Spending

Annual budget allocations for programs like defense.

Monetary Policy

Federal Reserve controls money supply and interest rates.

Fiscal Policy

Government adjusts spending and taxation laws.

Federal Reserve

Established in 1913 to stabilize the economy.

Central Banking

Regulates banks and controls inflation in the economy.

Bureaucracies

Agencies implementing policies set by Congress.

Cabinet Secretaries

Leaders of departments, may prioritize departmental loyalty.

Conference Committee

Temporary committee reconciling House and Senate differences.

Cloture

Procedure to end a filibuster in the Senate.

Independent Agencies

Organizations like NASA, not part of cabinet.

Trustee

Legislator prioritizing personal judgment over constituents' views.

Standing Committees

Permanent committees overseeing bureaucratic implementation.

Rules Committee

Influential House committee managing legislative procedures.

Presidential Veto

President's rejection of legislation, rarely overridden.