4/20/26: Candidate Resources

Personal Reflection
- Laid Back Approach: Speaker describes a casual, laid-back approach to discussing presidential topics.
- Historical Context: Emphasizes understanding the presidency from a historical perspective.
COVID-19 Narrative Project:
  - Collaboration: Speaker worked with a colleague to compile interesting statistics during the COVID period.
  - Extra Credit Discussion:
    - Incentives given to students to engage with material discussed previously.
Presidential Materials and Readings
  - Narrative Document:
    - Contains material related to presidential powers and is critical for understanding the course material.
    - Information in the document will be reviewed in class and may feature on quizzes.
  - Quiz Structure:
    - No quiz this week; focus is on understanding narrative readings.
Structure of Readings
  - No Assignment Due: This week’s syllabus mentions no Canvas assignments; focus on reading the narrative on the presidency and textbook material.
  - Study Guide Importance:
    - Recommended to use study guides alongside narratives for better understanding and retention.

Focus on the Presidency:
  - Historical Considerations:
    - Initial fears about presidential power mirrored concerns of monarchy from kingly rule.
  - Role of the President:
    - Discussion on whether the president should be paid, considering issues of wealth and accessibility for office.
Presidential Powers
  - Types of Powers:
    - Express Powers: Powers explicitly stated in the Constitution (basis for presidential duties).
    - Delegated Powers: Powers delegated to the executive branch by Congress (e.g., executing laws).
    - Inherent Powers: Powers that the president exercises that are not explicitly defined but are necessary to perform the duties of the office.
  - Examples of Delegated Powers:
    - Environmental policy implementation through agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Presidential Succession and Crisis:
  - Historical incident where President Reagan was shot, leading to confusion over succession:
    - George H.W. Bush as Vice President at that time.
    - Secretary of State Alexander Haig proclaimed himself “in control,” leading to further confusion about presidential authority.
  - Reference to the 25th Amendment:
    - Discussed its role in determining protocols for presidential incapacitation.

Voter Engagement: Discussion on the importance of citizen participation in democracy and the historical context of third-party candidates.
Historical Elections:
  - Ross Perot:
     - Received 19 million popular votes in 1992 but zero electoral votes, emphasizing the challenges for third-party candidates in the election system.
  - Electoral Vote Dynamics:
     - Insight into historical contexts of electoral votes gained by third-party candidates like George Wallace in 1968.

Impeachment Process Overview:
- Importance of knowing how impeachment works and its historical context in the workings of executive power.
Electoral College: Clarification on how the electoral college functions in presidential elections, specifying the numbers needed to win.
Judicial Review and Precedent:
- Marbury v. Madison Case: Important for understanding judicial precedent and the ability of courts to overturn congressional acts if unconstitutional.

Executive Orders:
  - Definition: Executive orders allow the president to direct government affairs without Congressional approval.
  - Historic Context: Examples of notable executive orders issued by past presidents, including
   FDR and President Truman’s segregation ban in the military.

Future Topics: A preview of upcoming discussions on how the executive branch functions, focusing on cabinet departments and the implications of executive actions.
Class Materials Availability: Reminder to stay updated on materials needed for class discussions and quizzes to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the presidency.