US Government Unit 2: Presidential Powers

Unit 2 Content: Insuring Domestic Tranquility

• The unit focuses on the topic of ensuring domestic tranquility.

Presidential Qualifications

• To be president, a candidate must be 35 years old.
• A candidate must be born in the U.S.
• A candidate must have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.

Presidential Powers

• Expressed/Enumerated (Formal): Powers explicitly stated in the Constitution.

  • These powers are explicitly spelled out in the Constitution.

• Implied/Informal/Inherent: Powers not explicitly stated but assumed based on needs of the office or the country.

  • These powers evolved over time due to the evolving needs of the office and country.

Enumerated Powers of the President

• Chief Executive: Controls Executive Branch.
• Diplomatic Powers: Negotiates treaties with foreign governments and receives ambassadors. These actions require Senate approval.
• Military Powers: Commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
• Legislative Powers: Can propose and pass laws; can veto legislation.
• Judicial Powers: Nominates judges (including Supreme Court justices), ambassadors, and other federal officers. These nominations require Senate approval.

Judiciary

• The U.S. President appoints federal judges, including Supreme Court justices.
• The illustration shows the number of federal judges appointed by Trump and Biden, including District Courts, Courts of Appeals, and Supreme Court judges.
  • Trump appointed 231 federal judges.
  • Biden appointed 179 federal judges

Implied Powers of the President

• War Powers: Guides political party, is a figurehead, and delivers speeches.
• Chief of Party: Leads political party.
• Chief of State: Honors and greets people.
• Emergency Powers: Acts to address unforeseen issues.
• Executive Privilege: Keeps some communications confidential.
• Executive Orders: Issues directives to government agencies.
• Power of Recognition: Grants official recognition.
• Guardian of the Economy: Acts to ensure economic wellbeing.

Legislative Checks

• Veto: President can reject legislation.
• Line Item Veto: Rejected by the Supreme Court, executive power to reject portions of legislation.

Pocket Veto

• If Congress is not in session, a bill becomes law only if it is not actively vetoed by the President, within a 10-day period.

Judicial Checks

• Clemency (pardons, reprieves, commutations): Leniency regarding a punishment, power to absolve, and can free individuals of criminal consequences.
• Pardons: Forgiving someone of consequences for federal crimes. This can happen before or after conviction. It doesn’t imply innocence.
• Power to reduce (commute) penalty: Reducing the severity of criminal penalties.
• Cancel/postpone: Postponing or canceling a sentence (usually for capital punishment)

Executive Order

• President issues a directive to the Executive Branch.
• An executive order is a directive from the president to a government agency.
• Exectutive Orders have the same weight as law.
• Subject to judicial review, though easily repealed.

Electoral College

• System for electing a president involving electoral votes instead of a popular vote.
• The candidate with the most popular votes in a state receives all electoral votes in that state. (48 states).
• In Maine and Nebraska, electoral votes are distributed based on the winner of each congressional district.
• A presidential candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win.

Impeachment

• The president, like other federal officials, can be impeached for "high crimes and misdemeanors."
• The House of Representatives starts impeachment process—a majority vote needed to pass articles of impeachment.
• The Senate then tries the case; the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides.
• A two-thirds vote in the Senate is needed to convict and remove the official from office.

Lame Duck

• An elected official in the final period of office, after the election of a successor.
• Actions taken are less significant politically, due to lack of power as the position is about to change.

Role of Political Parties

• Organize voters around a common message
• Register Voters
• Fundraise
• Energize voters
• Work to elect party members
• Educate voters
• Train candidates

Political Ideologies

• Liberals: Favor government action to achieve equality and protect individual rights and liberties.
• Conservatives: Prioritize personal responsibility, limited government, and free markets.

Presidential Succession

• Qualifications to be president.
• Constitutional details on succession.
• Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (established a list of successors).
• 25th Amendment (explains presidential succession if a president resigns or is unable to fulfill their duties).

Cabinet Members

• List of the current Cabinet members.