Congress Agencies that support law making functions o Congressional Budget Office CBO Create general economic projection reports that are given to Congress Estimates government expenditures revenues and costs of programs Bipartisan o Government Accountability Office GAO Oversees executive agencies spending of the money allotted to them by Congress Oversight powers and make sure executing laws o Congressional Research Service CRS Conducts research and responds to information requests to Congress Congressional Representation o Should they look at national interests or local interests o Logrolling trading one s vote with another member for each to get what they want Commonly through pork barrel o With funding members may only approve national funds if a certain amounts goes to their localities May make programs inefficient o Party loyalty Congressional Oversight o Through committees Congress can oversee Executive Example House and Judiciary committees oversee Justice Department o Oversight not explicit in Constitution but Supreme Court has upheld this authority Congressional Discipline o Under Article 1 Congress may punish its members for disorderly behavior Censure Expulsion condemnation loss of seniority and fines each chamber can expel members through 2 3 majority Texas Executive 4 Parts of the branch o Governor o Elected executives o Administrative agencies o Boards and Commissions Governor of Texas o Qualifications At least 30 years old US Citizen Resident of state for 5 years before election Salary 150 000 per year Terms 4 year terms No limits on reelection o Legislative powers Sign or veto bills that pass legislative Line item veto whole bill vetoing only part of an appropriate bill without vetoing the Unique to Texas and cannot be done in for the president of the US Legislature must designate which items are line items Exception to veto power o If legislature is in session bill must be signed or vetoed within 10 days or it becomes law o If legislature is not in session a bill becomes law if it is not signed or vetoed within 20 days Unique o Vetoes can be overturned by 2 3 majority of each legislative o Budgetary powers chamber Line item veto is governor s main budgetary power Elected Officials of the Texas Executive o Attorney General Serves as legal counsel to the top levels of the state government Focuses more on civil law rather than criminal law Can provide opinion on the legality of legislation o Comptroller of Public Accounts Chief tax collector and investor of state funds Chief fiscal and revenue forecasting officer o Commissioner of the General Land Office Leases state lands and generate funds from oil and gas production Such as getting news rigs Maintains environmental quality of Gulf Coast beaches o Texas Railroad Commission Primary concern is oil and gas industry Regulates some aspects of transportation Consists of 3 members who serve 6 year terms with one member going up for election every 2 years o Secretary of State Chief election official of state supervises elections Chief record keeper international protocol Oversees voter registration prepares election information and The Presidency Term limits Requirements o 4 years o No limit to number of term limits in Article 2 of Constitution 2 term limit implemented by 22nd amendment after FDR o 35 years of age or older o Natural born US citizen o Resident of US for at least 14 years Nominating Presidential Candidates o overall trend has been to make the process more democratic o 4 eras of nomination process 1788 to 1828 congressional caucuses 1832 to 1900 national conventions with delegates from state and local party organization 1904 to 1958 national conventions but with a minority of delegates chosen through primary elections 1972 to today national conventions but with a majority of delegates chosen through primary elections o 40 states today use open primaries and others have caucuses Electoral college o Originally intended to guard against the people voting against factious leaders o Andrew Jackson encouraged states to cast their electoral votes in line with popular o Years in which president did not win popular vote 2000 1888 1876 o Each state s of electoral votes is equivalent to its total number or representatives and 538 total and 270 needed to win 3 for DC o Votes are winner takes all Exceptions are Maine and Nebraska who apportion their votes according to statewide vote o If no candidate wins electoral vote the House chooses the President from the 3 leading Each state has 1 vote Vote is according to the delegation s majority but if there is a tie no vote is given vote senators candidates o They must execute preserve protect and defend the constitution Presidential Oath of Office Constitutional Powers o Foreign policy related commander in chief of military receive ambassadors and other public ministers Make treaties and appoint foreign ambassadors both of which require senate approval o Domestic policy related Appoint judges to Supreme and Federal Courts Fill vacancies during Senate recess Give information to Congress on State of the Union Either convene both Houses of Congress in a time of emergency or adjourn them Take care clause laws are faithfully executed Gives the most authority Is like Congress Necessary and Proper clause Very elastic in what powers the President can have Commission all officers of the US Impeachment is permitted by the Constitution o President Vice president and other civil officers can be removed for treason bribery high crimes or misdemeanors o 2 steps Majority vote in House to impeach Indict voting for trial Senate holds trial and convicts with 2 3 majority What actually gets them out of office o In US History only 13 persons have been impeached by House 4 have been convicted by Senate The Vice President Johnson and Clinton were impeached but not convicted o Originally was the presidential candidate with the second largest number of votes o No executive authority in the Constitution Given role and authority by President Cabinet o Heads of 15 Executive Departments Examples State Treasury Justice Homeland Security etc Competing Theories of Presidency o Whig Theory Presidency is an office limited by the Constitutional Authority In his 1885 book Congressional Government Woodrow Wilson suggests the Constitution makes the President a kind of chief clerk o Stewardship Theory Presidency is free to act as long as its actions do not violate the law People Legislative Laws Executive Locke