7. The PresidencyThe Historical PresidencyPresidential Qualifications and Terms of OfficeSlide 4The President: Impeachment and RemovalAppointment PowersPower to Convene CongressPower to Make TreatiesSlide 9Veto PowerCommander in ChiefThe Pardoning PowerThe President as LegislatorSlide 14The Modern Presidency: Presidents as Strategic Actors7. The PresidencyThe Historical Presidency•Royal governors, King of England, served as earliest examples of executive power–This led to a distrust in executive power•The Articles of Confederation had no executive.•The Framers gave the president enough resources for responding to national emergencies, but insufficient authority to usurp the Constitution.•They eventually settled on a single president, whose powers were initially limited but have grown over time.Presidential Qualifications and Terms of Office•Natural born citizen of the United States.•At least 35 years old.•Resident of the United States for 14 years of longer.•All except President Obama have been white males.•The last four presidents went to ivy league institutions for college.Presidential Qualifications and Terms of Office•No term limit originally•Only one president ever served more than two terms: Franklin Roosevelt –Elected to four terms, died after 12 years•22nd Amendment – limits president to two terms, or 10 years if the president takes office via successionThe President: Impeachment and Removal•Executive Privilege – an implied presidential power: president can refuse to disclose confidential conversations about national security to Congress or the judiciary•U.S. v. Nixon (1974) – executive privilege does not allow a president to refuse to comply with a court order to produce information for a criminal trial.Appointment Powers•The president appoints ambassadors, ministers and consuls, judges, and officers of the United States.–Approved by the Senate•Cabinet – formal body of advisers who head the 15 executive agencies.•Presidents typically rely on advisers that are not in the cabinet.Power to Convene Congress•The president may convene the Congress on “extraordinary occasions”–Congress is in session most of the time now, so this power no longer applies.–Used in the past during extreme circumstances:•Civil War•DepressionPower to Make Treaties•The president negotiates and signs treaties•The Senate must confirm with a 2/3 vote•The Senate has confirmed 90% of all treaties submitted by the presidents.•Presidents may also withdraw from approved treaties•George W. Bush withdrew from the International Criminal Court (ICC)Power to Make Treaties•Executive agreement – formal international agreements that do not require U.S. Senate approval–They are not binding on subsequent administrationsVeto Power•Veto – formal rejection of a bill passed by Congress–Threat of veto frequently used as a tool to shape legislation.•Line-item veto – authority to reject part of a taxing or spending bill, while approving the rest–The president does not have authority (but most governors do)Commander in Chief•President is the head of the armed forces.•Clashes with Congress about how far the power of the presidency extends concerning making war without approval from Congress•Since the Vietnam War, most presidents have sought and received congressional approval for military engagementsThe Pardoning Power•Pardon – an executive grant releasing an individual from punishment and legal consequences of a crime before or after conviction–Can be granted to a general population as amnesty •Example: forgiveness for all draft-dodgersThe President as Legislator•Mobilizing Public Support –The State of Union address is a “prime-time” opportunity for presidents to influence public opinion and steer the legislative agenda in Congress. –Going public is a strategy to promote policies to voters and prompt cooperation from legislators. –Presidents also communicate with voters by speaking at events such as commencement ceremonies and various conferences.The President as Legislator•A president’s capacity to influence public opinion and mobilize support for policies varies by the issue.•The president’s ability to shape public opinion also depends on citizens’ appraisal of him as president.The Modern Presidency:Presidents as Strategic Actors•Modern presidents have far greater responsibility and authority, a larger and more expert staffing system, and more opportunities to go public than the Framers could have envisioned.•All modern presidents face the dilemma of having too little authority to satisfy voters’ expectations.–Part of the dilemma relates to intractable problems–The demands of the office exceed the resources available to