POSC150 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: The Ratings Game, Executive Privilege, Senatorial Courtesy
31 May 2018
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Chapter 8: The Presidency
The Presidential Job Description
Head of State: the apolitical, unifying role of the president as symbolic representative of the
whole country
● responsible for enhancing national unity
● Head of the government: the political role of the president as leader of a political party
and chief arbiter of who gets what resources
Qualifications and Conditions
● Chosen by electoral college to serve four year terms
● Must be a natural born US citizen
● At least 35 years old
● Resident for at least 14 years
● Succeeded by the VP if dies or is removed
● Presidential Succession Act 1947
●Impeachment: a formal charge by the HOuse that the president (or another member of
the executive branch) has committed acts of “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and
misdemeanors” which may or may not result in removal from office
Constitutional Power of the President
● Executive Powers
○Chief administrator: role as the head of federal agencies and the person
responsible for the implementation of national policy
○ Appoints heads of departments
■Cabinets: a presidential advisory group selected by the president, made
up of the VP, the heads of the federal executive departments, and other
high officials to whom the president elects to give cabinet status
○Commander in chief: role as the top officer of the country's military
establishment
○Chief foreign policy maker: role as the primary shaper of relations with other
nations
■ Treaties: formal agreements with other countries; negotiated by the
president and requiring approval by two-thirds of the senate
■ Executive agreements: presidential arrangements with other countries
that create foreign policy without the need for senate approval
● Legislative Powers
○State of Union address: a speech given annually by the president to a joint
session of Congress and to the nation announcing the president’s agenda
○Presidential veto: a president’s authority to reject a bill passed by Congress;
may be overridden only by a two-thirds majority in each house
○Executive orders: clarifications of congressional policy issued by the president
and having the full force of law
○Signing statements: statements recorded along with signed legislation clarifying
the president’s understanding of the constitutionality of the bill
Document Summary
Head of state: the apolitical, unifying role of the president as symbolic representative of the whole country. Head of the government: the political role of the president as leader of a political party and chief arbiter of who gets what resources. Chosen by electoral college to serve four year terms. Must be a natural born us citizen. Succeeded by the vp if dies or is removed. Chief administrator: role as the head of federal agencies and the person. Appoints heads of departments responsible for the implementation of national policy. Cabinets: a presidential advisory group selected by the president, made up of the vp, the heads of the federal executive departments, and other high officials to whom the president elects to give cabinet status. Commander in chief: role as the top officer of the country"s military. Chief foreign policy maker: role as the primary shaper of relations with other establishment nations.
