The President Executive Branch

Job Description

• Chief of State – ceremonial head of the nation

• Chief Executive – carry out the laws

• Chief Administrator – boss of the executive branch

• Chief diplomat – negotiates w/ other countries

• Commander-in-Chief – head of armed forces

• Chief Legislator – sets public policy agenda

• Chief of Party – head of his political party

• Chief Citizen – representative of the people

Qualifications

• Formal– 35 years old– native-born– lived in US for 14 years

• Informal– Photogenic– Mildly religious– Nice family

Term

• 4 years

• Limited to 2 terms by 22nd Amendment– Pros

• prevents consolidation of power in one person• may limit corruption

– Cons• Limits people’s choice• Lame Duck—last two years

Compensation• $400,000

– $50,000 expense account– White House– Air Force One– Staff– Camp David

How is the president elected?

• Constitution Article II– Electoral College

• Amendment 12– separate ballots for pres. and vp

• Rise of Political Parties

• Changing Nomination Processes

Constitutional Plan for Electoral College

• Each state will have as many electors as they have representatives and senators

• The electors will be selected according to rules made by state legislature.

• Electors will meet in their state and cast their votes.

• Votes sent to Congress to be counted and announced.

How are the electors selected?

• It’s up to the states

Political Parties move the process along…

How does this look in practice?

• Candidates declare their candidacy about 18 months before the election.

• Each state establishes the rules for the election of candidates (primary electionprimary election) for each political party.– caucus– convention– primary

• Candidates are selected between January and June of the election year.

• Delegates for candidates winning votes in the primaries go the conventions held in the summer of election year.– nominate their candidate for pres/vp– ratify their platform

• Each party candidate campaigns to win votes in the general electiongeneral election held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

• Winner of the popular vote must win the vote of majority of electors’ votes in the Electoral College

Assignment

• Complete guided reading hand-outs– 13.4 Presidential Nominations – 13.5 The Election