Unit 3: Executive Branch

Nota:

• notes on budget will be in a separate map

1. The President
   1. founders' intent
      1. chief clerk, subservient to legislature
   2. acts as "the face" of the US

      Nota:

      • easier to think about one than many people (congress)… also, for foreigners, the pres manages foreign affairs
   3. Qualifications
      1. 35 years old min
         1. Native born citizen
            1. Lived in US for 14 years

               Nota:

               • at founder's time, many were educated in europe
   4. role
      1. term limit 4 yrs

         Nota:

         • set by 22nd amendment
      2. 7 Roles of the president
   5. electoral college
      1. Each state has minimum 3 electors bc minimum 1 rep and always 2 senators
      2. 538 electors; Need 270 to win
      3. safe states v. swing states
      4. Electors are chosen by the state political party that won
      5. why the electoral college?
         1. founders afraid of the mob
         2. at founders time, collecting/transporting all individual votes would have been nearly impossible
2. The Vice President
   1. ignored by constitution
   2. Must meet the same qualifications as the president
   3. Chosen to “balance the ticket”

      Nota:

      • Sometimes, pres vice pres don’t even like each other, just use each other for political goals: Marriage of convenience
      1. Idea: president should choose someone a little more to the right/left than they are, shouldn’t just have a yes man
         1. Also, helps pres appeal to voters who might not necessarily like the pres themself
3. the president's executive office
4. executive departments: the president's cabinet (15 depts)
5. Independent Agencies
6. presidential succession
   1. list (see notes)

      Nota:

      • Vice president Speaker of the House More rep. of broader will of the people Elected by the people President Pro Tempore Secretary of State Sec Treasury Sec defense Attorney General Heads Department of Justice (Cabinet/executive Sec. Interior Sec Agriculture Sec commerce Sec labor Sec health & human services Sec housing & development Sec transportation Sec energy Sec education Sec veterans’ affairs sec homeland security
   2. presidential disability

      Nota:

      •  if the president gets really sick? Goes crazy? Is otherwise “unfit”?
      1. President OR VP/majority of cabinet informs congress in writing of incapacity