The Executive Branch - AP US Gov.

Separate Agencies

Each Department is divided into agencies which specialize in their purview

Bureaucracy

Three different kinds of independent government agencies

The Creation of Departments

George W. Bush created the Department of Homeland Security after 9/11

Deals with the increased airport security and anti-terrorism action

The president can create any position he wishes

However, funding and appointment still requires the consent of Congress

The Cabinet

Presidential Power

The president's personal advisers

Includes all of the department heads and the Vice President

Each is an appointed official

Chosen by the president, but verified by Congress

The president cannot get rid of any Cabinet member without a legal reason or Congressional approval

This causes a distinct problem when a new president arrives in office

Each Cabinet Member, except for the Vice President, heads their own department

Independent Executive Agencies

Bureaucracy that oversees a specific function

The department may be against the agency

Congress can choose that the new agency will exist outside of a department

The CIA acts outside of any department and gathers information for military use

Helps cut down on Bureaucracy costs

Problems with Incentive

Workers have little chance in being promoted, so why work hard?

Performance and Results Act requires the bureaucracy to administer goals and determine whether those goals are met

Independent Regulatory Agencies

Response to

Nepotism and Favoritism

Make rules inside of a specific jurisdiction for a specific industry

Drastically reduces the load on Congress

Andrew Jackson's spoils system is now gone

These regulations may be overturned by Congress

The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) to reduce obscenities on the radio and television

Disbanded with Pendleton Act (Civil Service Reform Act)

New Civil Service reform in 1978

The Civil Service Commission now tests bureaucrats on merit

Killed the CSC to introduce two new agencies to administer new laws

However, are people too hard to fire now?

Government Corporations

The Independent Agencies

Handle matters that are too pivotal for the private sector

Criticism

These tend to be in the commercial sphere

Independent Executive Agencies

Corporations are made to be independent of government funding, but are able to be bailed out by the government

The Bureaucracy is huge!

Independent Regulatory Agencies

The Post Office and the Cincinnati Metro both function in this way

Government Corporations

Both receive an income, but are struggling currently

Being artificially revived by the central government

2.7 Million employes all working underneath the President

Many say that it is over-inflated

The Sunset Legislation is not working correctly

The recent Department of Homeland Security is excessive

22 new agencies all for one purpose

165,000 employes in only nine years

Has an apparent flexibility

Advantages to the Bureaucracy

But are they?

Able to conform to meet current needs

Agencies are able to be disposed of when needed

Sunset Legislation requires a review of each agency after a certain time period

Head of State

As head of state, the president is the ceremonial representative of the nation. Actions under this category would include: throwing out the first pitch of the baseball season, awarding honors, and giving speeches.

Commander in Chief

The President is also the supreme commander of all branches of the military. This power has expanded greatly since WWII, as presidents have been able to invade other countries without a declaration of war.

Presidential Roles

Chief Diplomat

The president is also chief diplomat, meaning he negotiates treaties, chooses whether or not to recognize other countries, signs executive agreements, and shapes U.S. foreign policy.

The President is considered "a man of many hats," easily seen by the many jobs that he has.

Chief Executive

As chief executive, the president is in charge of carrying out Congress' legislation and court rulings. Also, he appoints federal judges and officials, has to propose a federal budget, and even grant pardons and reprieves

Chief Legislator

The president as chief legislator has the powers to either sign or veto bills, recommend legislation to congress, issue executive orders, and to attempt to persuade Congress towards his point of view

-Political parties convene every four years to nominate their candidate for the presidency

Impeachment Process

-Voters cast ballots for presidential electors, who then vote for the president

in the electoral college

- The process to unseat a President due to

misconduct in office.

Step 2

The Senate

Step 1

Presidential

Responsibilities

House of

Representatives

- The Senate conducts a trial and convicts the President

- The president can be removed from office with a 2/3rds vote

- The house formally accuses the

president of a crime by majority vote

Presidential

Election and

Succession

Informal powers are all the other powers the president has not written within the Constitution, such as acting as party leader or making executive agreements with other executives

Presidential

Succession

Types of Presidential Powers

- If the President dies or resigns, the Vice President is appointed president.

- The president can also appoint the Vice President as temporary President.

- If the Vice President is vacant, the Speaker of the House is next in line

- This is specified in the 25th

Amendment

Formal powers are powers given to the president by being expressly written within the constitution, e.g. commanding the armed forces or appointing federal judges.

The Executive Branch

Works Cited

- The wonderful in-class PowerPoint

presentations and class notes

- Our Textbook

-Pictures:

• http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=obama+first+pitch&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=E47459950A3823735B121A5E70E9D74EA7073751&selectedIndex=6
• http://www.cruzine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/barack-obama-commander-in-chief.jpg
• http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2012/11/21/Obama_with_daughters_and_turkey_121121_540x405.jpg
• http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2009/09/24/1225779/027527-barack-obama-and-ban-ki-moon.jpg
• http://mayrant.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/marine.jpg
• http://im.glogster.com/media/13/37/50/33/37503306.jpg

By: Joe Knight, Derek Moser, Nick Perez, and James Birchak

The Executive Branch