WHAT ARE THE 2 CONDITIONS TO BE CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENT POSITION ?
Natural born US citizen
at least 35 years old
HOW IS THE ELECTION PROCESS FOR THE PRESIDENT ? HOW LONG IS THE TERM ?
National constituency
indirect election (through Electoral College). It’s a way to limit the president's power
term: 4 years. Elected in November and inaugurated in January
2-term limit
ticket (president and vice-president)
line of succession: Vice-president → speaker of the House of Representatives
WHAT IS IMPEACHMENT FOR ?
formal statement of charges against a high official of the government
can result in removal from office
treason, bribery, high crime
WHAT ARE THE STEPS FOR IMPEACHMENT ?
vote for the impeachment in the House of Representatives
trial in Senate, presided by the Chief Justice
2/3 majority vote in Senate is required to remove the president from office
CITE 4 ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT THAT WERE ADOPTED IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE ?
Andrew Johnson in 1868 (acquitted)
Bill Clinton in 1998 (acquitted 45/55 50/50)
perjury and obstruction of justice
Donald Trump in 2020 (acquitted 48/52 47/53)
abuse of power and obstruction of justice
Donald Trump in January 2021 (acquitted 57/43, with 7 Republican Senators finding him guilty)
incitement of insurrection (10 Republicans in House of Representatives in favor of impeaching)
WHAT ARE CALLED THE FIRST DAYS OF THE TERM OF OFFICE ?
the honeymoon or the 100 days
WHAT IS THE MILITARY POWER OF THE PRESIDENT ?
commander in chief of the armed forces. Only the Congress can declare war and fund the armed forces.
WHAT HAPPENED IN 1973 ? WHAT WERE THE CONSEQUENCES ?
War Power Resolution, end of the Vietnam War. → president must informed Congress of any planned military operation withing 48h of committing forces and forces must be withdrawn within 60 days in the absence of a specific congressional authorization
WHO DOES THE PRESIDENT NOMINATES ?
Cabinet members, Supreme Court Justices and ambassadors but with advice and consent of the Senate (simple majority vote)
WHAT IS THE DIPLOMATIC POWER OF THE PRESIDENT ?
negotiate treaties with foreign government. Acts as America’s head of state, chief representative of the US in dealing with the other nation but treaties must be ratified by the Senate (2/3 vote)
WHAT IS THE LEGISLATIVE POWER OF THE PRESIDENT ?
makes recommendation to Congress for legislative actions but Congress need not acting on presidential recommendation.
He/she can veto laws that Congress has passed but the Congress can overturn a veto with a 2/3 vote in Senate and the House of Representative.
WHAT IS THE EXECUTIVE POWER OF THE PRESIDENT ?
He/she shall take care that the law is faithfully executed (executive orders for instance, similar to the power of a CEO to make company policies, rules, setting procedures) but action subject to judicial review by the Supreme Court.
WHAT IS THE JUDICIAL POWER OF THE PRESIDENT ?
the president grants pardon
WHAT ARE THE INFORMAL RESOURCES ?
national constituency: only he/she can articulate a clear agenda and mobilize behind it
staff in the executive branch (White House staff with analysts and advisers, federal bureaucracy)
mass media focus/ “bully pulpit”: the position where he/she can easily address the nation and the world and mobilize people
International contacts
WHAT IS THE CABINET ?
vice-president + secretaries from the 15 executive departments
WHAT IS THE MISSION OF THE 15 DEPARTMENTS ?
executing laws and helping creating the rules to apply laws voted in Congress
WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE HEADS OF THE DEPARTMENTS ?
the secretaries except fot the justice, it is the attorney general
WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THE HOMELAND SECURITY, INTERIOR, JUSTICE AND STATE DEPARTMENTS ?
creation in 2002, in charge of all threats
includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs and National Parks Services
supervises among others the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
foreign policy, the current secretary of State: Antony Blinken
WHAT ARE THE OTHER AGENCIES HELPING THE PRESIDENT WITH HIS/HER MISSION?
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA): foreign intelligence service, gathering, processing and analyzing national security information from around the world, not domestic information tho
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC): consumer protection, elimination and prevention of anti-competitive business practices, such as coercive monopoly
WHO ARE THE MAJOR PRESIDENTS ?
George WASHINGTON
Abraham LINCOLN
Franklin D. ROOSEVELT
John F. KENNEDY
Lyndon B. JOHNSON
Richard NIXON
Ronald REAGAN
Bill CLINTON
George W. BUSH
Barack OBAMA
Donald TRUMP
Joe BIDEN
Last changeda year ago