ARTICLE II

THE EXECUTIVE
BRANCH

The President
The Vice President
The Cabinet
Executive Depts. & Bureaucracy
 Qualifications for
Pres. & V.P.

Must be 35 years old

Must be a natural born
citizen
Must have lived in the U.S.
the last 14 years
 Term of office:

 The President and V-P. are

elected to four year terms

 The 22nd amendment limits the

president to two terms or no
more than 10 years
 Compensation

 Salary  Camp David

$400,000(2001) Resort
 $50,000 for  Medical &
expenses Dental Care
 $100,000 for  Secret service
travel protection-life
 White House 132  Pension
rooms and office  Transportation
Presidential Succession
Act

 1. Vice-President of the U.S.

 2. Speaker of the House
 3. President pro tem
 4. Cabinet secretaries in order
of department origin (State,
Treasury, Defense)
 25th Amendment 1967

 If President cannot complete

his term, the V.P. becomes
President

 If V.P. office is vacant, the

President appoints one w/
Senate approval.
RICHARD NIXON & 25th

 Nixon elected 1968 & 1972

 1ST V. P. Spiro Agnew resigned b/c of
income tax evasion
 Nixon appointed Gerald Ford VP
 Nixon Resigned b/c of Watergate
scandal
 Ford is President
 Ford appoints Nelson Rockefeller VP
Richard Nixon
 Watergate

http://watergate.info/
John Kennedy & MLK
PRESIDENTIAL POWERS

 Commander in Chief of the

Armed Forces
 Grant reprieves & pardons for
federal offenses
 Call special session of Congress
 Receive ambassadors
 Execute laws
 Appoint officials to lesser offices
 Executive Powers

 The President has a “Special Power” called

Executive Powers
 These “Powers” are commands that as the
president he or she can give that have the
Power of Law.
 They are still subject to interpretation from
the Supreme Court and cannot infringe on
the powers of Congress according to the
Constitution.
 Powers Shared w/ Senate

 Make Treaties

 Appoint Ambassadors,
Judges, & high officials
 Powers shared w/
Congress

 Approve legislation
• If a bill is veto, the President
is denying a bill from
becoming law. However, the
Senate can override a veto
with a 2/3rds vote.
Secretary of Homeland Security
 White House Office

“West Wing”
 Closest to the Pres.
 #1 person is Chief of Staff
 Press Secretary
 Many others with various names
—Who is closest to the Oval
Office?
 Removal of President

 The president and vice

president may be removed from
office upon conviction of
impeachment for high crimes
and misdemeanors
 Political Parties

 The authors of the Constitution had wanted to avoid

political parties
• They believed that Political Parties would lead to too much division
 After the Whiskey Rebellion and the debate that followed
it, politicians decided to form two major parties, the
Federalist and the Democratic-Republicans
 Political Parties

Leaders Region Main Beliefs

Federalist Alexander Northerners Strong

Hamilton, Normally nationally
John Adams sided with the based Federal
Federalists Government
Democratic- Thomas Southerners Smaller
Republicans Jefferson, normally sided national
James with the government,
Madison Democratic- stronger
Republicans states rights.
Thomas Jefferson-- Aaron Burr
 Election of 1800

 One of the most important elections

in American History
• Adams vs. Jefferson
• Chose V.P. candidates to run with
them
• Adams---Thomas Pinkney
• Jefferson—Aaron Burr
 Electors voted twice. Jefferson and
Burr tied. Who is President?
 Tie Goes to the House

 House votes 35 times. Hamilton

convinces them to vote for
Jefferson.
 Jefferson becomes 3rd President
 Aaron Burr is V.P.
 Later Burr will kill Hamilton in a
duel.
Changes in Pres. Elections

1. Candidates select running

mates.
2. Electors pledged to parties,
not candidates; They vote
for PARTY.
3. 12th Amendment added—
Electors designate their vote
as Pres. or V.P.
 The Electoral college

 Each state will have electors equal to

the number of senators +
representatives given to that state
 Electors may not hold any other
office
 Electors will be appointed by state
legislature
 Electors will determine the president
And vice-president
2000 Census
 Amendment

 Gave Washington DC 3
electors

Total 435+100+3=538 Elector

votes
Jimmy Carter-Oval office
The Oval Office