Steven Tsay

AP US gov
3/19/2016
Chapter 12

Over time, the presidency has became a powerful office

o Owed largely to legacy of strong presidents and domestic and
international developments that increased the need for executive
leadership
The modern presidential campaign is a marathon affair in which selfselected candidates seek a strong start in the nominating contests and
a well-run media campaign in the general election
The president could not control the executive branch without a large
number of presidential appointeesadvisors, experts, and skilled
managersbut the sheer number of these appointees is itself a
challenge to presidential control
The presidents election by national vote and position as sole chief
executive make the presidency the focal point of national politics

1) Foundations of modern presidency

a) Constitutional authority of roles
i) Commander in chief
(1)Command army, navy, militia of some states
ii) Chief executive
(1)Pardon except for impeachment
(2)Appoint ambassadors, judges of supreme court, ministers
consuls
(a) Consent of senate
(3) Fill vacancies recess of senate- commissions expire by end of
next session
(4)Execution of laws
iii) Chief diplomate
(1)Treaties 2/3 consent of senate
(2)Executive agreements are legally binding like treaties 1937
iv) Legislative leader
(1)Recommend legislations
(2)Call meeting on both houses or any house
(3)Veto power, 2/3 overrule
(a) Congress total

(b)

b) Changing conception of the presidency

i) Andrew Jackson- peoples support, seized power for presidency
(1)Whigs- act within the confines of constitutional powers
expressively granted
(2)Popular vote correlate with electoral college
ii) Theodore Roosevelt
(1)Stewardship theory- guide the nation- presidency only limited by
what constitution explicitly reject
iii) Franklin Delano Roosevelt
(1)Public work project, social welfare programs, greatly increases
governmental involvement and follows stewardship theory
c) Need for strong presidency
i) Congress not efficient and political infighting not suited to direct
programs and agencies
ii) New deal, major policies headed by the executive
iii) Expansion of foreign policy

(1)World war- U.S superpower, intervenes policies means more

interaction
d) Choosing the president
i) First phase 1788-1828
(1)Chosen by congressional caucuses
(a) Electoral college independent votes
ii) Party convention 1832-1900
iii) Party nominees chosen by state and local organizations
iv) Electoral college vote according to popular vote winner
v) Party convention, primary 1904-1968
(1)Some party primary elections
vi) Party primary open caucus- 1972 to now
2) Nominating campaign primaries and caucuses
a) Momentum, money, important factors
b) Federal election campaign act 1974
i) If enough public support, can give up self funding and use federal
funds
(1)Citizens united, the effect means this law gets easily outspent
c) National party conventions
i) Presidential nominee gets to choose vp- general informal rule
d) General election campaign
i) Election strategy
(1)Must win 270 of 538 electoral college
(2)Unit rule
(a) All states except Main and Nebraska give all votes to
candidate who wins popular vote
(b)Winner take all effect
(i) Target popular, swing states
(3)Media and money
(a) Election wins and money correlate, reject public funding
(4)President must at least be 35 years, natural born u.s citizen,
been in u.s for 14 years
3) Staffing the presidency
a) Executive office of the president (EOP
i) Provided by congress in 1939 staff necessary to coordinate activities
of the excutive branch
ii) White house office, personal assistants
(1)Communications office, office of press secretary, office of the
counsel to the president, office of legislative affairs
(2)Office of management and budget- formulate federal budget
b) cabinet and agency appointees
i) 15 executive department heads
ii) Appointed by president, subject to congress approval
4) Problem of control

a) Sometime serve local committee agency interest instead of that of the

executivy
5) Minor points
a) President more powerful in a crises
b) Honeymoon- first few month a lot of laws passed
c) Congress often defers to the president in world affairs in order to
maintain Americas credibility abroad
d)

e)