Presidency:�An Introduction

The Cabinet

• An advisory body to serve the president’s needs

• George Washington’s 1^st cabinet consisted of
• Sec of State Thomas Jefferson –
• Sec of Treasury -Alexander Hamilton
• Sec of War Henry Knox
• Attorney General Edmund Randolph –
• Who would you bring if you were President???

• There are now 15 cabinet positions

• Each cabinet position is chosen by the president and approved by the Senate

Secretary of Homeland Security

Quick Review……Legislative Powers

(Checks and Balances)

• Recommend Legislation

• Veto Bills

• Can call for a special session of Congress

Quick Review……Judicial Powers

(Checks and Balances)

• Reprieve – postponement of the execution of a sentence

• Pardon – legal forgiveness of a crime (only involving a federal offense)

• Most famous pardon – Ford forgave Richard Nixon (guilty)

• Commutation – reduce the length of a sentence or a fine

• Amnesty – a general pardon offered to a group of violators

• 1977 – Pardon to Vietnam War draft evaders

Informal Powers of the Presidency (A Deeper Dive)

• Powers not explicitly written in Constitution
• Modern era (since 1933), the President’s informal powers may be more powerful than formal powers
• Founding Fathers did not envision a strong President, in fact they were scared of one

Executive Orders

• Orders issued by the President that carry the force of law
• Truman desegregating the military
• Eisenhower desegregating schools
• Clinton’s “Don’t ask don’t tell”
• FDR’s internment of Japanese Americans
• Bush’s trying suspected terrorists in military tribunals
• Biden barring migrants who cross our Southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum

Notice for Japanese “relocation,” 1942

Executive Agreements

• International agreements, usually related to trade, made by a president that has the force of a treaty; does NOT need Senate approval
• Jefferson’s purchase of Louisiana in 1803
• GWB announced cuts in the nuclear arsenal, but not in a treaty

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Executive Privilege

• Claim by a president that he has the right to decide that the national interest will be better served if certain information is withheld from the public, including the Courts and Congress

• United States v. Nixon (1973) – presidents do NOT have unqualified executive privilege (Nixon Watergate tapes)

Presidential Abuse of Power

Throughout our country’s history presidents have been accused of abusing their power. Working with a partner research a presidential or a gubernatorial abuse of power

Executive Order / Executive Agreement / Executive Privilege

• You may choose any president or governor, just not the last 3 Presidents

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• Identify and Summarize What they did to abuse their power

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• Explain if you agree or disagree with this abuse of power.
• If you agree, why would this be considered an abuse of power.
• If you disagree, why would this not be considered an abuse of power.

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Presidential/Governor Campaign Ad

Using your researched presidential abuse of power create a advertisement that this President or their opponent could use while running for reelection (must be school appropriate).

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• This can be POSITIVE toward the President and show why the accused abuse of power is false

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• This can be NEGATIVE against the President by their opponent and show why the accused abuse of power is correct.
• Use the actual historical figure who ran against this president