Executive Branch Lesson #1

​Chief Executives and Bureaucracies

​MR. Wiery
American Government

​1. Chief Executives: Mayors, Governors, and Presidents

Drag and Drop

1. the president, along with his or her personal staff and advisers; also, a president’s time in office​.​

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​ 2. a large, complex organization that functions under uniform rules and procedures​

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3. the heads of the executive departments. The president appoints members of the cabinet.​

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4. a rule or regulation issued by a president or governor that has the force of law​

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5. a decree that frees a person from punishment for a crime. A pardon is often granted when a criminal sentence is considered unjust. ​

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Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Administration

Bureaucracy

Cabinet

Executive Order

Pardon

Multiple Choice

Each of the following is a responsibility of the president, EXCEPT

• 
  Interpreting the Constitution

• Making military decisions during wartime

• Conferring with the Cabinet

• Photo opportunities with public figures

​Formal Qualifications: Age, Citizenship, and Residency

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​ Adlai Stevenson, who ran for president twice in the 1950s, once said, "In America, anyone can become president." That is not quite true. Any candidate seeking the presidency must satisfy certain qualifications laid down in the Constitution. The president must be a native-born citizen, be at least 35 years of age, and have lived in the country for at least 14 years.

The Twenty-second Amendment, ratified in 1951, added another rule: no one who has been elected president twice or who has served one full term plus more than half of another term can seek the office again. This amendment formalized the custom of a two-term president. This custom, established by George Washington, was broken only once, by four-term president Franklin Roosevelt, prior to ratification of the amendment.

​Formal Qualifications: Age, Citizenship, and Residency

The Twenty-second Amendment, ratified in 1951, added another rule: no one who has been elected president twice or who has served one full term plus more than half of another term can seek the office again. This amendment formalized the custom of a two-term president. This custom, established by George Washington, was broken only once, by four-term president Franklin Roosevelt, prior to ratification of the amendment.

​Formal Qualifications: Age, Citizenship, and Residency

Most state and local governments set less stringent requirements for their chief executives. In Kentucky, for example, candidates for governor need only be 30 years old and must have lived in the state for 6 years. California has no minimum age or residency requirements. In that state, candidates for governor must simply be U.S. citizens and registered voters. In contrast to presidential requirements, such citizenship can be by birth or naturalization.

Requirements for mayors are even looser. Many towns and cities require only that mayors be legal adults. Several high school seniors and college students have served as mayors. For example, in 2014, Kevin Green was just 18 when he was elected mayor of Archer City, Texas.

other factors that influence elections

Other factors may influence what voters look for in their political leaders. Typically, chief executives have backgrounds in business, law, or public service. Most are well educated. Nearly three-quarters of all presidents have earned college degrees. Most have worked their way up the political ladder by holding other elective offices.
There are exceptions, however. Abraham Lincoln, one of this country's most admired presidents, had little formal schooling. Although he had served as an Illinois legislator and a member of Congress, he had lost several political races before winning the presidency. Donald Trump also did not have a career in public service or hold elective office before becoming president.

other factors that influence elections

Race and gender have also played a role in who has historically been selected as president. Most chief executives have been white, male, and from the middle or upper class. In fact, all U.S. presidents were white males until 2009 when Barack Obama took office and became the first African American president. States and cities, however, have made greater progress in representing a broad spectrum of the American population for their chief executives.

Women, though not yet winning the presidency, have made strides at both state and local levels. The first female governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross, was elected in Wyoming in 1924. Since then, 35 more women have been elected governor of their states or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. In 2007, a record 9 of the 50 state governors were women.

other factors that influence elections

Religious affiliation can be another factor voters consider, especially for presidential candidates. Almost all U.S. presidents have been Protestant. Until John F. Kennedy's election in 1961, it was assumed that a Catholic candidate could never win the presidency. Kennedy succeeded, in part, by promising to keep his religious and political beliefs separate. "I am not the Catholic candidate for president," he declared. "I am the Democratic Party's candidate for president, who happens also to be a Catholic." Even today, a non-Protestant candidate would likely face an uphill battle in winning the presidency.

Open Ended

Using this poll, explain the top 3 qualities that you would look for in the next president?

Most chief executives, including governors and mayors, are elected by popular vote. The president, in contrast, is chosen by the Electoral College, based on the popular vote count in each state.

In some state and local elections, the candidate who wins a plurality of the vote is declared the winner. In other states and cities, however, the candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to win. If that does not happen, the top two candidates must compete in a runoff election [runoff election: a second election to determine a clear winner, following a first election in which no candidate received a majority of the votes] , which is designed to produce a clear winner.

​Gaining Office: election and succession

Succession rules for the presidency are spelled out in the Constitution and federal law. Should a president be unable to complete a four-year term because of death, disability, resignation, or removal from office, the law provides clear guidelines for replacing the chief executive.

It is often said that the vice president is "a heartbeat away" from the presidency. Indeed, the main job of the vice president is to take over if something should happen to the president. The Constitution gives the vice president almost no formal powers other than this one.

​​Gaining Office: election and succession

​​​Gaining Office: election and succession

​ The line of succession [line of succession: the order of successors to the presidency if the president is unable to serve as specified in the Constitution and federal law] for the presidency begins with the vice president. If the vice president cannot serve, the next successor is the speaker of the House, followed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, and then by the secretary of state. Beyond that, other cabinet [cabinet: the heads of the executive departments. The president appoints members of the cabinet.] members continue the line of succession in a specific order.

Staying in Office: Impeachment, Recalls, Term Limits, and Incumbency

If a president, vice president, or other official in the executive branch is suspected of wrongdoing, that person may be impeached and removed from office. The framers made the impeachment process difficult, however, to prevent it from being used for frivolous reasons. To be removed, an official must be convicted of "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

Impeachment begins in the House of Representatives. A majority of House members must vote to impeach, or formally accuse, the president or other officer of wrongdoing. The trial is then held in the Senate. Two-thirds of the senators must find the official guilty to remove that person from office.

The House has impeached only two presidents—Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton—and the Senate found neither guilty. Richard Nixon resigned rather than face impeachment during the Watergate scandal.

But what if citizens are simply unhappy with the job their chief executive is doing? For presidents, there is no provision for midterm removal based on job performance. Many states and cities, however, do have procedures by which voters can order a recall of elected officials. The California recall took place in 2003, in which the voters chose to replace Governor Gray Davis with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

​Staying in Office: Impeachment, Recalls, Term Limits, and Incumbency

Almost a decade later, in 2012, Wisconsin attempted to recall a governor in a special election, but failed. As governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker proposed a plan to help balance the state budget. This plan cut benefits for public employees and greatly limited the ability of unions to bargain. As a result, disgruntled workers and unions organized protests. United Wisconsin, a grassroots organization, led a recall effort and petitioned for signatures, eventually gathering enough to hold a special election. Still, many Wisconsin voters supported Walker's attempts to reduce government spending. When the recall election took place on June 5, 2012, Walker won, retaining his position as governor.

​​Staying in Office: Impeachment, Recalls, Term Limits, and Incumbency

​​Staying in Office: Impeachment, Recalls, Term Limits, and Incumbency

Many chief executives are also subject to term limits. As noted previously, presidents are restricted to no more than two terms in office. Many states and cities also set term limits on their governors and mayors. In most cases, governors are held to two consecutive terms in office. However, in some states, they may run for reelection four years after their last term.

The power of incumbency in winning reelection is not as strong for chief executives as it is for legislators. That may be because chief executives serve as a "lightning rod" for voter discontent. When voters are dissatisfied with government, they often blame their chief executive. Since World War II, three presidents have been defeated in their run for a second term: Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H. W. Bush.

Dropdown

If the President is unable to fulfill the four year term, the position is assumed by a line of succession. After the vice president, the next in line is​ ​

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Multiple Select

Which of these are qualifications to be president of the United States?

• Natural Born Citizen

• Minimum 35 years old

• College educated

• A citizen for at least 14 years