THE
PRESIDENCY
REVISION
, FORMAL SOURCES OF PRESIDENTIAL POWE
Formal sources of presidential power are outlined in Article II of the US Constitution. “The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America” - Article II, Sec
the United States of America *Formal/Expressed Powers are those powers that the constitution has specifically given to the federal government
Proposing Legislation Sign Legislation Act as Chief Exe
• The president has powers to propose legislation to Congress. • Once a bill is passed through the legislative process in Congress, the president has • The presid
• The president proposes a legislative agenda to Congress in the the power to sign the bill into law. run the gov
yearly State of the Union Address but can also put forward • May hold bill-signing ceremony to claim credit-eg Trump tax cuts-2017 branch[ass
legislation at any point in time. • If the president objects to legislation passed by Congress, they can veto it. If departmen
Eg Start of his second term Obama used his state of the union vetoed, the bill must be returned to Congress within 10 days. and uses th
address to promote his policy proposals on job creation, deficit • Threat of veto is a significant power-when used the president usually prevails- Executive O
reduction, immigration reform, gun control and increasing federal Obama won 11 out of 12[2009-17]Congress may attempt to override the (EXOP) to h
minimum wage president’s veto-rarely successful
• Budget is another piece of legislation but potentially most • The president can use a pocket veto, which is when the president does not sign a
important bill until the Congressional session has ended, at which point the bill can no longer
• The budget is key legislation submitted by the president to become law. Pocket vetoes cannot be overridden*GW.BUSH used 15 pocket vetoes
Congress and is drawn up by the Office of Management and
Budget
Nominate (OMB) which
executive sitsofficials
branch within the EXOP. Head of state Negotiate Treaties
• The president nominates officials to the executive • The president is the figurehead of the USA. The president • Symbolises the peace-making role alongside the com
branch, including the heads of the executive carries out ceremonial functions on behalf of the USA and seen presidential seal of office
departments, ambassadors and heads of leads the nation during times of national crises. • The president can make and negotiate treaties with
government agencies. • Most clearly seen in times of national tragedy when the • Modern day presidents have used this power to neg
• Nominations must be approved by a vote in the president takes on the role of comforter in chief, sometimes the Strategic arms reduction treaty[Ronald Reagan],
Senate by a simple majority vote or mourner in chief. Ban[GW Bush] and nuclear arms treaty with Russia[
• Department and agency heads • President George W. Bush played this role in the weeks US • President’s power is checked by the senate which m
Eg Trump appointed Mike Pomepo as Secretary of following the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States. He 2-3rds majority
state[2018] addressed the nation that night from the oval office and he • Senate has rejected seven treaties-20th century
did so gain at the prayer service In Washington National 1920—Rejected Treaty of Versailles-president Wilson
Nominate Federal Judges cathedral 3days later, seeking to bind the nation’s wounds 1999-Clinton failed to get a simple majority for the Com
• The president has the power to nominate judges to and lift its fallen spirits treaty
the Supreme Court and the federal courts. • President Obama-following devastation caused by Hurricane
• All judicial appointments are for life and therefore Sandy in October 2012 as well as In the aftermath of the Pardons
assume a special importance-they must be killing of 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook elementary • The president ha
confirmed by a simple majority vote in the senate school citizens from crim
Eg Trump appointed Neil Gorsuch[2017] use it with varyin
• Eg 1974 Presiden
predecessor over
Act as commander in chief matters
• President has the power to lead the US armed forces in foreign • Clinton pardoned
policy action. fugitive Mark Rich
• In practice, the president asks for approval from Congress to use had made large m
the army. his election camp
• The president will always carry the nuclear ‘football’, which has expensive person
access to the nuclear codes to authorise a nuclear attack. and first lady
• Eg By December 2017-USA still had around 26,000 troops in • Obama used the
Afghanisatan,Iraq,Syria times.
• Events of 9/11 plunged GW Bush into role of wartime president • Considered contr
especially when u
friends or suppor
PRESIDENCY
REVISION
, FORMAL SOURCES OF PRESIDENTIAL POWE
Formal sources of presidential power are outlined in Article II of the US Constitution. “The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America” - Article II, Sec
the United States of America *Formal/Expressed Powers are those powers that the constitution has specifically given to the federal government
Proposing Legislation Sign Legislation Act as Chief Exe
• The president has powers to propose legislation to Congress. • Once a bill is passed through the legislative process in Congress, the president has • The presid
• The president proposes a legislative agenda to Congress in the the power to sign the bill into law. run the gov
yearly State of the Union Address but can also put forward • May hold bill-signing ceremony to claim credit-eg Trump tax cuts-2017 branch[ass
legislation at any point in time. • If the president objects to legislation passed by Congress, they can veto it. If departmen
Eg Start of his second term Obama used his state of the union vetoed, the bill must be returned to Congress within 10 days. and uses th
address to promote his policy proposals on job creation, deficit • Threat of veto is a significant power-when used the president usually prevails- Executive O
reduction, immigration reform, gun control and increasing federal Obama won 11 out of 12[2009-17]Congress may attempt to override the (EXOP) to h
minimum wage president’s veto-rarely successful
• Budget is another piece of legislation but potentially most • The president can use a pocket veto, which is when the president does not sign a
important bill until the Congressional session has ended, at which point the bill can no longer
• The budget is key legislation submitted by the president to become law. Pocket vetoes cannot be overridden*GW.BUSH used 15 pocket vetoes
Congress and is drawn up by the Office of Management and
Budget
Nominate (OMB) which
executive sitsofficials
branch within the EXOP. Head of state Negotiate Treaties
• The president nominates officials to the executive • The president is the figurehead of the USA. The president • Symbolises the peace-making role alongside the com
branch, including the heads of the executive carries out ceremonial functions on behalf of the USA and seen presidential seal of office
departments, ambassadors and heads of leads the nation during times of national crises. • The president can make and negotiate treaties with
government agencies. • Most clearly seen in times of national tragedy when the • Modern day presidents have used this power to neg
• Nominations must be approved by a vote in the president takes on the role of comforter in chief, sometimes the Strategic arms reduction treaty[Ronald Reagan],
Senate by a simple majority vote or mourner in chief. Ban[GW Bush] and nuclear arms treaty with Russia[
• Department and agency heads • President George W. Bush played this role in the weeks US • President’s power is checked by the senate which m
Eg Trump appointed Mike Pomepo as Secretary of following the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States. He 2-3rds majority
state[2018] addressed the nation that night from the oval office and he • Senate has rejected seven treaties-20th century
did so gain at the prayer service In Washington National 1920—Rejected Treaty of Versailles-president Wilson
Nominate Federal Judges cathedral 3days later, seeking to bind the nation’s wounds 1999-Clinton failed to get a simple majority for the Com
• The president has the power to nominate judges to and lift its fallen spirits treaty
the Supreme Court and the federal courts. • President Obama-following devastation caused by Hurricane
• All judicial appointments are for life and therefore Sandy in October 2012 as well as In the aftermath of the Pardons
assume a special importance-they must be killing of 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook elementary • The president ha
confirmed by a simple majority vote in the senate school citizens from crim
Eg Trump appointed Neil Gorsuch[2017] use it with varyin
• Eg 1974 Presiden
predecessor over
Act as commander in chief matters
• President has the power to lead the US armed forces in foreign • Clinton pardoned
policy action. fugitive Mark Rich
• In practice, the president asks for approval from Congress to use had made large m
the army. his election camp
• The president will always carry the nuclear ‘football’, which has expensive person
access to the nuclear codes to authorise a nuclear attack. and first lady
• Eg By December 2017-USA still had around 26,000 troops in • Obama used the
Afghanisatan,Iraq,Syria times.
• Events of 9/11 plunged GW Bush into role of wartime president • Considered contr
especially when u
friends or suppor
