AIMS
The President of the United States is often referred to as "the most powerful person in the world." What makes the President so powerful? Part of the answer is found in the fact that the United States has been the world's remaining superpower (militarily and economically) since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Part of it is found in the powers granted the President in the Constitution. And some of it comes from the expansion of presidential power over the more than two centuries since the Constitution was created. The aim of this gate is for you to understand the powers held by the President of the United States.
The power of the Executive Branch is vested in the President of the United States, who acts as head of state, head of government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The President is responsible for implementing and enforcing the laws written by Congress and, to that end, appoints the heads of the federal departments and agencies, including the Cabinet, and has the ability to issue executive orders that direct agencies how to interpret and enforce pre-existing laws. This position comes with many powers.
The power of the Executive Branch is vested in the President of the United States, who acts as head of state, head of government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The President is responsible for implementing and enforcing the laws written by Congress and, to that end, appoints the heads of the federal departments and agencies, including the Cabinet, and has the ability to issue executive orders that direct agencies how to interpret and enforce pre-existing laws. This position comes with many powers.
GATE 6A ASSIGNMENT: The Powers of the President
gate_6a_powers_of_the_president.docx | |
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File Type: | docx |
When you are finished (including questions and a two sentence summary at the bottom), either submit it to JupiterEd or check it in with your teacher (depending on which they stated in class). Use the sources below to complete the assignment.
SOURCE A
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SOURCE B
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FROM THE CONSTITUTION (Article II, Section 1): "The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America."
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Article II, Section 2: "The President shall be commander in chief..."
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SOURCE C
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SOURCE D
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SOURCE E
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SOURCE F
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Article II, Section 2: "...he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States..."
NOTE: The video and article below comes from Feb. 2017, which explains its inaccurate statement: "Filibusters are still permitted for Supreme Court nominations." This was true when written, but no longer. The Republican leadership of the Senate eliminated the filibuster option to get Neil Gorsuch appointed.
DEFINITIONSExecutive Branch: The branch of the United States government the Constitution assigns to execute and enforce federal laws; it is led by the President of the United States and includes a great many federal departments, agencies, commissions, the White House staff, and even some government corporations.
Commander in Chief: the role of the United States president as highest ranking officer in the armed forces, able to command them in time of war (as well as state militias known as the National Guard, when necessary to maintain order). Treaty: a formal agreement between two or more states in reference to peace, alliance, commerce, or other international relations. State of the Union: an annual message to Congress in which the President reports on the state of the nation and outlines a legislative program; the Constitution requires the President to give information to Congress "from time to time," and this annual address is the form it has taken since President Woodrow Wilson. Pardon: forgiveness of a serious offense or offender; the President may pardon federal crimes. Executive Order: a directive that comes from the U.S. President (usually specifying how laws should be executed) that must be obeyed like a law. Veto: a power (granted by the Constitution) that allows a president to block a bill passed by Congress from becoming a law |
Article II, Section 3: "He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the union..."
SOURCE G
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LAST STEP: GATE 6B ASSIGNMENT
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BONUS: "I'm Just an Executive Order"? (Saturday Night Live, 2014)A callback to "I'm Just a Bill," this skit is rather incomplete when it comes to explaining executive orders (as you can see by comparing it with Source G), but is amusing nonetheless.
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