Presidential Basics
Formal/Informal Powers (Part I)
Formal/Informal Powers (Part II)
Presidential Bureaucracy
Potpourri
100
Minimum age to be president of the U.S.
35
100
The executive branch of government is found in this article of the U.S. Constitution.
Article II
100
This refers to a formal decision by the president to reject a piece of legislation passed by both houses of Congress.
Veto
100
This refers to the advisory council for the president, consisting of the heads of the executive departments, the vice president, and a few other officials selected by the president.
Cabinet
100
This is the maximum number of years a president may serve in office.
10 years
200
Following an impeachment, a president will be removed from office only if this happens.
2/3 vote in Senate
200
This refers to the president's power to serve as the chief military officer of the United States.
Commander-in-chief
200
Under this clause to the U.S. Constitution, the Senate must approve by a simple majority presidential nominations, such as those to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Appointments Clause
200
This is head of the White House staff who is a personal appointee of the president and is not subject to Senate confirmation.
Chief of Staff
200
If the president and vice president were to die in office, this person would become president.
Speaker of the House
300
Minimum citizenship requirements to be president of the United States.
Natural born citizen
300
If the president vetoes a piece of legislation, it can be overturned through this procedure.
2/3 vote in both House and Senate
300
This refers to a president letting a bill die by neither signing nor vetoing if after Congress has adjourned.
Pocket veto
300
This is the cluster of presidential staff agencies that help the president carry out his responsibilities in office.
Executive Office of the President
300
This is a formal document which explains why a president is signing a particular bill into law, including potential objections to the bill and promises not to implement key sections.
Signing statements
400
In order to be president, one must have resided in the United States for this length of time.
14 years
400
The president is responsible for delivering this message to Congress every year, in which he informs Congress and the country of our collective well-being.
State of the Union address
400
This phrase refers to the right to keep executive communications confidential, especially if they relate to national security.
Executive privilege
400
This presidential staff agency serves as a clearinghouse for budgetary requests and management improvements for government agencies.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
400
This terms refers to powers that grow out of the very existence of government.
Inherent powers
500
This amendment to the U.S. Constitution limited the president to two terms in office.
22nd Amendment
500
This is what occurs when a president does not sign a bill within 10 days of receiving it, and Congress is still in session.
Bill becomes a law
500
This is a formal order issued by the president to direct action by the federal bureaucracy, but which does not require congressional approval
Executive order
500
This constitutional amendment spells out the line of succession in case the president were to die in office.
25th amendment
500
This constitutional requirement mandates that the president take care that the laws are faithfully executed, even if the president disagrees with the purpose of those laws.
Take Care Clause