FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GOVT President & Foreign Policy October 11, Dr. Michael Sullivan. MoWe 5:30 6:50 MoWe 7 8:30

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1 President & Foreign Policy October 11, 2017 Dr. Michael Sullivan FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GOVT 2305 MoWe 5:30 6:50 MoWe 7 8:30

2 TODAY S AGENDA Current Events Presidency & Domestic Policy Continued Presidency & Foreign Policy Upcoming Assignments

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4 The Political Science Club will meet Tuesday Oct. 17th for a roundtable discussion of the "Taking a Knee" controversy. Katy Room (KATY 231) Tuesday Oct. 17: 12:30 2pm Pizza provided, all welcome. Journey of Hope From Violence to Healing This is a non profit organization led by murder victim family members who tell their stories and discuss alternatives to the death penalty. The presentations will be: Monday, October 16: 5:30 PM AND 7:00 PM at Eastside Angela Morales Bldg. Lecture Hall first floor Tuesday, October 17: 11:00 am at Eastside Learning Hub, Room 108 Wednesday, October 18: 11:00 am AND 6:00 PM at West Loop in the Auditorium

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7 Singular Authority President positioned to speak on all national issues Congressional member s power is based on a state or single district

8 The Vice President Separate elective office, but part of the team Office has no constitutional authority other than as presiding officer in the Senate Duties are determined by the president Past presidents typically ignored their vice presidents President Carter redefined the office Vice-President Mike Pence 48 th Vice-President The former Indiana governor is a favorite among social conservatives who boasts considerable experience in Washington. Pence was raised Roman Catholic along with his five siblings in Columbus, Indiana, and says he was inspired by liberal icons John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. He is known for his staunch opposition to abortion, signing a bill in March to ban abortion in Indiana on the basis of disability, gender or race of the fetus.

9 Staffing the Presidency Presidential appointees Cabinet secretaries; attorney general, FBI director, etc. Hundreds of other federal executives Each is an extension of the president s authority Typically they are party loyalists

10 The Cabinet Rex Tillerson - Secretary of State James Mattis - Secretary of Defense Jeff Sessions Attorney General Nikki Haley US Ambassador to UN Steven Mnuchin - Treasury Secretary John Kelly Chief of Staff Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao Rick Perry Energy Secretary President s cabinet are the heads of the 15 executive departments Appointed by the president, confirmed by the Senate Established in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, the Cabinet's role is to advise the President on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office

11 The Cabinet and Agency Appointees Other appointments More than 2,000 fulltime presidential appointees Heads and top deputies of federal agencies and commissions Nearly 200 ambassadors About half of appointees require Senate confirmation

12 Executive Office of the President (EOP) White House Office (WHO) Communications Office Office of the Press Secretary Office of Legislative Affairs Office of Management and Budget (OMB) National Security Council National Economic Council EOP consists of the immediate staff of the President of the United States and multiple levels of support staff reporting to the President. The size of the White House staff has increased to include an array of policy experts to effectively address various fields of the modern day.

13 Relations with Congress President has an unrivaled ability to set the national agenda Congress may take action or not, but they will take notice In seeking cooperation, presidents rely on their power of persuasion and the threat of a veto Partisan support in Congress is often key Unified versus divided government Congress can take steps to curb presidential power Impeachment War Powers Act

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15 1. Presidents constitutional authority in foreign affairs Chief diplomat (diplomacy powers) Commander in chief (war powers) 2. Presidents foreign policy advantage over Congress Access to policy relevant information Unitary authority in diplomatic relations 3. President s ability to act alone in foreign policy

16 Constitutional Foundations of the Modern Presidency: Foreign Policy Executive Authority Article II, Section 2: The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states. War Powers President s Constitutional Powers (Article 2) Legislative Powers Article II, Section 2: He shall have power, and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the senators present concur. Article II, Section 2: He shall... by and the consent of the Senate... appoint ambassadors [and] other public ministers and consuls... Article II, Section 3: He shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers. Diplomatic Powers

17 Constitution s Specific Powers of the Presidency Foreign Policy Powers Commander in Chief of armed forces (remember, this does not give him the ability to declare war, only Congress can do that; it does allow him to commit troops to military actions) Make treaties with other nations, subject to confirmation by a 2/3s vote of the U.S. Senate Nominate foreign ambassadors, subject to confirmation by a simple majority of the Senate Receive ambassadors of other nations (important because it confers diplomatic recognition of other governments) Domestic Policy Powers Nominate federal judges, subject to confirmation by a simple majority of the Senate May grant pardons for federal crimes (excepts impeachments) Present to Congress from time to time information on the State of the Union Convene both Houses of Congress on extraordinary occasions Adjourn Congress if both the House and the Senate cannot agree on adjournment Nominate officials as provided for by Congress (when new posts are created because Congress creates a new department or agency, the president is allowed to name the head of that post) subject to confirmation by a simple majority of the Senate Fill administrative vacancies during Congressional recesses Recommend legislation to Congress Veto legislation, which could be overridden by a 2/3s vote of both Houses of Congress

18 differs from Congress s Constitutional War Powers To declare war To raise and support Armies. To provide and maintain a Navy; To make Rules for the land and naval forces; To provide for calling forth the Militia to suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions; To provide for organizing, arming, and discipling the Militia

19 Writers of Constitution intended Congress to be in charge of war

20 Presidents have greater power in foreign policy Congress at times defers to the president in order to maintain America s credibility abroad More autonomy in foreign policy actions Power over U.S. diplomacy and have surpassed Congress Using executive agreements Make war by sending troops into military action

21 What s the main reason control over foreign policy & war has shifted to the president? 1. Congress s reluctance to exercise its constitutional authority over foreign policy and war 2. Presidents refusal to obey Supreme Court rulings that restrict their power 3. World has changed in ways that shifted power over foreign policy and war to the president

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23 Congress Support for President s foreign policy Pre Vietnam War (late 1940 s mid 1960 s) Post Vietnam War (Late 1960 s 1989)

24 President s foreign policy advantage over Congress 1. Control of information 2. Unitary authority in diplomatic relations

25 Executive Branch s Foreign Policy Structure Diplomacy Military Intelligence Security Economic Military Intelligence

26 Using executive agreements as a device to bypass the Senate s formal treaty making authority (example: climate change agreements)

27 Figure 12 2 Formal Agreements with Other Nations In the past eight decades, presidents have signed over 17,000 executive agreements with other countries more than 15 times the number of treaties ratified by the Senate during the same period. Treaties require a two thirds vote of Senate for ratification. Executive agreements require only the signature of the president. Source: U.S. Department of State. Figure based on the period.

28 War / Military Action Make war by sending troops into military action without Congress declaring war (examples: Vietnam Iraq, Afghanistan)

29 War / Military Action

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32 Public Support Presidential approval ratings typically decrease after the honeymoon period Events and issues influence the public s approval State of the economy Foreign crises One advantage the president has is access to the media, particularly television Can count on free airtime Twice as much news coverage than Congress Presidents may bypass Congress by going public with their policies

33 people point to isis and climate change as leading security threats/ Source: Estimated from Danny Hayes and Matt Guardino, Whose Views Made News? Political Communication 27 (2010), 73.

34 10/18 Federal Bureaucracy Take home Quiz due (10/16 readings) Upcoming 10/23 Judiciary & Supreme Court Take home Quiz due (10/18 readings) Due: Writing Assignment #3 (Current Events) 10/25 EXAM #2 (Unit on Institutions, Chapters 11 14)

35 Long image descriptions APPENDIX A McGraw Hill Education

36 Table 12 1 The Constitutional Authority for the President s Major Roles Role Constitutional Authority Commander in chief Article II, Section 2: The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states. Chief executive Article II, Section 2: He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to... appoint... judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law. Article II, Section 3: He shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the officers of the United States. Chief diplomat Article II, Section 2: He shall have power, and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the senators present concur. Article II, Section 2: He shall... by and the consent of the Senate... appoint ambassadors [and] other public ministers and consuls... Article II, Section 3: He shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers. Legislative leader Article II, Section 3: He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient. (Article I, Section 7, which defines the president s veto power, is also part of his legislative authority.)