Definitions:
- Wikipedia: The executive, also referred as the executive branch or executive power, is the term commonly used to describe that part of government which enforces the law, and has overall responsibility for the governance of a state.
- FindLaw: The Constitution vests the power of the Executive Branch in the President. This power gives the President the responsibility to implement and execute the laws of the land. The President is also the Commander in Chief of the military and the head of state.
- From LII: The President:Is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces.They have the power to call into service the state units of the National Guard, and in times of emergency may be given the power by Congress to manage national security or the economy.- Has the power to make treaties with Senate approval. They can also receive ambassadors and work with leaders of other nations.
- Is responsible for nominating the heads of governmental departments, federal judges, and Supreme Court justices. The U.S. Senate is charged with approving these nominations.
- Can issue executive orders, which have the force of law but do not have to be approved by Congress.
- Can issue pardons for federal offenses.
- Can convene Congress for special sessions.
- Can veto legislation approved by Congress. However, the veto is limited.It is not a line-item veto, meaning that the President must veto the entire bill, rather than parts of it.
- Further, a presidential veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote by Congress.
- Delivers the State of the Union address annually to a joint session of Congress.
- The Unitary Executive Theory: The unitary executive theory is a theory of United States constitutional law which holds that the President of the United States possesses the power to control the entire federal executive branch. The doctrine is rooted in Article Two of the United States Constitution, which vests "the executive power" of the United States in the President. Although that general principle is widely accepted, there is disagreement about the strength and scope of the doctrine.[1]
Some favor a "strongly unitary" executive, while others favor a "weakly unitary" executive. The former group argue, for example, that Congress's power to interfere with intra-executive decision-making (such as firing executive branch officials) is limited, and that the President can control policy-making by all executive agencies within the limits set for those agencies by Congress.
Textbook Terms:
presidency
governor
mayor
expressed power
- commander in chief
- military power
- judicial power
- diplomatic power
- executive agreement
- executive privilege
- legislative power
- - agenda setting
implied powers
delegated powers
inherent powers
institutions
The Cabinet
White House Staff
Executive Office of the President
- National Security Council
The Vice Presidency
Party Leader
Growth of Presidential Power
executive agencies
going public
legislative initiative
the permanent campaign
expectations
the modern presidency
regulatory review
executive order
signing statement
limits on presidential power