Jonah Patel
The US Constitution divides the federal government into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. Each branch has its own unique offices, with the legislative branch consisting of Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives) and various support agencies, the executive branch led by the President and including executive departments, and the judicial branch comprising the Supreme Court and other federal courts. The Constitution grants Congress the authority to establish federal offices, with the President appointing officers, subject to Senate confirmation, to carry out various statutory functions. The President, as head of state and Commander-in-Chief, holds office for a term of four years and is responsible for executing the laws, appointing officers, and making treaties with the advice and consent of the Senate.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Term length | 4 years |
| Eligibility requirements | Natural-born citizen, 35 years or older |
| Oath | "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." |
| Powers | Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, power to grant reprieves and pardons, power to make treaties with the advice and consent of the Senate, nominating powers for federal agencies and high court appointees, power to convene both Houses of Congress |
| Election process | Each state appoints electors equal to the number of Senators and Representatives, electors vote for two people, one of whom must not be an inhabitant of their state, the person with the most votes becomes President and the second becomes Vice President |
| Removal | Congress can remove the President in exceptional circumstances |
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What You'll Learn
The President of the United States
The Constitution of the United States divides the federal government into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The President is the head of the executive branch, and as such, is responsible for executing the laws of the nation. The President also has the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.
The President is elected for a four-year term and is chosen by electors from each state. The Congress may determine the time of choosing the electors and the day on which they give their votes, and this day is the same throughout the United States. No person except a natural-born citizen or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of the Constitution is eligible to become President, and they must be at least 35 years old.
Before taking office, the President must take an oath: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." The President has the power to make treaties, appoint ambassadors, ministers, consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and other officers of the United States, with the advice and consent of the Senate. The President also nominates heads of federal agencies and high court appointees, who are then confirmed or rejected by Congress.
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The Vice President
The role of the Vice President transitioned to more of an executive branch function in the 1920s, with Vice Presidents being invited to cabinet meetings and deployed by sitting presidents as advocates and ambassadors. The Vice President is now a member of the Cabinet, serving as an advisor to the President.
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The Cabinet
The US Constitution divides the federal government into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The Cabinet is part of the executive branch and includes the vice president and the heads of 15 executive departments.
The Constitution does not explicitly establish a Cabinet, nor does it specify what the executive departments will be, how many there will be, or what their duties will be. The Cabinet's role is inferred from the language of the Opinion Clause (Article II, Section 2, Clause 1) of the Constitution, which states that the President "may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices". This provision vests the President with the executive power and authorizes—but does not compel—the President to seek advice from the principal officers in the executive departments.
The first President, George Washington, organized his principal officers into a Cabinet, and it has been part of the executive branch ever since. Washington's Cabinet consisted of five members: himself, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph. Vice President John Adams was not included in Washington's Cabinet because the position was initially regarded as a legislative officer (president of the Senate). It wasn't until the 20th century that vice presidents became regularly included as members of the Cabinet.
Through the years, different executive departments have been added and, in some cases, removed to serve the country's evolving needs. The most recent addition is the Department of Homeland Security, established in 2002 in response to the September 11th terrorist attacks. The heads of the executive departments are nominated by the President and then presented to the Senate for confirmation or rejection by a simple majority.
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Federal offices
The US Constitution divides the federal government into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. Each branch has various offices, with the legislative branch consisting of Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives) and special agencies and offices that provide support services to Congress.
The executive branch includes the President, who is the head of state, leader of the federal government, and Commander in Chief of the United States armed forces. The President is supported by the Vice President and heads of executive departments, who together form the Cabinet. The executive branch also includes executive departments, independent agencies, and other boards, commissions, and committees.
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court and other federal courts. The President nominates the heads of federal agencies and high court appointees, including the Supreme Court justices, subject to Senate confirmation.
Congress has the authority to create federal offices and appoint individuals to those offices. This includes the power to establish offices in all three branches of government and to determine the functions, jurisdiction, qualifications, and rules of eligibility for appointees. However, Congress's authority to establish offices is limited by the Appointments Clause, which requires that principal officers be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
The President must also retain a certain amount of independent discretion in selecting officers, which Congress may not impede, to fulfill their constitutional duty to "take care" that the laws are faithfully executed.
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Congress
The President is required to provide Congress with information on the State of the Union and recommend measures for their consideration. They can also convene both Houses of Congress on extraordinary occasions and receive their advice and consent when making treaties. Congress can also remove the President from office in exceptional circumstances.
Overall, Congress plays a crucial role in the US government, with powers and responsibilities that ensure a balance of power and effective governance.
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Frequently asked questions
The highest office is that of the President of the United States, who is the head of state, leader of the federal government, and Commander in Chief of the armed forces.
The President is elected by a group of Electors, appointed by each State. The Electors meet in their respective States and vote by ballot for two people, one of whom must not be an inhabitant of the same State. The person with the most votes becomes President, and the runner-up becomes Vice President.
The President holds office for a term of four years.
The Executive Branch includes executive departments, independent agencies, and other boards, commissions, and committees. The Vice President and heads of executive departments are considered Cabinet members and serve as advisors to the President.
The President appoints officers, subject to Senate confirmation. However, the appointment of "inferior officers" may be made by the President alone, department heads, or the courts.
