President of the United States

From The UCSC Wikipedia Trust Project

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The President of the United States of America (often abbreviated POTUS^[1]) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The office of President was established upon the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1788 and the first president took office in 1789.

The President serves as the chief executive and head of the executive branch of the United States government. Article Two of the United States Constitution establishes the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and enumerates powers specifically granted to the President, including the power to sign into law bills passed by both houses of the Legislature, to create a Cabinet of advisors, to grant pardons or reprieves, and, with the "advice and consent" of the United States Senate, to make treaties and appoint federal officers, ambassadors, and federal judges (including Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States). Article Two also defines a Presidential term at four years; subsequently, the Twelfth Amendment (1804) revised the procedure for electing the President and the Twenty-second Amendment (1951) established Presidential term limits.

Before the 1788 ratification of the Constitution, there was no comparable figure with executive authority. Individuals who presided over the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary period and under the Articles of Confederation had the title "President of the United States of America in Congress Assembled", often shortened to "President of the United States". They had no important executive power. The President's executive authority, tempered by the checks and balances of the Judicial and Legislative branches of the Federal Government, was designed to solve several political problems faced by the young nation and to anticipate future challenges, while still preventing the rise of an autocrat over a nation wary of royal authority.

The United States was the first nation to create the office of President as the head of state in a modern republic, and today the presidential system of government is used in many countries throughout the world. As of 2007, forty-two men have been Presidents of the United States. The first President of the United States was George Washington. The 43rd and current President of the United States is George W. Bush (Grover Cleveland served as both the twenty-second and twenty-fourth president). From the early 20th century, the United States' status as a superpower has led the American president to be one of the world's best-known public figures. During the Cold War, the United States president was commonly referred to as "the leader of the free world", and since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the U.S. president is often described as "the most powerful person on Earth".^[2]

Contents 1 Origin 2 General Description 2.1 Requirements for holding office 2.2 Term of office 2.3 Election 2.4 Powers 2.5 Campaign 2.6 Salary 2.7 Privileges of office 2.8 Secret Service 2.9 Succession 2.10 Resignation 3 Office-holders 4 Life after the presidency 5 Presidential statistics 5.1 Births 5.2 Deaths in office and assassination attempts 5.3 Longevity of former Presidents 5.4 Elections 5.5 Unelected Presidents 5.6 Resignations and impeachments 5.7 Terms of office 6 Other facts 7 See also 8 Further reading 9 Notes 10 External links 10.1 Official 10.2 Presidential histories 10.3 Speeches 10.4 Miscellaneous

Origin

Template:Politics of the United StatesTemplate:MainThe Treaty of Paris (1783) left the United States independent and at peace but with an unsettled governmental structure. The Second Continental Congress had drawn up Articles of Confederation in 1777, describing a permanent confederation but granting to the Congress—the only federal institution—little power to finance itself or to ensure that its resolutions were enforced. In part this reflected the anti-monarchy view of the Revolutionary period, and the new American system was explicitly designed to prevent the rise of an American tyrant to replace the British King.

However, during the economic depression that followed the Revolutionary War the viability of the American government was threatened by political unrest in several States, efforts by debtors to use popular government to erase their debts, and the apparent inability of the Continental Congress to redeem the public obligations incurred during the war. The Congress also appeared unable to become a forum for productive cooperation among the States encouraging commerce and economic development. In response a Constitutional Convention was convened, ostensibly to reform the Articles of Confederation but that subsequently began to draft a new system of government that would include greater executive power while retaining the checks and balances thought to be essential restraints on any imperial tendency in the office of the President.

General Description

Article Two of the United States Constitution, coupled with several articles of amendment, establish the requirements one must meet in order to become President, as well as the term of office, method of election, and powers.

Requirements for holding office

::For more information on what constitutes a natural born citizen, please see that article. The President must be a natural born citizen of the United States (or a citizen of the United States at the time the U.S. Constitution was adopted), at least 35 years of age, and a resident of the United States for at least fourteen years.

Term of office

The President and Vice President serve a term of office of four years. The Twenty-second Amendment (which took effect in 1951) provides that no one may be elected to the office more than twice, and that no one may be elected President more than once who has held the office of (or acted as) President for more than two years of another's term (thus a person may hold the office of President no longer than ten years—two four-year terms and one term less than two years having been a vice president who succeeded to the Presidency). Prior to the ratification of this amendment, and following the precedent set by George Washington, an unofficial limit of two terms was generally observed, with the only exceptions being Theodore Roosevelt, who ran unsuccessfully for a third nonconsecutive term (although his first term was to finish the term of president William McKinley, who was assassinated—hence he was only elected once, for his second term), and Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected 4 times, served three full terms and died in his fourth after just over 12 years in office. Since the amendment went into effect, three Presidents have served two full terms: Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. Richard Nixon was elected to a second term but resigned before completing it. Current President George W. Bush will become the fourth should he complete his current term, on 20 January 2009. Lyndon B. Johnson was the only president since the ratification of the amendment to have been eligible to have served more than 2 terms, having served only 14 months of John F. Kennedy's term after becoming president following the latter's assassination. Harry S Truman himself was not subject to term limits, as the 22nd specifically states that it both did not apply to the current term of the president in office upon its ratification (Truman) or "to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress" (Truman). He briefly sought re-election in 1952, but withdrew after losing the New Hampshire primary.

Election

Template:MainPresidents and Vice Presidents of the United States are elected every four years indirectly through the United States Electoral College. They are the only nationally-elected offices in the United States, since executive officers and judges are appointed, United States Senators are elected at the state level, and United States Representatives are elected at the district level.

On election day, the voting citizens select their preferred candidate, usually by voting for a slate of electors put forward by the candidate's party. The ballots for each voting citizen typically has the names of the candidates for President and Vice President (running together on a ticket), and votes for those individuals translate at the state level into votes for the electors chosen from their respective parties. Although State Legislatures have the constitutional power to appoint slates of electors, all fifty states have established popular election of presidential electors. In December, following the general election, Electors gather at their respective State capitals to cast their ballots, which are then transmitted to Congress under the care of the sitting Vice President of the United States. Originally, under Article 2, the electors cast two votes for the office of President, the individual with the most votes becoming President, the runner up becoming Vice President. This changed with the 12th amendment, with each elector casting one vote for President and one vote for Vice President. The ballots are counted and certified in January before both houses of Congress. Should a candidate for either President or Vice President fail to achieve a majority of votes, the United States House of Representatives (voting by state) chooses the next president from among the candidates while the United States Senate (voting normally) selects the vice president.

Powers

Template:MainThe president, according to the Constitution, must "take care that the laws be faithfully executed". To carry out this responsibility, he has many powers, most of which are subject to or checked by Congressional power. He presides over the executive branch of the federal government; a vast organization of about 4 million people, including about 1 million active-duty military personnel, of whom he is Commander in Chief.

The Federalist Papers #69 states: :In most of these particulars, the power of the President will resemble equally that of the king of Great Britain and of the governor of New York. The most material points of difference are these: First. The President will have only the occasional command of such part of the militia of the nation as by legislative provision may be called into the actual service of the Union. The king of Great Britain and the governor of New York have at all times the entire command of all the militia within their several jurisdictions. In this article, therefore, the power of the President would be inferior to that of either the monarch or the governor. Secondly. The President is to be commander-in-chief of the army and navy of the United States. In this respect his authority would be nominally the same with that of the king of Great Britain, but in substance much inferior to it. It would amount to nothing more than the supreme command and direction of the military and naval forces, as first General and admiral of the Confederacy; while that of the British king extends to the DECLARING of war and to the RAISING and REGULATING of fleets and armies, all which, by the Constitution under consideration, would appertain to the legislature.

However, the president's control over these tools of state are checked by Congress' power "to make Rules for the Government and Regulation for the land and naval Forces" (Article I, Section 8).

As President-elect, he will make as many as 6,000 appointments in addition to those that must be made during his/her term proper (including appointments to the federal judiciary), but the Senate must consent to all appointments, except those of "inferior officers" that Congress has vested exclusively in him/her, the courts, or the heads of departments. He may make temporary appointments without the advice and consent of the Senate if the Senate is in recess, but such appointments expire at the end of the next session of the Senate.

While he may not personally initiate legislation, the President may veto any legislation passed by Congress. Such a veto may be overturned by a two-thirds majority vote in each House. He may make treaties, but two-thirds of the Senate must ratify the treaty. He is also required by the Constitution to give Congress information on the State of the Union and propose measures for their consideration.

According to political scientist Richard Neustadt, "Presidential power is the power to persuade and the power to persuade is the ability to bargain." The president's constitutional domestic power is limited, and so, according to Neustadt, successful bargaining with Congress is usually essential to presidential success.

Campaign

Template:MainThe modern presidential campaign begins before the primary elections, which the two major political parties use to clear the field of candidates in advance of their national nominating conventions, where the most successful candidate is made the party's nominee for President. The party's presidential candidate chooses a vice presidential nominee and this choice is rubber-stamped by the convention. Also, the party establishes a platform on which to base its campaign. Although nominating conventions have a long history in the United States, their substantive importance in the political process has greatly diminished; however, they remain important as a way of energizing the parties for the general election and focusing the public's attention on the nominees.

Nominees participate in nationally televised debates, and while the debates are usually restricted to the Democratic and Republican nominees, third party candidates may be invited (such as Ross Perot in the 1992 debates). Nominees campaign across the country to explain their views, convince voters, and solicit contributions. Much of the modern electoral process is concerned with winning swing states through frequent visits and mass media advertising drives.

Salary

Presidential pay history
Date established	Salary	Salary in 2007 dollars
September 24, 1789	$25,000	$531,000 (1789)
March 3, 1873	$50,000	$811,000 (1873)
March 4, 1909	$75,000	$1,607,000 (1909)
January 19, 1949	$100,000	$820,000 (1949)
January 20, 1969	$200,000	$1,067,000 (1969)
January 20, 2001	$400,000	$441,000 (2001)

The First U.S. Congress voted to pay George Washington a salary of $25,000 a year (about $531,000 in 2005 terms) — a significant sum in 1789. Washington, already a wealthy man, refused to accept his salary. President Theodore Roosevelt spent his entire $50,000 salary on entertaining guests at the White House. (Morris: The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt) Similarly, John F. Kennedy donated his salary to charities.^[3]

Traditionally, the President is the highest-paid government employee. Consequently, the President's salary serves as a traditional cap for all other federal officials, such as the Chief Justice. A raise for 2001 was approved by Congress and President Bill Clinton in 1999 because other officials who receive annual cost-of-living increases had salaries approaching the President's. Consequently, to raise the salaries of the other federal employees, the President's salary had to be raised as well. The President's monetary compensation is minuscule in comparison to the CEOs of most Fortune 500 companies and comparable to that of certain kinds of professionals e.g. attorneys and physicians in some parts of the United States. Overall the vast majority of US presidents were very affluent upon entering office and thus were not dependent on the salary.

Allowances for Former Presidents
GSA Allowance FY,2007	Carter	Bush	Clinton
Pension	$188,000	$188,000	$188,000
Staff Salaries	96,000	96,000	96,000
Staff Benefits	2,000	63,000	64,000
Travel	2,000	55,000	64,000
Rental Payments	102,000	175,000	498,000
Telephone	10,000	16,000	77,000
Postage	15,000	13,000	15,000
Other Services	82,000	65,000	113,000
Printing	5,000	14,000	9,000
Supplies	5,000	15,000	16,000
Equipment	7,000	48,000	11,000
TOTAL	$514,000	$748,000	$1,160,000

Prior to passage by Congress of the Former Presidents Act (FPA) in 1958, retired presidents did not receive a pension. All living presidents in 1959 began to receive a pension of $25,000 per year, an office, and a staff. The pension has increased numerous times with Congressional approval. Retired presidents now receive a pension based on the salary of the current administration's cabinet secretaries (Executive Level I), which is $183,500 as of 2007.^[4]

The FPA, as amended, also provides former Presidents with travel funds and mailing privileges. Secret Service protection for former Presidents is also authorized by statute.

Privileges of office

The President is entitled to use the White House as his/her living and working quarters, and its entire staff and facilities, including medical care, kitchen, housekeeping and security staff. While traveling, the President is able to conduct the functions of the office from one of two custom-built Boeing 747 aircraft popularly known as "Air Force One."^[5] The President also utilizes a United States Marine Corps helicopter, designated "Marine One" when the President is aboard. Similarly, "Navy One," "Army One," and "Coast Guard One" are the call signs used if the President is aboard a craft belonging to these services.^[6] For ground travel, the President uses an armored Presidential limousine, currently a heavily modified Cadillac DTS which uses the call sign "Cadillac One".

Secret Service

The sitting President and his/her family will be under constant protection by a United States Secret Service detail. Until 1997, all former Presidents and their families were protected by the Secret Service until the President's death. The last President to have lifetime Secret Service protection is Bill Clinton; George W. Bush and all subsequent Presidents will be protected by the Secret Service for a maximum of ten years after leaving office. However, debates in Congress have been raised concerning this decision. Following the increase in terrorism and threats to the President in general since 1997, lifetime protection is being re-considered.^[7]

Succession

Template:MainArticle 2 of the Constitution provides that the Vice President takes the place of President if the office were to become vacant. More detail is prescribed in the 20th and 25th amendments, and other laws extend the line of succession further.

The only President to be elected neither to the office of President nor Vice President was Gerald Ford who was appointed by Richard Nixon and confirmed after his Vice President, Spiro Agnew, resigned in 1973. Nixon later resigned and Ford succeeded to the Presidency. Ford was never subsequently elected.^[8]

Resignation

By Act of Congress, the president may resign only if his written resignation is delivered to the Secretary of State.^[9] The only president to resign is Richard Nixon, on August 9, 1974.

Office-holders

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Life after the presidency

Former presidents are referred to as "Mr. President". Presidents are entitled to Secret Service protection for 10 years after their terms of office, unless removed from office. Since Harry S Truman (1958), presidents have received a pension after leaving office, and since the presidency of Herbert Hoover, former presidents have received a repository for preserving and making available their papers, records, and other historical materials (The National Archives does not provide the initial funding for a Presidential Library. The National Archives only runs the completed facility).

Notable examples of significant post-presidential careers include William Howard Taft's tenure as Chief Justice of the United States, Herbert Hoover's work on government reorganization after World War II, Jimmy Carter's career as a global human rights campaigner and best-selling writer, and most recently George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton's combined effort to appeal for donations from Americans after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Other former presidents have served in elected office after leaving the White House; Andrew Johnson was elected to the Senate after his term was over, and John Quincy Adams served in the House of Representatives.