Governing: the executive branch and presidential action
Presidents govern through a vast executive branch and through tools that do not require Congress.
The cabinet and the Executive Office
The cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the executive departments, such as the Secretaries of State, Defense, and the Treasury, and the Attorney General. The Executive Office of the President includes close advisers and agencies like the Office of Management and Budget, which prepares the budget.
Direct presidential action
Executive orders direct how federal agencies carry out laws and carry legal force, but they can be overturned by courts, by Congress, or by a later president. Executive agreements with foreign leaders do not require Senate approval, unlike treaties. Signing statements record a president's interpretation of a law when signing it.
The public presidency
Theodore Roosevelt called the office a 'bully pulpit', a platform for persuading the public. Presidents 'go public' with speeches and social media to pressure Congress. Approval ratings usually start high in a honeymoon period and often decline, though crises can produce a sudden 'rally around the flag' effect.
Flashcard
A presidential directive to federal agencies
Check your understanding
A president directs federal agencies to change how they enforce an existing law without new legislation. This is done through: