The Executive Branch (President)
Requirements to be President
The Candidate must:
- Be at least 35 years-old
- Be a residence of the U.S. for at least 14 years
- Be a natural born citizen
The Roles of the President
1. Head of State
a. Ceremonial leader
2. Chief Executive
a. Direct the government
3. Chief Legislator
a. Proposes (not introduce) bills to Congress
b. Attempts to influence Congress
4. Economic Planner
a. Prepares a federal budget proposal every year
5. Party Leader
a. Most important person in his/her political party (Democrat/ Republican)
6. Chief Diplomat
a. President is able to make decisive decisions
7. Commander-in-Chief
a. Power to send troops
b. Dictates military strategies and operations
a. Ceremonial leader
2. Chief Executive
a. Direct the government
3. Chief Legislator
a. Proposes (not introduce) bills to Congress
b. Attempts to influence Congress
4. Economic Planner
a. Prepares a federal budget proposal every year
5. Party Leader
a. Most important person in his/her political party (Democrat/ Republican)
6. Chief Diplomat
a. President is able to make decisive decisions
7. Commander-in-Chief
a. Power to send troops
b. Dictates military strategies and operations
Line of Succession
If the President is ever killed while in office, the duty of Presidency is passed down a line to a different government official:
- The Vice President: Joseph Biden
- Speaker of the House: John Boehner
- President pro tempore of the Senate: Patrick Leahy
- Secretary of State: John Kerry
- Secretary of the Treasury: Jacob Lew
- Secretary of Defense: Chuck Hagel
- Attorney General: Eric Holder
- Secretary of the Interior: Sally Jewel
- Secretary of Agriculture: Tom Vilsack
- Secretary of Commerce: Penny Pritzker
- Secretary of Labor: Thomas E. Perez
- Secretary of Health and Human Services: Kathleen Sebelius
- Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Shaun Donovan
- Secretary of Transportation: Anthony Foxx
- Secretary of Energy: Ernest Moniz
- Secretary of Education: Arne Duncan
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Eric Shinseki
- Secretary of Homeland Security: Rand Beers