Presidential Powers 2: Crash Course Government and Politics #12

Summary

This CrashCourse episode explores the President's powers beyond the Constitution's expressed powers. It discusses the President's role as Commander-in-Chief, including the ability to use troops without a formal declaration of war. The video also covers informal powers like executive agreements, the appointment of officials, and the influence over legislation through executive orders. It highlights how these powers have evolved and the checks and balances that exist, emphasizing the President's significant influence, especially in times of war.

Takeaways

• 😌 The President is often perceived as the most powerful person in the world, but this is not explicitly stated in the Constitution.
• 🏆 Expressed powers, or formal powers, are those explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, such as being the commander in chief.
• 🤔 Informal powers are not written in the Constitution but are implied or inherent in the office of the Presidency.
• ✅ The President's expressed power as commander in chief includes the ability to command the military, even the Air Force which is not explicitly mentioned.
• 🚫 The President has the inherent power to use military force in response to immediate threats, even without a formal declaration of war from Congress.
• 🛑 The War Powers Resolution was an attempt by Congress to check the President's power to commit troops without a declaration of war.
• 🤝 The President has significant informal powers in foreign policy, including the ability to negotiate executive agreements that don't require Senate ratification.
• 👔 As the 'CEO' of the US, the President appoints judges, ambassadors, and other ministers, shaping the political agenda and directing agencies.
• 📜 The President can issue executive orders that have the force of law, though they can be overturned by Congress or the Supreme Court.
• 💡 The President can impound funds appropriated by Congress and direct the bureaucracy to implement policies in specific ways,体现了他在执行法律时的广泛权力。
• 🔒 Executive privilege allows the President to keep information secret, often for national security reasons, but this can be overridden by court orders.

Q & A

What is an expressed power of the President according to the transcript?

An expressed power is a specific power that the Constitution directly mentions the President has, such as being the commander in chief of the army and navy.

What is an informal power of the President?

An informal power is a power that the President has that does not appear within the written text of the Constitution but is implied by the wording or considered inherent in the office of the Presidency.

Why might the President send troops without a formal declaration of war from Congress?

The President might send troops without a formal declaration of war if there is an immediate threat to the US and Congress doesn't have the time or opportunity to declare war.

What is the War Powers Resolution and how does it attempt to check the President's power to use troops?

The War Powers Resolution is a United States federal law that checks the president's power to send the Armed Forces into action by requiring the president to notify Congress within 60 days of committing armed forces to military action and forbidding armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days, with a further 30-day withdrawal period, without a congressional authorization for use of military force (AUMF) or a declaration of war by the United States.

How do executive agreements differ from treaties?

Executive agreements are agreements between the US and foreign nations that resemble treaties but are not formally treaties. They do not require ratification by 2/3rds of the Senate and can be made valid with a majority vote in both houses of Congress.

What is the role of the President as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the US?

As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the US, the President has the power to appoint judges, ambassadors, and other ministers, which shapes the political agenda and allows the President to direct them and their agencies on how to implement laws.

What is the Legislative Initiative and how does it relate to the President's informal legislative power?

The Legislative Initiative is the President's ability to set the legislative agenda by making recommendations for laws he would like to see passed. This often involves executive branch officials drafting legislation and presenting it to Congress for refinement.

What are executive orders and how can they be overturned?

Executive orders are presidential directives or rules that have the force of law. They can be overturned by actual Congressional lawmaking or by Supreme Court decisions.

What is the President's power to impound funds and how does it work?

The President's power to impound funds allows him to withhold or delay the expenditure of budgeted funds that Congress has appropriated for specific programs or projects if he does not want them implemented.

What is executive privilege and how can it be checked?

Executive privilege is the President's ability to keep information secret, usually for reasons of national security. It can be checked and overturned by a court order, as happened in the case of U.S. vs. Nixon.

How does the President's power change during times of war?

During times of war, even undeclared wars, the President's powers often increase as Congress and the American people are usually willing to defer to the President on military matters, recognizing the inherent powers of the Commander in Chief.