Presidential Powers: Chief Diplomat

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READING: 341-378 in Edwards

UNIT TWO IDENTIFICATION TERMS
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Today's Essential Question: How have presidential powers been enhanced beyond those expressed in the Constitution?


Learning Standards:
CON-4.A: Explain how the president can implement a policy agenda

CON-4.A.1: Presidents use powers and perform functions of the office to accomplish a policy agenda.

CON-4.A.2: Formal and informal powers of the president include:

• Vetoes and pocket vetoes – formal powers that enable the president to check Congress
• Foreign policy – both formal (Commander-in-Chief and treaties) and informal (executive agreements) powers that influence relations with foreign nations
• Bargaining and persuasion – informal power that enables the president to secure congressional action
• Executive orders – implied from the president’s vested executive power, or from power delegated by Congress, executive orders are used by the president to manage the federal government
• Signing statements – informal power that informs Congress and the public of the president’s interpretation of laws passed by Congress and signed by the president

Chief Diplomat

In addition to the President's military powers as the Commander in Chief, he serves as the country's Chief Diplomat, taking the lead in directing foreign policy. Again, this is often a power that is shared with the legislative branch although presidents have found ways around congressional involvement in some cases.

Who should control foreign policy, the President or Congress?

How has President Trump affected foreign policy?





How can the president influence foreign policy?

For each of the foreign policy presidential actions (Chief Diplomat), find a specific example related to our current president. How is the president's role as Chief Diplomat connected to the current situation involving Ukraine and the impeachment inquiry?

1. Negotiate treaties (subject to 2/3 Senate ratification)
Not always guaranteed--Versailles Treaty, Convention on the Rights of the Child, Rights of Persons with Disabilities

2. Executive Agreements (not subject to Senate approval)
Executive agreements are politically binding agreements rather than legally binding between two (or more) leaders of foreign countries that do NOT require legislative approval.


Executive Agreements and Senate Disagreements

Can Congress Stop the Iran Deal?

3. Administrative Proposal for legislation (Marshall Plan)

4. Diplomacy/Policy Statements/Doctrines (Camp David Accords, Truman Doctrine, Bush Doctrine)

5. Negotiation (or withdrawal) of International Agreements (NAFTA, TPP, Paris Climate Accords)

6. Appointment of Secretary of State, ambassadors

7. Recognition of foreign governments

8. Receiving of foreign leaders, ambassadors


Videos for Review: