Questions & Answers

In the Category: Presidency and Executive Power

#EXE180 Why did the States delegate these powers to the Federal Government? In order to aid and assist in a more consistent governance among all the people known as Americans.
#EXE181 Who executes the laws which Congress has made, that is, who takes the responsibility in seeing that all citizens shall obey these laws? The President of the United States.
#EXE182 Can the President make laws? No, not at all. Those two powers, making law and executing law, are kept by the Constitutions entirely separate; the power that makes the law cannot execute it, and the power that executes the law can...
#EXE183 Is there any advantage to this? Certainly; it is the great safeguard of freedom because, if the one makes oppressive laws, the other may refuse to enforce them; or, if the one wishes to play the tyrant, the other may refuse to creat...
#EXE184 How does a man become President of the United States? He is elected (chosen) by the people of the United States.
#EXE185 How does the process of electing the President work? Every four years, citizens may vote for a candidate for President and Vice President, who share a "ticket," meaning that they run together as a pair or team. In most states, the candidate who wins the...
#EXE186 How are electors chosen? This process varies from state to state. Typically, political parties nominate electors at their state conventions. Sometimes the process happens by a vote of the party's central committee. The electo...
#EXE187 Do electors have to vote for their party's candidate? Neither the Constitution nor any federal law forces electors to vote for their party's candidate. However, some states require electors to vote for their party's candidate if the candidate wins a majo...
#EXE188 How many electoral votes must someone have to become President? They must receive the majority of electoral votes, that being 270.
#EXE189 What if no one gets a majority of the vote of the Electoral College? If no one receives a majority of electoral votes, then the election is decided by the House of Representatives. In this case, the top three candidates (those with the most votes) would be voted upon b...
#EXE190 Can a candidate lose the popular vote and still win the Electoral College, making them President? Yes, it has happened on a number of occasions.
#EXE191 Should the Electoral College be abolished if it's possible that the candidate with the most popular votes not be elected? No, because the Electoral College ensures that all States - and not just those with large population centers in metropolitan or urban areas - are important to the electoral process. Without the Electo...
#EXE192 Who is qualified to be President of the United States? According to the Constitution, only those meeting the qualifications of citizenship from birth, who are 35 years of age or older, and have actually been continuously residing in the United States for...
#EXE193 How long may one serve as President? A Presidential term is four years, and no person shall be elected to the office more than twice, and no person who had been appointed President (to replace a President who had been previously elected,...
#EXE194 How is the Vice President chosen? Originally, electors could vote for one of two candidates for President and the candidate with the second highest vote tally would become Vice President. Since the 12th Amendment, however, electors co...
#EXE195 Must electors vote for Presidents and Vice Presidents of the same party? There is nothing in the Constitution or Federal Law that would prevent an elector from voting for a President from one party and a Vice President from another. However, many state election rules dicta...
#EXE196 Are there any limits on who may serve together as President and Vice President? The Constitution forbids electors from voting for a President and a Vice President from the same state, for fear that one state may become too powerful in the Union of States.
#EXE197 If the President should die, be removed from office, or resign, who shall carry out his duties of office? The Vice President shall carry out his duties of office.
#EXE198 If the Vice President, now serving as the President, shall be removed from office or resign, who shall carry out his duties of office? The Speaker of the House shall become the President in this case. If he should die, leave or be removed from office, the Senate president pro tempore shall serve. From there, there is a line of succes...
#EXE199 May the President be paid for serving in his office? The President may receive a salary, as set by Congress.
#EXE200 May the President receive money from any foreign government? No, the President may not receive any money from any foreign government or receive any exorbitant gifts or honorariums.
#EXE201 May the President receive money from any State government? No, the President may not receive money from any State government, lest he favor one State over another.
#EXE202 Does the President take an oath before taking office? Yes.
#EXE203 What is the Presidential oath of office? It is these words, "I do solemnly swear, that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution...
#EXE204 What are the powers belonging to the President? He is the Commander in Chief of all the Armed Services; every officer of all branches, from the highest to the lowest, is obliged to obey his orders.
#EXE205 Are the officers of the militia obliged to obey them? Officers of the militia are obliged to obey the Commander in Chief, unless such orders are themselves unconstitutional or if he has himself, become an enemy of the United States.
#EXE206 Has he any other powers? Yes, he may grant pardons for crimes.
#EXE207 What is a pardon? A pardon is the delivering of a condemned person from the consequences or penalty of his offense.
#EXE208 May the President do this for all crimes? Yes, although he cannot undo the consequence of impeachment.
#EXE209 Does the President possess powers to enter into treaties with other nations? The President may make treaties with other nations on behalf of the United States.

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