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Vote Smart Just The Facts
"Experts nearly all recommend Vote Smart."
"Vote Smart is a bright light in an often desultory civic culture."
- Bill Moyers
"We think so highly of Vote Smart that we are distributing their materials to all of our affiliates."
Education
Government 101: President of the United States
Eligibility
- Must be a natural-born citizen of the United States (can be born abroad of parents who are American citizens).
- Must be at least 35 years of age.
- Must be a resident of the United States for at least 14 years
The Powers of the President
According to Article II of the Constitution the President has the following powers:
- Serve as commander in chief of the armed forces
- Commission officers of the armed forces
- Grant reprieves and pardons for federal offenses (except impeachment)
- Convene Congress in special sessions
- Receive ambassadors
- Take care that the laws be faithfully executed
- Wield the "executive power"
- Appoint Cabinet officials, White House staff and Supreme Court justices
Powers of the President That Are Shared with the Senate
- Make treaties
- Appoint ambassadors, Cabinet members and Supreme Court justices
Powers of the President That are Shared with Congress as a Whole
- Approve legislation
Other sources of information:
- The Executive Branch
- Presidents of the United States (POTUS) Online from the White House history website, this site provides background and biographical information on all of our presidents.
- Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the U.S. From George Washington to Donald Trump. Online from Bartleby.com.
- The American Presidency Project contains a "set of articles on the Presidents, the Presidency and American politics."
