Title: Roles and powers of the president: lesson overview (article) | Khan Academy
Headings: Roles and powers of the president: lesson overview
Roles and powers of the president: lesson overview
Key terms
Formal powers of the president
Informal powers of the president
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Audrey Lucha
Presidential signing statements

Content: And how do presidents get things done? The Framers of the Constitution wanted to ensure that the executive branch was powerful enough to act, and so in Article II of the US Constitution, they established that executive power in the United States is vested in a president, who has certain powers. The powers of the president outlined in Article II are known as formal powers, but over the years presidents have claimed other powers, known as informal powers. Presidents campaign for office based on their policy agendas: the things they promise voters that they will attempt to accomplish while in office. They use their formal and informal powers to accomplish their policy agendas. Key terms
Term
Definition
cabinet
A group of presidential advisers, including the heads of the executive departments, the attorney general, and other officials chosen by the president. executive agreement
An international agreement between the president and another country, which does not require the consent of the Senate. executive order
A presidential order to the executive branch that carries the force of law. The Supreme Court can rule executive orders unconstitutional.