Page 141 - TrumpsEconEra_Flat

Trump’s Economic Era

governments—but the Senate needs to ratify by a two-
thirds majority. He may also appoint some judges with
the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate. The Office of
Management and Budget is to assist the president with
preparing the national budget.
The president can issue rules, regulations, and
instructions called executive orders, which have the
binding force of law but do not require the approval of
the Congress. Executive orders are subject to judicial
review and interpretation. Executive orders can cloud
the distinction between the president and the Congress
because all legislative powers reside in Congress. The
Executive Branch has the responsibility to execute the
laws passed by Congress.
When Congress presents him with a bill, he can
sign it into law within ten days, or he can return it to
Congress suggesting changes. Unlike many state
governors, the president is required to approve the
entire bill or reject it because in 1996 the Supreme
Court disallowed presidential line-item veto power.

During his campaign, President Trump promised
to “drain the swamp” to get rid of career people in
administrative positions whom he believed were either
corrupt or incompetent. Draining the swamp can be a
daunting task because there are more than a thousand
positions throughout the federal government that are
“Presidential Appointees.” By 2017, the federal
government employed more than two million civilians
and spent almost four trillion dollars, which is about
twenty one percent of GDP.

-140-