Each member of the Cabinet heads a different department of the federal government. The departments of the federal government are responsible for carrying out the laws passed by Congress.
2. Washington was the first President to leave office after two terms. Did he specifically intend for future presidents to be limited to two terms? Who were the four presidents who tried for third terms? Who was the successful one?
George Washington did not specifically intend for future presidents to be limited to two terms. However, his decision to step down after two terms set a precedent that has been followed by most presidents ever since. The four presidents who tried for third terms were:
- Thomas Jefferson (1800)
- Andrew Jackson (1828)
- Franklin D. Roosevelt (1940)
- Richard Nixon (1972)
Only Franklin D. Roosevelt was successful in winning a third term. The Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified in 1951, limits presidents to two terms in office.
3. Washington was the first to establish foreign policy, and issued the Proclamation of Neutrality. What situation did this proclamation address? What agency advises the President on foreign policy today? What is the role of this agency?
The Proclamation of Neutrality was issued by George Washington in 1793. The proclamation was issued in response to the outbreak of the French Revolutionary War. The war pitted France against Great Britain, and Washington was concerned that the United States would be drawn into the conflict. The proclamation declared that the United States would remain neutral in the war.
The agency that advises the President on foreign policy today is the National Security Council (NSC). The NSC was established by the National Security Act of 1947. The NSC is responsible for coordinating the foreign policy of the United States government. The NSC is composed of the President, the Vice President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the Director of National Intelligence.
The role of the NSC is to advise the President on all matters relating to national security. The NSC also provides the President with options for responding to foreign policy challenges.