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Confirmation of presidential appointments and treaties

Article II, Section 2, clause 2 of the Constitution

User Imyjimmy
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Final answer:

Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the Constitution grants the President the power to make treaties and nominate officials, requiring the Senate's confirmation. Recess appointments offer a temporary workaround to political holdups in confirmations. The Constitution suggests a balance of power between branches regarding appointments and the operation of a bureaucracy.

Step-by-step explanation:

Under Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution, the President possesses the power to negotiate treaties with other nations, which must be ratified by a two-thirds majority vote within the Senate. This clause also establishes the President's authority to nominate various government officials, including Executive Branch officers and Judicial Branch judges. The Senate's "advice and consent" is required for these nominations, which typically means a majority vote is needed for confirmation. While historically, most appointments are confirmed in a systematic manner, contentious confirmations and political holdups do occur. In such cases, the Constitution grants a presidential privilege known as a recess appointment, allowing the President to appoint officials temporarily while the Senate is in recess, although these appointments do not last longer than the next session of Congress.

It is important to note that while Article II provides the power of appointment to the president, Article I, Section 8, details certain powers granted to Congress, showing an interplay between the branches and an implicit recommendation for a bureaucratic system, despite the Constitution not explicitly outlining the design of such bureaucracy.

User GEverding
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