INTRODUCTION In the 1790s running the United States government was a job full of surprises No one had done it before THE PRESIDENTIAL CABINET The highest officials were like the founders of modern companies who start out working by themselves in their garages Edmund Randolph the first attorney general of the U S was in such a position He had to set up a government agency without any money from Congress Ran dolph’s job was to provide legal advice to the president and members of Congress He also had to represent the government in cases before the Supreme Court But to make ends meet he took on private legal work The next 21 attorneys general until 1853 continued this practice of dual careers Today that wouldn’t be allowed since it could lead to many conflicts of interest It’s an example of how history and circum stance have drastically changed the roles of presidential cabinet mem bers It is also evidence of how those in office have changed to respond to the needs determined by the people 4
Attorney General Randolph was among four officials in Washington’s cabinet
LINE OF PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION The PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION ACT OF 1947 set the current order of succession PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF STATE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR SECRETARY OF COMMERCE ATTORNEY GENERAL SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY OF LABOR SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY OF EDUCATION SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY OF ENERGY
CHAPTER NO_ 1 NOT IN THE INSTRUCTIONS THE PRESIDENTIAL CABINET T here is not a word in the U S Constitution about the president’s cabinet Yet the 16 people in the cabinet today are among the most powerful in the U S They are in charge of the departments that make up the executive branch of the federal government Appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate they meet regularly with the president and advise him or her on issues of war and peace national security the economy health schools and the environ ment among others They supervise millions of workers and budgets in the billions of dollars Like the vice president who is also a cabinet member they are each ranked in the line of pres idential succession Each person earns just under 200,000 per year That is half the president’s salary 7
