The Vice President’s Job Description

According to the United States government, 

the Vice President is the second-highest ranking member of the executive branch of government. 

The Vice President is elected with a fixed term of four years and may serve up to two terms. 

The vice president must be an American citizen and has an office in both Washington, D.C., and 

sometimes in undetermined principal cities such as Atlanta or Chicago.

 The vice president is in direct control of the executive branch when the President is not present.

The Vice President Salary

The vice president salary for 2009 is $230,700, with an additional $22,000 annual expense allowance.

 The vice president salary has not changed since 2001. 

The salary has not increased since 2001 because of provisions in the 27th Amendment to the United States Constitution

 that prohibits any Congress from granting itself a pay raise during its term in office.

Additional Information About the Vice President’s Salary

Some government officials are exempt from taking an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States before taking office. 

These people may be referred to as “inactive” vice presidents. They are not considered in charge if the President is incapacitated,

 which is why they are not called in when the President requests the Vice President to take their place. 

The following people are inactive vice presidents.

in history have served in the office of Vice President of the United States at some point during their careers:

were candidates for President or Vice-President at one time or another, but did not win either election.

Note: these individuals were all potential replacements for an incapacitated president (although Barry Goldwater was picked by his party, he declined).

The following have never been elected to the vice presidency but have become president through their actions or inactions.

Other Presidents that have served in the office of Vice President at one time or another include:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/vice-president/default.html

http://www.forbes.com/2006/08/13/bs-paulson-xlg_cx_rr_0808goldmanpay0813budowski_.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Vice_Presidents_of_the_United_States#Inactive_.28inactive%29_.22inactive%22_.28inactive.29.29

http://www.vice.com/read/how-much-does-the-vice-president-make

http://libraryandmedia.fsi.edu/vicepresidents/USVPsalary200912311259373809363939kcstl0432305273630681.pdf

“Presidential elections are fascinating to observe, but not to participate in. 

The list of candidates in recent presidential elections is almost endless.

 This article attempts to provide a complete list of the people who were, in one way or another, considered for the office of President in recent years.”

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/23/vicepresident.candidates/?hptab=all

“Vice President Joe Biden’s home was vandalized after he attended the funeral of former Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) on Sunday.”

“Vice President David Rockefeller was instrumental in publicly supporting the Philadelphia Society, the organization that became known as Planned Parenthood.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Rockefeller

“Vice President John N. Garner’s political career was not well-known.”

The following are people who have been nominated to serve as the vice president of the United States, but who were never elected to serve in that office:

The following were short-lived vice presidents:

See also: “Vice President of the United States” and Vice regent of the United States. See also: “Vice President of the Confederate States of America”.

“Vice President of the United States”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Vice_President#Vice-Presidential_service

The following are people who have been elected to the office of Vice President, but who have not served in that office:

According to Article II, Section 1 of the United States Constitution, the Vice President takes over if the president is unable to perform his duties. 

The vice president serves as acting president until a new president can be chosen by Congress or, in case of death or incapacitation, until the next presidential election. 

The transitional period between presidential elections is known as a “lame duck presidency.

It is usually assumed that the vice president will act as chief executive officer of the United States during the transition. 

This often means that he or she serves as acting President in addition to his or her other duties to the U.S.,

 including serving on all active state, regional, and local government boards (such as was true in 1940). 

The Interim Vice Presidency was constitutional under Article I, Section 6 before being struck down by Supreme Court case “Watergate v. Garret”.

On several occasions in U.S. history, the vice president has acted as the acting president while the president records a resignation and is on vacation or out of the country:

Inauguration Day and Inauguration Week

The Constitution does not specify a date for when the President would assume his duties.

 As such, this area of law has been discussed by Congress and judicial bodies for years without consensus on a formula or an exact day. 

Additionally, the timing of the first inauguration of a president has been celebrated and highlighted as a national holiday.

The first inauguration of George Washington on April 30, 1789 was celebrated as such by Congress on January 16, 1790; 

whereas the first inauguration of Barack Obama (January 20, 2009) and Bill Clinton (January 20, 1993) were not celebrated as national holidays.

Inauguration Day is the day when the President is sworn into office.

 It is established as a national holiday, and is placed last on the presidential calendar.