Choices Unit 4 retake
Independent agencies
Agencies created by Congress located outside of Cabinet Departments.
Executive Office of the President
An organization of several agencies staffed by the President's closest advisers.
A Presidential advisory committee, usually made up of the heads of departments.
Cabinet
Collective security
Principle that calls for countries to act together to promote peace and security.
executive order
a directive, rule, or regulation issued by the President that has the effect of law
treaty
a formal agreement between two or more sovereign states
bureaucracy
a large, complex administrative structure
platform
a political party's objectives for the campaign and beyond
"A bureaucracy is sure to think that its duty is to augment official power, official business, or official members, rather than to leave free the energies of mankind; it overdoes the quantity of government, as well as impairs its quality." —Walter Bagehot, 1967 What statement best describes Walter Bagehot's opinion of bureaucracy? a. He believes bureaucracy makes government too large and affects the quality of government services. b. He feels the regulations of government create an efficiently operating government. c. He thinks that it would be impossible to run the government without it. d. all of the above are correct
a. He believes bureaucracy makes government too large and affects the quality of government services.
"There cannot be a great vice president. A great man may occupy the office, but there is no way for him to become a great vice president because the office in itself is almost wholly unimportant." —former Vice President John Nance Garner, Collier's Magazine, March 20, 1948 Which statement best exemplifies what Garner meant by the above remark? a. Historically, the vice presidency has been treated as an office of little real consequence. b. An individual of great personal talent has often been able to use that talent in the capacity of vice president. c. In the vice presidency, the Framers of the Constitution purposefully created an office of greatsignificance. d. all of the above are correct
a. Historically, the vice presidency has been treated as an office of little real consequence.
Based on the data shown in the table, which of the following statements is true about the Electoral College? a. It can work against the principle of popular sovereignty when a candidate winswithout winning the most votes nationwide. b. It creates a scenario in which electors frequently do not vote for the candidate theypledge to support. c. It encourages independents and third-party candidates to run for office. d. all of the above
a. It can work against the principle of popular sovereignty when a candidate winswithout winning the most votes nationwide.
Appointments to the federal judiciary are often contentious for which of the following reasons? a. Life terms for federal judges mean that presidential appointments will continue tohave influence long after the president's term is over. b. The president selects nominees based on political orientation, while the Senatefocuses on the academic credentials of nominees. Selected:c. The House of Representatives can undermine presidential authority by overridingjudicial appointments. d. Federal judges are given a platform to legislate from the bench, and the Senate ishesitant about relinquishing power to the judiciary
a. Life terms for federal judges mean that presidential appointments will continue tohave influence long after the president's term is over.
Which of the following accurately describes the information presented in the pie chart? a. The United States Postal Service has the largest number of employees within thefederal bureaucracy. b. The number of federal employees working in Washington, D.C., outnumbers thoseworking in the states. c. Congress has allocated more money to the Department of Homeland Security thanto the Department of Defense. d. The legislative, judicial, and executive branches employ more bureaucrats thandoes the Department of Veterans Affairs.
a. The United States Postal Service has the largest number of employees within thefederal bureaucracy.
Which one of the following statements best describes the prevailing view of the power of the president today? a. The president can take whatever action he feels appropriate to advance his policy goals as long as he doesn't break the law or violate the Constitution. b. The president is the voice of the nation but cannot take any important actions on his own without the approval of Congress. c. The president is above the law and can pursue the policies he believes in even if that means he must break a law. d. The president is primarily an administrator carrying out the will of Congress.
a. The president can take whatever action he feels appropriate to advance his policy goals as long as he doesn't break the law or violate the Constitution.
The president is most likely to use an executive order to make important policy when a. a compromise cannot be reached with Congress b. the Supreme Court is divided along ideological lines c. Congress is dominated by the president's party d. a negotiation with foreign heads of state reaches an impasse
a. a compromise cannot be reached with Congress
"Americans are free...to disagree with the law but not to disobey it. For in a government of laws and not of men, no man, however prominent or powerful, and no mob however unruly or boisterous, is entitled to defy a court of law." --President John F. Kennedy The quotation above most directly supports presidential actions that a. ensure public order and safety. b. improve international relations. c. endanger individual rights. d. improve the economy.
a. ensure public order and safety.
Which of the following does not correctly complete the following statement? According to the Constitution, the President must... a. have held a public office b. be a natural born citizen. c. be at least 35 years of age. d. have been a resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years.
a. have held a public office
"The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is . . . to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop." —George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796 What term best stands for the policy that George Washington is describing in the excerpt above? a. isolationism b. détente c. internationalism d. deterrence
a. isolationism
(pic of usa w/ big states) In regards to the Executive Branch, Iowa and New Hampshire's large size in the cartoon at right reflect their importance to the process of a. nominating candidates for President. b. hosting national conventions. c. selecting the Vice Presidential nominee. d. electing a President in the general election.
a. nominating candidates for President.
Which of the following describes the president's Cabinet? a. Its members must be selected from among current or former members of Congress. b. Its members have varying levels of influence on presidential decisions. c. Its members are required to approve presidential decisions. d. Its members hold office for fixed terms that exactly coincide with the president's term.
b. Its members have varying levels of influence on presidential decisions.
Which of the following is an example of presidential use of informal powers? a. President Ronald Reagan nominating Sandra Day O'Connor to the U.S. Supreme Court. b. President Bill Clinton advocating for public policy reform on his Health Security Express bus. c. President George W. Bush deploying U.S. troops to Iraq. d. President John F. Kennedy negotiating the Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty with the Soviet Union.
b. President Bill Clinton advocating for public policy reform on his Health Security Express bus.
(graph voter turn out) Which of the following best describes a trend in the line graph above? a. Voter turnout in presidential elections consistently decreased between 1972and 2008. b. Voter turnout in midterm elections generally decreased between 1966 and 2014. c. Voter turnout in midterm elections increased substantially between 1982 and 2010. d. Voter turnout in presidential elections generally increased between 1940 and 1948.
b. Voter turnout in midterm elections generally decreased between 1966 and 2014.
"The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is . . . to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop." —George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796 On what occasion did George Washington make this comment in 1796, thereby setting a precedent for those who followed him in office as president? a. as he prepared for war with Britain b. as he prepared to leave office c. as he issued the Open Door Policy d. as he entered the presidency
b. as he prepared to leave office
Constitutional checks and balance, especially applied to the president, are designed to a. ensure the states do not become too powerful. b. minimize the threat of tyranny from any one branch of government. c. provide for a balanced budget. d. ensure efficient government.
b. minimize the threat of tyranny from any one branch of government.
During the nomination process, political battles are most likely to occur in a. presidential primaries in the President's party. b. presidential primaries in the party out of power. c. the Cabinet. d. the Electoral College.
b. presidential primaries in the party out of power.
Who may reject a President's Cabinet choice? a. the Vice President b. the Senate c. the House of Representatives d. no one
b. the Senate
Who must approve treaties before they become effective? a. both houses of Congress b. the Senate c. the Vice President d. the House of Representatives
b. the Senate
What point is the cartoon at trying to make? a. Bureaucracy is efficient and helpful to most businesses. b. Bureaucracy is annoying but ultimately beneficial to businesses. c. Bureaucracy can make conducting business more complicated. d. Bureaucracy makes solutions to businesses' problems easier and faster.
c. Bureaucracy can make conducting business more complicated.
The term of office for which president became the impetus for the passage of the 22nd Amendment? a. Herbert Hoover b. Harry S Truman c. Franklin Delano Roosevelt d. Richard Nixon
c. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
(pie chart) Which of the following best explains the difference in the number of bureaucrats employed by the Department of Education and the Department of Homeland Security? a. The Department of Homeland Security was created before the Departmentof Education. b. The Department of Education receives its funding from Congress, while theDepartment of Homeland Security works directly for the president. c. The Department of Education primarily addresses state issues, whereas theDepartment of Homeland Security primarily addresses national issues. d. The Department of Homeland Security hires more employees at the state level thanthe Department of Education.
c. The Department of Education primarily addresses state issues, whereas theDepartment of Homeland Security primarily addresses national issues.
Directions: Use the passage below to answer the question that follows. "The President in every possible instance shall consult with Congress before introducing United States Armed Forces into hostilities [military conflicts]...and after every such introduction shall consult regularly with the Congress until United States Armed Forces are no longer engaged in hostilities..." -- The War Powers Act of 1973 Based on the excerpt above, the War Powers Act was most likely issued in response to a. lack of preparedness in the armed forces. b. protests against drafting women. c. expansion by the President of his role as Commander in Chief. d. attempts by the Supreme Court to control the Department of Defense.
c. expansion by the President of his role as Commander in Chief.
Typically, presidential candidates implement their campaign strategies by a. applying their resources evenly among all the states because they must win a majority of popular votes in all states to be elected. b. ignoring the Electoral College because the popular vote determines the outcome of the election. c. focusing on larger competitive states because they might tip the balance of the Electoral College. d. ignoring the Electoral College because more states are moving away from the winner-take-all system.
c. focusing on larger competitive states because they might tip the balance of the Electoral College.
Armed revolt breaks out in an ally of the U.S. The President sends U.S. troops to assist the current administration in that nation. This is an example of the a. power to make treaties. b. power to execute the law. c. power to command the armed forces. d. none of the above
c. power to command the armed forces.
What is perceived by many as a major flaw in the Electoral College system is that a. electors are chosen by popular vote. b. electors must vote in agreement with the popular vote. c. the candidate who wins the popular vote might not become President. d. any election might have to be decided in the U.S. Senate.
c. the candidate who wins the popular vote might not become President.
How has the mass media affected presidential power? a. It has decreased presidential power by presenting only positive views of the President. b. It has had little effect on presidential power. c. It has increased presidential power by presenting critical views of the President. d. It has increased presidential power by helping Presidents build support for their policies.
d. It has increased presidential power by helping Presidents build support for their policies.
Based on the results shown in table, which candidate won the election? a. The Democratic Party candidate b. The Reform Party candidate c. The Green Party candidate d. The Republican Party candidate
d. The Republican Party candidate
According to the term limits imposed by the Constitution a. There are no limits on the number of terms a president may serve but by tradition, since George Washington's refusal to serve a third term, presidents only serve two terms. b. The president and vice president cannot serve more than two terms in office c. The president cannot be elected to more than four terms of office. d. The president cannot be elected to the office of the president more than twice.
d. The president cannot be elected to the office of the president more than twice.
Which of the following outcomes is possible in the Electoral College system? a. The Electoral College could choose a president who did not win the most states. b. The House of Representatives could choose the president. c. The Electoral College could choose a president who did not get the most votes of the people. d. all of the above are possible
d. all of the above are possible
If no presidential candidate wins a majority of the electoral votes, the election is a. decided by the State legislatures. b. decided by the Supreme Court. c. rescheduled. d. decided by the House of Representatives.
d. decided by the House of Representatives.
foreign aid
economic and military assistance to other countries
pardon
legal forgiveness of a crime
domestic affairs
matters unconnected to foreign affairs
presidential succession
plan for filling a presidential vacancy
chief of state
the President's role as ceremonial head of the U.S. government
chief administrator
the President's role as director of the executive branch
chief party
the President's role as party leader controlling the executive branch
chief legislator
the President's role as principal author of U.S. public policy
chief executive
the President's role as the one vested with the executive power of the U.S
executive privilege
the power of the President to refuse to disclose certain information to Congress
swing voters
those who have not yet decided how to vote and therefore could go either way