Executive Practice Questions

All of the following are formal or informal sources of presidential power EXCEPT A. presidential authority to raise revenue B. presidential access to the media C. precedents set during previous administrations D. public support E. the Constitution

A

Because of an increase in the "imperial presidency" we see A. The president issuing an increasing number of executive agreements and executive orders. B. The Senate ratifying treaties without executive approval C. Congress declaring war independent of the president

A

Cabinet level executive departments are created by A. congress B. the constitution C. the president D. rarely held national referendums E. all of the above

A

Congress adopted the War Powers Resolution to A. limit the president's authority to commit troops overseas B. give the president additional powers in case of military emergencies

A

Executive agreements have been cited as evidence that A. modern presidents often try to avoid legislative checks and balances on their authority B. the executive branch has become too large and bureaucratic C. presidents have less power in handling foreign policy than in handling domestic policy D. interest groups have too much power in the contemporary governmental system E. the courts have few means of limiting presidential power

A

In general, Congress is most likely to defer to the President A. in the area of foreign policy B. in the area of social policy

A

In recent presidential administrations, the principal staff for the President has been made up of members of the A. White House Office B. cabinet C. Congress D. national committee of the President's party E. civil service

A

The president has the most influence in A. national security policy B. domestic policies C. public welfare D. public opinion

A

When does the President experience the "lame duck" period? A. at the end of his presidency before the new president is inaugurated. B. at the beginning of his presidency before he has passed any policy initiatives.

A

Which of the following is an action a president can take to rally public support for the administration's legislative agenda? A. Use the State of the Union Address to pressure Congress to pass a bill lowering income taxes. B. Hold private meetings with key members of Congress to promote a compromise on the budget. C. Forge an executive agreement with another country regulating the safety of consumer products. D. Sign a bill into law that would provide increased aid to college students.

A

Which of the following situations is an example of the president using the bully pulpit as a tool for agenda setting? A. President Reagan delivering a televised address urging a reduction in federal taxes B. President Obama issuing an executive order delaying the deportation of at least five million undocumented immigrants C. President Clinton invoking executive privilege in resisting a subpoena by the United States Senate during the Whitewater investigation

A

Which of the following stages comes first in the policy-making process? A. Agenda setting B. Legitimation C. Program evaluation D. Policy formulation E. Implementation

A

A newly elected president faces a Senate controlled by the opposition party. Which of the following presidential appointments is the most likely to encounter difficulty with confirmation by the Senate? A. Secretary of defense B. Supreme Court justice C. Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors D. Ambassador to Germany

B

Appointments to the federal judiciary are often contentious for which of the following reasons? A. The House of Representatives can undermine presidential authority by overriding judicial appointments B. Life terms for federal judges mean that presidential appointments will continue to have influence long after the president's term is over C. The president selects nominess based on political orientation, while the Senate focuses on the academic credentials of nominees D. Federal judges are given a platrform to legislate from the bench, and the Senate is hesitant about relinquishing power to the judiciary

B

As a president's time in office increases, his approval ratings A. also increase B. generally go down C. remain stable D. decrease but rise as his term ends

B

Even with large majorities of their own party in Congress, presidents experience difficulty in exercising legislative leadership because A. the president must compete against state governors for influence B. the weak nature of political parties hampers the president's ability to control Congress C. the president's use of the veto is ineffective with Congress D. individual members of Congress attract greater publicity when challenging the president E. the president seldom addresses the same issues as members of Congress

B

Fed. 70 emphasizes A. plurality of leadership B. unitary executive

B

In selecting members of the White House staff, Presidents primarily seek people who A. give the White House ideological balance B. are personally loyal to the President C. have extensive governmental experience D. will help the President develop a good working relationship with Congress E. can bring a nonpartisan perspective to policy deliberations

B

In the midterm elections, President's with lower approval ratings often times A. gain a lot of seat in the house B. lose a lot of seats in the house

B

Refer to the table for the following question. Which of the following statements is most accurately supported by the data in the table? A. President Clinton greatly reduced the use of presidential signing statements compared with his predecessors. B. While President George W. Bush issued fewer signing statements than President Clinton, his included more objections than President Clinton's. C. President Clinton's brief access to the power of the line-item veto allowed him to issue fewer signing statements that raised concerns about legislation. D. President George W. Bush was forced to issue more signing statements as a direct result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

B

The President interacts with the media in all ways except? A. Making an announcement on tv B. talking on the House or Senate floor C. Social Media D. Press brief E. press gaggle F. State of Union Address

B

The expansion of the executive branch since 1939 has affected the separation of powers by A. giving more power to interest groups than to parties B. increasing presidential control over the legislative process C. making senatorial approval of presidential appointees ceremonial

B

The president is most likely to use an executive order to make important policy when A. Congress is dominated by the president's party B. a compromise cannot be reached with Congress C. the Supreme Court is divided along ideological lines D. a negotiation with foreign heads of state researches an impasse

B

What type of bureaucracy is the CIA? A. Independent regulatory agency B. Independent executive agency

B

When do presidential approval ratings tend to be pretty high? A. towards the end of the presidency B. at the beginning of the presidency

B

Which amendment creates a means for selecting a vice president when the office becomes vacant? A. Twenty-second Amendment B. Twenty-fifth Amendment C. Twelfth Amendment D. Tenth Amendment

B

Which of the following best characterizes the influence of the news media on public opinion in the United States? A. They alter the public's views on issues. B. They affect which issues the public thinks are important. C. They are most able to influence the urban sectors of society.

B

Which of the following best explains why the winner of a presidential election usually claims to have a mandate from voters? A. Presidents are allowed to implement their legislative agendas without interference during their first term. B. The allocation of electoral votes in the winner-take-all system exaggerates the margin of victory. C. The president's party often wins a majority of seats in Congress by riding the president's coattails.

B

Which of the following correctly identifies an implication of the line graph? A. Presidents are far more likely to make changes to the bureaucracy at the end of a second term than at the beginning of a first term. B. Congress is more likely to act on a president's policy proposal at the beginning of a first term than at the end of a second term. C. The Supreme Court is more likely to rule on an important case at the beginning of a first term than at the end of a second term. D. Presidents are more likely to send troops into conflict at the end of a second term than at the beginning of a first term.

B

Which of the following correctly identifies an implication of the line graph? A. Presidents are more likely to send troops into conflict at the end of a second term than at the beginning of a first term. B. Congress is more likely to act on a president's policy proposal at the beginning of a first term than at the end of a second term.

B

Which of the following is NOT a presidential role authorized by the Constitution? A. To be commander in chief of the armed forces B. To lead the political party of the President C. To negotiate treaties with foreign nations D. To be chief executive E. To present the State of the Union address

B

Which of the following is a member of the White House Staff? A. The chair of the Federal Reserve Board B. The national security advisor C. The secretary of commerce D. The ambassador to the United Nations E. The attorney general

B

Which of the following scenarios illustrates how social media has changed the way presidents relate to the public? A. A president hosting a rally in a swing state to increase support for policies helping the working class B. A president announcing a major policy initiative via the Internet rather than calling a press conference

B

Which of the following statements about trends in presidential approval ratings is true? A. There is little relationship between military conflicts and presidential approval ratings. B. A President's popularity tends to fall during his term in office. C. Presidents have tended to become more popular over time.

B

Which of the following statements is best supported by the line graph? A. The number of vetoes has generally increased since 1945, even though the number of bills passed by Congress has decreased. B. The number of vetoes has generally decreased since 1945, but so has the number of bills passed by Congress. C. The number of vetoes has generally decreased since 1945, but the number of bills passed by Congress has increased. D. The number of vetoes has generally increased since 1945, but so has the number of bills passed by Congress.

B

the interstate commerce commission and the federal reserve board are examplesb A. dependent presidential boards B. independent regulatory agencies C. government corporations D. cabinet departments E. independent executive agencies

B

A President attempting to influence Congress to pass a legislative program might employ all of the following strategies EXCEPT A. using the media to draw attention to the legislative program B. assigning legislative liaisons in the Executive Office of the President to lobby legislators C. denying campaign reelection funds to legislators who oppose the President's policy stand D. exploiting a partisan majority for the President's party in both the House and Senate E. reminding legislators of high popularity ratings for the President in public opinion polls

C

A president will usually have the most legislative success when A. he has persuasive powers with Congress and the public B. he presides over good foreign relations C. his party controls both houses of Congress D. he has strong staff support

C

All of the following are formal or informal sources of presidential power EXCEPT A. presidential access to the media B. public support C. presidential authority to raise revenue

C

All of the following have contributed to an increase in presidential power in the post-1945 era EXCEPT A. economic and domestic problems such as inflation, unemployment, and civil rights issues B. an increase in public expectations for services from the federal government C. legislation granting the President the power to impound funds appropriated by Congress D. increasing United States involvement in international affairs

C

In trying to influence legislation, the President is generally more successful than congressional leaders in A. using the legislative schedule to political advantage B. satisfying interest group demands for access to the policy process C. using the media to set the policy agenda

C

The President's veto power is accurately described by which of the following statements? i. A President sometimes threatens to veto a bill that is under discussion in order to influence congressional decision-making. ii. A President typically vetoes about a third of the bills passed by Congress. iii. Congress is usually unable to override a President's veto. A. I only B. III only C. I and III only D. II and III only E. I, II, and III

C

The constitutional powers of the president include all of the following EXCEPT A. acting as head of military B. vetoing legislation C. declaring war D. granting pardons E. appointing ambassadors

C

The president can do which of the following without seeking consent from either the House or the Senate? A. ratify a treaty B. appoint ambassadors C. deploy troops D. declare war

C

To be sure, the President's control over foreign affairs had been growing since the Theodore Roosevelt administration [1901-1909]. . . . [President Roosevelt's] acquisition of the Panama Canal Zone preceded Woodrow Wilson's decision to enter World War I, which was a prelude to Franklin Delano Roosevelt's management of the run-up to the victorious American effort in World War II. In the 1950s, Harry S. Truman's response to the Soviet threat included the decision to fight in Korea without a Congressional declaration of war, and Dwight Eisenhower used the Central Intelligence Agency and brinkmanship to contain Communism. Nineteenth-century presidents had had to contend with Congressional influences in foreign affairs, and particularly with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. But by the early 1960s, the president had become the undisputed architect of U.S. foreign policy. One reason for this was the emergence of the United States as a great power with global obligations. Neither Wilson nor FDR could have imagined taking the country to war without a Congressional declaration, but the exigencies of the cold war in the 1950s heightened the country's reliance on the president to defend its interests. Truman could enter the Korean conflict without having to seek Congressional approval simply by describing the deployment of U.S. troops as a police action taken in conjunction with the United Nations. Robert Dallek, "Power and the Presidency, From Kennedy to Obama," Smithsonian magazine, January 2011 Which of the following explains why the author believes presidential power has expanded? A. Congress has passed legislation requesting that the president take on a stronger leadership role in foreign affairs. B. The media has influenced public opinion to support the president's unrestrained control of foreign policy. C. The United States has emerged as a global power, which has enhanced the power of the president in foreign affairs. D. The chief executive's role as defender of freedom and democracy has promoted support for a more active presidency.

C

Which of the following accurately compares the formal and informal powers of the president? A. Formal Power- Vetoing legislation to prevent a bill from becoming law; informal power- Using a pocket veto to prevent a bill from becoming law B. Formal Power- Using the bully pulpit to influence public opinion; informal power- Appointing ambassadors and receiving diplomats from other nations C. Formal Power- Acting as commander in chief of the military; informal power-Signing executive agreements with foreign nations D. Formal Power- Using the power of the purse to support government programs; informal power- Using signing statements to shape legislation

C

Which of the following best illustrates the point being made in the cartoon above? A. The influence of presidents on the Supreme Court is limited because the Senate often rejects their nominees. B. The terms of Supreme Court justices should be reduced from their current forty years. C. Presidents can have an influence on public policy far beyond their terms of office. D. The opinions of Supreme Court justices remain very similar over long periods of time. E. Supreme Court justices seldom issue dissenting opinions.

C

Which of the following is an example of presidential use of informal powers? A. President Ronald Reagan nominating Sandra Day O'Connor to the United States Supreme Court B. President John F. Kennedy negotiating the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty with the Soviet Union C. President Bill Clinton advocating for public policy reform on his Health Security Express bus D. President George W. Bush deploying United States troops to Iraq E. President Barack Obama delivering the State of the Union address to Congress

C

Which of the following statements reflects a pattern in the line graph? A. Eisenhower had the lowest approval ratings of any president in the graph. B. Most presidents begin their term with approval ratings lower than 50%. C. Most presidents exit office with lower approval ratings than when they entered office.

C

Which of the following trends is best supported by the information in the table? A. The number of treaties has increased over time. B. The number of treaties has decreased over time. C. The number of executive agreements has increased over time. D. The number of executive agreements has decreased over time.

C

when independent regulatory agencies make rules, enforce those rules and adjudicate disputes arising under this rules, they risk violating the constitutional concept of A. equal protect of the laws B. due process of law C. seperation of powers D. federal supremacy E. federalism

C

All of the following statements pertaining to the presidential veto are true EXCEPT: A. Congress overrides fewer than ten percent of presidential vetoes. B. A vetoed bill is often revised and passed in another form. C. Presidents often threaten to veto bills to increase their leverage with Congress. D. A President may veto part of a bill. E. Congress often places provisions the Pr

D

In November 2014, President Obama announced an expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program through an executive order. The policy would protect over 700,000 more children of undocumented immigrants from deportation. Republican members of Congress denounced the order as an abuse of executive power. Previously, members of the House of Representatives had voted to defund the program. This scenario best illustrates which of the following? A. A reluctant bureaucracy can hinder a president's agenda. B. Public opinion can influence how Congress responds to a president. C. Iron triangles form between members of the president's party and opponents in Congress. D. Presidents exert informal powers when their policy agenda conflicts with that of Congress.

D

Powers that grow out of the very existence of government are known as A. explicit powers B. inherent powers C. legislative powers D. enumerated powers E. unknown powers

D

Senate confirmation is required for which of the following presidential appointments? i. Secretary of state ii. White House chief of staff iii. Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) iv. Attorney general A. I only B. II and III only C. II and IV only D. I, III, and IV only E. I, II, III, and IV

D

Shortly after the 2008 election, President Obama appointed outspoken and controversial House member Rahm Emanuel to lead his White House as chief of staff. The selection drew criticism from Republican leaders, including House minority leader John Boehner, who remarked that the selection "is an ironic choice for a president-elect who has promised to change Washington, make politics more civil, and govern from the center." Which of the following explains how Congress could legitimately respond to the appointment? A. The Senate could refuse to confirm the appointment. B. The House of Representatives could filibuster the nomination. C. The Rules Committee could refuse to release the bill that made the appointment. D. Members of Congress could issue statements opposing the appointment but have no formal power to block it.

D

The War Powers Resolution (1973) was designed to A. allow the Joint Chiefs of Staff to advise the President during periods of conflict B. allow Congress to suspend certain civil liberties during times of war C. require a congressional declaration of war before allowing military forces to be used overseas D. assure congressional involvement in decisions committing military forces in hostile situations overseas E. ensure funding for military operations lasting more than 60 days

D

Which of the following is NOT an enumerated power of the president? A. Make treaties with other nations B. Veto legislation C. Nominate ambassadors D. Declare war

D

Which of the following is an example of how the innovation of social media can influence presidential behavior? A. The president holds a press conference to discuss midterm election results. B. The president outlines the administration's legislative agenda in the State of the Union Address. C. The president hosts a White House dinner with a foreign head of state. D. The president announces the nomination of a cabinet secretary on the Internet.

D

Which of the following is true of most federal judges appointed by the president? A. they serve ten year terms B. they serve as long as the appointing president stays in power C. they serve for life on good behavior unless removed by the president D. they serve for life on good behavior unless impeached and convicted by Congress

D

Which of the following statements about trends in presidential approval ratings is supported by information presented in the graph above? A. President Reagan was the most popular President since 1953. B. There is little relationship between military conflicts and presidential approval ratings. C. Presidents have tended to become more popular over time. D. A President's popularity tends to fall during his term in office. E. President Carter suffered the largest drop in popularity of any President since 1953.

D

A President may persuade recalcitrant members of Congress to vote for a particular bill by A. having members who oppose the bill transferred to unpopular committees B. denying campaign funds to members who oppose the bill C. threatening to deny renomination to members who oppose the bill D. threatening to item veto part of a different bill that enjoys bipartisan support in Congress E. making a direct appeal to the public through mass media

E

All of the following have contributed to an increase in presidential power in the post-1945 era EXCEPT A. tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War period B. an increase in public expectations for services from the federal government C. economic and domestic problems such as inflation, unemployment, and civil rights issues D. increasing United States involvement in international affairs E. legislation granting the President the power to impound funds appropriated by Congress

E

All of the following make it difficult for presidents to control the actions of federal agencies EXCEPT A. the civil service system B. issue networks (iron triangles) C. bureaucratic inertia D. bureaucratic noncompliance E. the appointment of cabinet heads

E

All of the following powers are granted to the President by the Constitution EXCEPT A. commissioning officers in the armed forces B. addressing the Congress on the state of the union C. receiving ambassadors D. granting pardons for federal offenses E. forming new cabinet-level departments

E

Compared to the general population, delegates to presidential nomination conventions are A. less interested in politics B. less educated C. financially worse off D. more likely to register as independent E. more ideological

E

Congress adopted the War Powers Resolution to A. give the president additional powers in case of military emergencies B. delineate a clear chain of command in the event of nuclear war C. criticize the president for declaring war without authorization from Congress D. enable the president to commit troops to United Nations peacekeeping forces E. limit the president's authority to commit troops overseas

E

Generally, when is a president more likely to get congressional approval of proposed policies? A. After midterm congressional elections B. In the second term rather than in the first C. When public opinion is sharply divided over policies D. In social policy areas rather than in economic policy areas E. In foreign affairs rather than in domestic affairs

E

Generally, when is a president more likely to get congressional approval of proposed policies? A. after midterm congressional elections B. in the second term rather than in the first C. when public opinion is sharply divided over policies D. in social policy areas rather than in economic policy areas E. in foreign affairs rather than in domestic affairs

E

If Congress adjourns during the ten days the president has to consider a bill passed by both houses of Congress, but which the president has not yet signed, what is the result? A. Line-item veto B. Legislative veto C. Executive veto D. Judicial review E. Pocket veto

E

In which of the following scenarios would a presidential veto most likely be upheld? A. The President has the support of the Supreme Court. B. The President is in a second term, removed from partisan politics. C. The proposed legislation enjoys widespread bipartisan support. D. The proposed legislation was originally adopted by a large majority in both houses of Congress. E. Two-thirds of the representatives and senators are members of the same party as the President.

E

Rules and regulations created by an agency such as the Federal Communications Commission are called A. constitutional law B. statutory law C. common law D. equity law E. administrative law

E

Which of the following statements is supported by the chart above? A. Both Republican Presidents nominated a greater proportion of Latinos to the judiciary than did either Democratic President. B. President Carter made more judicial nominations than President Reagan. C. The percentage of nominees to the judiciary who were minorities was higher for Republican Presidents than for Democratic Presidents. D. The percentage of nominees to the judiciary who were women was higher for Republican Presidents than for Democratic Presidents. E. President Reagan nominated the smallest percentage of women to the judiciary.

E