Political Science Ch 12

Which of the following statements about the powers of the presidency under the Constitution is true? A. The language of the Constitution is quite vague about the powers the president has and does not have and allows for the expansion of presidential power without Constitutional amendment. B. The Constitution provides for an expansive federal bureaucracy to handle the implementation of laws passed by Congress and signed by the president. C. The enumerated powers of the presidency are counterbalanced under the Constitution by enumerated restrictions on presidential action, such as recognizing foreign nations. D. The Constitution defines the president as the commander in chief of U.S. military forces with the sole power to declare war.

A

Which organization advises the president on how much the administration should propose to spend for each government program and where the money will come from? A. Office of Management and Budget B. The Federal Reserve C. Council of Economic Advisers D. Executive Office of the President

A

Treaty

A formal international agreement between two or more countries; in the United States, requires the "advice and consent" of the Senate

Executive office of the President

A group of organizations that advise the president on a wide range of issues; includes, among others, the Office of Management and Budget, the National Security Council, and the Council of Economic Advisers

Executive order

A rule or regulation issued by the president that has the force of law, based either on the constitutional powers of the presidency as chief executive or commander in chief or on congressional statutes

Chief of staff

A top adviser to the president who also manages the White House staff

National security adviser

A top foreign policy and defense adviser to the president who heads the National Security Council

Constitutionally, the U.S. government is set up such that _________________.

All constitutional powers are shared

What federal government officials will be on the ballot every two years/

All members of the House of Representatives and one-third of the senators

Executive agreement

An agreement with another country signed by the president that has the force of law, like a treaty; does not require Senate approval; originally used for minor technical matters, now an important tool of presidential power in foreign affairs

Council of Economic Advisers

An organization in the Executive Office of the President mad up of a small group of economists who advise on economic policy

National Security Council

An organization in the Executive Office of the President made up of officials from the State and Defense Departments, the CIA and the military, who advise on foreign and security affairs

Intelligence Advisory Board

An organization in the Executive Office of the President that provides information and assessments to the president's director of national intelligence and to the president directly

Office of Management and Budget

An organization within the Executive Office of the President that advises on the federal budget, domestic legislation, and regulations

State of the Union

Annual report to the nation by the president, now delivered before joint session of Congress, on the state of the nation and his legislative proposals for addressing national problems

Which of the following statements about vetoes is false? A. A veto can only be overridden by two-thirds of both chambers of Congress B. If a president issues a veto, ti is rarely overridden C. Recent presidents like Clinton, Bush, and Obama have issued more vetoes than all other presidents combined. D. Vetoes are more likely to be used under divided government

C

Who has the power to declare war?

Congress

Unitary executive

Constitutional doctrine that proposes that the executive branch is under the direct control of the president, who has all authority necessary to control the actions of federal bureaucracy personnel and units without interference from the other federal branches

Divided government

Control of the executive and the legislative branches by different political parties

Which of the following actions would most likely conform to the Founders' expectations about the proper role of the president? A. The president delivering a public State of the Union address explaining the legislative agenda of the president. B. The president refusing to implement policies deemed unconstitutional. C. The president traveling across the U.S and to other countries as a symbol of the U.S and as the leader of a political party. D. The president executing policy passed by Congress without the use of signing statements or without raising questions about the law's constitutionality

D

Which of the following statements about the president's cabinet is false? A. Presidents generally do not rely on the cabinet as a decision-making body. B. Most recent presidents have convened their cabinet infrequently and have done serious business with it only rarely C. All presidents since George Washington have had a cabinet D. The president must, constitutionally, appoint a cabinet but need not take their advice or meet with the cabinet members.

D

When did the era of largely "dormant" presidencies end?

During the early 1900s when the U.S. started to take a more active role in foreign policy

The most important factor in determining the success or failure of a presidential legislative agenda is _______________.

If the president's party controls both chambers of Congress

With few exceptions, most presidents tend to ____________-.

Lose popularity as time passes

What is the main function of the chief of state?

Performing ceremonial duties like attending funerals of important people

What position is the chief executive in the U.S?

President

The term used to describe the percentage of Americans who believe the president is doing a good job is ________________.

Presidential job approval

Can you identify the many roles presidents play?

Presidents play many roles, including that of chief of state, chief executive, domestic policy making leader, foreign policy and military leader, and head of their political party. Some of the president's roles are formally inscribed in the Constitution, but others have evolved through precedent, public expectations, and congressional actions.

What event prompted President George W. Bush to embark on a massive expansion of presidential power?

The 9/11 terrorist attacks

Can you trace the expansion of presidential responsibilities and power?

The American presidency began small but in the twentieth century presidential powers and resources expanded. The presidency attained much of its modern shape during Franklin Roosevelt's presidency. The president is also the chief executive, commander in chief, and chief diplomat. Responsibilities come from constitution and the people.

The requirement that the president submit an annual federal government budget to Congress for its consideration si authorized by ___________.

The Budget Act of 1921

The top adviser to the president is _____________.

The chief of staff

The term for the permanent bureaucracy associated with the presidency is __________.

The institutional presidency

Habeas Corpus

The legal doctrine that a person who is arrested must have a timely hearing before a judge

Presidential job approval

The percentage of Americans who believe the president is doing a good job

Institutional presidency

The permanent bureaucracy associated with the presidency, designed to help the incumbent of the office carry out his responsibilities

Can you assess how democratic the presidency is and whether presidents respond to the public?

The presidency has become a far more democratic office than the framers envisioned: the people play a more important role in the election of the president, and research shows that presidents listen to public opinion and respond to it most of the time.

Divided government requires__________________.

The presidency to be controlled by one political party and at least on house of Congress to be controlled by the opposing party

Describe what the Founders thought about the relationship between the president and the people.

The president should be relatively distant from the people, interacting with Congress often but with the people only rarely

The annual report to Congress and the nation by the president is known as ___________.

The state of the Union

Can you analyze the conflict between presidents and Congress?

The tug-of-war between president and Congress is designed in our government. The president is the only nationally elected office. Representatives and senators are elected a times when president is not a candidate. Conflict is exacerbated when there is divided government and high levels of partisanship.

This amendment fixed the problem with the original Constitution whereby the person with the second most electoral votes would become vice president.

Twelfth Amendment

When did the most significant expansion of presidential function occur?

Under Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal and during mobilization of the country for WWII

Can you outline the functions filled by the president's many advisers and helpers?

White House staff members are numerous and do such things as advise the president on domestic and national security policies, maintain relationships with Congress, convey the president's views to the media and the public, and help fashion legislation. The main agencies in the Executive Office of the President advise and help the president carry out policies regarding the economy, the federal budget, and national security.