American Government, Ch 12 The President

How have the methods presidents use to negotiate with their party and the opposition changed over time?

At one point, presidents were able to use patronage to empower their supporters. But as reforms took this option away, presidents had to look for others. Using the bully pulpit is one. Various rewards, mostly symbolic, that a president can give opponents and allies are others.

What are the opportunities and limitations for presidential leadership in the contemporary political system?

Because the United States has expanded in size and influence, with diverse problems and a complex economy, there are now both more opportunities and a greater need for presidential leadership than there were before the mid-twentieth century. International concerns such as terrorism have also increased leadership opportunities for the president as commander-in-chief and the government official whose job it is to receive foreign heads of state and negotiate treaties. Growth in the size and number of federal agencies has also increased the president's role. Presidential leadership is still limited, however, by the necessity to seek the consent of the Senate when appointing diplomats and signing treaties, and by Congress's having the power to declare war and to allocate money for national defense. Congress also still has the power to impeach the president.

What factors contributed to the growth of presidential power in the twentieth century?

- Growth size of Government. - More interconnected world contribute. * great depression was a domestic contributed to this trend.

In what ways have first ladies expanded the role of their office over the twentieth century?

First ladies like Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford, and Hillary Clinton took on personal projects related to important public policy issues and occasionally fulfilled important official functions.

Which of the following is a way George Washington expanded the power of the presidency?

He refused to run again after serving two times.

How did presidents who served in the decades directly after Washington expand the powers of the presidency?

John Adams: Expanded the war power. Thomas Jefferson: Negotiated the purchase of Louisiana from France. James Monroe: Take direct control of foreign policymaking.

The people who make up the modern president's cabinet are the heads of the major federal departments and ________.

Must be confirmed by the senate.

A very challenging job for new presidents is to ______.

Nominate and gain confirmation for their cabinet and hundreds of other officials.

President Theodore Roosevelt's concept of the bully pulpit was the office's ________.

Premier position to pressure through public appeal.

What strategies can presidents employ to win people over to their way of thinking?

Presidents can use road trips across the country, major speeches, and rewards to people in their camp. Historically, however, these techniques have only rarely been successful. What works best is for a president find a popular position to get out in front of.

How were presidents in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries likely to reach the public? Were these methods effective?

Presidents of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries might make speeches or publish letters in newspapers across the country. These methods may have been effective in their day, but not in comparison to the ability of modern presidents with television, radio, and the Internet at their disposal.

How do presidents work to fulfill their campaign promises once in office?

Prete strategies to get the job done.sident must set priorities, chose what to emphasize, and formula

Which of the following is an unintended consequence of the rise of the primary and caucus system?

Sometimes candidates unpopular with the party leadership reach the top.

The passage of the Tenure of Office Act of 1867 was just one instance in a long line of ________.

Struggles for power between the President and the Congress.

How have presidents used their position to increase the power of the office?

The major ways in which presidents since George Washington have increased their power is through the use of presidential war powers, executive orders and signing statements, executive privilege, and executive agreements. War powers allow presidents to send troops into the field without a declaration of war by Congress if national security requires it or a national emergency is at hand. Many presidents, including Abraham Lincoln as well as recent presidents, have used these powers. Executive orders issued by presidents direct federal agencies to act in certain ways and have the power of laws, which allows them to bypass the law-making authority of Congress. Presidents' use of signing statements allows them to interpret laws passed by Congress and give direction regarding their enforcement. Presidents have increased their use of executive privilege, which allows them to withhold information from the public and from the other branches of government, and they may also make executive agreements when negotiating on the international stage. Finally, presidents also now have a greater role in creating and managing the federal budget.

Which of the following is an example of an executive agreement?

The president issues recommendations to the Department of Justice on what the meaning of a new criminal statute is.

How did the election of 1824 change the way presidents were selected?

The selection of the candidate with fewer electoral voters triggered the rise of party controll over nominations.

What problems exist with the Electoral College?

There are many problems with the Electoral College. First, small states are over-represented in the Electoral College. Second, the state by state set-up of the college, in the modern era, leads to states that are safe wins for one party, leaving a handful of states that get all the attention. Finally, its outcomes can differ from the outcome of actual citizen voting (also known as the national popular vote.

Many at the Continental Congress were skeptical of allowing presidents to be directly elected by the legislature because ________.

They feared the opportunities created for corruption.

What role has technology played increasing the power and reach of presidents?

Through the use of advanced methods of transportation, such as airplanes like Air Force One, and of communication, such as radio, television, and the Internet, presidents have been better able to reach out to the people. Everyone can now see and hear the president, and the president can communicate with people throughout the country and the world. By speaking directly to the people, especially on television, presidents can rally support for their policies and perhaps encourage people to pressure their Congressional representatives to vote the way the president wishes.