American Government Chapter 12
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.
What problems exist with the Electoral College?
First, small states are over-represented. Second, the state by state set-up of the college, in 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)
Which of the following is a way George Washington expanded the power of the presidency?
He appointed the heads of various federal departments as his own advisors.
Which of the following is an example of an executive agreement?
The president signs legally binding nuclear arms terms with Iran without seeking congressional approval.
How did the election of 1824 change the way presidents were selected?
The selection of the candidate with fewer electoral votes triggered the rise of party control over nominations.
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.
How did presidents who served in the decades directly after Washington expand the powers of the presidency?
John Adams expanded the war powers by waging undeclared war, Thomas Jefferson negotiated the purchase of Louisiana from France, and James Monroe took direct control of foreign policy making when he issued the Monroe Doctrine.
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?
President 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 used to make speeches and publish letters in newspapers. Modern presidents have tv, radio, and the internet at their disposal.
How have the methods presidents use to negotiate with their party and the opposition changed over time?
Presidents used to use patronage to empower their supporters. Reforms took this option away, so now president use other options. The bully pulpit is one. Various rewards, mostly symbolic, that a president can give opponents and allies are others.
How do presidents work to fulfill their campaign promises once in office?
Set strategies to get the job done. Set priorities. Choose what to emphasize.
What factor contributed to the growth of presidential power in the twentieth century?
Size of the government, more interconnected world to contribute, and the Great Depression was a domestic contribution.
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.
