Executive Branch Test

Role of VP in the executive branch

-balance the ticket -duties are determined and assigned by the president -constitutional duties: --presides over the senate, breaks a tie --succeed the president

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the expressed powers of the president and the powers of Congress? Presidential powers --> Congressional powers A. Appointing ambassadors --> Interpreting the Constitution B. Negotiating treaties -->Ratifying treaties C. Issuing signing statements --> Levying taxes D. Pardoning impeached officials --> Impeaching officials

B. Negotiating treaties -->Ratifying treaties

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the expressed powers of the president and the powers of Congress? Presidential powers --> Congressional powers A. Nominating ambassadors --> Issuing signing statements B. Presenting the State of the Union --> Impeaching officials C. Issuing executive orders --> Levying taxes D. Enforcing laws --> Interpreting the Constitution

B. Presenting the State of the Union --> Impeaching officials

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the expressed powers of the president and the powers of Congress? Presidential powers --> Congressional powers A. Nominating ambassadors --> Issuing signing statements B. Presenting the State of the Union --> Impeaching officials C. Issuing executive orders --> Levying taxes D. Enforcing laws -->Interpreting the Constitution

B. Presenting the State of the Union --> Impeaching officials

Appointments to the White House staff are often uncontested for which of the following reasons? A. These appointments work primarily for the legislative branch B.These appointments do not require Senate confirmation C. These appointments are nominated by the Speaker of the House D. These appointments are only filled by former members of Congress

B.These appointments do not require Senate confirmation

Amendment 25

Presidential disability and succession.

Informal Powers of the President

-Agenda setting -Access to the media/bully pulpit/morale building -Executive Agreements -Meet with world leaders at global summits -Access to more information, knowledge, and expertise -Crisis manager -International coalition building

Informal Powers of Congress

-Oversight, investigations, watchdog committees -Provide advice to the President about military matters -Descriptive representation

Amendment 23

3 electoral votes for DC

Presidential Power 1/5

Executive: -responsible for carrying out laws (agencies) -appoint people to executive agencies/offices

Senate Judiciary Committee

Holds confirmation hearings for the nominations for federal judges by the president. Simple majority with no filibuster.

Amendment 22

President can only serve two terms, 10 years.

Referendum

a general vote by the electorate on a single political question that has been referred to them for a direct decision

What president has the most power?

The most recent because of inherent powers

Presidents Cabinet

department heads, advisors to the president

White House Staff

president appoints them without congress approval

Bully Pulpit

presidents platform that he talks to the world through

Formal Powers of Congress

-Declare war -Confirm Ambassadors -Ratify treaties -Regulate foreign commerce and foreign trade agreements -Provide/maintain and army/navy -Pass legislation dealing with foreign policy matters/issues -Power of the Purse in military/foreign policy matters

Formal Presidential Powers

-chief executive -commander in chief -convene congress -veto legislation -make appointments -make treaties -grant pardons -receive foreign ambassadors & other public ministers -Recognition of foreign states/countries

A signing statement is best defined as which of the following? A. A released letter explaining how the president's administration plans to interpret the law B. A presidential order to the executive branch that carries the force of law C. A president's power to reject a law passed by Congress D. An international agreement between the president and another country that does not require the consent of the Senate

A. A released letter explaining how the president's administration plans to interpret the law

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the president's formal and informal powers? Formal power --> Informal powers A. Nominating federal judges -->Issuing executive orders B. Negotiating executive agreements --> Granting pardons C. Making treaties -->Vetoing legislation D. Creating a budget -->Issuing signing statements

A. Nominating federal judges -->Issuing executive orders

"In addition to educating the country, [President Barack Obama's] goal is to frame the political debate and set an agenda that the next Democratic presidential nominee can run on next year—an agenda that Obama hopes will put opposition Republicans at a big disadvantage. Obama has been getting lots of attention for bypassing the Republican-controlled Congress and using his unilateral powers, such as executive orders, to get his way. But his power to persuade is another vital weapon in the president's arsenal, since he can command media and public attention almost whenever he wants." -Kenneth T. Walsh, U.S. News & World Report, 2015 The strategy described in the passage above is an example of which of the following? A. The bully pulpit B. Checks and balances C. Formal powers D. Cloture

A. The bully pulpit

"In addition to educating the country, [President Barack Obama's] goal is to frame the political debate and set an agenda that the next Democratic presidential nominee can run on next year—an agenda that Obama hopes will put opposition Republicans at a big disadvantage. Obama has been getting lots of attention for bypassing the Republican-controlled Congress and using his unilateral powers, such as executive orders, to get his way. But his power to persuade is another vital weapon in the president's arsenal, since he can command media and public attention almost whenever he wants." -Kenneth T. Walsh, U.S. News & World Report, 2015 Which of the following statements best summarizes the author's argument? A. The president's ability to command media attention gives him an advantage in shaping the national policy agenda B. The president's popularity depends upon his ability to craft a charismatic persona in national media appearances C. The president is exceeding his constitutional authority by bypassing Congress and appealing directly to the public D. Media appearances are an ineffective way to educate the country about important policy debates

A. The president's ability to command media attention gives him an advantage in shaping the national policy agenda

Obama tweets "Nearly 1 out of 3 American families struggle to afford diapers. We're working with the private sector to help fix this." and attaches a diaper ad. Which of the following explains how President Obama is using social media to affect policy in the example above? A. To inform American citizens of his policy goals The tweet publicizes the president's policy goal "to make diapers more accessible and affordable for everyone," and explains that his administration is working with the private sector to achieve this. B. To persuade the American public to buy more diapers The tweet does not encourage anyone to buy more diapers; it publicizes a policy goal of reducing the cost of diapers for low-income families. C. To appeal to the public for reelection The tweet does not reference reelection or supporting any campaign. It is dated March 11, 2016, close to the end of President Obama's second term, so he was not running for reelection. D. to discourage the American public from supporting congressional policy goals The tweet does not advocate against congressional policy goals, but rather seeks to inform American citizens of the president's policy goals.

A. To inform American citizens of his policy goals The tweet publicizes the president's policy goal "to make diapers more accessible and affordable for everyone," and explains that his administration is working with the private sector to achieve this.

Use the passage below to answer the following question. "That unity is conducive to energy will not be disputed. Decision, activity, secrecy, and despatch will generally characterize the proceedings of one man in a much more eminent degree than the proceedings of any greater number; and in proportion as the number is increased, these qualities will be diminished . . ." -Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 70, "The Executive Department Further Considered," 1788 Which of the following statements best summarizes Hamilton's argument? A.One person should run the executive branch because they will be able to act swiftly, decisively, and discreetly, which is necessary for the presidency B. One person should run the executive branch because it will be too complicated for Congress if they have to negotiate with multiple people C. Three people should run the executive branch because it is too much power for one person to hold D. Three people should run the executive branch because its power to negotiate treaties with other countries should be distributed to multiple people

A.One person should run the executive branch because they will be able to act swiftly, decisively, and discreetly, which is necessary for the presidency

Use the excerpt to answer the question below. "The defeat of Robert Bork's 1987 Supreme Court nomination was a watershed event that unleashed what Stephen Carter has called 'the confirmation mess.' There was no question that Bork was a highly qualified nominee. He was rejected not because of any lack of qualification, or any impropriety, but because of his stated judicial philosophy: how he would vote as a judge." -John Maltese, "Anatomy of a Confirmation Mess: Recent Trends in the Federal Judicial Selection Process," 2004 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? A. Judicial nominations are rarely challenged because the positions are usually filled with people who do not have any political leanings B. Judicial nominations can be contentious because of the lasting influence the people in those positions have after a president's term C. Judicial nominations are contentious only if the sitting president and the majority of the Senate are of the same party D. Judicial nominations have become more contentious because they reflect how little influence political philosophy has over the confirmation process

B. Judicial nominations can be contentious because of the lasting influence the people in those positions have after a president's term

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the expressed powers of the president and the powers of Congress? Presidential powers --> Congressional powers A. Issuing executive orders -->Reviewing lower-court decisions B. Confirming presidential appointments -->Creating federal laws C. Nominating ambassadors --> Declaring war D. Ratifying treaties --> Negotiating treaties

C. Nominating ambassadors --> Declaring war

"The defeat of Robert Bork's 1987 Supreme Court nomination was a watershed event that unleashed what Stephen Carter has called 'the confirmation mess.' There was no question that Bork was a highly qualified nominee. He was rejected not because of any lack of qualification, or any impropriety, but because of his stated judicial philosophy: how he would vote as a judge." -John Maltese, "Anatomy of a Confirmation Mess: Recent Trends in the Federal Judicial Selection Process," 2004 Which of the following statements best summarizes the author's argument? A. Robert Bork failed confirmation as a Supreme Court justice because he was an ethnic-racial minority appointee B. Robert Bork failed confirmation as a Supreme Court justice because of several scandals during his nomination process C. Robert Bork failed confirmation as a Supreme Court justice because some Senators were concerned about the impact he would have on the Court D. Robert Bork was successfully confirmed as a Supreme Court justice despite facing criticism for his ideological leanings

C. Robert Bork failed confirmation as a Supreme Court justice because some Senators were concerned about the impact he would have on the Court

"Amid this much-changed communication landscape, the lingering question of whether the untapped wisdom of the public should be harnessed in governmental decisions suddenly commanded a fresh look, as social media increased the capability of governments worldwide to more fully involve ordinary citizens in policymaking." -M. Barris, A. Jain, and J. Katz, The Social Media President: Barack Obama and the Politics of Political Engagement, 2013 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the authors most likely agree with? A. Social media has changed the president's relationship to Congress by involving more members of Congress in policy making decisions B. Social media has changed the president's relationship to the national constituency by involving fewer citizens in policy making decisions C. Social media has changed the president's relationship with the national constituency by involving more citizens in policy making decisions D. Social media has had no effect on the president's relationship to the national constituency or Congress

C. Social media has changed the president's relationship with the national constituency by involving more citizens in policy making decisions

Percent watching or listening to Bush post-9/11 speech on terrorism Age Percentage (%) 18-34 67 35-39 82 60+ 86 Source: ABC/Washington Post poll, September 20, 2001 Which of the following statements is reflected in the data in the table above? A. People aged 60 or over are less likely than those under 60 to use broadcast media to watch or listen to a president's response to a political issue B. Presidents today are less likely to use modern technology such as broadcast media to respond to political issues because few American citizens watch or listen C. Technology such as broadcast media gives the president an avenue to rapidly respond to a majority of American citizens about political issues D. People under the age of 35 are more likely than those 35 or over to use broadcast media to watch or listen to a president's response to a political issue

C. Technology such as broadcast media gives the president an avenue to rapidly respond to a majority of American citizens about political issues

"Energy in the Executive is a leading character in the definition of good government. It is essential to the protection of the community against foreign attacks; it is not less essential to the steady administration of the laws; to the protection of property against those irregular and high-handed combinations which sometimes interrupt the ordinary course of justice; to the security of liberty against the enterprises and assaults of ambition, of faction, and of anarchy . . ." -Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 70, "The Executive Department Further Considered," 1788 Which of the following is a consequence of the ideas set forth by the author of this passage? A. The Congressional power to impeach a president for high crimes and misdemeanors B. The requirement that the president will periodically give information to Congress on the state of the Union C. The establishment of the president as Commander in Chief of the military D. The requirement that the president be at least 35 years old

C. The establishment of the president as Commander in Chief of the military

Which of the following scenarios is an example of the president using the bully pulpit approach to achieve policy goals? A. The president publishes a memoir after leaving office, detailing her decisions on major events that happened while she was in office B. The president meets with senators from the opposing party to encourage them to support a piece of legislation that would increase funding of the arts. C. The president appeals to the American public to contact their representatives and urge them to support increased military spending D. The president appears on television to debate a presidential nominee on his record of policy accomplishments while in office

C. The president appeals to the American public to contact their representatives and urge them to support increased military spending

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the president's formal and informal powers? 1st Formal powers 2nd Informal powers A. Setting the agenda for Congress --> Granting pardons B. Declaring war --> Delivering the State of the Union address C. Vetoing legislation --> Issuing executive orders D. Acting as Commander in Chief --> Appointing Supreme Court justices

C. Vetoing legislation --> Issuing executive orders

In which of the following scenarios is the president most likely to use an executive order to make important policy? A. The president's party controls Congress When the president's party controls Congress, legislation the president proposes is likely to pass, so an executive order for non-military purposes is unlikely. B. The vice president does not support the policy The support of the vice president does not affect the president's decision to use an executive order. C. The Supreme Court is not in session Whether the Supreme Court is in session does not affect the president's decision to use an executive order. D. Congress cannot reach a compromise The president may use an executive order to effect change in situations when Congress cannot act.

D. Congress cannot reach a compromise The president may use an executive order to effect change in situations when Congress cannot act.

On the last day of its session, Congress passes a law that the president strongly opposes. Which of the following may the president do to limit the power of Congress? A. Declare the law unconstitutional, thereby killing it B. Persuade members of Congress to vote against the law C. Refuse to allocate tax money to fund the law D. Neither sign nor veto the bill, allowing it to die

D. Neither sign nor veto the bill, allowing it to die

Presidential Power 2/5

Diplomatic: -recognize and receive foreign government -formal treaties (2/3 senate approval) -Executive agreements (used in foreign policy and does not need senate approval)

What describes a consideration presidents face when deciding whether or not to issue a veto?

If the opposing party has a supermajority in Congress, they can vote to override the veto --Two-thirds of Congress can override a veto. If the opposing party has a supermajority that means they meet that two-thirds requirement.

Presidential Power 5/5

Judicial Powers: -grant pardons except for those who are impeached (federal law only)(full pardons)(Commutation, a form of clemency: may shorten sentence, but doesn't restore rights)

Presidential Power 4/5

Legislative Powers: -designated survivor -first address is not technically considered state of the union, it is sometimes called "administration goals" speech -proposes budget with help of office managers -continuing resolution: president and congress have not passed a budget for many years

Presidential Power 3/5

Military: -commander-in-chief -congress declares war -ability to wage war vs. declaration of war -congress passed a joint resolution in 2002 in which the president can use the military "When he feels necessary and appropriate"

President Bellingham's administration wants to limit the development of chemical weapons in key nations in the Middle East, but Congress is unlikely to back a formal treaty. Which of the following is an action the president may take to accomplish their policy agenda?

Negotiate an executive agreement with the heads of the Middle Eastern governments --The president has the informal power to negotiate executive agreements with the heads of other governments. Executive agreements do not require Senate ratification.

Executive Orders

Not specifically granted by the constitution, but implied. An order issued by the president without the support of congress. Allows president to act quickly. Rarely overturned by congress or the court.

Inherent powers

Presidential power grows when presidents extend the power of the office and/or successfully challenge congress. Future presidents will also receive this power.

What happens when the opposite party controls both houses of congress?

Presidential vetoes increase

"The president may be convinced that a piece of legislation is unwise. But his judgment as to its un-wisdom is not a legal reason for his declining to execute it. (It may be a reason to veto it, and one of the objections to signing statements is that they are vetoes not subject to override.) And the president may have a definite view as to what the legislation means, and that view might include conclusions as to its constitutionality, but his is not the view that counts. He may be the commander in chief, but he is not the interpreter in chief." -Stanley Fish, "Who's Afraid of Presidential Signing Statements?" Source: New York Times What best summarizes Fish's argument?

Signing statements go beyond the president's expressed constitutional powers --Fish writes that the president does not have the power to interpret laws but rather to execute them.

Which of the following scenarios would be considered a constitutional use of executive power?

The president confers diplomatic recognition on the new nation of South Sudan The president receives ambassadors and confers diplomatic recognition on new nations.

In which of the following scenarios is the president most likely to use the veto to limit the power of Congress?

When the opposing party holds a small majority in Congress --Overriding a presidential veto requires a two-thirds majority of Congress, so if the president vetoes legislation it is unlikely that the opposing party will garner enough votes to override the veto.

Amendment 12

distinct ballots for Pres and VP

Presidential Power

grown over time due to reasons like crisis, government and role of media