The presidency

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What are the powers of the presidents?
Propose legislation, submit annual budget, sign legislation, veto legislation, act as chief executive, nominate executive branch officials, nominate judges, act as commander-in-chief, negotiate treaties, pardon felons
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How can a president propose legislation?
State of Union Address, calling a press conference, making an announcement at a public event
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When was the most recent gridlock caused by budget issues?
October 2013
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What is the overall success rate of a presidents veto?
93%
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What was George W. Bush's veto success rate?
64%
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How much of Congress is needed to veto a presidents veto?
2/3 in both houses
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What does 'act as chief executive' mean the president runs?
Executive branch of the federal government
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What were the 2 appointments made by Obama to the Supreme Court?
Sonia Sotomayor (2009), Elena Kagan (2010)
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How is the presidents power of acting as commander in chief limited by Congress?
Power of the purse, power to declare war
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Which treaty did Obama get Congress to ratify in 2010?
Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) - a major nuclear arms control agreement
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Which treaty did Congress not ratify in 1999 under Clinton?
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
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How many pardons did Obama use in his first term?
22
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What is the presidents cabinet?
An advice giving group selected by the president to aid him in decision making. By tradition it is made up of 15 heads of the executive departments
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What are the specific backgrounds that the president's background is likely to include?
Congress members, state governors, city mayors, academics
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When was the last time the Senate rejected a president's cabinet appointee?
1989 - John Tower rejected into George H.W. Bush's cabinet as the head of the Defense Department
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Why does their tend to be a decline in the number of cabinet meetings overtime?
Some functions of the cabinet are no longer applicable, the president has increasing calls on his time - especially when looking for re-election, president tends to become disillusioned with their cabinet officers - believing they are disloyal
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What do cabinet members enable the president to do?
Engender team spirit, look collegial and consultative, give information to all cabinet members, gain information from cabinet members, debate policies, present 'big picture ideas', check legislation going through Congress, see members
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What are cabinet meetings to the cabinet members?
Get-to-know-you sessions, sort out inter-departmental disputes, catching up with other members, opportunity to see the president, gain prestige back at their departments
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Why is the cabinets main job not to advise the president?
They have huge departments to run, they are not based in the White House, they have loyalties other than those to the president
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Who else must the cabinet members listen to?
Congress (determine their budget), their own departmental bureaucracy, interest groups
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Why is cabinet considered not important?
All executive power vested in the president, no doctrine of collective responsibility, the president is not first among equals just first, cabinet officers are not his political rivals, divided loyalty, president has EXOP
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What is the Executive Office of the President (EXOP)?
Consists of the top staff agencies in the White House that give the president help and advice
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When was EXOP created?
1939
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Why did the president 'need help' in running the federal government?
Huge increase in the size and scale of the federal government caused by the 19th century westward expansion and industrialisation, New Deal after the depression, USA now a world power
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What is a honest broker?
An impartial advisor
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What is a passion for anonymity?
A desire to remain in the background
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When was the National Security Advisor (NSA) created?
1947
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Why was the NSA created?
To help the president coordinate foreign and defence policy
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Who had his last two years as president with an opposition in Congress?
George W. Bush
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Who had both houses of Congress but still failed to pass his healthcare reform?
Bill Clinton
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Who can the president use to persuade people?
VP (presiding officer in Congress), his own Office of Legislative Affairs (work as full time lobbyists for the president in Congress, cabinet officers, party leaders in Congress
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How can the president persuade through perks?
make phone calls, offer help with legislation, offer help with federal executive/judicial appointments, invite members to the White House, go to Capitol Hill, offer to campaign for members of his own party
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What is a presidential support score?
Annual statistic that measures how often the president won in roll-call votes in the House and Senate in which he took a clear position
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What was Obama's score in 2009?
96.7%
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What was George W.Bush's score in 2007?
38%
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Why is the presidential score limited in usefulness?
The score does not measure the importance of the vote, can avoid low scores by not taking positions on votes, does not count bills that fail even to come to a vote of either house (Clinton Healthcare bill in 1994)
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How does partisanship effect presidents in Congress?
Compromise is difficult, gridlock is more likely
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In 1990 what percentage of the Republicans and Democrats voted for Reagan?
R - 86% D - 26%
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In 2012 what percentage of Democrats and Republicans voted for Obama?
D - 92% R - 6%
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In 2012 what percentage of of Democrats and Republicans approved of Obama's job
D - 86% R - 10%
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In 1978 what percentage of Democrats and Republicans approved of Carter's job?
D - 57% R - 28%
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What has happened to the White House staff due to partisanship?
Staff are no longer neutral and anonymous
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What does the Constitution say about the president and foreign policy?
Acts as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, negotiates treaties, appoints staff like ambassadors
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What does the Constitutions say about Congress and the foreign policy?
Declare war, controls the purse strings, ratifies treaties (Senate), confirm appointments (Senate)
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What 2 further powers has the president obtained?
He can negotiate and sign executive agreements with foreign powers, they can set the tone of foreign policy with major speeches
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What is imperial presidency?
A term used to refer to a presidency characterised by the misuse and abuse of power and high-handedness in dealing with Congress
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Evidence of a imperial presidency?
Increased use of war-making powers, excessive secrecy, high-handedness in dealing with Congress, illegal activity, the failure of the traditional checks and balances to work effectively
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Evidence against imperial presidency?
Johnson (63-69) was forced not to stand for re-election in 68, Nixon forced to resign in 74, checks and balances, late 70s talk of a weak presidency
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What limits presidential power?
Public opinion (Clinton survived because of it), pressure groups, the media, the federal bureaucracy, federalism
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What enhances presidential powers?
Size of the mandate at the last election, first rather than second term (2nd term lame ducks), previous Washington experience, oratorical skills, competent senior White House staff, crises
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

How can a president propose legislation?

Back

State of Union Address, calling a press conference, making an announcement at a public event

Card 3

Front

When was the most recent gridlock caused by budget issues?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is the overall success rate of a presidents veto?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What was George W. Bush's veto success rate?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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