Deck 11: The Presidency

Question 1

Executive privilege is an absolute power under the Constitution.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

John Quincy Adams issued a doctrine in 1823 stating that America would remain neutral in wars involving European nations and that these nations must cease attempts to colonize or occupy areas in North and South America.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

President George H. W. Bush was the first president to have balanced budgets since the 1960s.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

In order to be reelected to another term, an incumbent president would be advised to maintain an approval rating of 35 percent or higher.

Question 5

Because of powers assigned to the president under Article II of the Constitution, a president is usually able to achieve most of her or his political and policy-making goals.

Question 6

Executive orders are unilateral changes in policy that presidents can issue without consulting Congress.

Question 7

Going public is not usually successful.

Question 8

The Executive Office of the President oversees the entire federal bureaucracy.

Question 9

The Constitution's vesting clause makes the president the head of government.

Question 10

Presidents have gained more influence in politics and policy since the 1920s.

Question 11

A signing statement clarifies the president's interpretation of the law as a precaution in the event that the law is challenged in the courts.

Question 12

Richard Nixon was the first president to claim executive privilege.

Question 13

The last time that Congress issued a declaration of war was during the Vietnam conflict in the mid-1960s.

Question 14

Presidential vetoes are more likely under divided party government.

Question 15

Theodore Roosevelt's actions on conservation and regulation of business and Abraham Lincoln's issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation are a few examples of

A) the limits of presidential power.
B) the increase and expansion of presidential power.
C) how the three branches of government check and balance one another.
D) how public opinion can influence a president's actions.

Question 16

The Constitution establishes lawmaking as a shared power between the president and Congress.

Question 17

Which two presidents were crucial in the formation of the Democratic Party?

A) Thomas Jefferson and James Madison
B) George Washington and John Adams
C) James Knox Polk and John Tyler
D) Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren

Question 18

The most influential Executive Office of the President staff occupy offices in the West Wing of the White House.

Question 19

The Constitution grants the president only limited powers.

Question 20

Presidents act unilaterally in both foreign and domestic policy.

Question 21

The passage of the Clayton Antitrust Act, the Federal Reserve Act, legislation banning child labor, and the first levying of the federal income tax occurred during the presidency of ________.

A) Grover Cleveland
B) Benjamin Harrison
C) Woodrow Wilson
D) Franklin D. Roosevelt

Question 22

The 2011 attack on Osama bin Laden's compound was

A) conducted under the president's power to declare war.
B) carried out with the approval of Congress.
C) carried out without the approval of Congress.
D) in violation of the president's commander-in-chief authority.

Question 23

The vesting clause is important to understand because

A) it prevents the president from abusing power.
B) it gives the president the right to challenge the Supreme Court's interpretation of events.
C) it is a major reason that presidential power is vague and often subject to interpretation.
D) it is a major reason that the parameters of presidential power are widely agreed upon and accepted.

Question 24

Implementation of the law

A) is typically done by the members of Congress.
B) is typically automatic because the laws in question are very specific.
C) is ultimately done by federal judges.
D) requires judgment because laws are often very vague.

Question 25

An example of a president who exercised his power without success was

A) President Lyndon Johnson and his proposal for expanded health care for seniors.
B) President Richard Nixon and his efforts to force the North Vietnamese to end their plans to unify North and South Vietnam.
C) President Bill Clinton and his efforts to balance the federal budget.
D) President Barack Obama and his efforts at national health care reform.

Question 26

Which one of the following is a limit on a president's ability to issue executive orders?

A) Congress can pass a law changing the policy.
B) Congress can hold a special session to review the order and delay it from taking effect.
C) Executive orders expire at the end of the year and must be reissued continuously to remain in effect.
D) Executive orders are always subject to review by the Supreme Court before taking effect.

Question 27

Woodrow Wilson's attempt to get the United States to participate in the League of Nations illustrated

A) the limits of presidential power.
B) the increase and expansion of presidential power.
C) how the three branches of government check and balance one another.
D) how public opinion can influence a president's actions.

Question 28

As ________, the president has authority over the executive branch; as ________, the president acts as the symbolic and political representative of the nation.

A) head of government; head of state
B) head of state; head of government
C) chief executive officer; head of state
D) chief executive officer; head of government

Question 29

When President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, he was exercising his authority ________.

A) to appoint
B) as commander in chief
C) as head of state
D) to interpret and implement the laws

Question 30

Congress has issued ________ declarations of war in U.S. history.

A) 5
B) 93
C) 138
D) 255

Question 31

The purpose of the War Powers Resolution is to

A) encourage the president to seek congressional approval for large-scale military action.
B) increase the president's powers as the commander in chief of the military during times of crisis.
C) provide legal guidelines for the treatment of enemy combatants.
D) increase transparency in the military for the media.

Question 32

As head of the executive branch, the president controls about

A) 1,000 positions, with about 200 requiring Senate confirmation.
B) 8,000 positions, with about 1,200 requiring Senate confirmation.
C) 20,000 positions, with about 2,000 requiring Senate confirmation.
D) 50,000 positions, with about 15,000 requiring Senate confirmation.

Question 33

The president's ________ is derived from the provisions of the Constitution, whereas the president's ________ comes from laws that give the president additional authority.

A) emergency authority; legislative power
B) constitutional authority; executive power
C) constitutional authority; statutory authority
D) statutory authority; discretionary authority

Question 34

Most executive orders are

A) like the Emancipation Proclamation.
B) not very important.
C) not subject to oversight by Congress.
D) not subject to judicial review.

Question 35

Why would a president ask members of Congress to endorse a military action two months after it was launched, even though she or he is the constitutional commander in chief of the armed forces?

A) The Constitution requires that Congress approve any military troops being overseas within two months of deployment.
B) The Supreme Court justices have previously ruled that Congress must have a say in all military actions in order for them to be constitutional.
C) The War Powers Act requires a president to gain congressional approval for the use of force within 90 days.
D) Executive agreements such as sending troops into another country require two-thirds of the Senate to approve.

Question 36

The creation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Medicare, and Medicaid, as well as the passage of voting and civil rights legislation, occurred during the presidency of ________.

A) Franklin D. Roosevelt
B) Harry Truman
C) Lyndon Johnson
D) Richard Nixon

Question 37

Historically, what is true of most nominees for presidential appointments that require Senate approval?

A) They are not approved by the Senate.
B) They are approved without much debate or controversy.
C) They are approved but most often with considerable debate and controversy.
D) They must have a nonpolitical background to be approved by the Senate.

Question 38

What does the vesting clause in the Constitution stipulate?

A) The most powerful branch of government is the executive branch.
B) The president is the head of government and head of state.
C) The president's actions are limited to what is explicitly outlined in the Constitution.
D) The president can dissolve the Congress in the event of a crisis.

Question 39

The War Powers Resolution of 1973

A) has been used to limit presidential authority on several occasions.
B) has been completely ignored by all presidents for almost 50 years.
C) was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court justices.
D) has never been reviewed by the Supreme Court justices.

Question 40

Which one of the following is part of the president's job as head of the executive branch?

A) deciding when to declare war
B) implementing the law
C) using the power to lay and collect taxes
D) regulating trade and commerce with foreign nations

Question 41

Presidential vetoes

A) are typically overridden by Congress.
B) are not typically overridden by Congress.
C) are typically not used by most presidents.
D) rarely occur during periods of divided party government.

Question 42

The president often uses the State of the Union address to

A) recommend policies to Congress.
B) introduce legislation in Congress.
C) reconcile differences with congressional leaders in the opposition party.
D) announce the president's intention of seeking reelection to a second term.

Question 43

The principal qualification for a president's appointees in the Executive Office of the President is

A) loyalty to the president.
B) a strong academic background.
C) length of time knowing the president.
D) previous work experience in an executive position.

Question 44

Which one of the following is part of the president's legislative powers?

A) coining money
B) serving as party leader
C) starting the legislative process by proposing bills
D) vetoing legislation

Question 45

President Donald Trump's 2018 order for National Guard troops to patrol the U.S. border with Mexico was

A) a treaty ratified by the U.S. Senate.
B) an executive agreement.
C) an executive order.
D) negotiated by the Speaker of the House.

Question 46

Which one of the following conditions makes vetoes more likely?

A) when there is divided party government
B) when the economy is failing
C) when the president is popular
D) when the president is running for reelection

Question 47

What is at the center of the debate around executive privilege?

A) a liberal versus a conservative interpretation of Article II of the Constitution
B) the framers' original intent versus the importance of allowing the executive branch to operate more freely to meet modern national security challenges
C) the right of the public to have a transparent government versus the individual rights and civil liberties of those serving in the executive branch
D) the importance of holding the president and his or her staff accountable versus the need for the president and his or her staff to be able to communicate freely

Question 48

When a president contends that his or her discussions, decisions, and documents can be shielded from other branches of government, the president is ________.

A) exercising a right of privacy
B) exercising an executive order
C) claiming executive privilege
D) issuing herself or himself a pardon

Question 49

Which one of the following organizations is part of the Executive Office of the President?

A) Department of Justice
B) Office of Management and Budget
C) the Cabinet
D) Department of Homeland Security

Question 50

The president's personal aide, who coordinates White House staff, is known as the ________.

A) vice president
B) Speaker
C) chief of staff
D) aide-de-camp

Question 51

Presidents can avoid ratification of a treaty by simply announcing that the United States will comply with its requirements. However, this strategy can be disadvantageous in that

A) it limits the ability of the president to enforce the treaty.
B) it requires a congressional resolution to make the treaty politically viable.
C) it is illegal according to earlier rulings by the Supreme Court.
D) a future president may simply ignore it.

Question 52

When President Donald Trump pardoned Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio in 2017, he was

A) acting in a constitutional manner.
B) acting in an unconstitutional manner.
C) utilizing an executive agreement.
D) utilizing an executive order.

Question 53

The amount of time a president spends on foreign policy

A) is up to members of Congress.
B) is not entirely under the president's control.
C) depends on whether it is an election year or not.
D) depends on public opinion at the time.

Question 54

When a president negotiates a deal directly with a foreign government, she or he is creating ________.

A) a free trade agreement
B) fast-track authority
C) an executive order
D) an executive agreement

Question 55

According to the Constitution, what is the vice president's job?

A) to vote on legislation in the Senate throughout the legislative session
B) to ensure the president's policy vision is being implemented
C) to preside over the Senate
D) to attend state functions

Question 56

A president can pardon

A) only a person convicted of a nonviolent offense.
B) only a person convicted of a state crime.
C) any person except someone convicted of treason.
D) any person except someone impeached or convicted by Congress.

Question 57

Which executive branch organization is most directly responsible for helping the president achieve policy initiatives?

A) Executive Office of the President
B) National Security Council
C) the Cabinet
D) Council of Economic Advisers

Question 58

How did the Supreme Court's ruling in United States v. Nixon (1974) affect presidential power?

A) It determined that there is no constitutional basis for executive privilege.
B) It confirmed that executive privilege exists, but it is not absolute.
C) It confirmed that a president could be prosecuted for criminal activity.
D) It upheld President Ford's controversial pardon of President Nixon.

Question 59

The power to veto legislation

A) forces legislators to do what the president wants.
B) encourages legislators to negotiate with the president.
C) often creates tension between the president and congressional leaders in the
President's own party.
D) is most helpful to weak presidents because it makes them look strong.

Question 60

Recess appointments

A) are usually very controversial.
B) almost never happen.
C) are usually not very controversial.
D) are done only in periods of divided party government.

Question 61

The debate in 2018 over U.S. military action in Syria regarding suspected chemical weapons facilities provides a good example of how constitutional ambiguities create opportunities
For ________.

A) executive privilege
B) nation building
C) unilateral action
D) making treaties

Question 62

Public approval of the president is

A) a difficult measure to understand because it fluctuates so frequently.
B) an inconsistent indicator of whether a president will be reelected.
C) a generally reliable indicator of whether a president will be reelected.
D) a stable measure that hovers around 50 percent for most presidents and changes only slightly during the president's time in office.

Question 63

What is executive privilege and why is it important?

Question 64

A president is implicated in a crime. Many in Congress believe that he guilty of these crimes. In this situation, what action may congress take?

A) The president can be removed from office by a majority vote in the House and a two-thirds vote in the Senate.
B) Congress must wait for the president to commit a "high crime or misdemeanor" before he can be removed.
C) Impeachment proceedings must start in the House.
D) If two-thirds of the cabinet agrees that the president is unfit to serve in a signed statement, the president is removed from office.

Question 65

Delineate the formal powers of the president under the U.S. Constitution.

Question 66

Presidents

A) only do what citizens desire.
B) are not very interested in approval ratings.
C) sometimes do things that are not popular with citizens.
D) can control their approval rating by ensuring that they control the policy agenda.

Question 67

When can the vice president cast a vote in the Senate?

A) on cloture motions to stop filibusters
B) only when there is a tie vote on a piece of legislation
C) whenever the vice president feels like it
D) when directed by the president to do so

Question 68

When is a signing statement issued?

A) when a president vetoes a bill
B) when a president signs a pardon
C) when a president signs a bill
D) when a president signs an affidavit for a legal case

Question 69

No recent president has been reelected with less than a ________ percent approval rating.

A) 35
B) 44
C) 50
D) 65

Question 70

What is an executive order? Is this power limited? Explain.

Question 71

George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump all

A) were effective at going public.
B) had little success in going public.
C) high approval ratings throughout their respective tenures.
D) complained about fake news during their respective tenures.

Question 72

How can Congress undo a president's unilateral action?

A) Congress can rule the action to be unconstitutional.
B) Congress can pass new legislation.
C) Congress can invoke the Twenty-fifth Amendment.
D) Congress can order the military to arrest and temporarily jail the president for high crimes and misdemeanors.

Question 73

Why did presidential power increase in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries?

Question 74

What gives a president the opportunity to engage in unilateral action?

A) partisan bickering
B) political grandstanding
C) ambiguities in the Constitution
D) fake news

Question 75

Recent vice presidents, such as Mike Pence, have been different from earlier vice presidents in that they

A) have been less popular with the public than ever before.
B) have been more popular with the public than ever before.
C) have become more influential in the president's policy-making decisions.
D) have become less influential in the president's policy-making decisions.

Question 76

Going public ________.

A) never works
B) always works
C) sometimes works
D) works better for the Republicans than the Democrats

Question 77

When presidents offer interpretations of new laws before those laws are implemented, they typically do so ________.

A) in a pocket veto
B) in an executive order
C) in an executive agreement
D) in a signing statement

Question 78

What is the vesting clause of the Constitution and why is it important?

Question 79

Which of the following is an example of a unilateral action?

A) a president changing policy without consulting Congress
B) a president appointing new Supreme Court justices
C) firing the chairman of a national party organization
D) engaging in military action abroad without a declaration of war

Question 80

Members of Congress often resist taking action to limit presidential power because

A) taking such action would be declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court justices.
B) it would create a constitutional crisis if the president ignored the limits.
C) they understand that taking such action would be harmful to the efficient functioning of the federal government.
D) colleagues from the president's party may want the president to have the authority because they hold similar policy objectives.