Deck 10: The Presidency

Question 1

In order to get around the need for Senate approval of treaties, many contemporary presidents have made use of ________ in foreign affairs.

A) diplomacy
B) international protocols
C) executive agreements
D) executive immunity

Answer 1

C

Question 2

A pocket veto is a

A) presidential veto that is automatically triggered if the president does not act on a given piece of legislation passed during the final 30 days of a legislative session.
B) presidential veto that is automatically triggered if the president does not act on a given piece of legislation passed during the final 10 days of a legislative session.
C) veto issued by the Senate against a bill passed in the House of Representatives.
D) veto issued by the states against a law passed by Congress.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The State of the Union address is

A) required by a law passed by Congress in 1803 and renewed ever since.
B) requested by the president, and comity demands that his or her request is always accepted.
C) based on tradition but was discontinued during the Great Depression and World War II.
D) mandated by the Constitution.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

What did the framers mean to accomplish by indirect election of the president?

A) to make a more independent and powerful chief executive
B) to bind the president to the will of the people
C) to make the president responsible to state and national legislatures
D) to create an imperial presidency to counter the power of Congress

Question 5

Which of the following has caused an increase in the president's delegated powers?

A) recent constitutional amendments broadening the president's powers
B) the increasing scope and complexity of legislation
C) the War Powers Resolution
D) the shift toward a more bipartisan political environment in Congress

Question 6

If a state government makes a formal request that the president deploy federal troops, the president

A) is constitutionally required to send exactly as many federal troops as the state government has requested.
B) is constitutionally required to send some federal troops but can choose exactly how many will be sent.
C) can only refuse to send federal troops if a majority of Congress votes to reject the state government's request.
D) is not constitutionally obligated to deploy national troops.

Question 7

The presidency is awarded to the candidate who wins

A) a majority of votes in the electoral college.
B) two-thirds of votes in the electoral college.
C) a majority of the popular vote.
D) two-thirds of the popular vote.

Question 8

The president's delegated powers come from

A) the Constitution.
B) Congress.
C) the president's party.
D) the Supreme Court.

Question 9

Approximately ________ people work for the various agencies within the Executive Office of the President.

A) 25 to 50
B) 500 to 750
C) 1,500 to 2,000
D) 5,000 to 7,500

Question 10

Which of the following statements about Congress and the executive branch is most accurate?

A) The Constitution explicitly prohibits Congress from providing specific guidelines to executive agencies for implementing laws.
B) Starting around the time of the New Deal, Congress has tended to draft legislation that offers very specific guidelines for implementation by the executive.
C) Congress has never given executive agencies broad mandates and has always drafted legislation that offers very specific guidelines for implementation by the executive.
D) Starting around the time of the New Deal, Congress has tended to give executive agencies broad mandates and to draft legislation that offers few clear guidelines for implementation by the executive.

Question 11

The Executive Office of the President was created during the administration of

A) Abraham Lincoln
B) Theodore Roosevelt
C) Franklin Roosevelt
D) Harry Truman

Question 12

President Bush ________ in order to allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate the government's response to Hurricane Katrina.

A) signed an executive agreement
B) passed an unfunded mandate
C) issued a signing statement
D) declared a "state of emergency"

Question 13

In ________ states, the candidate who wins the state's popular vote wins all of the electoral college votes for that state.

A) all 50
B) 48 of the 50
C) 38 of the 50
D) none of the 50

Question 14

All executive agreements differ from formal treaties in that they

A) must be approved by the U.S. Supreme Court but not by Congress.
B) do not have to be approved by the Senate.
C) do not have to be approved by the House.
D) are generally formulated at meetings of the United Nations.

Question 15

What is required for Congress to override a presidential veto?

A) a majority of both houses of Congress
B) two-thirds of both houses of Congress
C) three-fourths of both houses of Congress
D) a unanimous vote of both houses of Congress

Question 16

When President Lincoln issued a series of executive orders for which he had no clear legal authority during the start of the Civil War, it illustrated the

A) delegated powers of the presidency.
B) inherent powers of the presidency.
C) expressed powers of the presidency.
D) "going public" strategy.

Question 17

Dwight Eisenhower used ________ in 1957 to send troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, to help desegregate Central High School.

A) the national guard
B) presidential emergency power
C) the War Powers Act
D) the elastic clause

Question 18

The office of the presidency was established by Article ________ of the Constitution.

A) I
B) II
C) III
D) V

Question 19

________ powers are specifically established by the language of the Constitution.

A) Expressed
B) Delegated
C) Implied
D) Inherent

Question 20

The Constitution attempts to restrain the president's use of domestic force by

A) stating that a state government must request federal troops before the president can deploy them within that state to provide public order.
B) strictly prohibiting presidents from ever deploying federal troops within the United States.
C) requiring two-thirds of both the House and the Senate to vote in favor of any presidential order to deploy federal troops within the United States.
D) requiring a majority of both the House and the Senate to vote in favor of any presidential order to deploy federal troops within the United States.

Question 21

The power to receive ambassadors is an example of

A) an expressed power.
B) a delegated power.
C) executive privilege.
D) an executive order.

Question 22

The wars in Korea, Vietnam, Bosnia, and Afghanistan were all fought

A) without presidential approval.
B) under the authority provided by the War Powers Resolution.
C) without a formal declaration of war from Congress.
D) with a formal declaration of war from Congress.

Question 23

________ was the first first lady to seek public office on her own.

A) Dolley Madison
B) Eleanor Roosevelt
C) Hillary Clinton
D) Laura Bush

Question 24

The goal of the War Powers Resolution was to

A) compel a congressional declaration of war for every large-scale military operation.
B) limit the ability of Congress to cut off funding for troops when the president sends them overseas without congressional approval.
C) limit the power of the president to commit American troops to military action without authorization from Congress.
D) end the Vietnam War.

Question 25

The president's group of advisers and analysts is collectively called the

A) Cabinet.
B) White House staff.
C) Executive Council of Advisers.
D) Department of State.

Question 26

The main political value of the vice president is to

A) bring the president votes in the election from a group or region that would not otherwise be a likely source of support.
B) draw negative attention away from the president during times of crisis.
C) give the president an institutional link to Congress.
D) promote bipartisanship with members of the opposing political party.

Question 27

The president has the power to appoint which of the following positions?

A) state governors who resign before their terms have expired
B) all state Supreme Court justices
C) cabinet secretaries
D) members of the House of Representatives who resign before their terms have expired

Question 28

The Council of Economic Advisers

A) negotiates foreign trade treaties on behalf of the federal government.
B) regulates all stock market transactions and enforces federal antitrust laws.
C) sets interest rates for the federal government.
D) analyzes the economy and economic trends in order to help the president anticipate economic events.

Question 29

Presidential spouses are an important resource for the president in order to carry out the duty of

A) head of government.
B) head of state.
C) commander in chief.
D) chief diplomat.

Question 30

The ________ asserted that the president could send American troops into action abroad only in the event of a declaration of war or other statutory authorization by Congress, or if American troops were attacked or directly endangered.

A) War Powers Resolution of 1973
B) National Security Act of 1947
C) Boland Amendment of 1982
D) USA PATRIOT Act of 2001

Question 31

The Office of Management and Budget is important because

A) it has the power to veto any legislation passed by Congress that negatively impacts the federal budget.
B) the Constitution requires that the president receive its approval for every administrative rule change he or she proposes and for every tax increase he or she suggests.
C) it is granted the authority under the Constitution to pass the federal budget.
D) its personnel are an integral part of virtually every conceivable presidential responsibility, such as overseeing regulatory proposals, reporting on agency activities, and preparing the national budget.

Question 32

Which of the following statements about the presidential veto is most accurate?

A) Presidents have used the veto only twice in American history.
B) Use of the veto has remained constant across presidential administrations, and vetoes are frequently overridden.
C) Use of the veto varies considerably across presidential administrations, and vetoes are seldom overridden.
D) Use of the veto has remained constant across presidential administrations, and vetoes are seldom overridden.

Question 33

When Dwight Eisenhower sent federal troops into Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957, it demonstrated that the

A) president may make unilateral use of the emergency powers to protect states against domestic disorder.
B) president requires the federal court's approval before using troops in domestic disturbances.
C) use of the president's emergency powers against domestic disorder necessitates a request by the governor of the state in question.
D) president needs congressional authorization to use troops in both domestic and international situations.

Question 34

The Office of Management and Budget and the Council of Economic Advisers are both parts of the

A) Cabinet.
B) White House staff.
C) Executive Office of the President.
D) Department of the Interior.

Question 35

The Cabinet

A) has its legal role clearly articulated in the Constitution.
B) does not meet as a group, except during the State of the Union address.
C) secretaries do not have to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
D) has no responsibility to Congress.

Question 36

An informal group of advisers to the president is often called the

A) Kitchen Cabinet.
B) plumbers.
C) round table.
D) inner cabinet.

Question 37

Congress's tendency in recent years to give executive agencies fewer clear guidelines for implementing laws is the result of

A) the greater scope and complexity of the tasks that American government has undertaken.
B) the reduced scope and complexity of the tasks that American government has undertaken.
C) frequent requests made by state governments to transfer more power to the executive branch.
D) numerous initiatives passed by voters that require less legislative specificity.

Question 38

When members of Congress delegate power to the executive branch, it

A) substantially reduces the power of the federal government compared to state governments.
B) violates the Constitution by violating the separation of powers.
C) substantially reduces the importance of the presidency.
D) substantially enhances the importance of the presidency.

Question 39

The formal group of presidential foreign policy advisers is called the

A) State Department.
B) National Security Council.
C) Council on Foreign Relations.
D) War Council.

Question 40

The ________ is the informal designation for the heads of the major federal government departments.

A) White House staff
B) Presidential Advisory Committee
C) Cabinet
D) Executive Office of the President

Question 41

After the Civil War, why was it considered inappropriate for President Andrew Johnson to make a series of speeches seeking public support for his policies?

A) President Johnson traveled with his own press secretary, the first time a president had used public relations officials.
B) During the nineteenth century, it was perceived to be undignified for a president to campaign on his own behalf.
C) President Johnson did not speak to the general public but instead spoke only to handpicked audiences where he knew he would be favorably received.
D) President Johnson's speeches were delivered only in the former Confederate states and ignored the North, where he most needed support.

Question 42

________ occurs when the president directs administrative agencies to promulgate specific rules and regulations.

A) Regulatory review
B) Administrative oversight
C) Delegation
D) An executive agreement

Question 43

Describe and discuss the different powers of the president. Specifically, define the differences between the president's expressed, implied, delegated, and inherent powers and provide an example of each. What are some of the checks placed upon these powers by the other branches of government?

Question 44

What is the primary constitutional task of the vice president, besides succeeding the president in case of death, resignation, or incapacitation?

A) to serve as Speaker of the House of Representatives
B) to cast tie-breaking votes in the Senate
C) to represent the president overseas
D) to run the day-to-day operations of the Executive Office of the President

Question 45

President Clinton was unusual among modern presidents because he left the White House

A) less popular than when he entered.
B) more popular than when he entered.
C) without issuing a single signing statement.
D) without issuing a single executive order.

Question 46

Perhaps the most significant constitutional powers of the president are those concerning waging war. Explore the president's war powers. What are they? How have different presidents exercised those powers? What are the war powers of Congress? How has Congress attempted to limit the president's unilateral use of war powers?

Question 47

The last time Congress exercised its constitutional power to declare war was during

A) World War II.
B) the Korean War.
C) the Vietnam War.
D) the Iraq War.

Question 48

The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 happened as a result of

A) an executive order.
B) a signing statement.
C) a negotiated treaty.
D) a presidential pardon.

Question 49

What is the general tendency of a president's popularity?

A) Presidents usually begin with moderate ratings that move drastically up or down, depending on their success.
B) Presidents usually start out popular and decline over the next four years.
C) Presidents usually maintain the public approval ratings they had when entering office, unless there is an economic recession or international crisis.
D) Presidents usually begin very unpopular and increase their popularity significantly as their terms in office continue.

Question 50

During the nineteenth century, ________ was America's dominant institution of government.

A) the presidency
B) the Supreme Court
C) Congress
D) the executive bureaucracy

Question 51

Which of the following statements about signing statements is INACCURATE?

A) Presidents have made signing statements throughout American history.
B) Ronald Reagan's attorney general, Edwin Meese, is credited with transforming the signing statement into a routine tool of presidential direct action.
C) George W. Bush issued more than 150 signing statements during his time in office.
D) Ever since Thomas Jefferson's presidency, all presidential signing statements have been recorded and added to the official legislative record.

Question 52

As a means of managing the gigantic executive branch, presidents have increasingly come to rely upon the

A) Cabinet.
B) Kitchen Cabinet.
C) White House staff.
D) Speaker of the House.

Question 53

The expansion of the Executive Office of the President, the development of regulatory review, and the use of executive orders have been important because they

A) are deeply unpopular with the public and have led to the declining trust in American government.
B) make it very difficult for challengers to defeat incumbent presidents in elections.
C) have given presidents substantial capacity to achieve significant policy results despite congressional opposition to their legislative agendas.
D) have dramatically limited the power of the president and made it easier for Congress to dominate the American political system.

Question 54

Which of the following statements about signing statements is most accurate?

A) The Constitution requires that the president explain his or her interpretation of every law he or she signs by issuing a signing statement.
B) Although signing statements were commonly used prior to 1900, no modern president has issued them when signing a piece of legislation into law.
C) Signing statements never instruct executive agencies whether to implement sections of a new law and never interpret ambiguous provisions of the law.
D) While presidents have made signing statements throughout American history, they have only recently been recorded and made part of the official legislative record.

Question 55

During the nineteenth century, Congress was America's dominant institution of government, and members of Congress sometimes treated the president with disdain. Explain how presidents have changed this reality over the last 120 years by adopting an administrative strategy. Specifically, discuss how presidents have (1) enhanced the reach and power of the Executive Office of the President (EOP); (2) increased White House control over the federal bureaucracy; and (3) expanded the role of instruments of direct presidential governance.

Question 56

What happened when President Harry Truman seized control of industry during the Korean War?

A) His action was upheld by the Supreme Court justices as a constitutional exercise of war powers.
B) Congress passed a bill shortly afterward that retroactively approved the steel mill seizures.
C) The Supreme Court justices declared that his actions were without basis in law or the Constitution.
D) Congress immediately passed a bill that legally prohibited the president from seizing the mills, and President Truman quickly rescinded his executive order.

Question 57

When are the president's partisan ties most important?

A) in winning support from public opinion
B) in raising campaign funds
C) in dealing with Congress on legislative matters
D) in making executive appointments

Question 58

The powers of Congress have declined dramatically in which of the following areas over the last 50 years?

A) national defense and the federal budget
B) health care and education
C) law enforcement and oversight
D) national defense and environmental protection

Question 59

A signing statement is an announcement

A) the president makes about his or her interpretation of a congressional enactment he or she is signing into law.
B) made by a presidential candidate when formally accepting his or her party's nomination.
C) made by the president and the leader of a foreign country immediately following an executive agreement.
D) the president is required to make any time he or she issues an executive order.

Question 60

When presidents use popular appeals in an attempt to create a mass base of support that will allow them to accomplish their goals, it is referred to as

A) "going rogue."
B) "going public."
C) "selling out."
D) "propagandizing the public."

Question 61

One way presidents have expanded their power is through employing a strategy of "going public." Describe what this strategy entails and what its limitations are. In your answer, be sure to provide specific examples of how particular presidents have used this strategy.

Question 62

Since the ratification of the Constitution, the president has been joined by thousands of officials and staffers who work for, assist, or advise the chief executive. Describe some of these different individuals and institutions and discuss the roles they play in the White House. Specifically, describe the Cabinet, the Kitchen Cabinet, the Executive Office of the President, and the vice president.