Deck 14: The Presidency

Question 1

What is executive privilege?

A)the ability to refuse to spend money appropriated by Congress
B)the ability to veto programmatic requests in a bill
C)the power to declare war or initiate a police action
D)the right to direct the policy of federal agencies
E)the right to keep communications confidential to the presidency

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Which of these duties does the president perform as "head of state"?

A)The president proposes new laws to Congress.
B)The president interacts with Congress to create budgets.
C)The president runs the day-to-day operations of the country.
D)The president is the embodiment of popular will.
E)The president delivers the State of the Union address.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which presidential power is balanced by required approval of the Senate with a two-thirds vote?

A)extending diplomatic recognition to foreign governments
B)terminating relations with other nations
C)negotiating treaties with other nations
D)negotiating executive agreements with foreign heads of state
E)resolving funding for budget agenda

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Historically,vice-presidential candidates are chosen to __________.

A)help set the president's agenda
B)mentor the president
C)politically balance the ticket
D)succeed the president in the next election
E)take over as president in an emergency

Question 5

Congress can remove a president through __________.

A)veto
B)executive privilege
C)executive order
D)impeachment
E)filibuster

Question 6

Which of these presidents is arguably the first modern president?

A)Franklin Delano Roosevelt
B)Herbert Hoover
C)Ronald Reagan
D)Theodore Roosevelt
E)Woodrow Wilson

Question 7

Presidents have to spend time leading the legislature in order to gain support for their initiatives because the American system is one of __________.

A)limited power
B)equal power
C)shared powers
D)diminishing power
E)unlimited power

Question 8

Throughout most of its history,which was considered an insignificant office?

A)attorney general
B)chief of staff
C)secretary of state
D)Speaker of the House
E)vice president

Question 9

What has to happen in Congress before the president can be impeached?

A)The House can impeach the president by a simple majority; the Senate does not have a vote.
B)The Senate can impeach the president by a simple majority; the House does not have a vote.
C)The House can impeach the president by a simple majority; the Senate needs a two-thirds majority.
D)The Senate can impeach the president with a two-thirds majority; the House does not have a vote.
E)The House and Senate must both have a two-thirds majority.

Question 10

In which institutional resource are leaders both appointed by the president and approved by the Senate?

A)Executive Office of the President
B)White House staff
C)the Cabinet
D)Council of Economic Advisors
E)Federal Reserve

Question 11

According to the Constitution,how is the president supposed to be elected?

A)appointment through Congress
B)appointment through state legislatures
C)direct election by popular vote
D)election through the Electoral College
E)party primaries followed by popular vote

Question 12

Who has the role of breaking a tie in the Senate?

A)president
B)Senate majority leader
C)Speaker of the House
D)vice president
E)White House chief of staff

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of the rally-round-the-flag effect?

A)George H.W.Bush was reelected after winning the first Gulf War.
B)Jimmy Carter gained respect during his handling of the Iranian hostage crisis.
C)During the Watergate investigation,Richard Nixon's approval ratings soared.
D)George W.Bush's popularity was boosted following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
E)Ronald Reagan's approval rating increased sharply during the Iran-Contra scandal.

Question 14

Which one of the powers listed below is a constitutional power that the president shares with the Senate?

A)making treaties
B)commissioning officers
C)granting pardons
D)receiving foreign ambassadors
E)replacing Cabinet heads

Question 15

What does the Twenty-Second Amendment do?

A)requires that presidents are natural born citizens
B)requires that presidents serve only two terms
C)requires the president to be a resident of the United States for two years
D)requires the president to be at least thirty-five years old
E)requires the president to have a college degree

Question 16

Which presidential oversight includes the State of the Union address?

A)The president can issue executive orders and party agenda.
B)The president is commander in chief of the armed forces.
C)The president is in charge of federal departments and agencies.
D)The president is the negotiator in chief with foreign nations.
E)The president must inform and convene Congress.

Question 17

Which institutional resource is closest to the president?

A)Executive Office of the President
B)White House staff
C)the Cabinet
D)the vice president
E)Joint Chiefs of Staff

Question 18

The use of __________ in foreign matters is an example of the president acting as a global leader.

A)pocket vetoes
B)executive privilege
C)executive agreements
D)executive orders
E)signing statements

Question 19

Whom did the Framers expect to be the first president of the United States?

A)Benjamin Franklin
B)George Washington
C)John Adams
D)Patrick Henry
E)Thomas Jefferson

Question 20

Which of these became an official presidential qualification in 1951?

A)natural born citizen
B)at least 35 years old
C)resident of the United States for two years
D)a maximum of two terms
E)a college degree

Question 21

Which group's major function is to help presidents execute laws and make decisions?

A)the White House staff
B)the Executive Office of the President
C)the first lady
D)the Cabinet
E)the Supreme Court

Question 22

Presidents with high levels of __________ have an easier time influencing Congress,while those with low levels find influencing Congress more difficult.

A)public approval
B)executive privilege
C)impeachment power
D)treaty negotiation techniques
E)third-party connections

Question 23

How might presidents use their powers of persuasion in the legislative process?

A)in leading public opinion to support their policy agendas
B)through the impoundment of funds to prevent the implementation of specific laws
C)in leading public opinion to support signing statements on key pieces of legislation
D)in selecting majority and minority leaders in Congress
E)through direct lobbying of regulatory bureaucrats on the implementation of policy details

Question 24

Which best describes the president's constitutional duty to Congress?

A)The president must give Congress an occasional update on the state of the union.
B)The president must have at least one Cabinet member of the opposing party.
C)The president must inform Congress of actions potentially leading to war.
D)The president must inform Congress of the reasoning behind a veto.
E)The president must maintain party support in Congress.

Question 25

What is the purpose of the Council of Economic Advisers?

A)to advise the president on economic policy
B)to assess legislative proposals for budgetary issues
C)to lobby Congress in defense of the president's budget
D)to prepare the president's budget
E)to review and recommend agency spending

Question 26

The chief of staff,press secretary,and national security assistant are all members of which group?

A)White House staff
B)the armed forces
C)the Cabinet
D)Executive Office of the President
E)the vice president

Question 27

The president can influence Congress through evidence of popular support,otherwise known as __________.It offers legitimacy and credibility to a recently elected president's proposals.

A)a presidential mandate
B)public approval
C)rally points
D)a good reputation
E)the threat of veto

Question 28

What did the Framers do to avoid the executive branch from becoming a monarchy?

A)They made the president directly elected by the people.
B)They originally decided that the president should be elected by Congress.
C)They included separation of powers in the Constitution.
D)They did not allow the president to have military responsibility.
E)They limited the number of terms a president can serve.

Question 29

What is the role of the National Security Council?

A)to advise the president on national security
B)to keep the president and first family secure
C)to manage and advise the president on the armed forces
D)to provide intelligence on national security to the president and Congress
E)to work independently of the executive on national security

Question 30

Which examines the cost implications of a proposed bill?

A)secretary of the treasury
B)Office of Management and Budget
C)secretary of commerce
D)chief of staff
E)federal reserve

Question 31

In 1981,President Ronald Reagan fired all federal air traffic controllers who had,in violation of their contracts,gone on strike.What allowed Reagan to do this?

A)the necessary and expedient clause
B)executive privilege
C)the take care clause
D)the line-item veto
E)the commerce clause

Question 32

Why did the line-item veto exist for only a short time?

A)Governors already had a line-item veto at the state level.
B)Bill Clinton used the line-item veto to excess.
C)The line-item veto was redundant with the pocket veto.
D)Congress voted to remove the line-item veto power.
E)The Supreme Court ruled the line-item veto unconstitutional.

Question 33

In which way do modern presidents differ from the original intentions of the Framers of the Constitution?

A)Modern presidents are considerably less democratic than the Framers originally intended.
B)Modern presidents have greater power as leaders of their political parties than the Framers originally intended.
C)Modern presidents are much more influential in the legislative process than the Framers originally intended.
D)Modern presidents are much less partisan than the Framers originally intended.
E)Modern presidents are more subservient to the will of Congress than the Framers originally intended.

Question 34

Which presidential power gives the president the ability to control what happens inside departments and agencies during their terms and to shape the federal judiciary far into the future?

A)appointment
B)veto
C)pardon
D)take care
E)impeachment

Question 35

According to Figure 14.5,from which group did President Obama find his greatest support between August 20-26,2012?

A)liberal Democrats
B)African Americans
C)women
D)moderate Democrats
E)minorities

Question 36

Why does the perception of a mandate matter in presidential politics?

A)Since public approval has become much more important to modern presidents,most presidents rely on the mandate and the polls to measure their popularity and increase their approval ratings.
B)The presidential mandate claimed by modern presidents makes it easier for them to get their choices of Supreme Court justices approved than in the past.
C)Because Congress sees the president as holding a mandate of the people,the legislators do not block the president's agenda as vehemently as legislators in the past did.
D)The president's mandate consists of the modern perception among members of Congress that,by virtue of having been elected,the president has the ability to manage the bureaucracy.
E)Because modern presidents are more dependent on the people for election and more involved in policy making than early presidents,they are prone to claim the mandate of the people when governing.

Question 37

What role does a president play when celebrating a national holiday?

A)chief of state/head of state
B)chief of staff
C)chief diplomat
D)chief legislator
E)chief executive

Question 38

What role was Thomas Jefferson performing as president when he made the Louisiana Purchase?

A)chief executive
B)chief of staff
C)chief diplomat
D)chief legislator
E)chief of state/head of state

Question 39

Thinking about Figure 14.3,who would you expect to give Obama higher approval ratings?

A)Hispanic females
B)white males
C)black females
D)independents
E)sixty-five year old,white males

Question 40

Which is one of the reasons that power and responsibility of the presidency has grown?

A)The presidents' use of the line-item veto has increased their power over the Congress.
B)The United States became a simple free market economy.
C)The budget for government agencies has decreased leaving more responsibility to the president.
D)Modern presidents have to exercise powers as commander in chief,while earlier presidents did not.
E)The United States became a world superpower.

Question 41

Which word best describes the language used by the Framers to describe the office of the president?

A)exact
B)static
C)deferential
D)florid
E)vague

Question 42

Which of the following leadership abilities is critical to presidential success?

A)the ability to enter into executive agreements
B)the ability to write legislation
C)the ability to persuade members of Congress and the American public
D)the ability to negotiate treaties
E)the ability to declare war

Question 43

Why was the War Powers Resolution (1973)adopted by Congress?

A)to expand the powers of the president in the conduct of war
B)to limit the powers of the military-industrial complex in influencing foreign policy
C)to reinvigorate the role of Congress in the conduct of war
D)to empower the president to act unilaterally when American troops are in harm's way
E)to make Congress the sole actor in the conduct of war

Question 44

Why was it significant that George Washington was the first person elected to the presidency?

A)His ambitions greatly expanded the powers of the presidency.
B)His early actions served to establish important precedents that greatly increased the political legitimacy of the office.
C)His military leadership as president was critical during the War of 1812.
D)His ambitions set up an early struggle between Congress and the presidency.
E)His early actions served to weaken the office of the presidency,making it subservient to Congress for much of American history.

Question 45

Which of the following statements best characterizes the nature of the conflict between presidents and Congress?

A)The conflict is a by-product of the weakening of American political parties.
B)The conflict is integral to the design of the Constitution,deliberately intended by the authors of the constitution.
C)The conflict is a by-product of the recent polarization of the American party system.
D)The conflict is a by-product solely of divided government.
E)The conflict intensifies when Republicans control the presidency and Democrats control Congress.

Question 46

What distinguishes the modern presidency from the institution originally envisioned by the Framers of the Constitution?

A)The modern presidency has become the central focus of American politics since the 1930s,supplanting Congress as the "first branch" of government.
B)The modern presidency is less involved in the development of foreign policy than the Framers intended.
C)Modern presidents exhibit a greater level of deference to Congress in budgetary matters than the Framers intended.
D)Modern presidents are much less democratic than the Framers intended.
E)Modern presidents are more cautious in advocating for their legislative agendas than the Framers intended.

Question 47

Which of the following is a major concern surrounding current congressional-presidential relations?

A)Presidents are delegating too many constitutional powers to Congress.
B)The principle of the separation of powers is eroding in favor of expanded congressional power.
C)The principle of the separation of powers is eroding in favor of expanded presidential power.
D)Congress is overriding presidential vetoes too easily,effectively ending the Madisonian system of checks and balances.
E)Congressional oversight over the bureaucracy is making it impossible for presidents to carry out executive functions.

Question 48

How has the office of vice president changed over the years?

A)The vice president is no longer trusted as he once was.
B)The vice president,who once was very involved,is now frozen out of the policy-making process.
C)The vice president has been more involved in the policy-making process in recent years than in the past.
D)The vice president used to be involved in important tasks,but now spends most of his time acting as a figurehead.
E)The vice presidency has become a prerequisite for the presidency.

Question 49

Which of the following statements provides the best characterization of the members of the White House staff?

A)The White House staff is a loose collection of bureaucrats who are loyal to executive agencies.
B)The White House staff is composed of individuals personally and politically close to the president chosen specifically to serve the president's needs.
C)The White House staff is composed of policy specialists who have little personal loyalty to the president.
D)The White House staff is the link between executive agencies in the bureaucracy and Congress.
E)The White House staff advises members of the Cabinet on how best to serve the needs of president.

Question 50

Why was the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the Constitution adopted?

A)to clear up ambiguities over the constitutional provisions surrounding presidential powers to conduct war
B)to clear up ambiguities over the constitutional provisions surrounding the role of the vice president should the president die or become incapacitated
C)to clear up ambiguities over the constitutional provisions surrounding the president's powers to negotiate treaties
D)to clear up ambiguities over the constitutional provisions surrounding the separate election of the vice president
E)to clear up ambiguities over the constitutional provisions surrounding the separation of powers between the executive branch and the legislative branch

Question 51

You want to convince the president to use the strategy of "going public." Which statement could you use as an example of this strategy used effectively?

A)Theodore Roosevelt used the "bully pulpit" to empower the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate shipping rates for railroads.
B)Franklin Roosevelt claimed a popular mandate to propose legislation that would have increased the number of justices on the Supreme Court.
C)John F.Kennedy's rating surged thirteen points in 1962,when the U.S.set up a blockade around Cuba.
D)Barack Obama enjoyed an approval rating of 68 percent when he first took office in 2009.
E)Richard Nixon claimed executive privilege as his excuse during the Watergate scandal.

Question 52

How does the U.S.presidency differ from the "semi-presidential" system of France?

A)In France the president serves only as head of government,whereas in the United States the president serves only as head of state.
B)In France the president serves only as head of state,whereas in the United States the president serves only as head of government.
C)The positions of head of state and head of government are separated in the United States between the president and the vice president,whereas in France they are unified in the presidency.
D)In the United States the president has influence only in foreign affairs,whereas in France the president influences both foreign and domestic affairs.
E)The positions of head of state and head of government are separated in the France between the president and the prime minister,whereas in the United States they are unified in the presidency.

Question 53

What was the turning point that gave rise to the modern institutional presidency?

A)the social strife arising from the civil rights movement
B)the economic and social turmoil of the Great Depression
C)the demands of managing a modern army during World War I
D)the rise and importance of television as a mechanism that brought the president into the living rooms of American citizens
E)the rapid contraction of government following the conclusion of World War II

Question 54

According to Figure 14.4,which president saw an increase in his approval rating at the end of his second term?

A)Ford
B)Reagan
C)Carter
D)Eisenhower
E)Kennedy

Question 55

What distinguishes modern presidents from early presidents?

A)Modern presidents are much more liberal than early presidents.
B)Modern presidents are much less active in the formulation of policy than early presidents.
C)Modern presidents are much more active in the formulation of policy than early presidents.
D)Modern presidents are much less prone to engage in international conflicts than early presidents.
E)Modern presidents are much more conservative than early presidents.

Question 56

How does the White House staff differ from the president's Cabinet?

A)The White House staff has greater access to and more influence on the president than the Cabinet.
B)The Cabinet has more access to the president than the White House staff.
C)The president can fire the White House staff but only Congress can dismiss a member of the Cabinet.
D)The Cabinet is less democratic and less accountable than the White House staff.
E)The White House staff has less specialized policy knowledge than the Cabinet.

Question 57

When might citizens be particularly concerned about an expansion of presidential power?

A)when they support the president's agenda
B)in times of economic crisis
C)during presidential election years
D)when they oppose the president's agenda
E)in times of relative peace and prosperity

Question 58

How might rallying events affect presidential politics?

A)Rallying events lead to drops in presidential approval ratings,making passage of their agendas more difficult.
B)Rallying events have no effect on presidential politics.
C)Rallying events make presidents more politically cautious.
D)Rallying events tend to temporarily increase presidential approval ratings,providing windows of opportunity to press for action on their agendas.
E)Rallying events permanently increase presidential approval ratings,guaranteeing reelection.

Question 59

Which of the following statements best describes contemporary relationships between presidents and Congress?

A)They are always passive,with Congress dominating the executive branch.
B)They are consensual in times of economic growth.
C)They are generally antagonistic.
D)They are generally hostile during periods of unified government.
E)They are always antagonistic during periods of foreign conflict.

Question 60

Why is the language in the necessary and expedient clause in the Constitution important when thinking about the relationship between Congress and the presidency?

A)It increases tension between the two branches because it authorizes the president to propose legislation to Congress.
B)It decreases tension between the two branches because it provides an opportunity for the president to work with members of the opposition party on the budget.
C)It provides an opportunity for Congress to reassert its dominance in the struggle between the two branches of government.
D)It increases congressional influence in the sphere of foreign policy.
E)It strengthens and clarifies the separation of powers principle between the two branches of government.

Question 61

As a result of the __________ scandal,Richard Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment and a Senate trial.

Question 62

If Barack Obama wants to disapprove individual items within a spending bill rather than the bill in its entirety,he can use the line-item veto.

Question 63

Joan O'Leary wants to run for president.She is a natural-born citizen of the United States.She is 45 years old.She has been a resident of the United States for 10 years.Therefore,she meets the requirements to become president.

Question 64

A divided government is when the president and the majority in one or both chambers of Congress belong to different parties.

Question 65

When a bill is sent to Congress,the president is not allowed to encourage specific members of Congress to vote for the bill.

Question 66

A __________ is a binding and public agreement between the United States and one or more nations,requiring mutual action toward a common goal.

Question 67

If a president does not sign or veto a bill within ten days after receiving it,the bill does not become law.

Question 68

The Framers included a two-term limit to the presidency in the Constitution.

Question 69

If you were a member of the Senate during George Washington's presidency,you may have been frustrated by Washington's determination to protect presidential independence.

Question 70

The idea that the president may be advised by executive branch officials in confidence without the advice becoming public is called __________.

Question 71

The Framers believed the legislature was the least dangerous branch of government.

Question 72

The __________ consists of a number of policy-related groups that aid the president.It includes the Office of Management and Budget.

Question 73

Congress has the sole authority to declare war.

Question 74

The Constitution lays out the plan for presidential power in great detail.

Question 75

The Senate must approve the president's appointments to leadership positions in the fifteen Cabinet departments.

Question 76

The president may grant pardons to anyone convicted of a federal crime for any reason.

Question 77

Historically,presidents begin their terms of office with higher approval ratings and tend to lose popularity over time.

Question 78

The ability to persuade has always been central to a successful president.

Question 79

Theodore Roosevelt did not approve of the use of the "bully pulpit" to influence public opinion.He believed that presidential speeches should not be controversial.

Question 80

The __________ address has become one of the most important tools a president can use to call attention to the presidential agenda.