Deck 12: The Presidency

Question 1

What does the National Security Council do?

A)It links the president's key foreign and military policy advisors.
B)It is responsible for all elements of national security.
C)It is principally responsible for the president when he's abroad.
D)It is in charge of the Secret Service.
E)It has responsibility for the FBI.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The two-term limit was placed on the presidency by

A)an act of Congress passed after Franklin D. Roosevelt's death.
B)the Twenty-second Amendment.
C)the Presidential Powers Act of 1951.
D)the Twenty-fifth Amendment.
E)Article II of the original Constitution.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Barack Obama is the ______ president.

A)34th
B)44th
C)54th
D)64th
E)74th

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Among the constitutional powers of the president is the president's role as commander in chief of the armed forces.

Question 5

A vote in Congress to override a presidential decision is called a

A)legislative veto.
B)pocket veto.
C)resolution.
D)bully pulpit.
E)mandate.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT TRUE of recent presidents' presidential approval?

A)Presidents often do not have widespread public support.
B)Barack Obama ended the first year of his presidency with an approval rating of barely 50 percent approval.
C)Of presidents Nixon,Ford,Carter,George W. Bush,and Reagan,only Reagan had an average approval rating above 50 percent.
D)Individuals who identify with the president's party tend to rate the president about 40 more percentage points higher than those identifying with the opposition party.
E)Partisan differences in presidential approval ratings declined during the presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Question 7

Which of the following is TRUE of media coverage of the presidency?

A)The media exhibit a liberal bias in covering the American presidency.
B)The media exhibit a conservative bias in covering the American presidency.
C)The media frequently distort reality in its coverage of the presidency,often by providing simplified,superficial,and overblown coverage.
D)The media have almost unrestrained access to the White House and news about the president.
E)The media have developed sophisticated tools to prevent the White House from controlling the flow of information.

Question 8

Contemporary presidents have more presidential power than the Constitution suggests.

Question 9

The original Constitution set no limit on the number of terms a president could serve.

Question 10

What is the difference between a veto and a pocket-veto?

A)A veto refers to the constitutional power of the president to send a bill back to Congress with reasons for rejecting it; a pocket veto occurs when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill and the president simply lets the bill die by neither signing it nor sending it back.
B)A pocket veto refers to the constitutional power of the president to send a bill back to Congress with reasons for rejecting it; a veto occurs when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill and the president simply lets the bill die by neither signing it nor sending it back.
C)A veto can be overturned by a two-thirds majority vote of both houses of Congress; a pocket veto requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate only.
D)A veto refers to the constitutional power of the president to send a bill back to Congress with reasons for rejecting it; the pocket veto has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
E)The veto has rarely been exercised by modern presidents; the pocket veto has been exercised by modern presidents frequently.

Question 11

The notion that the presidency is a "bully pulpit" suggests that presidents can

A)persuade the public to support their policies if they are skilled communicators.
B)mobilize members of their parties to force legislation through Congress.
C)control the flow of information between the White House,the press,and the American public.
D)craft public speeches that dramatically influence public opinion.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 12

The purposes of the War Powers Resolution,passed in 1973,included

A)giving Congress a greater voice in committing American troops to armed conflict.
B)requiring presidents to consult with Congress before using military force.
C)mandating the withdrawal of troops after 60 days unless Congress declared war or granted an extension to the conflict.
D)All of the above are true.
E)None of the above is true.

Question 13

Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States of America.

Question 14

Today there are _____ secretaries and the attorney general that head the president's cabinet.

A)5
B)10
C)14
D)24
E)34

Question 15

The president's role as chief diplomat includes the power to

A)negotiate treaties with other nations,subject to approval by the Senate.
B)negotiate budgetary legislation with the U.S. Senate.
C)declare war.
D)mobilize the armed forces into combat.
E)None of these is correct.

Question 16

Which president is known as the first "television president"?

A)Nixon
B)Kennedy
C)Carter
D)Reagan
E)Clinton

Question 17

The three-member body appointed by the president to advise the president on economic policy is the

A)Office of Management and Budget.
B)Council of Economic Advisors.
C)National Security Council.
D)National Economic Council.
E)Congressional Budget Office.

Question 18

The House must vote by simple majority in order to impeach a president.

Question 19

In order to convict and remove an impeached president,it takes a

A)two-thirds vote in the Senate.
B)majority vote in the Senate.
C)majority vote in the House of Representatives.
D)two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives.
E)majority vote in the Senate AND a two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives.

Question 20

What is required of Congress to overturn a presidential veto?

A)A two-thirds vote in the House
B)A two-thirds vote in the Senate
C)A two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate
D)A three-fifths vote in both the House and the Senate
E)A three-fourths vote in both the House and the Senate

Question 21

The scandal surrounding Richard Nixon's administration that led to impeachment hearings was known as

A)Iran-Contra.
B)the Camp David Affair.
C)Watergate.
D)Checkers.
E)Teapot Dome.

Question 22

Which one of these presidents only served one full term in office?

A)Jimmy Carter
B)George Washington
C)George W. Bush
D)Bill Clinton
E)Thomas Jefferson

Question 23

The Twenty-fifth Amendment,ratified in 1967,

A)created a means for selecting a new vice president when the office became vacant.
B)granted 18-year-olds the right to vote.
C)limited the president to two terms in office.
D)specifically forced Richard Nixon from office.
E)provided for the direct election of the president by the people.

Question 24

In order to impeach a president,it takes a

A)unanimous vote of the Supreme Court.
B)two-thirds vote in the Senate.
C)majority vote in the House of Representatives.
D)two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives.
E)majority vote in the Senate.

Question 25

As Richard Neustadt has argued,presidential power is probably best understood as the power to

A)persuade.
B)command.
C)control.
D)harass.
E)veto.

Question 26

A pocket veto occurs when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill to the president and the president neither signs nor vetoes the bill.

Question 27

The executive power is discussed in which part of the Constitution?

A)Article I
B)Article II
C)Article III
D)Article IV
E)Tenth Amendment

Question 28

Supporting an increased role for government is not inherent in the presidency.

Question 29

A primary resource available to presidents for controlling the bureaucracy is

A)control of the federal budget.
B)their unlimited power to offer patronage positions in the bureaucracy.
C)the power to appoint top-level administrators.
D)their ability to dismiss or fire most members of the bureaucracy.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 30

When Washington was president,there were just three cabinet secretaries; today there are 14 cabinet secretaries and one attorney general.

Question 31

The concept of the "two presidencies" suggests that the president plays different roles when it comes to economic policy and social policy.

Question 32

By the power to persuade,Richard Neustadt means

A)the power to get other people to do things they would not otherwise do.
B)oratorical skill.
C)media savvy.
D)to command.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 33

The president alone extends diplomatic recognition to foreign governments.

Question 34

Impeachment of a president means that the president is

A)convicted of a crime.
B)indicted by the House.
C)removed from office.
D)tried by the Senate.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 35

The only president to resign his office was

A)Warren Harding.
B)Jimmy Carter.
C)Lyndon Johnson.
D)Spiro Agnew.
E)Richard Nixon.

Question 36

The First Lady has no official government position.

Question 37

Which of the following is NOT a constitutional power of the president?

A)Serving as commander in chief of the armed forces
B)Making treaties with other nations,subject to agreement of two-thirds of the Senate
C)Recommending legislation to Congress
D)Taking care that the "laws be faithfully executed"
E)None of the above; all are constitutional powers of the president.

Question 38

According to the Constitution,a president must be at least ________ years of age.

A)21
B)25
C)30
D)35
E)40

Question 39

It is often the case that presidents fail to garner widespread public support and,instead,lack majority approval.

Question 40

Which amendment limits presidents to two terms?

A)Nineteenth
B)Twentieth
C)Twenty-first
D)Twenty-second
E)Twenty-third

Question 41

Which of the following presidents had the greatest number of unsuccessful vetoes?

A)Kennedy
B)Johnson
C)Clinton
D)George W. Bush
E)George H.W. Bush

Question 42

Which of the following is a member of the cabinet?

A)Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
B)Speaker of the House
C)Secretary of the Navy
D)White House chief of staff
E)None of these is a member of the cabinet.

Question 43

The system of White House management employed by President John Kennedy,sometimes referred to as "wheels and spokes,"

A)dispersed authority to numerous aides,each of whom had powerful decision-making power.
B)was unusually closed,with only the president and his two closest aides involved in most major decisions.
C)created a position from which the president personally took charge of even the minor details of decision making.
D)involved a chain of command with a chief of staff who controlled almost all access to the president.
E)involved many aides equally participating in the decision-making process.

Question 44

The two oldest cabinet departments are

A)State and Defense.
B)Interior and Justice.
C)Treasury and Justice.
D)State and Treasury.
E)Education and State.

Question 45

The pocket veto can only be used

A)when a new president is about to take office.
B)during a presidential election year.
C)when Congress is in session.
D)on appropriations bills.
E)when Congress is adjourned.

Question 46

Which of the following best describes the position of First Lady?

A)It is not an official government position.
B)First Ladies must only advocate one issue at a time.
C)Most First Ladies go on to hold a political office.
D)First Ladies must attend cabinet meetings.
E)The First Lady is in charge of the president's chief of staff.

Question 47

Presidential coattails refers to

A)a phenomenon resulting when voters who support the president cast their ballots for congressional candidates of the president's party.
B)the tendency for the president's party to lose congressional seats in midterm elections.
C)fundraising parties the president hosts to raise money for congressional candidates.
D)the president's power to appoint members of his own political party to cabinet posts and as personal advisors.
E)a phenomenon resulting when members of Congress vote according to the wishes of the president.

Question 48

The National Security Council

A)links the president's key foreign and military policy advisors.
B)is composed of the heads of the three branches of the armed services and makes recommendations to the president on combat strategy.
C)was established by President Roosevelt to manage foreign and domestic intelligence operations.
D)was created by legislation to keep the president informed on foreign affairs.
E)helps the president make policy on such matters as inflation and unemployment.

Question 49

In 1998,the Supreme Court ruled in Clinton v.City of New York that

A)a 1996 law granting the president the authority to propose rescinding funds in appropriation bills was unconstitutional.
B)a 1996 law granting the president the authority to propose rescinding funds in appropriations bills was constitutional.
C)the pocket veto was unconstitutional.
D)the Clinton impeachment vote was unconstitutional.
E)the president could not line-item veto grant monies to urban areas.

Question 50

The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921

A)gave presidents the power to recommend agency budgets to Congress.
B)took away presidents' powers to recommend agency budgets to Congress.
C)mandated the president to submit a balanced budget.
D)permitted the president to submit an unbalanced budget.
E)decentralized budgetary decision making in Washington,D.C.

Question 51

What is the major responsibility of the Office of Management and Budget?

A)To prepare the president's budget
B)To prepare the annual Economic Report of the President
C)To link key foreign and military policy advisers to the economy
D)Reviewing regulations proposed by departments and agencies
E)Managing the White House staff

Question 52

The fact that,following FDR's decisive win in 1932,Congress began considering how to react to the Depression rather than whether to react is an example of the influence of a(n)

A)veto.
B)Supreme Court opinion.
C)electoral mandate.
D)coattails election.
E)reelection contest.

Question 53

The perception that voters strongly support the president's character and policies is called a(n)

A)landslide.
B)electoral mandate.
C)confidence vote.
D)veto.
E)pocket veto.

Question 54

A midterm election is

A)one in which the incumbent is running for reelection.
B)a congressional election that is not accompanied by a presidential election.
C)held every two years.
D)a special election that may remove an official from office in the middle of the term.
E)a presidential election that occurs during a session of Congress.

Question 55

When a president vetoes congressional legislation,

A)Congress must form a joint committee to address the president's complaints.
B)the Supreme Court determines whether the law will take effect.
C)Congress can override the veto by a two-thirds vote in both houses.
D)there is nothing Congress can do about it.
E)one house of Congress can override the veto if it votes to do so with a two-thirds vote.

Question 56

The three-member body appointed by the president to advise the president on economic policy is the

A)Department of State.
B)Department of the Interior.
C)Council of Economic Advisers.
D)Office of Management and Budget.
E)Treasury Department.

Question 57

The Office of Management and Budget,the National Security Council,and the Council of Economic Advisors are

A)members of the White House staff.
B)advisory bodies of the Department of State.
C)policymaking bodies of the Executive Office of the President.
D)part of the president's cabinet.
E)the key liaison agencies between the president and Congress.

Question 58

The agency that reviews legislative proposals for the president is the

A)Council of Economic Advisors.
B)National Security Council.
C)Office of Management and Budget.
D)Legislative Executive Agency.
E)Executive Legislative Agency.

Question 59

Recent election studies show

A)the president's party usually gains seats in Congress in midterm elections.
B)a diminishing connection between voters' presidential and congressional voting.
C)that the party of the winning presidential candidate has been gaining an increasing number of seats in Congress.
D)that presidential coattails no longer exist.
E)that many congressional races are determined by presidential coattails.

Question 60

The constitutional power of the president to send a bill back to Congress with reasons for objecting to it is the

A)veto.
B)pocket veto.
C)overdraft power.
D)legislative veto.
E)power to persuade.

Question 61

The Twenty-fifth Amendment permits the vice president to become acting president if the vice president and president's cabinet determine the president to be disabled.

Question 62

Americans tend to both believe in a powerful president and to be unsupportive of concentrated political power in the institution of the presidency.

Question 63

Theodore Roosevelt,Woodrow Wilson,and Franklin Roosevelt each

A)increased the role of the national government.
B)decreased the role of the national government.
C)championed constraints on the scope of government and limits on domestic policy spending.
D)were ideologically conservative and operationally liberal.
E)blocked congressional-led government growth.

Question 64

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11,2001,

A)the War Powers Resolution was ignored.
B)Congress cut off funding after sixty days.
C)President Bush did not seek congressional support for the war in Iraq.
D)Congress passed a resolution authorizing the president to use force against Iraq.
E)Congress adopted a formal declaration of war against Iraq.

Question 65

The principal intermediary between the president and the public is the

A)Congress.
B)vice president.
C)media.
D)First Lady.
E)Executive Office of the President.

Question 66

Studies have shown that once one takes into account the status of the president's party in Congress and his standing with the public,presidents renowned for their legislative skills are

A)twice as successful in winning congressional support than other presidents.
B)most likely to reshape the contours of the political landscape.
C)most likely to be able to create opportunities for political change.
D)no more successful in obtaining congressional support than those considered less adept at dealing with Congress.
E)much more successful in gaining support for their domestic policies than for their foreign policies.

Question 67

The political equivalent of an indictment in criminal law is impeachment.

Question 68

The War Powers Resolution may be considered unconstitutional because

A)its use of the legislative veto may be considered a violation of the doctrine of separation of powers.
B)it violates the president's power to declare war.
C)it violates the president's power as commander in chief.
D)it was struck down by the Supreme Court.
E)it violates the congressional power to appropriate funds for the military.

Question 69

Most analysts believe that the higher the president stands in the polls,the

A)less support he needs in Congress.
B)shorter the president's coattails.
C)less need there is for presidential public appearances.
D)easier it is to persuade others to support presidential initiatives.
E)less likely he will initiate new policy ventures.

Question 70

Which of the following statements about the relationship between the presidency and the press is FALSE?

A)The person who most often deals with the press from the White House is the president's press secretary.
B)Reporters tend to focus on the most visible layer of the president's personal and official activities,also called the "body watch."
C)Recent studies of the news media have shown that the news is systematically biased toward the Democratic Party and toward Democratic presidents.
D)News coverage of the presidency tends to emphasize the negative.
E)The media are an important intermediary helping to interpret and analyze presidential activities for the public.

Question 71

References by commentators on the presidency to there being "two presidencies" refer to

A)the president as candidate and the president as elected leader.
B)the first term and the second term of a president.
C)what the president originally proposes to accomplish and what the president actually does accomplish.
D)the differences between public and private presidential actions.
E)national security and domestic policy.

Question 72

The Constitution sets age eligibility requirements for the president at 40 years.

Question 73

The War Powers Resolution was passed as a reaction to

A)America's fighting in Vietnam and Cambodia.
B)America's fighting in Iraq.
C)America's inability to keep the peace in Somalia.
D)America's fighting in Korea.
E)General MacArthur's dismissal by Harry Truman.

Question 74

Who said,"Public sentiment is everything.With public sentiment nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed"?

A)Bill Clinton
B)Ronald Reagan
C)George Washington
D)Abraham Lincoln
E)George W. Bush

Question 75

Which of the following statements about presidents "going public" is FALSE?

A)Presidents are not passive followers of public opinion.
B)Presidents' appearances are often staged purely to obtain the public's attention.
C)In recent years,presidents have averaged more than one public appearance every weekday of the year.
D)Dwight Eisenhower was the first president to use presidential speeches to gain policy support.
E)John F. Kennedy was the first "television president."

Question 76

Among recent presidents,the average approval ratings in public opinion polls have been

A)higher at the end of the president's term than at the beginning.
B)over 75 percent.
C)higher at the beginning of the president's term than at the end.
D)below 40 percent.
E)slowly rising over the course of a president's term(s).

Question 77

Which of these presidents was the only one to maintain an average approval rating of higher than 50 percent from the public throughout his administration?

A)Reagan
B)George Bush
C)Nixon
D)Ford
E)Carter

Question 78

The Nineteenth Amendment limits presidents to two terms of office.

Question 79

Historically,those who identify with the president's party give approval more than ________ percentage points higher than do those who identify with the opposition party.

A)10
B)20
C)40
D)30
E)50

Question 80

According to Richard Neustadt,the most powerful power of the president is the power to persuade.