Deck 12: The Presidency

Question 1

Which of the following is most likely to constitute an impeachable offense?

A) a president playing a game of poker in the White House
B) a president supporting an unpopular policy
C) a president's decision to invade a country solely to increase his or her public support
D) a president's strategy of encouraging interest groups to pressure Congress to pass a bill

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Why do presidents try to gain support for their initiatives instead of simply enacting their policy priorities outright?

A) because Congress cannot debate legislation without approval from the president
B) because the Constitution does not give the president any powers to influence public policy
C) because the Constitution establishes a system of shared powers
D) because the president has diminishing power over the course of his or her administration

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a "rally event" as it relates to public approval of the president?

A) George H. W. Bush's reelection after the Gulf War
B) Richard Nixon's approval ratings during Watergate
C) George W. Bush's surge in popularity after the 9/11 terrorist attacks
D) Ronald Reagan's decision to seek a second term

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which best describes a 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 maintain party support in Congress.
D) The president must inform Congress of the reasoning behind a veto.

Question 5

Which of these powers is a constitutional power that the president shares with the Senate?

A) making treaties
B) declaring war
C) granting pardons
D) receiving foreign ambassadors

Question 6

Which of the following citizens would be ineligible to become president?

A) a natural-born citizen
B) someone who is 37 years old
C) someone who has lived in the United States for 20 years
D) someone who has already been elected president twice

Question 7

Historically,vice presidential candidates have often been chosen to __________.

A) help set the president's agenda
B) mentor the president
C) placate symbolic constituency
D) ensure that the president's party will have a good chance of winning the next presidential election

Question 8

What is the primary purpose of the Council of Economic Advisers?

A) to advise the president on economic policy
B) to assess budget proposals for Congress
C) to enact the president's budget
D) to suggest programs that should be scaled back or curtailed because they use tax dollars inefficiently

Question 9

Which is one reason why the power and responsibility of the presidency has increased?

A) The presidents' use of the line-item veto has increased their power over the Congress.
B) The budgets for government agencies have decreased, leaving more responsibility to the president.
C) Modern presidents have to exercise powers as commander in chief, while earlier presidents did not.
D) The United States has increased its prominence on the world stage.

Question 10

What has to happen in Congress in order for the president to be impeached and removed from office?

A) The House must impeach the president by a simple majority; the Supreme Court must convict with a two-thirds vote.
B) The Senate must impeach the president by a simple majority; the House must convict with a two-thirds vote.
C) The House must impeach the president by a simple majority; the Senate must convict with a two-thirds majority.
D) The Supreme Court must impeach the president with a simple majority; the chief justice presides over a Senate trial that must convict with a two-thirds majority.

Question 11

Which presidential power is checked 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

Question 12

American presidents have a variety of backgrounds. Who was the only political scientist to become president?

A) Woodrow Wilson
B) Warren G. Harding
C) Thomas Jefferson
D) John Kennedy

Question 13

What was intended to give Congress a greater voice in the decision to introduce American troops into hostilities?

A) the Twenty-second Amendment
B) executive privilege
C) the legislative veto
D) the War Powers Resolution

Question 14

How did the expectations for the vice presidency change starting with Walter Mondale?

A) Presidents are more likely to use their vice presidents as close policy advisers.
B) Vice presidents started to preside over the Senate.
C) Presidents are more likely to select ideologically moderate vice presidents to expand their electoral appeal.
D) Vice presidents started taking the lead in the budgeting process.

Question 15

Congress can remove a president through __________.

A) a veto
B) an executive order
C) a House impeachment vote
D) a Senate impeachment trial

Question 16

What does the Twenty-second Amendment do?

A) requires that presidents be natural-born citizens
B) limits the president's terms of office
C) requires the president to be a resident of the United States
D) requires the president to be at least 35 years old

Question 17

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

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

Question 18

Which presidential role includes the State of the Union address?

A) head of state
B) commander in chief
C) chief executive
D) chief legislator

Question 19

Which institutional resource is closest and most loyal to the president?

A) Executive Office of the President
B) White House staff
C) armed forces
D) National Security Council

Question 20

Who breaks a tie in the Senate?

A) president of the United States
B) vice president of the United States
C) Speaker of the House
D) Senate majority leader

Question 21

What is the role of the National Security Council?

A) to link the president's foreign and military policy advisers
B) to keep the president and first family secure
C) to administer the armed forces
D) to provide the president with national security policy advice from the opposing party's perspective

Question 22

Of the following leadership traits,which is critical to presidential success?

A) the ability to be subservient
B) the willingness to be patient
C) the power to persuade
D) the ability to make mistakes gracefully

Question 23

Which of the following is a group of 15 presidential advisers that is too large,diverse,and concerned with individual fiefdoms to effectively serve as a collective board of directors,leaving ultimate decision-making authority with the president?

A) the White House staff
B) the Executive Office of the President
C) the chiefs of staff
D) the cabinet

Question 24

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

A) Modern presidents are considerably less democratic than the Framers originally intended.
B) Modern presidents have considerably less 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 more subservient to the will of Congress than the Framers originally intended.

Question 25

How might rally events affect presidential politics?

A) Rally events lead to drops in presidential approval ratings, making passage of their agendas more difficult.
B) Rally events cause a long-term increase in presidential approval ratings, practically guaranteeing reelection.
C) Rally events make presidents more politically cautious.
D) Rally events tend to temporarily increase presidential approval ratings, providing presidents with a window of opportunity to press their agenda.

Question 26

An __________ is the perception that the voters strongly support the president and his or her policies.

A) electoral mandate
B) approval rating
C) executive order
D) executive agreement

Question 27

Which statement about the news is generally true?

A) The news is often framed in themes that simplify the issues and provide continuity from story to story.
B) There is a focus on the positive when covering the president and a focus on the negative when covering Congress and the Supreme Court.
C) The broadcast media relies solely on facts and avoids speculation, even if it means sitting on a major story until the information can be verified.
D) Cable news programs present in-depth coverage of political events from a balanced ideological perspective so as to attract the most viewers.

Question 28

Which of the following is a collection of executive branch officials who assist the president,but who also fulfill duties required by law and are therefore limited in the extent of their loyalty to the president?

A) the White House staff
B) the Executive Office of the President
C) the chiefs of staff
D) the Court of Executive Assistants

Question 29

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 recently has been locked out of the policymaking process.
C) The vice president has been more involved in the policymaking process in recent years than in the past.
D) The vice presidency has become a prerequisite for the presidency.

Question 30

Which of the following is one way in which the White House staff differs from the president's cabinet?

A) The White House staff is more loyal to the president.
B) The cabinet is more loyal to the president than is the White House staff.
C) The cabinet works more closely with the president than does the White House staff.
D) The White House staff must perform their job duties in accordance with congressional legislation, while the cabinet has no such restraints.

Question 31

In which capacity have recent vice presidents been particularly influential in American politics?

A) as an adviser in the policymaking process
B) as a leader of the cabinet
C) as a lead negotiator for executive agreements
D) as presiding officer of the Senate

Question 32

Many assume that presidents with high __________ are more effective leaders.

A) approval ratings
B) levels of executive privilege
C) debts and deficits
D) campaign spending

Question 33

Which of the following is a judicial power given to the president?

A) determining the Supreme Court's docket
B) nominating federal judges
C) establishing the jurisdiction of the federal courts including the Supreme Court
D) determining the constitutionality of judicial acts

Question 34

Why does the perception of an electoral mandate matter in presidential politics?

A) It helps to increase the president's legislative acumen.
B) It makes it harder for presidents to get their legislative agenda enacted by Congress.
C) It offers legitimacy and credibility to a recently elected president's proposals.
D) It enables the president to manage the bureaucracy.

Question 35

The president's chief of staff and press secretary are members of which group?

A) White House staff
B) Office of Administration
C) the cabinet
D) Executive Office of the President

Question 36

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

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

Question 37

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

A) The contemporary presidency is much more powerful.
B) The contemporary presidency is less involved in the development of foreign policy.
C) The contemporary presidency exhibits a greater level of deference to Congress in budgetary matters.
D) Contemporary presidents are more cautious in advocating for their legislative agendas.

Question 38

Since Lyndon Johnson,presidents have tended to __________.

A) oppose government growth
B) support an increase in the role of government
C) advocate for reductions in military spending
D) exercise their veto power more aggressively

Question 39

Of all those who have served as president starting with Eisenhower,who issued the most vetoes?

A) Eisenhower
B) Kennedy
C) Nixon
D) Clinton

Question 40

Which of the following reviews potential legislative proposals suggested by executive agencies and assesses their budgetary implications?

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

Question 41

The Framers included a two-term limit for the presidency in Article II of the Constitution.

Question 42

Which of the following statements about presidential approval is accurate?

A) George W. Bush maintained a high approval rating throughout his presidency.
B) Bill Clinton's approval rating was well over 90 percent during his first term.
C) Barack Obama's approval rating was lower in 2012 than when he took office.
D) Ronald Reagan's approval rating was never higher than 50 percent.

Question 43

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 advisers who do whatever is in the best interest of the president.
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.

Question 44

When the Framers were designing the presidency,they wanted to be certain to avoid both anarchy and monarchy.

Question 45

If a president does not sign or veto a bill within 10 days after receiving it,and if Congress is still in session,the bill does not become law.

Question 46

The Twenty-fifth Amendment was enacted in order to clear up uncertainties over the constitutional provisions surrounding __________.

A) presidential powers to conduct war
B) presidential and vice presidential succession and disability
C) the president's powers to negotiate treaties
D) the Electoral College

Question 47

Presidents tend to have high approval ratings at the beginning of their term.

Question 48

The president is not allowed to encourage specific members of Congress to vote for or against a specific bill.

Question 49

Why did Congress enact the War Powers Resolution?

A) to expand the powers of the president in the conduct of war
B) to make Congress the sole actor in the conduct of war
C) to limit the powers of the president in the conduct of war
D) to empower the president to act unilaterally when American troops are in harm's way

Question 50

Which describes something that Barack Obama did that caused his critics to charge that he has become too powerful?

A) He established the Department of Homeland Security.
B) He proposed reforming Social Security and immigration policy.
C) He used drones to kill terrorist suspects, some of whom were American citizens.
D) He used his veto power more than any other president.

Question 51

Presidents tend to begin their terms of office with higher approval ratings than at the end of their terms.

Question 52

The press and presidents have tended to be in conflict as far back as the presidency of George Washington.

Question 53

The president may grant pardons for federal offenses (except impeachment).

Question 54

The three most useful resources that presidents have to enact their legislative agenda are party ambiguity,a paucity of public support,and legislative patience.

Question 55

Research concludes that television and newspaper media are systematically biased in favor of the Democratic Party because Democrats receive more and more favorable news coverage than do Republicans.

Question 56

A divided government occurs when the president is of one party and a majority in either house of Congress is of the other party.

Question 57

Congress has the sole authority to declare war.

Question 58

The Constitution lays out the grounds for impeachment in great detail.

Question 59

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 60

Rosemary Austin 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 61

According to the Twenty-fifth Amendment,if a vacancy occurs in the office of the vice president,the __________ appoints a new vice president.

Question 62

The __________ is at the top of the hierarchical organization of the White House staff.

Question 63

The president seeks advice from the __________ regarding how much the administration should propose to spend for each government program.

Question 64

After the terrorist attacks of September 11,2001,George W. Bush and Congress added the __________ as a cabinet-level department.

Question 65

Describe the influence a president can have beyond those powers explicitly mentioned in the Constitution.

Question 66

What is the role of executive agreements in foreign policy? When are they used?

Question 67

Presidents may claim the ability to withhold information from Congress under the doctrine of __________.

Question 68

According to the Constitution,__________ is reserved for "treason,bribery,and other high crimes and misdemeanors," not for political conflicts.

Question 69

Describe the role of the First Lady.

Question 70

A __________ occurs when Congress passes a bill within the last 10 days of its session and the president does not sign or veto it.

Question 71

In order to avoid going to the Senate for approval,presidents may rely on __________ rather than treaties.

Question 72

Describe the role of the president as commander in chief. Include what limitations the president has in this role.

Question 73

__________ occur(s)when voters cast their ballots for congressional candidates of the president's party.

Question 74

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

Question 75

The Constitution requires that the president occasionally give information to Congress about the __________.

Question 76

Distinguish between the president's role as chief executive and the president's role as chief legislator.

Question 77

What is a veto? Can a veto be overridden?

Question 78

What factors contribute to the president's public approval? What else can impact approval ratings?

Question 79

What situations was the Twenty-fifth Amendment enacted to address?

Question 80

The __________ is a presidential advisory group composed of 15 executive department heads.