Deck 14: The Presidency

Question 1

The texts suggests that a "unified government" might be

A) something of a myth.
B) impossible in the American system of government.
C) possible only in a multiparty system.
D) the only way to implement significant legislation.
E) one way to ensure intelligent policymaking.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Alexander Hamilton stood at the Constitutional Convention and gave a five-hour speech calling for

A) a plural executive.
B) an elected president.
C) an official declaration that George Washington would be the first president.
D) his own appointment as chief executive.
E) an elective monarchy.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Which of the following statements is incorrect?

A) Lyndon Johnson could not get many Democrats to support his war policy.
B) Jimmy Carter had a hard time getting Democrats to ratify his strategic arms limitation treaty.
C) Bill Clinton had difficulty getting Democrats to support his policy on gays in the military.
D) Bill Clinton had difficulty getting Democrats to support his health proposals.
E) None of the above

Answer 3

E

Question 4

With substantial Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress, President Kennedy, during the last year of his presidency, was able to secure passage of ________ of his proposals.

A) only one-fourth
B) approximately one-half
C) approximately three-fourths
D) almost all
E) all

Question 5

If you are an ambitious member of the British Parliament, prudence will dictate that you

A) vigorously attack the policies of the other party.
B) remain independent and objective in your voting decisions.
C) avoid displeasing the leader of your party.
D) campaign actively for the prime minister's direct reelection.
E) become a relentless critic of parliamentary procedure.

Question 6

The Constitution requires that the president be at least ____ years old.

A) 18
B) 21
C) 25
D) 30
E) 35

Question 7

Customarily, the members of the president's cabinet are

A) close friends.
B) campaign aides.
C) representatives of important constituencies.
D) experts on various policy issues.
E) all of the above.

Question 8

The Framers of the Constitution generally expected that the __________ would ultimately decide the winner of presidential elections.

A) Electoral College
B) congressional delegations
C) Senate
D) House
E) Supreme Court

Question 9

More recent presidents have rarely been ______ just before becoming president.

A) legislators
B) military leaders
C) vice presidents
D) governors
E) both C and D

Question 10

An obvious and important difference between a president and a prime minister is that the latter always has

A) interest group support.
B) support in the cabinet.
C) support in the military.
D) majority support in parliament.
E) executive powers.

Question 11

The text observes that the delegates to the Constitutional Convention feared

A) monarchy more than anarchy.
B) anarchy more than monarchy.
C) neither monarchy nor anarchy.
D) monarchy and anarchy about equally.
E) that monarchy and anarchy were actually no different.

Question 12

In a parliamentary system, the voters cannot choose

A) their members of parliament.
B) their prime minister.
C) between two or more parties.
D) whether to vote.
E) among competing candidates.

Question 13

_________ did not hold national office before becoming president.

A) Jimmy Carter
B) Ronald Reagan
C) Bill Clinton
D) George W. Bush
E) All of the above

Question 14

The greatest source of presidential power can be found in

A) the Constitution.
B) politics and public opinion.
C) the Federalist Papers.
D) the veto power.
E) the treaty making power.

Question 15

Which individual described the business of the president as "usually not much above routine" and mostly "mere administration"?

A) Ronald Reagan
B) Woodrow Wilson
C) Dwight Eisenhower
D) Jimmy Carter
E) Gerald Ford

Question 16

Which elastic clause has been a significant source of presidential power?

A) "With the advice and consent of the Senate"
B) "With all deliberate speed"
C) The "full faith and credit" clause
D) The "necessary and proper" clause
E) "Take care that the laws be faithfully executed"

Question 17

The text cites the 1946 Marshall Plan and the Tax Reform Act of 1986 to illustrate that

A) unified governments rarely accomplish anything of note.
B) a divided government never could have produced them.
C) both were produced by a unified government.
D) one was produced by a unified government, and one was produced by a divided government.
E) both were produced by divided governments.

Question 18

The Constitution requires that the president be a resident of the United States for at least ____ years.

A) 35
B) 25
C) 14
D) 5
E) 2

Question 19

The president's salary is approximately ________ per year.

A) $400,000
B) $800,000
C) $1,000,000
D) $3,000,000
E) $6,000,000

Question 20

"Unified government" may have been present when

A) Roosevelt was president in 1933.
B) Johnson was president in 1965.
C) Reagan was president in 1980.
D) Reagan was president in 1984.
E) Both A and B

Question 21

Andrew Jackson established the precedent that a president's veto can be used

A) only on constitutional grounds.
B) without first having a law declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
C) even when Congress is still in session.
D) on policy grounds even when a bill may appear to be constitutional.
E) without the advice and consent of the Senate.

Question 22

The Framers solved the problem of how to elect the president by

A) forming a quasi-parliamentary system of government.
B) providing for constitutional amendments.
C) forming the House Election Committee.
D) creating the Committee on Detail.
E) creating the Electoral College.

Question 23

The second plan that was suggested at the Constitutional Convention for the selection of the president called for selection by

A) state legislatures.
B) the Supreme Court.
C) the direct vote of the people.
D) the Electoral College.
E) Congress.

Question 24

One of the fears expressed by the Founders about aspects of the presidency was the fear of a president's

A) claiming certain inherent powers by virtue of his position.
B) using the militia to overpower state governments.
C) using his position to shape public opinion.
D) power to appoint Supreme Court justices without congressional approval.
E) power to pardon.

Question 25

The legitimacy of the office of president was aided during the years of the first presidents by which of the following?

A) The limit placed on the number of terms a president could serve
B) The minimal role played by the early government
C) The rise in power of political caucuses
D) The close relationship that developed between the president and Congress
E) Narrow interpretations of the Constitution by the Supreme Court

Question 26

The personality of which president began to alter the relationship between the president and Congress and the nature of presidential leadership?

A) Andrew Jackson
B) Ulysses S. Grant
C) Richard Nixon
D) Jimmy Carter
E) William Henry Harrison

Question 27

Under the original provisions of the U.S. Constitution, the states were to choose presidential electors

A) however they wished.
B) by popular vote.
C) by vote of the legislature.
D) by appointment of the governor.
E) by rules designated by the courts.

Question 28

The primary source(s) of the expansion of presidential power can be found in

A) the president's ability to shape public opinion.
B) the president's position as the head of the executive branch.
C) the president's claims to certain "inherent" powers.
D) both A and B.
E) options A, B, and C.

Question 29

When George Washington went to the Senate for advice on a treaty, he was told that

A) the Senate would discuss it with him after lunch.
B) the Senate would consider the matter in private.
C) the Senate would provide advice, but not consent on treaties.
D) the Senate would provide consent, but not advice, on treaties.
E) the Constitution did not allow him to communicate directly with the Senate.

Question 30

The first plan suggested at the Constitutional Convention called for the president to be chosen by

A) state legislatures.
B) the Supreme Court.
C) popular election.
D) the Electoral College.
E) Congress.

Question 31

At the Constitutional Convention, the most frequent concern regarding the presidency focused on

A) reelection.
B) the veto power.
C) the pardon power.
D) appointment powers.
E) nominations.

Question 32

Presidents are now limited to two terms by the

A) Fourteenth Amendment.
B) Sixteenth Amendment.
C) Nineteenth Amendment.
D) Twenty-first Amendment.
E) Twenty-second Amendment.

Question 33

An aspect of George Washington's personality that encouraged the delegates to the Constitutional Convention to approve an elected presidency was his

A) bravery in battle.
B) clairvoyance.
C) loyalty to his subordinates.
D) keen wit.
E) self-restraint.

Question 34

George Washington limited himself to two terms, and no president served more until

A) Ulysses S. Grant.
B) Woodrow Wilson.
C) Franklin Roosevelt.
D) Harry Truman.
E) Herbert Hoover.

Question 35

The Framers assumed that under the Electoral College system, most presidential elections would be decided in the House. Why did this not turn out to be the case?

A) Because most elections were not close enough to give state delegations the power to decide the outcome
B) Because the first Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional the Electoral College system of selecting a president
C) Because political parties ended up playing a major role in producing nationwide support for a slate of national candidates
D) Because the Senate quickly usurped the delegate powers of the House
E) Because the Supreme Court narrowly interpreted the powers of the legislative branch

Question 36

Prior to the 1850s, the president who made the most vigorous use of the veto power was

A) George Washington.
B) Alexander Hamilton.
C) Andrew Jackson.
D) Abraham Lincoln.
E) John Adams.

Question 37

Which of the following statements is incorrect?

A) Lincoln was elected with less than 40 percent of the popular vote.
B) As a member of the Whig Party, Lincoln stood for limiting presidential power.
C) Lincoln opposed America's entry into the Mexican War.
D) Lincoln was critical of Andrew Jackson's use of executive power.
E) None of the above.

Question 38

The cause of those who argued for a single, elected president at the Constitutional Convention was, no doubt, aided by the fact that

A) Alexander Hamilton had already declared himself a candidate.
B) Massachusetts had experienced great success under such a system.
C) the Articles of Confederation fostered deep respect for the office.
D) everybody assumed that George Washington would be the first president.
E) no individual was likely to be chosen as president who was not a member of the upper classes.

Question 39

One concern expressed at the Constitutional Convention focused on the possibility that shared powers would cause the president to be a mere "tool" of

A) the House of Representatives.
B) the Senate.
C) the Supreme Court.
D) the Electoral College.
E) special-interest groups.

Question 40

Andrew Jackson came to the presidency with which of the following experiences?

A) Member of the House of Representatives
B) Member of the U.S. Senate
C) Military hero
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 41

Presidents need to rely on their powers of persuasion because of their

A) limited staffs and sketchy constitutional powers.
B) opponents within the party.
C) lack of ensured legislative majorities and opponents within the party.
D) sketchy constitutional powers and lack of ensured legislative majorities.
E) limited staffs.

Question 42

Which of the following statements about presidential elections thrown into the House of Representatives is incorrect?

A) The House chooses one of the top two candidates.
B) Each state casts one vote.
C) A state's vote is given to the candidate preferred by the majority of the state's House delegation.
D) If there is a tie within a state, that state's vote is not counted.
E) This process is only used when no candidate receives a majority of the votes of the Electoral College.

Question 43

The use of the veto power was a conspicuous feature of the administration of

A) Chester Arthur.
B) Grover Cleveland.
C) Rutherford B. Hayes.
D) James Garfield.
E) James Buchanan.

Question 44

Which of the following statements is incorrect?

A) In order to win an election, a candidate must receive at least half of the votes of the Electoral College.
B) Each state receives an electoral vote for each member it has in the House and the Senate.
C) In some states, electoral votes can be split.
D) State electors assemble in Washington to cast their ballots.
E) Electoral ballots are opened before a joint session of Congress during the first week in January.

Question 45

One possible consequence of an electoral system without the Electoral College might be the need for

A) more caucuses.
B) less spending on elections.
C) greater party control of the process.
D) limits on campaign financing.
E) runoff elections.

Question 46

Most Americans believe we should _______ the Electoral College.

A) reform
B) amend
C) reorganize
D) abolish
E) keep

Question 47

The presidential audiences listed by Richard Neustadt include all of the following except

A) heads of state from around the world.
B) fellow politicians in Washington.
C) party activists and officeholders outside Washington.
D) the public.
E) leaders in Washington.

Question 48

Abraham Lincoln __________ without prior congressional approval.

A) raised an army
B) spent money
C) blockaded Southern ports
D) suspended the right of habeas corpus
E) did all of the above

Question 49

When President Franklin Roosevelt gave the impression of self-confidence and being on top of things, the audience that was most likely to perceive him as effective was comprised of

A) fellow politicians and leaders.
B) partisan activists at the state level.
C) the general public.
D) the media.
E) partisan activists at the local level.

Question 50

Which president was one of the first to argue for a presidential legislative program?

A) Harry Truman
B) Richard Nixon
C) Herbert Hoover
D) Franklin Roosevelt
E) Woodrow Wilson

Question 51

From the examples of Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln, one learns that emergency conditions and ________ can offer presidents opportunities for substantial increases in power.

A) a strong Congress
B) a popular and strong-willed personality
C) an uninterested public
D) majority support in the cabinet
E) a compliant Supreme Court

Question 52

Given the distribution of electoral votes, a candidate could possibly win the presidency with as few as ____ states.

A) eleven
B) fifteen
C) twenty
D) twenty-five
E) twenty-six

Question 53

President Lincoln justified his unprecedented use of the vague powers granted to the president in Article II of the U.S. Constitution by citing

A) the debates of the Framers.
B) the platform of the Republican Party.
C) the conditions created by civil war.
D) Marbury v. Madison.
E) the Declaration of Independence.

Question 54

When a president makes fire-and-brimstone speeches confirming a shared sense of purpose, he/she is appealing principally to

A) fellow politicians.
B) the media.
C) partisan activists at the state and local levels.
D) the general public.
E) fellow leaders.

Question 55

When a presidential candidate talks on the campaign trail of the many good things that he/she would accomplish as president, he/she is appealing principally to

A) fellow leaders.
B) the media.
C) partisan activists at the state and local levels.
D) the general public.
E) fellow politicians.

Question 56

In only ____ instances, candidates have won the electoral vote without winning a majority of the popular vote.

A) two
B) three
C) five
D) ten
E) twelve

Question 57

In order to win the presidency today, a candidate must win ______ electoral votes.

A) 538
B) 438
C) 300
D) 270
E) 100

Question 58

Until the 1930s, the pattern of U.S. legislation was that

A) little initiative was taken by the president or Congress.
B) initiative was taken by the president and Congress about equally.
C) initiative was taken by the president and responded to by Congress.
D) initiative was taken by Congress and responded to by the president.
E) initiative was taken by the president with the advice and consent of Congress.

Question 59

When the president uses the prestige and visibility of the office to guide or mobilize the American people, we say that he/ she is using the

A) executive prerogative.
B) inside-outside strategy.
C) regal approach.
D) grassroots podium.
E) bully pulpit.

Question 60

The text suggests that the abolition of the Electoral College might lead to

A) less partisanship.
B) an increase in political action committee (PAC) spending.
C) the formation of third parties.
D) a more ideological electorate.
E) a decrease in political participation.

Question 61

President ____________ attempted to purge members of Congress who opposed his programs.

A) Nixon
B) Reagan
C) Bush
D) Roosevelt
E) Clinton

Question 62

United States v. Nixon held that there is

A) no executive privilege.
B) absolute presidential immunity from judicial process.
C) no unqualified presidential privilege of immunity from judicial process.
D) real but limited presidential immunity from judicial process.
E) no presidential immunity for matters that are civil in nature.

Question 63

From the time of winning office to the time of leaving it, the popularity of most recent presidents

A) decreased steadily.
B) decreased except at election time.
C) increased steadily.
D) increased except at election time.
E) revealed no systematic trends and was impervious to elections and campaigns.

Question 64

Which president generally proposed very little in Congress?

A) Eisenhower
B) Truman
C) Kennedy
D) Nixon
E) Ford

Question 65

More than twenty-five hundred presidential vetoes have been made since 1789. Congress has overridden about what percentage of these?

A) 4 percent
B) 25 percent
C) 38 percent
D) 45 percent
E) 86 percent

Question 66

Which of the following statements concerning recent party gains and losses in the House and Senate is incorrect?

A) The Republicans lost seats in the House in 2000.
B) The Republicans lost seats in the Senate in 2000.
C) The Republicans gained seats in the House in 2004.
D) The Republicans gained seats in the Senate in 2004.
E) None of the above

Question 67

A bill is passed to the president for action while Congress is still in session. After ten days he or she has still not approved it. What happens to the bill?

A) It is returned to Congress.
B) It is vetoed.
C) It becomes law.
D) Nothing. The president has thirty days to act on a bill.
E) Nothing. The president has ninety days to act on a bill.

Question 68

Presidential claims of executive privilege are based on the separation of powers and on

A) the U.S. Constitution.
B) the need for cooperation with Congress.
C) international law.
D) Marbury v. Madison.
E) the need for candid advice from aides.

Question 69

Which of the following statements is incorrect?

A) George W. Bush entered office with an approval rating similar to the initial rating of Bill Clinton.
B) Bush had the highest disapproval rating of any president since such polling began.
C) Bush's approval ratings for the first six months were quite typical of post-1960 presidents.
D) Bush received the highest approval rating ever recorded in the aftermath of the attacks of September 11.
E) None of the above

Question 70

A federal court has ruled that pocket vetoes cannot be issued just before

A) adjournment.
B) recess.
C) an election.
D) a midterm election.
E) a critical vote on legislation.

Question 71

How successful presidents are with legislation in Congress is difficult to gauge because they

A) never reveal their position on noncontroversial bills.
B) can keep their victory score high by not taking a position on any controversial measure.
C) do not have the power to veto bills passed by Congress.
D) do not have the ability to show their approval or disapproval, since they must not sign bills before they can become law.
E) can never overcome the influence of interest-group money on congressional votes.

Question 72

The classic example of the honeymoon phenomenon was

A) Harry Truman.
B) Franklin Roosevelt.
C) Richard Nixon.
D) Gerald Ford.
E) Bill Clinton.

Question 73

On the issue of a president's right to impound funds, the U.S. Constitution says

A) that a president must spend the money that Congress appropriates.
B) that a president does not have to spend money that Congress appropriates.
C) that a president may spend money that Congress does not appropriate.
D) that a president may spend money that Congress does not appropriate if congressional leaders support such expenditures.
E) nothing.

Question 74

If a bill has been pocket vetoed,

A) it cannot be brought back to life by Congress.
B) it does not carry over to the next session.
C) it must start over entirely in the next session.
D) it moves to the top of the House calendar for the next session.
E) options A, B and C are true.

Question 75

Which statement best characterizes George W. Bush's use of the veto power?

A) He did not use it at all.
B) He used it very rarely.
C) He used it quite often.
D) He used it more than any recent president.
E) He used it more than any president in history.

Question 76

Lyndon Johnson enjoyed considerable success in Congress until

A) the Vietnam War sapped his strength.
B) he decided to run for reelection.
C) numerous scandals erupted in the tax department.
D) reporters were banned from White House gatherings.
E) his appointment of Abe Fortas to the Supreme Court.

Question 77

Members of Congress pay attention to the personal popularity of a president because

A) the president may be called on to campaign for them.
B) the president may campaign against them in a primary.
C) many members of Congress have aspirations to the presidency.
D) politicians tend to rise and fall together.
E) interest group contributions often depend on perceptions of proximity with popular presidents.

Question 78

The major test of presidential power with respect to impoundment of funds came in the administration of

A) Lyndon Johnson.
B) John F. Kennedy.
C) Richard Nixon.
D) Gerald Ford.
E) Harry Truman.

Question 79

The result of the Supreme Court's ruling in United States v. Nixon was that

A) Nixon was allowed to retain the disputed tapes and papers.
B) Nixon was forced to hand over the disputed tapes and papers.
C) Congress was forced to impeach Nixon to gain access to the disputed tapes and papers.
D) Congress was allowed to take custody of the disputed tapes and papers under judicial review.
E) None of the above

Question 80

Veto power and executive privilege give a president both a way of blocking action and a

A) route of appeal to the people.
B) means of affecting the party platform.
C) trump card to play with the media.
D) means of forcing Congress to bargain.
E) means of overriding the influence of special interests.