US Presidency
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US Presidency - Leaderboard
US Presidency - Details
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126 questions
| 🇬🇧 | 🇬🇧 |
| What are the five roles of the President? | Head of State, Chief Diplomat, Chief Legislator, Commander in Chief and Chief Executive |
| What are the different powers of the president? | Propose Legislation, Submit the Annual Budget, Sign Legislation into law, Veto Legislation, act as Chief Executive to the Federal Bureaucracy, Nomination Chief, Commander in Chief, Commander in Chief and Power of Pardon |
| What is an example of the President's power to propose legislation? | Obama with the Affordable Care Act, Bush with No Child Left Behind. |
| What is an example of the President's power to Veto Legislation | Obama on Defence spending |
| What is an example of the President's power as Nomination Chief | Biden nominated 644 people for presidentially appointed |
| What is an example of the President's power as Commander in Chief? | Biden's first major challenge as commander in chief will be to find the most effective way to use the military to fight the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic |
| What is an example of the President's power to Negotiate Treaties? | Franklin D. Roosevelt negotiated an executive agreement that gave the United Kingdom 50 overage destroyers in exchange for 99-year leases on certain British naval bases in the Atlantic. |
| What is an example of the President's power to Power of Pardon? | Trump he granted executive clemency to more than 140 people, including his former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, who was charged in 2020 with defrauding donors as part of a private fundraising effort to build Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall. |
| What is something key about the formal powers of the president? | The powers of the President are not static, and change depending on circumstances. This is known as the Ebb and Flow of power between the President and Congress. |
| Where does power tend to flow to during a crisis? | Power will flow towards the President |
| Where does power tend to flow during peace time? | Power will flow towards the Congress |
| What are the informal powers of the president? | Electoral mandate, executive orders, natural events, the cabinet, the EXOP and the power to persuade |
| Why is the electoral mandate an informal power? | The larger the mandate at the election the greater the chance of the President's success |
| What is an example of the power of the electoral mandate used? | George W. Bush was weak after having lost the popular vote to Al Gore in 2000 |
| Why is this power limited? | Intense partisanship means presidents are less likely to get a landslide - no president has been elected with more than 55% since 1984 |
| Why is a unified government better for presidential powers? | Presidents achieve a higher level of support |
| What is an example of this shown? | For Presidents Clinton - Obama the average presidential support score for unified governments was 83% where as in a divided government it was 53% |
| What is an executive order? | An executive order carries the force of the law and comes from the president |
| What are three examples of executive orders? | President Lincoln - emancipating the state, George Bush - blocking stem cell research, Obama - unblocking stem cell research |
| What are limits on this power? | The supreme court can rule executive orders unconstitutional, congress can neutralise the order by passing a bill of their own, future presidents can override executive orders |
| What were two of Trump's executive orders? | Four month ban on refugees and three month ban on citizens from predominantly Muslim countries |
| What is an example of a check and balance of executive orders? | DAPA was blocked by Congress using the Supreme court to deem it unconstitutional as it was such a massive change to immigration policy |
| What are three examples of how natural events have shaped the power of the president? | Hurricane Catrina, the 2018 Migrant Caravan, the Charlottesville rally |
| Why was Hurricane Katrina significant to Presidential powers? | While people were dealing with the devastating effects of the hurricane, Bush was on holiday and didn't rush back to help. He wasn't on the ground helping but instead flew over New Orleans in a plane |
| Why was the 2018 migrant caravan significant to Presidential powers? | Trump lacked empathy for the groups of immigrants who were mostly women and children. He twisted the truth of the immigrants desperate for safety into an invasion |
| Why was the Charlottesville rally significant to Presidential powers? | Trump's actions were criticised as he protected the far right protestors and tried to place = blame on the left |
| Why was the Charlottesville rally significant to Presidential powers? | Trump's actions were criticised |
| Hoe do powers of persuasion help the President? | He can get congress to debate what he wants and help pass his bills |
| What are different methods to powers of persuasion? | Themselves - a president with good diplomatic skills, through the VP, Through the office of legislative affairs, Through members of the cabinet, through the party leadership in Congress, Through perks such as a call from the president or a trip on Air Force One and through public pressure |
| What is an example of the VP practising their powers of persuasion? | Obama chose Biden in part due to his Senate contacts and ability to get stuff through congress |
| What is the role of the office of legislative affairs practising their powers of persuasion? | Their job is to lobby and persuade members of congress on behalf of the President |
| What is the role of members of the cabinet practising their powers of persuasion? | They are experts in their fields |
| What is an example of members of the party leadership in Congress powers of persuasion? | The deterioration of Trump and Connell's relationship meant bad news for Trump |
| What is an example of the President using pressure from social media as a powers of persuasion? | Trump was well known for his Twitter outbursts which had members of Congress receiving death threats |
| What is the EXOP? | The EXOP is the executive office of the President |
| When was it created? | 1939 to stop the President being overwhelmed |
| How has it grown over the years? | It has grown in size as the power of the federal government has grown to an impressive 2000 staff |
| Who does the EXOP include? | The President's closest advisors |
| What does the EXOP do? | Ensures the government is moving in the direction the president wants by offering policy advice, manages the President's diary, oversees departments, works with congress to pass legislation, different offices work on specific priorities |
| What is an example of policy advice from the EXOP? | OMB on financial matters |
| What has the growth of the EXOP led to? | The growth of the EXOP has posed a threat to the power of cabinet members and their departments. |
| What are examples that show the EXOP are too powerful? | Under George W Bush, foreign policy was directed from the west wing most notable by Condoleeza Rice (National security advisor) and Dick Cheney (VP) Obama’s creation of “policy czars” such as Carol Browner for climate and Nancy Anne DeParle for health |
| What is the NSC? | The national security council which is part of the EXOP created in 1947 |
| What does the NSC do? | Provide daily briefings to the president |
| What is an example of the NSC not being able to provide daily briefings? | The Trump/Biden transition where Biden was not able to get any briefings |
| Who is the National Security Adviser | The head of the NSC who is a key figure in the administration and is vital in providing guidance to the president over the most crucial and sensitive issues |
| Why was Trump highly criticised for his NSC? | He politicised the council with the appointment of Steve Bannon as senior counsellor in the NSC as it was worried he would twist intelligence for his own ends. he lasted three months |
| What have we seen following the attack on the capitol? | Several resignations from the NSC such as Deputy NSA (Matt Pottinger), the current NSA (Robert O'Brien) |
| What is the OMB? | The office of management and budget making it the largest office in the EXOP (500 employees) |
| What does the OMB do? | Advises the president on their annual budget, how it should be allocated and oversees the spending of the federal departments and agencies, it often leads on key policies |
| What amounts of money does it deal with? | Deals with a huge amount of money, approx $4 trillion in 2015 and $6.5trillion in 2020. |
| What is an example of the OMB leading on key policies? | Mick Mulvaney when the head of the OMB led attempts to repeal Obama Care |
| What did both Trump and Obama suffer? | Both Obama and trump saw federal shutdowns over failure to pass their budgets. |
| What is WHO? | The White House Office including the closest aids to the president such as their chief of staff |
| What does the Chief of staff do? | Have oversight of the whole EXOP as well as controlling access to the president |
| What should the chief of staff be? | As a gatekeeper they should be an 'honest broker' making sure the president has access to different perspectives and advice before making decisions |
| What is an example of a chief of staff who seemed ineffective? | Under Obama, Bill Daley is seemed to be unsuccessful as he gave too much ground to the republicans and did not control the West Wing effectively. |
| What were the concerns about Trump's chief of staffs? | There were many concerns about the consistent changing of Trump’s chiefs of staff and the idea his WHO was filled with people who would just go along with whatever he said |
| What is the main factor that indicates the relationship between the president and congress? | The numbers in both the senate and the house |
| How does policy debate help the relationship between institutions? | Cabinet meetings can be used as a place to discuss foreign policy and therefore can become very intense. this allows the president to broaden his policy contributions |
| How has Biden started off? | He has a narrow majority in the House and the narrowest margin possible in the Senate meaning there is unified government |
| How did Trump start off in 2016? | Trump and the Republicans held both houses, he brought in huge tax cuts (2017 tax cuts and jobs act) |
| What happened to Trump in 2018? | The democrats took control of the House of Representatives and Trump's policies hit gridlock |
| How does popularity and timing affect the relationship between congress and President? | The more popular a president is, the more unlikely congress are to stand in their way and will at least debate their agenda |
| What are examples of times were President's have high popularity ratings? | When a popular president has just won an election, when a popular president has just shown great strength/leadership |
| What are examples of times Congress wont help the President pass his agenda? | If the president's party has taken a real beating in the mid term elections or the president has made a big mess of a national event |
| How does the constitution affect the relationship between the President and congress? | Separation of powers |
| How does the Separation of powers affect the relationship between the President and congress? | The president and congress receive separate mandates - both believe they have the power from the people to govern |
| How does the fact they are elected at different points help change the relationship between the president and Congress? | Congress can feel emboldened after mid terms such as in 2018 and 2006 |
| How do the mandates of the president and congress differ? | Members of congress are accountable to their state or district rather than the whole nation |
| How does Separation of powers affect the President's power of patronage? | Due to separation of powers the president cannot promote or demote people, they do however know who can to an extent |
| How does a divided government affect the relationship between the President and congress? | When it happens the President must work in a bipartisan way to get things passed or faces gridlock |
| How does a united congress affect the relationship between the President and congress? | A united congress can override a president in a way that the president cannot override a congressional vote |
| How is the President's relationship with congress illustrated through agenda setting and legislation? | Having only won a national election the president can claim to have a national mandate and therefore congress has to debate the issues they want them to |
| What is an example of this? | In 2016 Trump wanted immigration reform, a wall, cuts in corporation tax and to repeal Obamacare, these became the agenda for congress. |
| What can the President be seen as in setting the agenda? | The Chief legislator |
| How does congress have a say in agenda setting and legislation? | Congress can set its own agenda and frequently will, especially following a mid term dominated by a national campaign |
| What is an example of Congress setting its own agenda following a mid term dominated by a national campaign? | In the 2006 'New direction for America' campaign |
| What is an example that suggests united government is everything for a good relationship between president and congress? | Obama couldn’t pass his budget as the Republican house demanded austerity and wouldn’t debate his immigration bill |
| What is an example that suggests a united government isn't everything for a good relationship between the president and congress? | Trump's struggles over passing the American Health Care Act in 2017 as a republican president with a republican congress shows it isn’t always about united government |
| What is key for the President to have a good relationship with Congress? | Using their powers of persuasion to get congress to debate their agenda, pass it and also fund it |
| Why are the powers of persuasion important? | More often than not, the President’s party doesn’t control both houses so powers of persuasion are necessary to pass any bill |
| What do separation of powers ensure? | The President cannot act without asking Congress |
| What is the President's power over the supreme court? | The ability to make appointments |
| What are limitations to the President’s power over the supreme court? | They have no control on how many nominations they will make if any and they also need the agreement of the senate |
| What is the president required to carry out? | Supreme court decisions as part of the President's oath to defend the constitution and the law |
| How did Trump challenge the norms between the relationship between the president and the judiciary | Trump called district judge Robart a “so-called” judge” when his immigration bill was halted in the Supreme Court |
| What does the Supreme court have? | Strong powers to check the President’s power as it has the power to make judicial review |
| Key quote from Chief Justice Charles Evan Hughes? | “We are under a constitution, but the constitution is what the judges say it is" |
| What does judicial review mean? | The Court can deem actions of the executive or congress as unconstitutional |
| What can the supreme court use judicial review to do? | Interpret the meaning of the constitution |
| What is an example of the Supreme court using judicial review to interpret the meaning of the constitution | Furman v Georgia 1972 temporarily banning capital punishment due to a different interpretation of 'cruel and unusual' punishment |
| What has the supreme court also played a role in? | Clarifying the results of elections |
| What are the two examples of its role in clarifying presidential elections? | In 2000 it handed the election to Bush and in 2020 throwing out Trump's claims as baseless |
| How does the President's power of appointment interfere with their relationship with the supreme court? | On occasion the president can shift the balance of the Court as republicans tend to nominate conservative judges whereas democrats nominate more liberal judges |
| What is an example of a president shifting the balance? | Trump's three nominations of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett shifted the balance of the Court to a conservative place |
| What are the three limits to a President's power? | Changing power over their time in office, congress, supreme court and the constitution, election cycle and divided government |
| NA | NA |
| What are the first 100 days of a presidency? | Most productive a president will be, the peak of their power |
| What factors hindered Trump when dealing with congress? | Lack of support from his own party due to different factions wanting different things |