| 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 |
| 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 |
