19.3 - Informal Sources of Presidential Power

Question 1

What are informal powers?

Answer 1

Powers that are not granted explicitly by the Constitution but which are either taken anyway, or enable the President to gain power.

Question 2

What level of power does the Cabinet hold, constitutionally?

Answer 2

None.

All the exec. power is vested in the President, and the cabinet acts as an advisory body.

Question 3

How does the cabinet exert their power?

Answer 3

They can:
* Undertake roles and work on behalf of the President
* Advise the President

Question 4

How has the cabinet undertaken roles and work on behalf of the President?

Answer 4

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met the new Mexican president in July 2018 in an effort to improve Mexico US relations.

Question 5

What was Bill Clinton’s famous quote about his cabinet?

Answer 5

He wanted them to ‘look like America’.

Question 6

What did Richard Neustadt suggest the power of the Presidency needed?

Answer 6

‘the power of the presidency is the power to persuade’.

Question 7

Why did Richard Neustadt suggest the power of the presidency is the power to persuade?

Answer 7

The power of each president is the same constitutionally, and Congress checks their powers.

As a result, to get anything done, President’s must rely upon something else to achieve his goals (i.e. persuasion, reputation and public prestige)

Question 8

How can the president try and persuade?

Answer 8

• Appeal directly and morally to Congress (i.e. Obama in Rose Garden Speech 2013 maintaining the need for military action against Syria)
• Using the White House as a bully pulpit (Obama calling for gun control after the San Bernadino shooting in 2015)
• Using personal gravitas (i.e. Reagan’s relationship with Tip O’Neill)
• Offer inducements to Congress (i.e. Obama deporting more people than any other president to show he could be trusted with immigration)

Question 9

Why does presidential popularity directly tie to Congressional support?

Answer 9

If a president is broadly popular, then Congresspeople will be more likely to support their legislation in an effort for reelection.

Question 10

What are the constitutional powers of the VP?

Answer 10

• Take over the role of President if necessary
• Cast deciding votes in the Senate

Question 11

How does the power of a VP vary from President to President?

Answer 11

There is no real constitutional power that the VP holds, so the President can decide how powerful the VP is.

Examples include:
Bill Clinton’s running mate and VP, Al Gore headed the National Performance Review to reduce the cost of federal government and famously championed environmental policies.

Question 12

What is EXOP?

Answer 12

The agencies that work within, or directly for, the White House.

Question 13

What is the OMB?

Answer 13

Office of Management and Budget.

Develops the annual budget for the President for submission to Congress.

Question 14

What is the NSC?

Answer 14

The National Security Council

Question 15

What does the NSC do?

Answer 15

Advise the President on matters of national security and foreign policy.

Question 16

What is the WHO?

No, not the health WHO.

Answer 16

The White House Office.

Question 17

How has the power of the WHO been used in the past?

Answer 17

They can essentially control who sees the President and gets to talk to him.

Nixon’s WHO was famously referred to as the ‘Berlin Wall’ over how difficult they made it for other advisors to reach the President.

Question 18

What did Trump do with the NSC?

Answer 18

Appointed Steve Bannon, a senior advisor and campaign strategist, to the NSC. This led to allegations of politicisation of the body.