3.3 The presidency

Question 1

How does the separation of powers effect the president and Congress (3)

Answer 1

-President and Congress receive separate mandates
-President has limited powers of patronage over individual members of Congress
-Possibility of divided government

Question 2

What are all the factors affecting presidential relationships (8)

Answer 2

-elections
-persuasion
-divided government
-Presidential action
-Media
-Judicial review
-Appointments
-Separation of powers

Question 3

How is a “lame-duck” president’s power restricted

Answer 3

His successor has already been elected, meaning the president effectively has no mandate

Question 4

Why does the president have a stronger mandate than Congress for
-AGENDA SETTING AND SHAPING LEGISLATION

Answer 4

-president is the single executive office holder who is nationally elected;
stronger position to claim a national mandate

Question 5

Why is agenda setting important?

Answer 5

Allows the president to act as the driving force of US politics
-can be perceived as the dominant force of the legislative process, ‘Chief Legislator’

Question 6

How else can a president dominate the agenda of US politics

Answer 6

-Veto bill
-Signing a bill
-Speaking directly to Congress
-meeting with individual members of the legislative body

Question 7

LIMITS to presidential agenda setting

Answer 7

-Congress is the sole legislative body with its own mandate

Question 8

How is the president able to influence the Supreme Court

Answer 8

-Nominations to the Supreme Court- gives the president influence over the ideological balance of the Supreme Court
-e.g Trump appointing Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 and Amy Coney Barret in 2020

Question 9

Factors limiting presidential power (4)

Answer 9

-Presidential popularity
-Election cycle
-National events
-Mid term elections