Chapter 11 Flashcards
what are the three major themes of the presidency?
- the president personifies America
- pres injects new ideas and themes into American politics
- the pres has enormous powers, at least on paper
what are expressed powers?
powers the constitution explicitly grants to the president
what are delegated powers?
powers that congress passes on to the president
what are inherent powers of the presidency?
powers assumed by presidents, often during crisis, on the basis of the constitutional phrase “the executive power shall be vested in the president”
what are executive agreements?
an international agreement made by the president that does not require approval of the Senate
what is executive privilege?
power claimed by the president to resist requests for authority by Congress, the courts, or the public. not mentioned in the constitution but based on the separation of powers
how are presidents elected?
indirectly by the electoral college
what is the unitary executive theory?
the idea that the constitution puts the president in charge of executing the laws and that therefore no other branch may limit presidential discretion over executive matters
what is imperial presidency?
a characterization of the American presidency that suggests it is demonstrating imperial traits and that the republic is morphing into an empire
what is the paradox of the power of the presidency?
americans want, and fear, a powerful president
what is competitive authoritarianism?
a system in which meaningful democratic institutions exist, yet the government abuses state power to disadvantage its opponents
what are the 7 expressed powers of the presidency?
- commander in chief
- top diplomat
- first legislator
- chief bureaucrat
- economist in chief
- head of state
- party leader
what Congressional Act limits the powers of the president as commander in chief and how?
War Powers Act, requires congressional approval after troops have been deployed for 60 days
who takes the lead role in foreign affairs according to the constitution?
the president
what are the two general paths most presidents take in terms of foreign affairs?
- some emphasize international alliances
- some go it alone, ignore the UN, and reject the idea of joint military action if US troops would have to serve under foreign leaders
what are the 3 ways that the president is included in the legislative process?
- president is authorized to recommend measures for Congress consideration
- president reports the State of the Union yearly
- president can veto legislation
what determines the batting average, or legislative success of a president?
unified versus divided government