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
how does the president serve as Chief Bureaucrat?
by appointing the men and women of the executive branch, subject to confirmation by the Senate
how many political appointees are there that direct the executive agencies?
4000
what are executive orders?
with the force of law, set guidelines for federal agencies
what was the name of the Executive Order trump signed to hurt DACA?
Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the US
does the constitution explicitly give the president economic authority?
absolutely not
how did the president get to be economist in chief?
FDR administration seized responsibility for putting the nation back to work after the Great Depression
what agency guides presidential efforts to oversee the economy?
Council of Economic Advisers (CEA)
what is the dual role the president plays as head of state?
representing the nation and also the POV of their party
when is the clash between the ceremonial and political nature of the presidency especially on display?
when running for reelection
what fine line does the president walk as party leader?
leading the nation and leading the party
how are presidencies like social movements?
they are organized, sustained, and collective efforts that make claims on behalf of members of a group
how do right-leaning leaders use populism as an election strategy?
by conjuring up faith in a mythical past; replacing historical record with a myth that serves their political ends
what is veto power?
the presidential power to bock an act of Congress by refusing to sign and returning it to congress with objections
how can congress overturn a presidential veto?
with a 2/3 majority in both chambers to override the veto
what are political appointees?
top officials in the executive agencies appointed by the president
what are civil servants?
members of the permanent executive branch bureaucracy who are employed on the basis of competitive exams and keep their position regardless of the presidential administration
what is a political order?
the set of institutions, interests, and ideas that shape a political era
what is the traditional role of the vice president?
to wait for the president to die lmao
what has recently happened with the role of vice president?
they have been put in charge of major administration efforts
what is the role of the cabinet?
to run executive branch departments and discuss policy with the president in cabinet meetings
what is the Executive Office of the President?
the agencies that help the president manage daily activities
what is the most powerful weapon of the Office of Management and Budget?
central clearance: the authority to review and clear anything a member of the administration says or does in public and reviews everything before it reaches the president
what is the WHO and who manages it?
White House Office, the Chief of Staff
what is the NSC and what does it do?
National Security Council; brings together Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Treasury, director of National Intelligence and Chairman of the joint Chiefs of Staff and has tightened WH control over foreign policy
what is the traditional role of the First Spouse?
hostess (fuck the patriarchy)
who changed the role of the First Spouse?
Eleanor Roosevelt, she broke the mold and established the role of Activist
