Chapter 3 - 3/5 - The presidency

Question 1

What recent Act shows that cooperation can exist between a divided Congress and president?

Answer 1

The CARES Act

Question 2

When was the CARES Act?

Answer 2

March 2020

Question 3

What is the CARES Act?

Answer 3

Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act

Question 4

How much stimulus did the CARES Act provide to the US economy?

Answer 4

$2.2 trillion

Question 5

What is the president’s power connected to?

Answer 5

Who controls Congress.

Question 6

How can Congress hold the president to account?

Answer 6

Overriding a president’s veto.

Question 7

What is needed to override a veto?

Answer 7

⅔ majority - meaning this rarely happens.

Question 8

How many regular vetoes did Trump make?

Answer 8

10

Question 9

How many of Trump’s regular vetoes did Congress manage to override?

Answer 9

1

Question 10

What can cause a reduction in presidential power through their term?

Answer 10

The midterm elections

Question 11

Which recent presidents have lost their majority to a midterm election?

Answer 11

Clinton, G. W. Bush, Obama, Trump.

Question 12

When is the president more powerful?

Answer 12

United government

Question 13

What is united government?

Answer 13

When the same party controls the presidency and Congress.

Question 14

What majority does Biden have in House?

Answer 14

Just 9 seats.

Question 15

What do presidents often become in their second term?

Answer 15

Lame ducks

Question 16

Why do presidents try to enact their top priority policies at the start of their term?

Answer 16

That is when they are most popular.

Question 17

What is the average first-year approval rating for presidents?

Answer 17

83%

Question 18

What is the average last-year approval rating for presidents?

Answer 18

48%

Question 19

What else can affect presidential power other than Congress?

Answer 19

National and international events.

Question 20

What event strengthened Bush’s power?

Answer 20

9/11

Question 21

What event weakened Bush’s power?

Answer 21

Hurricane Katrina 2005

Question 22

What events weakened Trump?

Answer 22

• Covid
• BLM

Question 23

What event highlights the president’s responsibility to enforce Supreme Court rulings?

Answer 23

President Eisenhower sending troops into Little Rock to integrate a high school.

Question 24

What actions of President Nixon did the Supreme Court declare unconstitutional?

Answer 24

His refusal to release the White House tapes in 1974.

Question 25

What action of Obama did the Supreme Court rule unconstitutional?

Answer 25

His attempt to implement immigration reform by an executive order.