Chapter 4 Vocab

Question 1

Federalist No. 70

Answer 1

paper that focuses on the value of the unity in a single strong executive to avoid conflicts and to ensure accountability

Question 2

Article II of the Constitution

Answer 2

article of the Constitution describes the role and power of the Executive Branch. The President and Vice President.

Question 3

Impeachment

Answer 3

Charges against a president approved by a majority of the House of Representatives

Question 4

inherent power

Answer 4

powers of the president that may not be explicitly listed in the Constitution but are nonetheless within the jurisdiction of the executive

Question 5

imperial presidency

Answer 5

powerful executive position guided by a weaker Congress, a U.S. presidency that is characterized by greater power than the Constitution allows.

Question 6

Stewardship Theory

Answer 6

approach to governing presumed that presidential powers are only strictly limited by the actual limits listed in the Constitution

Question 7

State of the Union

Answer 7

yearly speech Presidents are required to give on the state of the nation to the U.S. Congress.

Question 8

Twenty-second Amendment

Answer 8

Limits the president to two terms in office

Question 9

Lame duck period

Answer 9

Period of time when the new president is already elected, but the previous president is still in office

Question 10

Honeymoon period (presidential)

Answer 10

Period at the beginning of the new president’s term during which the president enjoys generally positive relations with the people, press and Congress, usually lasting about six months.

Question 11

Twenty-fifth Amendment

Answer 11

constitutional amendment to the Constitution that establishes procedures for filling presidential and vice presidential vacancies and makes provisions for presidential disability.

Question 12

Formal Powers of the President

Answer 12

constitutional powers given directly to the president: head of state, chief diplomat, veto power, pardon

Question 13

Informal Powers of the President

Answer 13

powers given to the president that are not specifically stated in the constitution

Question 14

Chief Legislator

Answer 14

role of the president in influencing the making of laws.

Question 15

Bully Pulpit

Answer 15

ability to use the office of the presidency to promote a particular program and/or to influence Congress to accept legislative proposals

Question 16

pocket veto

Answer 16

president’s power to kill a bill, if Congress is not in session, by not signing it for 10 days

Question 17

line-item veto

Answer 17

measure that empowers an executive to eliminate a line of spending from an appropriations bill or a budgeting measure, allowing the president to veto part, but not all, of the bill

Question 17

War Powers Act

Answer 17

a law that maintains the president’s need for urgent action and defense of the U.S. while preserving the war-declaring authority of Congress, president can order the military into combat 48 hours before informing Congress

Question 18

Commander in Chief

Answer 18

role of the president as supreme commander of the military forces of the United States

Question 19

Chief Diplomat

Answer 19

role of the president in recognizing foreign governments, making treaties, and effecting executive agreements.

Question 20

executive agreement

Answer 20

president’s power to arrange agreement that resembles a treaty but does not require Senate’s ⅔ approval vote, simple contract between two heads of state

Question 21

executive order

Answer 21

a rule or order issued by the president to an executive branch of the government and having the force of law.

Question 22

signing statements

Answer 22

when signing a bill the president will make a statement explaining their interpretation of a bill, their understanding of what is expected of them to carry it out, or just a commentary on the law

Question 23

executive privilege

Answer 23

president’s right to withhold information or their decision-making process from another branch, especially Congress

Question 24

Cabinet Departments

Answer 24

15 largest and most influential agencies of the federal bureaucracy that are under the executive branch

Question 25

chief of staff

Answer 25

president’s head of the White House staff

Question 25

Chief Administrator

Answer 25

president as the leader of the executive branch of the federal government