Chapters 13, 14, 15 Test Flashcards
7 presidential roles
- head of state
- chief executive
- economic planner of the country
- chief legislator
- party leader
- chief diplomat for nations
- commander in chief
what does the president do as head of state
represents the entire country and performs ceremonial roles
what does the president do as the chief executive
influences the way laws are carried out and is head of executive committees
what does the president do as economic planner of the country
puts forth a yearly budget that should promote high employment, production, and output
what does the president do as chief legislator
signs bills into law
what does the president do as party leader
selects the national party chairman, gives speeches, raises money for the party
what does the president do as the chief diplomat for nations (diplomat = ambassador)
lists other countries, director of foreign policy and secretary of state carries out foreign policy
what does the president do as commander in chief
leader of all branches of military
department of state
handles foreign policy, staff embassies, speaks for the united states in the UN
department of treasury
serves the government’s financial division, operates the bureau of printing and engraving, regulates the IRS, regulates alcohol and tobacco
department of the interior
oversees relations with native americans; oversees mining; manages national monuments, historical sites, recreational areas, and national parks and lands
department of agriculture
helps expand farmers’ markets, develops conservation programs, and safeguards food supplies
department of justice
oversees the nation’s legal affairs
department of commerce
administers the bear eau of census and the patent and trademark office, provides uniform standards for weights and measurements
department of labor
ensures safe working conditions and a minimum wage, protects pensions, analyzes employment data, regulates unions
department of defense
protects us security and oversees armed forces
department of health and human services
directs the social services - social security, medicare, the FDA
department of housing and urban development
preserves the nation’s communities and ensures US citizens of equal housing opportunities, helps make GNMA mortgage money available
department of transportation
regulates aviation, railroads, highways, mass transit, and the coast guard
department of energy
plans energy policy, researches and develops energy technology, sets rates for interstate transmission of natural gas and electricity
department of education
coordinates federal assistance programs for public and private schools, helps physically challenged and limited english proficiency students
department of veteran affairs
administers veterans’ hospitals and education programs
department of homeland security
responsible for domestic protection; includes the coast guard; also for emergency preparedness and emergency response
the federal bureaucracy is
all the agencies, people, and procedures through which the federal government operates, hierarchal in structure, and headed by the president
the “nerve center” of the executive office of the president is the
white house of office
the job of the national security council is to
advise the president about the nation’s safety
which is the title of the head of the justice department
attorney general
how many cabinet departments are there
15
after president james garfield’s assassination, the government began reforms in
the civil service system
formal qualifications for president (age)
35
formal qualifications for president (citizenship)
natural born citizen
formal qualifications for president (us residence)
live in state 14 years prior to presidency
term and compensation for president (maximum term length)
2 (max. of 10 years)
term and compensation for president (annual salary)
$400,000
term and compensation for president (annual expenses)
$50,000 expense account, 2 residencies (camp david and white house), use of airforce 1 and marine 1
6 qualities and skills that make a president an effective leader
- understanding the public - if a president has a good feeling for the hopes, fears, and moods of people, he will receive public support and, in turn, will receive political leverage with congress
- ability to communicate - presidents who explain their policies clearly and inspire public support are usually well received by congress and the people
- sense of timing - when new policies are introduced or key decisions are made at the right time, the poss. of success is increased
- openness to new ideas - since situations can change rapidly today, presidents must be flexible enough to seek new solutions to modern problems
- ability to compromise - effective presidents accept part of what they want rather than being forced to accomplish nothing at all
- political courage - effect presidents must have the courage to make unpopular decisions and risk alienating congress or the people in order to do what they think is right
examples of independent executive agencies
- national aeronautics and space administration (NASA) and federal election commission (FEC)
examples of independence regulatory commissions
- federal reserve
2. federal comm. commission (FCC)
what are the functions of government corporations
carry out government business activities
examples of government corporations
- us postal service
2. fed. deposit insurance (FDIC) corporation
the term independent agencies means that the agencies are not part of
cabinet departments
independent regulatory commissions are ___________ bodies, which means they have the power to make rules and regulations
quasi-legislative
they also have quasi judicial powers, which they exercise by ___________________
deciding disputes in those fields in which congress has given them policing authority
the 10 _____ operate largely outside presidential control
independent regulatory commissions
the civil rights commission and the peace corps are both ______
independent executive agencies
many claim the advantage of ______ is their flexibility, or freedom from the controls of regular departmental organization
government corporations
the united states postal service is an example of a
government corporation
the independent agencies were created by
congress
one reason that independent regulatory agencies are not subject to presidential control
are appointed for long terms, are appointed to staggered terms, must consist of nearly equal number of democrats and republicans (non-partisan)
the office of personnel management and the civil rights commission are examples of
agencies that were given independent status in order to protect them from political influence
do voters in the united states vote directly for the president
no
the group of people who cast the official votes to elect the president and the vice president is called the
electoral college
an _________ election is one where the citizens vote for electors who elect the president
indirect
a ________ election is one where the citizens vote for the president
direct
a ________ election is one where the winner of the popular election gets all the state’s electoral votes
winner take all
what did the 12th amendment to the constitution do
a majority of electoral votes is still required for a person to be elected president or vice president by the electoral college
today, all of the states but maine have __________ elections to elect presidential electors
winner take all
how many electoral votes does a nominee need in order to win the presidency
270 (538/2 + 1) *know math
what are the five states with the highest number of electoral votes
california, texas, florida, new york, and pennsylvania
how many electoral votes does your state have
55
who does (minnesota) get more electoral votes than (idaho)
(minnesota) has more citizens
(look over electoral map questions)
(look over electoral map questions)
difference between presidents and prime ministers on how they are selected
president is selected (presidential parliament); prime ministers are chosen by and responsible to parliament
can cabinet members hold office in the executive branch
president usually choose cabinet members from outside congress and according to the constitution, no sitting member of congress can hold an office in the executive branch
what is the difference between the president and prime minister in the legislature
presidents have no guaranteed majority in the legislature while prime minister party always has a majority in parliament
what is divided government
one party controls the white house and a different party controls one or both houses of congress
what is unified government
the same party controls the white house and both houses of congress
what is gridlock
the inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government
does gridlock matter
- divided governments do as well as united ones in passing important laws, conducting investigations and ratifying important treaties
- united governments do not ensure that congress and president will see eye to eye; conservative and liberal republicans
- the only true unified government is run by the same ideology wing of the same party
how many electoral votes does a state have
each state can cast one electoral vote for each senator and representative it has
who has offices in the white house
closest assistants have offices in the white house - usually west wing
what are the president’s executive agencies (executive agencies report directly to the president and performs staff services for him, but are not located in white house)
- office of management and budget
- director of national intelligence
- council of economic advisors
what is the cabinet
the heads of fifteen executive branch departments of the federal government
examples of independent agencies (commissions and judgeships)
FCC and FAA (not a part of the cabinet)
how do you get appointed in the cabinet
those appointed to cabinet and sub cabinet usually have some prior federal experience
vice president’s task
the only official task of VP is to preside over the senate and vote in the case of a tie
25th amendment (1967)
VP becomes president when president declares himself unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office or when the VP and majority of the cabinet declare the president is incapacitated
line of succession (list order)
vice president, house speaker, press. pro tempore, sec of state, sec. of treasury
what is impeachment
charges against a president or leader that could result in removal from office
which presidents have been impeached
andrew johnson and bill clinton
what is lame duck
office holder whose power has diminished because he/she is about to leave office
what are executive orders
order given by the president that has full force of law
what is reprieve
postponement of legal punishment
what is pardon
release from legal punishment
what is amnesty
group pardon given to individuals for an offense against the government
what is chief of state
the president is the ceremonial head of the government of the united states, the symbol of all the people of the nation
what is the chief executive
president is vested by the constitution with “the executive power” of the us
what is chief administrator
the director of the huge executive branch of the federal government
what is chief diplomat
the main architect of american foreign policy and the nation’s chief spokesperson to the rest of the world
what is commander in chief
the 1.4 million men and women in uniform and the nation’s entire military arsenal are subject to the president’s direct and immediate control
what is chief legislator
the main architect of its public policies
what is chief of party
the acknowledged leader of the political party that controls the executive branch
what is chief citizen
the representative of all the people
what is presidential succession
the scheme by which a presidential vacancy is filled
what is presidential electors
the president and vice president were to be chosen by this special body
what are electoral votes
electors cast 2 votes each for a different candidate. the candidate with most votes become president
what is electoral college
the group of people (electors) chosen from each state and the district of columbia to formally select the president and vice president
what is presidential primary
an election in which a party’s voters (1) choose some or all of the state party organization’s delegates to their party’s national convention, and/or (2) express a preference among various contenders for their party’s presidential nomination
what is winner take all
the candidate who won the preference vote automatically won the preference one automatically won the support of all delegates chosen in the primary
what is national convention
the meetings at which the delegates vote to pick their presidential and vice presidential candidates
what is platform
formal statement of basic principles, stands on major policy matters, and objectives for the campaign and beyond
title for department of justice
attorney general
title of department of health and human services
surgeon general
