Chapters 13, 14

Question 1

Chief of State

Answer 1

Ceremonial head; symbol of all people of the nation (awarding medals, dedicating parks, natural disasters and tragedies)

Question 2

Chief Executive

Answer 2

Vested by the Constitution with executive power (enforce laws, appointment, organize executive departments)

Question 3

Chief Administer

Answer 3

Director of the Federal Government that employs 2.7 million people and uses over $2 trillion a year (oversee everyday operation, directs through cabinet heads)

Question 4

Chief Diplomat

Answer 4

Our chief spokesperson to the world (foreign policy, treaties, executive agreements, through diplomatic staff and ambassadors)

Question 5

Commander in Chief

Answer 5

Of our armed forces (War Powers Act, national emergencies)

Question 6

Chief Legislator

Answer 6

Usually shapes our congressional agenda (State of the Union, vetoes, special session of congress)

Question 7

Chief of Party

Answer 7

Head of the party that holds the executive branch (appointments, patronage, campaign fundraising, assistance to other party office holders)

Question 8

Chief Citizen

Answer 8

Representative of all the people

Question 9

Chief Judiciary

Answer 9

President had the power to pardon, reprieve, commute or issues clemency to any prisoner

Question 10

What are the three formal qualifications to be president?

Answer 10

Natural born citizen, 35 years old, lived in the US for 14 years

Question 11

What did the 22th amendment do?

Answer 11

Only two terms or 10 years in office

Question 12

How much is the president paid, how much does he get for expenses and what is his/her other main benefit?

Answer 12

$400,000 salary $50,000 a year expenses, the 138 room mansion of the White House

Question 13

Disability

Answer 13

Temporary shift of power in sickness/surgery/etc

Question 14

What are the two main powers of the VP?

Answer 14

Preside over the Senate, help decide the question of presidential disability

Question 15

Why are VPs chosen?

Answer 15

To “balance the ticket”

Question 16

What happens in the case of VP vacancy?

Answer 16

The president will nominate a new VP to be confirmed by both houses of Congress

Question 17

What is the procedure to select delegates?

Answer 17

Each state has their own (federalism!)

Question 18

What are the three goals for the national convention?

Answer 18

Name the candidates, bring the leading personalities of the party together, adopt the party’s platform

Question 19

What is a party’s platform?

Answer 19

Its formal statement of the basic principles, stances on policy matters, and objectives for the campaign and beyond

Question 20

What happens in the first two days of the national convention?

Answer 20

Keynote address

Question 21

What happens in the last two days of the national convention?

Answer 21

Nominate the president

Question 22

What was the framers first plan for the electoral college?

Answer 22

The President and VP were chosen by a special body of presidential electors that would cast 2 electoral votes each for a different candidate

Question 23

Why did the rise of political parties mess up the framers plan for the electoral college?

Answer 23

The president and VP could be from different parties

Question 24

When do the electors meet to vote?

Answer 24

Monday after the second Wednesday in December

Question 25

How do modern electors vote?

Answer 25

Two different ballots for president and VP, sealed and sent by mail to the president of the senate

Question 26

What are the three biggest flaws in the electoral college?

Answer 26

The winner of the popular vote may not be president, electors are not required to vote with the popular vote, a tie will be decided in the House

Question 27

What is the district plan?

Answer 27

Electors would be chosen in each state in the same manner as members of congress

Question 28

What is the proportional plan?

Answer 28

Each presidential candidate would receive the same share of a state’s electoral vote as he/she received in the state’s popular vote

Question 29

What is the National bonus plan?

Answer 29

The winner of the popular vote would receive a bonus of 102 electoral votes in addition to the regular votes, if nobody got at least 321 votes, a run-off election would be held

Question 30

Why has the presidents power grown so much?

Answer 30

Article 2 is very loosely written

Question 31

What is the ordinance power?

Answer 31

Power of the President to issue executive orders (regulation that has the same effect as law)

Question 32

What is a treaty?

Answer 32

A formal agreement between 2 or more states

Question 33

What is a executive agreement?

Answer 33

A pact

Question 34

Recognition

Answer 34

Of other countries (Canadians from Canada)

Question 35

What is the War Powers Act of 1973 and what are its 3 parts?

Answer 35

Places limits on the President’s war-making power (Report within 2 days of sending troops, combat ends after 60 days unless Congress says it is ok, concurrent resolution by congress can end war at any time)

Question 36

Clemency

Answer 36

(Mercy, leniency) to be used only in cases of federal offenses

Question 37

Reprieve

Answer 37

Postponement of the execution of a sentence

Question 38

Pardon

Answer 38

Legal forgiveness of a crime

Question 39

Amnesty

Answer 39

Blanket pardon offered to a group of law violators

Question 40

Commutation

Answer 40

Reduce the length of a sentence