Political systems - the executive branch

Question 1

How much power does the president (executive) actually have to make lasting changes?

Answer 1

The American system of checks and balanced and separation of powers makes it very difficult for the president to make lasting policy changes.

Question 2

What are the key factors affecting the ability to the president to make lasting policy changes?

Answer 2

• The American system of checks and balances
• The separation of powers
• Congress/legislative branch
• The supreme court (Judicial)

Question 3

Why do presidents want to run for office?

Answer 3

To change the country, making policy changes - they use these policies during their campaign.

Question 4

What is an example of a president (Trump) and their policies during their campaign?

Answer 4

Donald Trump won in 2016 with a promise to “build the wall” across the US-Mexico border, solving what he considered over-immigration.

Question 5

What is an example of a president (Biden) and their policies during their campaign?

Answer 5

In 2020, Biden promised to “build back better” referencing his COVID-19 recovery plan.

Question 6

What is the power of appointment?

Answer 6

The president has the power to appoint members of cabinet and Supreme Court Justices.

Question 7

What is an example of a president using their power of appointment to appoint a supreme court justice?

Answer 7

Donald Trump appointed Neil Gorsuch as supreme court justice in 2017.

Question 8

Why is the presidents ability to appoint cabinet members important?

Answer 8

Cabinet positions are important as they allow the president to appoint people who will be loyal and who share similar view.

Question 9

What limits the presidents power of appointment?

Answer 9

The presidents appointments must be approved by congress.

Question 10

What is an example of a presidents appointment being approved by congress?

Answer 10

The appointment to Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in 2018 was only confirmed after Senate hearings and a Senate vote.

Question 11

What is the ‘power of persuasion’ in the US?

Answer 11

In contrast to the UK, the president relies on the ‘power of persuasion’ - using their position to encourage congress to pass legislation by doing deals.

Question 12

What is an example of a president using the ‘power of persuasion’?

Answer 12

Obama got is Obamacare bill passed by congress by using his power of persuasion.

Question 13

What is a situation where the ‘powers of persuasion’ are limited?

Answer 13

If a democrat is president (Obama) with a very partisan Republican majority in the house of representative, it would be difficult to pass legislation.

Question 14

What is arguably the greatest power the president/executive has?

Answer 14

The ability to appoint Supreme Court Justices, despite them having to be vetted by the Senate.

Question 15

How much power does the UK prime minister have in terms of policy making?

Answer 15

The UK prime minister is normally the leader of the majority party and so can more easily pass their legislation.

Question 16

What are two factors that may affect the prime ministers ability to make policy changes?

Answer 16

• If they have a majority
• Backbench rebellions

Question 17

What is an example of a UK prime minister easily being able to pass legislation?

Answer 17

With a healthy majority, in 2019 Johnston passed the EU withdrawal bill, allowing Brexit to begin the following year.

Question 18

What does the prime ministers ability to easily pass policy tell us about the UK political system?

Answer 18

It shows that policymaking in the UK is largely a numbers game; if you have majority, you can pass legislation easily.

Question 19

What are the worst circumstances for a prime minister to make policy changes?

Answer 19

If a prime minster does not have a majority in the House of commons and there are backbench rebellions, they become ‘politically paralysed’.

Question 20

What is an example of a prime minister being ‘politically paralysed’?

Answer 20

Theresa May only had a slim majority in the 2017 general election, she failed to appease the Eurosceptics which resulted in rebellion.

Question 21

How does the power of appointment work in the UK?

Answer 21

The prime minister can make any cabinet appointments that they wish. This makes them powerful because cabinet members must accept ‘collective responsibility’.

Question 22

What is ‘collective responsibility’ in the UK parliament?

Answer 22

‘Collective responsibility’ means cabinet members should publicly support government decisions and resign if they disagree with the prime minister.

Question 23

What is an example of a cabinet member going against ‘collective responsibility?

Answer 23

Tony Blair and his Chancellor, Gordon Brown, disagreed on many matters, but Brown was kept as Blair knew he would cause more trouble rebelling from the backbenches.

Question 24

Why is the power of appointment in the UK so powerful?

Answer 24

It is so powerful because if a backbench MP wants to be promoted into government, they have to show loyalty to the leader.

Question 25

What can cause high-profile cabinet members to resign despite the power of appointment in the UK?

Answer 25

If their disagreement with policy outweighs their desire from promotion and loyalty to the prime minister.

Question 26

What is an example of an MP resigning, despite the power of appointment in the UK?

Answer 26

Johnston appointed Sajid Javid as Chancellor of the Exchequer, but he reigned after a fall out over who should be on his team.

Question 27

What are the two key things a Prime minister in the UK can use to ensure party discipline?

Answer 27

• The whip system
• The loyalty of backbench MP’s

Question 28

What do party whips do?

Answer 28

Ensure MP’s vote in accordance with the leader with the threat of punishments.

Question 29

What is the result of a party properly using their whip system?

Answer 29

They are highly unlikely to lose in parliament.

Question 30

How powerful is the UK prime minster?

Answer 30

The UK executive has very few limits on their power, in most circumstances they are able to dominate parliament using whips and the possibility to promotion.