Presidency

Question 1

What changed how vice presidents are chosen?

Answer 1

25th amendment means they were chosen by presidential candidate

Question 2

Which vice president was confirmed in 1973 after Agnew resigned?

Answer 2

Gerald Ford
92-3 Senate votes

Question 3

Why did Nixon resign?

Answer 3

Watergate; Ford became president

Question 4

What are the roles and powers of the VP in the constitution?

Answer 4

Presiding officer of the senate
Tie breaker in the senate
Counting and announcing electoral college
President upon death

Question 5

What did Cheney break the tie for in 2001?

Answer 5

Tax cut worth $1.6 trillion

Question 6

How many times was a tie broken by the VP from 1993 and 2017

Answer 6

12

Question 7

How many times has a VP assumed presidency mid term?

Answer 7

9

Question 8

What else did the 25th amendment provision?

Answer 8

President being sedated means VP can assume presidency

Question 9

What power does cabinet have in the US?

Answer 9

Advisory in the executive; control their departments

Question 10

How many cabinet members be limited in what they say?

Answer 10

The president can limit them to only their specific expertise; in the UK there’s more scope

Question 11

When was cabinet established in the US?

Answer 11

1789 by Washington
Meeting with Secretary of State, War, Treasury, attorney general

Question 12

What did Fenno say about the establishment of cabinet in the US?

Answer 12

Institutionalized by usage alone

Question 13

What prevents congressmen from serving in the cabinet?

Answer 13

Separation of legislative and executive

Question 14

What are three examples of people likely to assume cabinet roles?

Answer 14

State governors, mayors, academics

Question 15

How many cabinet meetings did Reagan hold during his first year in office?

Answer 15

36

Question 16

What are some benefits gained by holding cabinet meetings?

Answer 16

• team spirit
• collegiality: president must be seen to be consulting others
• exchanging information amongst departments
• presenting big picture

Question 17

How many cabinet be used to monitor congress?

Answer 17

Johnson used cabinet to pressure policy through and question progress on bills

Question 18

What would a cabinet member want to go to meetings for?

Answer 18

• resolving interdepartmental disputes
• speaking to the president directly
• speaking to other major departments
• increasing their status through personal presidential relationship

Question 19

Why does the constitution prevent cabinet from being important?

Answer 19

All executive power is in the president and others are only advisory

Question 20

When was EXOP established?

Answer 20

1939

Question 21

Why are cabinet ministers less bound than UK ministers?

Answer 21

There is no doctrine of collective responsibility.

Question 22

What was the expansion of federal control in 1920s caused by?

Answer 22

FDR New Deal and Keynesian interventionism

Question 23

What is the role of the chief of staff?

Answer 23

Controls the White House running and presidential contact

Question 24

Who creates the presidential budget?

Answer 24

Office of Management and Budget est. 1970 by Nixon

Question 25

What is the only EXOP post which needs senate confirmation?

Answer 25

OMB director

Question 26

When did the OMB director damage presidential reelection campaign?

Answer 26

Bush Sr and his promise to not raise taxes was broken

Question 27

Which EXOP branch relates to national security?

Answer 27

National Security Council
Est 1947

Question 28

What led to abuse of power by NSC?

Answer 28

In 2008 there was arguably insufficient checks and balances by hidden federal branches which meant spending abuses and declarations uniformed by career politicians

Question 29

What stops the cabinet from being as influential as EXOP?

Answer 29

Distance from the White House compared to NSA being 30 seconds away.

Question 30

What is one new name by media for EXOP members

Answer 30

Policy tsars

Question 31

Why do cabinet members have divided loyalty?

Answer 31

They made be more focused on their department or congress whereas EXOP is directly loyal to the president.

Question 32

When was the president seen as increasingly imperial?

Answer 32

Under Johnson and especially Nixon

Question 33

Why did Johnson have substantial authority from congress?

Answer 33

Gulf of Tonkin 1964 let him act as commander

Question 34

What factors led to imperial presidency under Nixon?

Answer 34

Depression led to state dependence on his interventionist new deal
Wartime president

Question 35

How did congress reduce the presidency in 1973?

Answer 35

War Powers Act clarified roles in declaration of war
; congress has only declared war against Japan since imperial presidency

Question 36

How was secretive presidential diplomacy reduced by congress?

Answer 36

Case Act 1972

Question 37

Why was Nixon placed under renewed scrutiny from Congress?

Answer 37

Watergate affair damaged presidents reputation and renewed calls for scrutiny

Question 38

Why does congressional influence diminish during wartime?

Answer 38

People “rally around the flag”
Less time for debate
Decisions are needed quickly which centralizes power

Question 39

How were the respective executive offices developed?

Answer 39

Presidency was created in the constitution as a limited and defined office; PM developed and slowly took powers from the monarch through convention such as prerogative

Question 40

What role does the federal agencies have in legislating?

Answer 40

After Congress passes a law, agencies set regulations

Eg Clean Air Act 1970 requires EPA to set exact emissions amounts

Question 41

How did FDR try to reduce the judiciary?

Answer 41

Appointed 6 new SC justices to stop them pausing his schemes

Question 42

What was the “Great Society”?

Answer 42

Expanding federal influence to reduce poverty and racism in the 60s

From Johnson