Presidency Flashcards
What are the presidents legislative powers?
- propose legislation
- sign legislation
- veto legislation
What are the formal powers of the president?
- chief executive
- commander in chief of armed forces
- pardons
- negotiate treaties
- nominates judges
- nominates executive branch officials
What allows the president to exert a huge amount of authority?
- his role as head of state
- he is seen as a national leader
- the chief public representative of a country
What has allowed the president to exert greater influence over both public opinion and congress?
- rise of national media (particularly television)
- this has helped to give the president a national mandate to carry out policy goals
What was Bush praised for during his presidency?
9/11 - he was seen as a symbol of American resolve and pride taking a strong, tough stance
What was Bush criticised for during his presidency?
Hurricane Katrina - criticised for not personally visiting areas affected
What does Article 2 of the constitution state about the President?
“the executive power shall be vested in a President of the USA”
How does the president act as the head of government?
- has absolute constitutional control of the executive branch
- ultimate decision maker
As the head of the executive who does the president make appointments to?
federal posts who ‘serve at the president’s pleasure’ e.g. cabinet and sub cabinet posts, additional appointees mainly with the EXOP
What is EXOP?
the executive office of the president
How does the President use the executive?
- to determine government policy
- to influence the rest of the political system
- to develop their political goals
How did Trump use his position as head of the executive?
- installed his chief political strategist Steve Bannon as a permanent member of the National Security Council
- this was the first time a political appointee has been a member of the body which provides security advice and information to the president
- appointed his son in law Jared Kushner to reform the federal bureaucracy
How did Obama use his position as head of the executive?
- created the White House Council on Native American Affairs
- in his 2008 election campaign he said of Native Americans “you will be on my mind every day I am in the White House”
What does Richard Fenno say about the role of the cabinet?
it has become “institutionalised by usage alone” - in other words, it is used because it is used
What is the role of cabinet?
it is purely advisory and coordinating
it is not a decision making group
What was the representation in Trump’s cabinet and what does this show?
- the Trump cabinet was mainly white, male, older, wealthy business execs
- often the cabinet will look like the president
How does the president effect foreign policy?
- responsible for relations with other countries
- nominates ambassadors and diplomats
What does it mean for the president to be the commander in chief of the armed forces?
the president clearly has power to direct the military during times of war
Give an example of when a president used their right to initiate military action
Obama created controversy over extensive bombing in Libya without any congressional approval
What are the concerns about the presidents role as commander in chief?
concerns that presidents often overstretch their commander in chief powers
such as Obama and the bombing of Libya or Clinton and the bombing of Kosovo
What are the informal powers of the president?
- electoral mandate
- executive orders
- national events
- cabinet
- EXOP
- powers of persuasion
How does electoral mandate impact presidential power?
- if presidents are elected on a strong wave of support in which they outline a clear policy vision then they have more power
- electoral mandate falls as term progresses
How does the electoral mandate fall as the term progresses?
- president will often move further from their original mandate
- most will achieve their most important goals in the first two years of office while their mandate is fresh
What goals did Obama achieve in his first two years?
budget stimulus, health care reform, beginning the process of moving troops from Iraq
