Presidency And Bureaucracy Flashcards
What were the four fears expressed by the founders about the aspects of the presidency
Anarchy
Monarchy
Executive branch too powerful
Congress not enough power
What happens when no candidate receives a majority of votes in the electoral college
House picks
How many times has the House of Reps have to decide the issue when no candidate receives a majority of votes I the electoral college
Twice
How did the framers solve the problem of how to elect the president
Electoral college
Discuss the terms that a president can serve. How many years for each term. How many terms. What is the maximum numbers of years
2 four years terms and a max of 10 years
What amendments deal with the presidency. What are they about
(5)
12th- president and vp run together 20th- date of inauguration changed 22nd- term limit 23rd- D.C. can vote vote 25th- succession to the presidency
What years did presidential candidates win a majority of the electoral votes without winning a majority of the popular vote. Who. (4)
JQ Adams- 1824
Hayes- 1876
Benjamin Harrison- 1888
Bush- 2000
What role does the House of Reps have in selecting the presidency if a majority of electoral votes doesn’t happen
House selects
Name the president prior to 1850 that had the presidency called the imperial presidency
Jackson
What power does the president share with the senate
2
Ratify treaties
Presidential appointments
Identify the rule of propinquity
Power tends to be wielded by the people who are in the room where a decision is made
What group is the closest physically and politically to the president
White House Office
What presidential nomination as require senate confirmation
5
Supreme Court justice Ambassadors Federal judges Heads of executive office agencies Department secretaries
What are the three types of presidential organizations. Which president is associated with each style
Ad Hoc- Clinton
Circular- Carter
Pyramid- Reagan and Bush
Name three groups associated with the Executive Office of the President (EOP)
OMB
National security council
Office of economic advisers
How does cabinet seniority relate to seating at cabinet meetings
Secretaries of oldest cabinets sit closest to president
Describe the following character of the following presidents Nixon Clinton Jimmy Carter JFK Lyndon Johnson
Nixon- suspicion of media Clinton- face to face persuasion Jimmy Carter-voracious reader of every memo and very detailed JFK-worked closely with young amateurs Lyndon Johnson-in your face persuader
What’s the difference between executive privilege and veto power
Executive privilege- preside can withhold information and/or issue an executive order
Veto- reject a bill
What is a pocket veto
Ignore bill for 10 days and it doesn’t become law when congress is out of session
What happens to a bill that sits on the presidents desk for 10 days and he takes no action
Becomes laws
Approximately what percentage of vetoes are overridden
4%
Discuss U.S. vs Nixon
Deal with watergate scandal and ruled the president doesn’t have unlimited executive privilege
What have been the two key issues facing presidents in the past few decades
Foreign policy
Economy
What amendments deal with the executive branch. What are they about (2)
12th- president and vp run as team
20th-date of inauguration changed
How does the impeachment process work
House gathers evidence and senate has a trial w/ Chief Justice presiding
Name four ways a president can influence congress to pass what he proposes
The media
Have employees in EOP lobby congress
Presidential coat tails
Pressure leaders of his party in the House and Senate
How have presidents been successful in directing decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court
Appointing justices w/ same political ideology
What are some reasons for an increase in presidential power since 1945 (2)
WWII and foreign affairs
Explain why cabinet members don’t really have a big influence of presidential decision-making
Very focused on their own department
Who usually has more success with influencing legislation, the president or congress. Why
President
Because he can use the media to his favor
What is an executive agreement
It doesn’t require senate approval, but may require allocation of funds
Why would the president have difficulty controlling cabinet agencies
Because once they are confirmed by the senate they are in, unless they make a wrong decision
What was the most important and powerful department when our nation was first founded
Treasury
How did appointments to the civil service happen during most of the 19th and 20th centuries
Patronage
Explain the huge increase in the number of federal employees between 1816 and 1861
Increase in demand of what the govt should do
Discuss the Pendleton act (4)
Passed by Republican congress
Response to Garfield assassination
Replaced spoils system
Says govt jobs should be awarded based on merit
What is the whistle-blower protection act of 1989 designed to protect
Protected bureaucrats who tell on their bosses
What are some restraints which govt agencies must operate (2)
Freedom of information act- allows for full of partial disclosure of previously unreleased information and documents controlled by the govt
Administrative procedure act- governs the way in which administrative agencies of the federal govt may propose and establish regulation
What group is the most powerful group in congress in terms of controlling the budget for an agency
House Appropriations Committee
What is a legislative veto (2)
Designed to increase power of congress
A veto exercised by a legislature nullifying or reversing an action of the executive branch
What are type of bureaucratic pathologies. (5)
Red tape Conflict Duplication Imperialism Waste
Discuss the iron triangle in Washington
Congressional committee, executive department, interest group
What is the main responsibility of the OMB-office of management and budget
Prepare budget and audit
Differentiate between independent regulatory agencies and regulatory commission
Independent regulatory agencies- independent of the president but not of congress and regulate certain industries to protect the public interest
How do cabinet departments differ from independent regulatory agencies
Independent agencies are freer from presidential control
What are the fundamental differences between the prime minister and the president
Presidents can be outsiders, prime ministers are always insiders.
Prime minister chosen by the members of the majority party in parliament
