President and the Executive Branch Flashcards
What are the requirements to be president?
-US born Citizen
-35 years old
-Lived in the US for a min of 14 years
What are the major duties and powers of the president?
-serve as administrative head of nation
-commander and chief of the military
-veto legislation
-appoint various officials
-make treaties
-receive ambassadors
How does the president serve as the admin. head of the nation?
-takes care that laws are faithfully executed
-supervises and offers leadership to various departments and agencies
In regards to the military, what is the president, and how can Congress stifle their powers?
Pres. is the highest ranking officer in the armed forces, but Congress has the power to declare war
What officials can the president appoint?
federal judges, ambassadors, cabinet members, others
If the president wants a treaty, who approves it?
The Senate; 2/3 majority
What are the formal powers of the president (in constitution)?
-veto
-report on the state of the union
-commander in chief
-pardon power (only in federal court)
-enter foreign wars w/out Congressional approval for a formal declaration of war
When the president uses his powers aggressively:
imperial presidency
What is the trend in veto power?
They increased until Obama, when they started to decrease
What should be the point of a president’s policy goals when they enter the office?
clear and understandable
What are the inherent powers (not in the constitution) of the president?
-establishment of military commission for enemy combatants
-executive orders-modify policy w/out Congressional approval
-Delegation of Powers
What are Executive Orders?
Presidential directives that create or modify laws and public policies without direct Congressional approval
What is the delegation of powers?
When Congress gives the executive branch the additional authority needed to address new problems (imperial presidency - Congress shirks responsibility to pres.)
Who works with the president in the executive branch?
-Key aides who advise on political choices or strategies
-Chief of Staff (scheduling)
-National Security advisers
-foreign and military
-Council of Economic Advisers who help promote economic growth
-cabinet
-all other staff and resources
What does the staff in the White House do?
communicates with interest groups, media, and lobbying congress
How big is the Executive Office of the Presidency?
employs about 2,000-3,000 with 500-700 million budget for salary
What are the 3 styles for advisory between the president and his staff?
- Competitive Management- Staff has overlapping authority and differing POVs (FDR and Lincoln)
- Hierarchical Staff Model- clear line of authority and structure (Eisenhower)
- Collegial Staffing (open door policy)- loose structure that gave many top advisers access to the president (Clinton)
How many members are in the electoral college, and how is that number calculated?
538 members; 435 House, 100 senate, 3 DC reps
How many votes does it take for a president to win an election?
270 votes
What is a swing state?
has flip flopped party affiliation in the past 4 election cycles
What is a safe state?
has stayed the same party past 4 election cycles
Why is there and electoral college and a popular vote?
-founding fathers did not trust the masses
-‘We the people’
Where do president’s start their campaign
swing states
What is the VPs most important duty?
-most important duty is to take over the presidency in the event of death, disability, impeachment, or resignation
Why can a VP be selected by a president?
-their campaign, fundraising, and rallying may appeal to a certain geographic region or party coalition (women and minorities)
-sometimes a rival is chosen from the same party
What is the cabinet?
A group of presidential advisers; the heads of the executive department and other key officials
How many members does the cabinet have?
(4 to start) about 20 members now; this shows an increase in government responsibility and intervention
What are some of the members?
ex. energy, housing, security; most have limited areas of expertise
Is it hard to have a full cabinet meeting?
yes because of the size
Where does presidential leadership/influence come from?
-Assigned responsibilities
-Political skills
-How effectively they are using the offices resources
-Leadership comes from one’s own character and skill, as well as the environment of the time
-Presidential character
-interpersonal/practical skills needed to get things done
-Persuasion
-Ability to bargain and deal with adversaries
-Compromise vs. stand on business
-the opposition party may stifle the ability of the pres. to get things done
What does pres. character have to do with public opinion?
the public makes broad evaluations of the candidate’s personalities and leadership style; it hurts the office if people see the pres. as untrustworthy and immoral
Presidential power is the power to _____.
persuade
What can a president do to gain widespread appeal to the public?
televised addresses, remarks to reporters, public speeches or appearances
How can we measure public opinion?
polls; approval ratings
When is the president’s approval ratings the highest?
The beginning of the first term
What happens when there is a lack of serious attention from the public?
It can become difficult in the presidency to get approval and share ideas, popularity can drop, and economic implications can happen when the public is not ready
ex. Obama and his healthcare reform
What are the 3 factors of political context?
- Both parties in Congress
- The economy is doing well
- Large election victory facilitates greater policy achievements
What is divided government?
the situation in which one party controls at the White House, and the other controls at least one house in congress; can be perceived as good or bad for gov; contributes to gridlock
What is gridlock?
where the gov is incapable of acting on important issues because of partisanship
How do presidents win elections?
-they align themselves with particular segments of the population just by running
-Sometimes they have stances that can drive voters away, so they stay vague
-claim an electoral mandate
-using reflection tactics; especially if the country is in distress
After winning an election, what do most presidents do?
an electoral mandate
What are the main reasons for presidential reelection?
-state of the economy
-popularity of the sitting president
-whether we are at war; and the public’s opinion on it
-the degree the public feels it’s “time for a change”
How do the parties in power impact presidents?
Presidential leadership is determined by whether they are part of the dominant party and if their policy aligns with the country’s widespread opinion
What is a change election?
When something new is brought to an election (the need to cultivate voters and legislation from both parties)
ex. Eisenhower and Nixon, or FDR
What did presidents focus on from WWII to 1980s?
containing communism (Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, Nicaragua)
What is part of the New Era of international relations? What are the 3 principles?
- National Security- home front or overseas
- Fostering a peaceful international environment- UN and NATO
- Protection of US economic interests- trade relations (NAFTA, tariffs)
Can presidents commit troops in emergencies when war is not yet declared?
yes
Why was the War Powers Resolution made?
In 1973, this was passed by Congress to force the body to decide whether a commitment of troops into a war zone is permissible. This happens after Nixon tries to bomb and send troops to Vietnam in an undeclared war.
What does the War Powers Resolution state?
- Requires the president to consult Congress before involving troops, and notify Congress 48 hours in advance of committing troops
- If troops are deployed, they may not stay for more than 60 days without Congressional approval. After this window, the president may take up to 30 days to remove the troops “safely”
Who provides the consent and advice for treaties?
The Senate
What is a treaty?
a legal agreement between two or more countries; 1,500 approved and 21 rejected (ex. WWI)
What is the presidential loophole for treaties?
Making executive agreements (a pact); the supreme court has called it an inherent power and has the legal status of a treaty; does not require Senate approval
What is the State Dept.?
Presidential appointees and permanent employees, including secretaries and undersecretaries
-they lack strong constituency to exert pressure to support their policies
What is the Defense Dept.?
Defense Secretary, followed by Civilian secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force; There is also a Joint Chiefs of Staff composed of many military commanders
What is the National Security Council?
advisers who help the president hold a coherent approach to foreign policy
What is the Intelligence Community?
CIA- intelligence collections and covert operations
NSA- gets criticism for spying activities; uses satellites, super computers, and more
Does a president have to have good crisis management?
Yes. People tend to vote for a president who shows good judgement and is cool in crisis situations
ex. Kennedy in the Cuban Missile Crisis
