the cabinet Flashcards
what is the cabinet?
a group of advisors chosen by the president to help run the federal government
describe the role of the cabinet:
-to provide expert advice on issues related to their respective departments, helping the president make informed decisions
-oversee the implementation of federal policies
-coordinate responses during times of national crisis
-facilitate communication between the president and the other branches of gov.
who must approve a president’s choices for their cabinet?
the senate
describe the possible background of members of a cabinet:
-former politicians e.g. hillary clinton as obama’s secretary of state 2009-2013
-academics e.g. Obama had a nobel prize award-winner as his secretary for energy
-lobbyisys r.g. trump was criticised for appointing former coal lobbyist Wheeler to head the environmental protection agency
-state governors - good for them as they can now be involved in federal government
-big city mayors
why is it difficult to convince a congressman/woman to be part of a cabinet?
-you would have to leave congress
-lose some status
-lower salary (cabinet member = $155,000 - congressman = $170,000)
what does cabinet composition normally reflect? (with examples)
-the president’s own perspective/ priorities
-George W. Bush was pro-business, so he appointed a number of business leaders + CEOs
-Trump was an entrepreneur so he wanted members who had ‘made a fortune)
is cabinet mentioned in the constitution?
-not specifically, but article II does reference how a president may want advice from heads of departments
give an example of a president dismissing a cabinet member:
Trump sacked his secretary of state Rex Tilerson via twitter in 2018 because he called Trump as moron
describe the functions of cabinet meetings for the president:
-prompt action by telling a cabinet member they need to act quickly on something
-team spirit - allows president to get his team together to move forward his agenda
-collegiality - especially important since Nixon as his administration was notorious for its lack of openness. meetings can be a PR opportunity as the president can present an image of a cohesive cabinet to the press
-meetings are an efficient method for the president to remain aware of what’s going on in each department
-policy debate - Reagan’s defence secretary called one meeting ‘a shouting match’
-monitoring congress by checking up on legislation e.g. in 2002 bush pushed for congressional action for military action against iraq
-present the big picture items e.g. the budget
describe the functions of cabinet meetings for cabinet officers:
-resolving disputes e.g. a cabinet meeting under Ford had a dispute about affirmative action for african americans
-speaking to cabinet colleagues
-speaking to the president, can be dangerous for a president who agrees too readily to a perceived innocent request from a cabinet officer
-increased status for officers - known to have the ear of the president. might lead them to bigger and better jobs in the future
