The Executive - Powers

Question 1

Features of the Presidency

Answer 1

1. President is head of state and govt.
2. A singular executive
3. Indirectly elected
4. Limited president

Question 2

Summarise Obama on executive orders

Answer 2

Was deeply sceptical of them as a candidate

Ended using them lots due to gridlocked Congress

Question 3

Notable Obama executive orders

Answer 3

Restricting greenhouse gas emissions, 2013
Increasing federal mime wage to $10.10 an hour, 2014
Gay rights

Question 4

Obama executive orders on Gay Rights

Answer 4

1. Ppl w HIV no longer barred from entering USA
2. Married same-sex couples could take family and medical leave
3. Health insurance companies prevented from discriminating against gay ppl

Question 5

Example of a challenged executive order

Answer 5

2014 executive order allowed some illegal immigrants to be granted ‘deferred action status’
Dec 2014, 26 states challenged
Nov 2015, federal appeals court found Obama did not have powers
Supreme Court ruled 4-4, blocking the decision

Question 6

Summarise Trump on executive orders

Answer 6

Signed 12 in first week

Signed 32 in first 100 days (Obama averaged 35 a year)

Question 7

Example of Trump executive order

Answer 7

Travel ban

• Placed 4 month ban on refugees and 3 month ban on citizens from 7 countries including Iraq and Iran
• Executive order halted by fed judge (religious discrimination)
• March, new more limited executive order

Question 8

Formal powers of the President

Answer 8

Propose legislation
Submit the annual budget
Sign / Veto legislation
Act as chief executive
Nominate executive branch officials
Nominate all federal judges
Act as commander-in-chief
Negotiate Treaties
Pardon
Head of State

Question 9

Example of President proposing legislation

Answer 9

At the start of his second term in 2013, Obama used his state of the union address to promote his policy proposals on:
Job creation
Deficit reduction
Immigration reform
Gun control 
Increasing the federal minimum wage

Question 10

Example of President submitting the annual budget

Answer 10

Trump submitted his first budget in March 2017, named America First: A budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again
The $4.1 Trillion budget will fund govt. operations for fiscal year 2018

Question 11

Example of President signing legislation

Answer 11

Obama signed Obamacare and invited Democratic Party leadership in Congress.

Question 12

Example of President vetoing legislation

Answer 12

George H.W. Bush used 15 pocket vetos

During his 2 terms, Obama used 12 regular vetos, Congress overturned the last one

Question 13

Example of President acting as chief executive

Answer 13

By 2009, EXOP inc. 15 offices

At beginning of Trump’s presidency, EXOP made up of 12 offices

Question 14

Example of President nominating executive branch officials

Answer 14

Trump appointed John F. Kelly as White House Chief of Staff in July 2017, to replace Rance Priebus

Question 15

Example of President nominating all federal judges

Answer 15

Obama - Sotomayor and Kagan

Trump - Gorsuch

Question 16

Example of President acting as commander-in-chief

Answer 16

George W. Bush in 2001

Obama in Afghanistan, Libya and Syria

Question 17

Example of President negotiating treaties

Answer 17

Obama negotiated a nuclear arms treaty with Russia

Question 18

Example of President pardoning

Answer 18

President Ford pardoned his predecessor, Richard Nixon on Watergate
Obama pardoned a total of 212 people

Question 19

Example of President as Head of State

Answer 19

Comforter-in-chief

Obama following Hurricane Sandy in October 2012

Question 20

Informal powers of the President

Answer 20

Executive orders

Signing statements

Question 21

Example of executive orders

Answer 21

1984, President signed one prohibiting family planning clinics that received federal funds from informing clients about abortion options
1993 Clinton revoked it
2001 Bush reinstated it
2009 Obama revoked it
2017 Trump reinstated it

Question 22

Executive orders could be seen as an ______-___________ power

Answer 22

Extra-constitutional power

Question 23

Example of President criticising part of a bill in signing statement

Answer 23

• Obama criticised parts of Act concerning participation in Taiwan
• Trump criticised Russian Sanctions Bill 2017