The Presidency

Question 1

What are the two different job titles of the president which gives them formal sources of presidential power? How does this compare to the UK?

Answer 1

They are both head of government and head of state (in the UK, the monarchy is the head of state)
Roosevelt: ‘I am both king and Prime Minister’

Question 2

Where in the constitution is the Presidency role established?

Answer 2

Article 2, section 1

Question 3

What are the enumerated powers (written in the constitution) of the president under the role of head of government?

Answer 3

Executive powers: chief executive of the government (with EXOP’s help) and prepares the annual budget
Legislative powers: propose/sign/veto legislation
Appointment powers: executive branch officials and federal judges
Foreign affairs powers: commander in chief and negotiates treaties
The power of the pardon

Question 4

Who writes the budget for the president?

Answer 4

The office of Management and Budget, who is part of the President’s bureaucracy (EXOP)

Question 5

Who must the president submit the budget to and why can this cause issues?

Answer 5

Submit it to congress, following a lengthy bargaining process between the President and Congress, especially during divided government. This has frequently led to gridlock and government shutdowns

Question 6

Since when has the role as commander in chief declined and since when did it pick up again?

Answer 6

Declined since the collapse of the Soviet Union and then increased again since 9/11

Question 7

How did the VP used to be elected?

Answer 7

There was one voting ticket and those in 2nd became the VP

Question 8

How has the electing of VP’s changed?

Answer 8

12th amendment saw the process changing so the VP is elected in a joint ticket, meaning parties need to balance the ticket- picking VPs who appealed to different voters
25th amendment means they can now be nominated by the President if a role becomes vacant

Question 9

What are the three powers of the Vice President?

Answer 9

Taking over as president if necessary
Acting as presiding officer over the senate- casts the deciding vote if there’s a tie
Presiding over the counting of the electoral college votes

Question 10

What has undermined the VP’s role of presiding over the senate and casting the tie-break vote?

Answer 10

The increase in filibustering, as most votes now need 60 senators

Question 11

What are some of the informal sources of power for the President?

Answer 11

The cabinet
EXOP
National Security Council
Office of Management and Budget
Powers of persuasion
Executive orders/agreements
Signing statements

Question 12

What may President’s consider when appointing their cabinet?

Answer 12

Regional balance
Ideological balance
Gender balance
Race balance
Age
Experience

Question 13

What are the requirements to be in the cabinet?

Answer 13

You cannot be a member of congress (no fusion of branches)
No age or birthplace requirements
FBI checks and senate confirmation by simple majority

Question 14

How many heads of departments are there which the president must appoint?

Answer 14

15

Question 15

Who is thought to have been the most influential VP in history?

Answer 15

Dick Cheney - Before VP, he was white house chief of staff, in the HOR, was the house minority whip and secretary of defence. He was a vocal supporter of military action in Iraq and Afghanistan and repeatedly told the media Iran had weapons of mass destruction

Question 16

What does the power of the cabinet depend on?

Answer 16

The frequency of meetings and what is discussed

Question 17

What are the functions of the cabinet?

Answer 17

Create team spirit- many will be strangers; this function only lasts one year or so and explains why cabinet meetings dwindle
Media coverage- seems like they are an open administration
Exchange information between departments
Present big picture items, e.g. budget
Monitor Congress and its policy agenda
Prompt action from certain members
Enable personal contact

Question 18

How important is the cabinet really?

Answer 18

Individually, its members are very important, but nobody in the cabinet ‘outshines the president’

Question 19

What are the four structural reasons that the cabinet can never be as effective as the President?

Answer 19

-The constitution grants all executive power to the President
-No doctrine of collective responsibility. Not first among equals, but simply first. ‘He doesn’t sum up at the end of the meeting; he is the meeting’
-The cabinet is not a stepping stone to the presidency so members are not political rivals
-The existence of EXOP, which is something of a rival to the cabinet

Question 20

Who are EXOP?

Answer 20

Largely based in the West Wing of the White House, it’s the top staff agencies in the White House that assist the president in carrying out the major responsibilities of office. It includes over 2,000 staff

Question 21

Which are the most important offices in EXOP?

Answer 21

the White House Office
The National Security Council
Office of Management and Budget

Question 22

Who is the White House Office?

Answer 22

The President’s most trusted aides and advisors, acting as a liaison between the White House and federal beauracracy
Made of 36 different offices
In charge is the White House Chief of Staff

Question 22

What is the role of the White House Chief of Staff?

Answer 22

They are appointed by the president and should always seek his best interest rather than their own and protects the president from political harm. Cheney put it as: ‘he takes the credit, I take the blame’

Question 22

Who are the Office of Management and Budget?

Answer 22

3 main functions:
-to advise the president on the allocation of federal funds in the annual budget
-to oversee the spending of all federal departments and agencies
-act as a clearing house for all legislative and regulatory initiatives coming from the executive branch (all executive policy must go through OMB)

Question 23

Who are the National Security Council?

Answer 23

They help the president coordinate foreign, security and defence policy, like an honest broker or facilitator, presenting various ideas to the president

Question 24

What is the President’s power of persuasion?

Answer 24

This is an informal power of the president in which they can use the prestige of their job to get people to do as they wish.

Question 25

How has the power of persuasion recently changed?

Answer 25

It’s an important power because almost every power the president has is checked by congress. Since 1992, and party polarisation, Congress has been more assertive and it has never been more difficult to use the power of persuasion. This is especially true in times of divided government

Question 26

What are the 4 key people and relationships needed to hold the powers of persuasion?

Answer 26

• appoint the right people at the start of your tenure - helps to exploit the honeymoon period
• appoint a chief of staff who is a good political operator, not just a gatekeeper
  -Keep the detailed discussions closed until you’re ready to sell the policy to a wider group
  -build good relations between EXOP and the cabinet to create feelings of pride and mutual loyalty

Question 27

What is direct authority and why may Presidents refer to them?

Answer 27

Frustrated by Congressional checks and partisan gridlock, presidents can resort to direct authority, which are actions which require no congressional approval, but achieve political goals. They include executive orders, executive agreements and signing agreements.

Question 28

Why are executive orders sometimes weak?

Answer 28

Because they can easily be overturned by successors or ruled unconstitutional by courts or congress mobilising against the president

Question 29

What’s an executive agreement?

Answer 29

An agreement reached between the President and a foreign nation on matters which don’t require formal treaties. They are used when the President doesn’t think he will achieve ratification on treaties; especially powerful when the Senate is controlled by the other party

Question 30

What are signing statements?

Answer 30

It’s a statement issued by the President when signing a bill. which may challenge specific provisions of the bill, but on constitutional grounds

Question 31

What are the factors which make a president more successful?

Answer 31

Public approval
Electoral mandate
Unity
Experience
Money
Incumbency
National events