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U.S Politics (AK) > The Presidency > Flashcards

The Presidency Flashcards

1
Q

Why did the founding fathers create the role of the president

A

More a leader to ‘influence’ rather than a ruler

Originally indirectly elected by electors

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2
Q

How does the president propose legislation (formal power)

A

State of the Union address

E.g Obama 2013 promote policy proposals on job creation

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3
Q

Submitting the annual budget (formal power)

A

Pres give this to congress

If different parties control can be lengthy to get passed

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4
Q

Sign legislation (formal power)

A

Obama March 2010 Obama care
Ceremony had dem party leadership members
11 yr old Marcelas Owens (mother died without health insurance)

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5
Q

veto legislation (formal power)

A

63.6% Bush’s veto success rate-3rd lowest of any pres
washington-Bush 1,500 regular vetoes
H.W Bush 15 pocket vetoes

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6
Q

how many vetoes did Obama use

A

12 regular

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7
Q

act as chief executive (formal power)

A

in charge of running whole executive branch

day-day running is delegated

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8
Q

nominate executive branch officials (formal power)

A

most important 15 head executives of departments

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9
Q

nominate all federal judges (formal power)

A

district, circuit +supreme court

confimed by majority in senate

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10
Q

act as a commander in chief (formal power)

A

Bush 9/11
Obama crises in Iraq
briefcase=military football-pres immediate access to nuclear codes

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11
Q

negotiate treaties (formal power)

A

chemical weapons ban (Bush)
Nuclear arms treaty Russia (Obama)
power checked by senate- ratification
99 Clinton failed get simple majority nuclear test ban

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12
Q

pardon (formal power)

A

Obama 212 pardons

Clinton 140 in one day

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13
Q

head of state (formal power)

A

important in times of tragedy

Sandy Hook elementary school shooting Obama 2012

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14
Q

what are the four powers the constitution originally gave to the VP

A

presiding officer of senate
break tie in senate
announces ec vote result
becomes president if president leaves

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15
Q

counting and announcing electoral college votes (power of the VP)

A

2001 al Gore announced his own defeat

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16
Q

breaking tie in the senate (power of the VP)

A

Dick Cheney 2001 vote to protect Bush’s tax cut

Biden never used this power

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17
Q

become president on defeat,removal or resignation of the president

A

9 times
4 natural deaths
4 assinations
1 resignation (Nixon)

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18
Q

quote to show the insignificance of the VP

A

John Adams; ‘in this i am nothing; but i may be everthing’

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19
Q

what is the most recent 5th power that has been granted to the VP

A

become acting president if the president become disabled

Reagan Hospitalised Cheney took over (2 hours)

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20
Q

what are the four major pools of recruitment for selecting cabinet members

A

congress
state governors
big city mayors
academia

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21
Q

why does the president try to recruit retiring or former congress members over current serving ones

A

lack of jobs security+prestige in the cabinet

Trump 3 incumbent congress members e.g senator Jeff sessions 2017

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22
Q

why are state governors good to have in cabinet

A

have executive experience

2017 Rick Perry of Texas secretary of energy

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23
Q

who had big city mayors in their cabinet

A

Obama
Anthony Fox+Julian Castro
executive experience

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24
Q

who had academia in their cabinet

A

Obama
prof physics 2009 as secretary for energy
(from Cali Uni)

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25
what are presidents looking for in their cabinet
policy specialist Trump- former state attorney Jeff Sessions department of justice question Ben Carson as head department of housing? (was a nuerosurgeon)
26
how are cabinet appointments confirmed
simple majority vote not usually rejected 1989 rejected John Tower as secretary of defense
27
what factors does a president need to consider in order to get a balanced cabinet
``` gender race age region ideology ```
28
gender (a balanced cabinet)
Bush 3 women as HoD Obama 4 Trump 2
29
race (a balanced cabinet)
Obama 2009 6 ethnic minorities as HoD | Trump 3
30
region (a balanced ticket)
look like they govern the whole country
31
age (a balanced ticket)
Trumps 1st cabinet av age of 63 | only 4 under 60
32
ideology (a balanced ticket)
can pick someone from other party Obama former repub Chuck Hagel SEC defense lib dems,con dems,new,dems con repub,mod repub,t party
33
cabinet meetings
varies from each president | usually gets less as the terms progress
34
how many cabinet meetings did Obama hold
16 1st term | 12 2nd term
35
how many cabinet meetings did Reagan hold
36 in his 1st year
36
when were cabinet meetings held by Obama and Bush
just before/immediately after political event | e.g mid-terms
37
what is the problem with cabinet meetings
table wi policy specialists don't have anything else to contribute too many people
38
what are the 8 functions of cabinet meetings for the president
``` team spirit collegiality exchanging info policy debate presenting 'big picture' items monitoring congress prompting action personal contact ```
39
team spirit (functions of cabinet meetings for the president )
help bring new people into the team | pres is unlikely to know them
40
collegiality (functions of cabinet meetings for the president)
important after Nixon's admin accused not being open | PR exercise
41
exchanging info (functions of cabinet meetings for the president)
Carter's go round table clockwise report on current issues+activities
42
policy debate (functions of cabinet meetings for the president)
Reagan defense secretary Frank Carlucci 'cabinet meetings were often vigorous' said debate about russian oil pipeline 'quite a shouting match'
43
presenting the 'big picture items' (functions of cabinet meetings for the president)
Obama 2013 implications of partial shutdown of federal gov
44
monitoring congresss (functions of cabinet meetings for the president)
meeting FEB 2015 Obama discuss his policy agenda for congress that year
45
prompting action (functions of cabinet meetings for the president)
Obama scrutinising the pace of Hagel to release prisoners from Guantanamo Bay
46
personal contact (functions of cabinet meetings for the president)
see cabinet members they wouldn't otherwise meet
47
what are the functions of cabinet meetings for cabinet officers
``` getting to know eachother resolving disputes speaking to cabinet employees speaking to the president increased status for cabinet officers ```
48
resolving disputes (functions of cabinet meetings for cabinet officers)
Jame Connor rembering affirmative action dispute in Ford's admin
49
why can the cabinet never be of prime importance
no collective responsibility doctrine constitution 'all executive power' to the president cabinet members have other loyalties
50
is the presidents cabinet important YES
some of most important people e.g sec of state 15 heads of departments all members president always chairs meetings
51
is the presidents cabinet important NO
article 2 'all executive power' pres no collective responsibility EXOP main advice giving for pres
52
what is EXOP
executive office of the president umbrella term for top staff agencies in white house help president wi major responsibilities
53
what most important offices in EXOP
white house office national security council office of management and budget
54
white house office
personal office of president run by chief of staff includes closest advisors
55
what are the main functions of the white house office
liason between white house+congress decide who meets with the presiden, which calls are put through deal wi crisis management members should not be persuing their own agenda Sununu was accused of this+fired
56
who have been credited with being good chief of staff
Andrew Card 01-06 | Rahm Emanuel 09-10
57
McDonough one of Obama's chief of staff
good- 12 yrs experience congress | 'control freak' restricted obama from range of views
58
Reince Priebus Trumps Chief of staff
was chairman of republican national committee | criticised by Ruddy not being 'knowledgeable' enough
59
who created the office of management and budget
Nixon 1970 (OMB)
60
what are the three main functions of the OMB
advise pres where to put funds from budget oversee spending proposed leg from exec goes through OMB (analysed for budget implications)
61
OMB director
run office | speak on behalf of pres about budget
62
Clinton's 1st OMB director
leon panetta just about got clintons budget through media said 'could not have had a better salesman'
63
Bush's OMB director
persuaded him to break 'no new taxes' pledge | political suicide lost next election
64
the budget process
OMB+departments+president discuss present current and projected economic situation pres gives budget guidelines OMB asses departments budgetory requirements takes 2 years
65
national security council
official forum for deliberating about national security and foreign policy
66
how did Nixon change the national security council
started to run foreign policy from white house+national security advisor acted as foreign policy maker cut out state departments traditional role politicised the role of the NSC
67
for and against affirmative action
Page 217 do the table
68
What did Harry Blackmun suggest affirmative action should measured
How fast they move society toward a time where there’s no need for it And when race no longer mattered
69
Who took up Harry blackmuns argument in fritter decisions
Sandra day O’Connor | Announced 25 yr limit
70
What was Clarence Thomas’ view on affirmative action
The government shouldn’t play a part
71
What % people when asked said they favoured affirmative action programmes to increase the number of black and minority students on college campuses
60%
72
What % of people said affirmative action about minority students at colleges were fair
42%
73
What was the public response when people were asked about preferential treatment
24% agreed | 72% disagreed
74
What % of white people said they’d been harmed by an affirmative action programme
13%
75
What % of African Americans said they’d been helped by affirmative actions programmes
4%
76
What % of African Americans saiid they’d been harmed by affirmative action programmes
8%
77
Cons and affirmative action programmes
Abolish affirmative action Offers incentives for people to better themselves Minorities like south East Asians who had succeeded without affirmative action programmes
78
Moderates view on affirmative action
Phasing out
79
Clinton and affirmative action
‘Mend don’t end it’
80
Liberals and affirmative action
Still needed | African Americans under represented e.g bachelor degrees

U.S Politics (AK) (4 decks)

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