The President

Question 1

What article grants the President powers, what are these

Answer 1

Article 2
Veto legislation
Presidential pardon
Commander in chief
State of the Union
Appointments of judges and officers
Head of state + executive
Negotiates treaties

Question 2

What are the informal powers of the president

Answer 2

Using their mandate/ the bully pulpit
Executive orders and other tools
Using the Cabinet
Using EXOP

Question 3

How many vetoes did Obama use - how many were overturned

Answer 3

12 i.e. one on the Keystone oil pipeline. 1 was overruled in Congress (Justice against sponsors of terrorism)

Question 4

Recent example of Presidential pardon, what makes this power unique

Answer 4

Biden pardoning federal convictions for possessing marijuana - thousands benefit.
Unique as it is the only one w/o a check

Question 5

What did Biden say at the State of the Union - is it going to achieve anything

Answer 5

Covered lots of things - please for policing reform, enshrinement of Roe vs Wade and further gun control are not going to go anywhere post midterms

Question 6

How are treaties and appointments checked by Congress
How can appointments be very influential

Answer 6

Must be passed with a majority vote in Senate, 2/3 for Treaties + recess appointments can no longer be made
Trump’s 3, rightwing appointments will likely shape the SC for a generation

Question 7

Treaties comprise …

Answer 7

6% of foreign policy (since 1990)

Question 8

Two examples of quick, unilateral action showing Biden as commander

Answer 8

Afghanistan + drone strike on Syria that killed IS leader

Question 9

What informal/ implied powers does Biden have due to being head of the executive

Answer 9

Executive orders, executive agreements, signing statements, recess appointments, emergency powers

Question 9

What informal/ implied powers does Biden have due to being head of the executive

Answer 9

Executive orders, executive agreements, signing statements, recess appointments, emergency powers

Question 10

What do executive orders do, how can they be checked

Answer 10

Direct federal bureaucracy i.e. DAPA and DACA directed ICE and FBI not to use resources to find dreamers or their children, Biden in March issued one to enforce upholding of gun control legislation
Can be checked by subsequent Presidents i.e. Trump removed federal support for Medicare as much as possible, Biden reversed these
Can be struck down by federal courts - often end up in SC i.e. Trump vs Hawaii over Muslim travel ban
Can be overturned by legislation in Congress

Question 11

Why are executive agreements used so much more than treaties
2 examples

Answer 11

Ruled legally binding by the SC in the 1940s and don’t need a supermajority - allows President to have greater control over foreign policy
Iran Nuclear Deal acts as on, although not official. NAFTA is a famous one

Question 12

Good recent example of a President abusing emergency powers

Answer 12

Trump declared the situation at the border a national emergency in order to appropriate federal funds ( his budget which attempted to do so had been rejected by Congress). Congress deemed this unlawful but Trump vetoed this resolution, allowing construction to continue until it was revoked again by Biden

Question 13

Who said the power of the President is the power to persuade

Answer 13

Richard Neustadt

Question 14

Challenges to the idea the President’s power is to persuade

Answer 14

Partisanship reduces the ability for President to sway centrists
Executive orders and powers
Maybe are more dependent on events i.e. largest gun reform in decades post-Uvalde

Question 15

Ways in which the President can persuade Congress

Answer 15

Direct appeals to Congress,,, most commonly and famously State of the Union
Can use the “bully pulpit” to appeal to the public - using their office to public pressure Congress into it (or a famous actor in front of the white house as Biden did)
Personal meetings and phone calls - Rahm Emmanuel approaching Rep. Massa whilst naked to berate him, Biden and McCarthy in the White House discussing the debt ceiling

Question 16

Two examples of “Persuasion”/ pork-barrel politics with Manchin and Biden

Answer 16

Reduced his COVID Relief Act and IRA in order to placate this, singular senator - from 3.3 trillion to 1.

Question 17

When has Congress offered a blank check in the past - why

Recent example of public opinion trumping - to some extent - partisanship and stalling President’s agenda

Answer 17

Bush post 9/11 was treated deferentially and head the national and international response - high poll ratings

Obamacare remained in place despite Trump’s efforts to repeal

Question 18

When was EXOP founded - 3 main departments

Answer 18

1939 for FDR
Office for Management and Budget, National Security Council and White House Office

Question 19

Role of the OMB

Answer 19

Develop the annual budget for the President to present to Congress + oversee and monitor fiscal matters of the executive

Question 20

Role of the NSC

Answer 20

Advice on national and foreign policy + provide a daily security brief to the President. Attended by VPs + sec. of state and defence. May conflict with DoD i.e. Susan Rice vs Chuck Hagel

Question 21

Role of the WHO

Answer 21

Sub-divides into 36 more offices (changes with Presidents) and is the President handpicked advisors as, say, comms director or chief of staff or simply aide to president

Question 22

What powers do the WHO have

Answer 22

Powers of proximity - their offices are in the White House and can quickly liaise with the President + can control info flows - was nicknamed the “Berlin Wall” for Nixon

Question 23

Bidens chief of staff

Answer 23

Jeff Zients

Question 24

Who wanted a Cabinet that looks like America

Answer 24

Bill Clinton - has been continued by successive Presidents mostly

Question 25

Singular appointment by Biden which got rejected

Answer 25

Neera Tandend rejected as head of OMB (only EXOP role that needs confirmation) due to political tweets

Question 26

Hagel vs Obama - who won and what does it show

Answer 26

Disagreed on Guantanamo - Hagel dragged his feet and was forced to resign cos he was picked up on it - President has the power

Question 27

Ways in which Trump’s first EXOP team didn’t work

Answer 27

Infighting between Steve Bannon and Ivanka and Jared + NSA chief clashed with Bannon. Members had had contact with Russia during the election and the Sean Spicer was mocked. Constant undermining + yes-men meant leadership was weak and the decision making process ineffective

Question 28

Ways in which the Cabinet benefits the President

Answer 28

Often can provide advice on policy - Janet Yellen on debt ceiling… Trump’s first defence secretary was a former NATO commander but Trump claimed he knew better

Positive media coverage + allows exchange of big picture items and agenda - used by Obama to present the legislative agenda

Symbolic value i.e. is government at work so should be diverse and positive electoral image

Can be a slight air-raid shelter i.e. Sebelius resigned despite healthcare being Obama’s main policy push

Question 29

How can Cabinet be seen as ineffective

Lincoln quote

Answer 29

Individually, Ministers control large departments and are important but Cabinet meetings are normally aesthetics only - any serious issues will be raised privately and all officials are entirely dependent on the President who has constitutional power.

Seven noes, one aye - the ayes have it

Question 30

How many meetings did Obama have of Cabinet in his second term
How many Secretary of Homeland Securities did Trump get through, how many resignations has there been from Biden’s entire Cabinet in contrast

Answer 30

Obama had 12 meetings
9 Homeland security vs just 1 resignation

Question 31

Current Treasury Secretary, Defence Secretary and Attorney General + backgrounds

Answer 31

Janet Yellen - Former member of the federal reserve
Lloyd Austin III - four-star general, first black man in the role
Merrick Garland - Judge of circuit court + SC nominee

Question 32

What can change the power of a President over the course of an election

Answer 32

Elections - initially can be powerful having a united government and a strong coattails effect which brings more loyalty than usual i.e. Obama + Biden - Biden quickly passed Covid Relief Bill
Midterms often leave the President powerless and with a divided governments

National events often boost popularity/ power - Bush saw huge boost post - 9/11. Uvalde shooting –> first gun reform in decades
COVID –> COVID Relief Bill
Can also lead to backlash and embarrassing headlines i.e. Puerto Rico hurricane for Trump + dependent on other factors to get laws passed i.e. Obama failed post- Sandy Hook

Question 33

Sum up relationship between President and Congress

Answer 33

Constitutionally, Congress can check all of President’s powers and will do so if the President is unpopular, a law is unpopular or the government is divided. It will use its power of the purse and even if it is united, DINOs and RINOs can stop entire agendas (Obama –> Blue Dogs, Susan Collins –> ACA repeal, Joe Manchin –> scrap + revise Build Back Better)

However, these constitutional checks ar reactive and the President has unilateral executive orders in the meantime. Coattails and united government often let him pass laws, especially during national crises where it can become deferential. This is amplified in foreign policy where it is largely ineffective

Question 34

Relationship between SC and the President summed up

Answer 34

The President has mainly indirect influences on the SC, with appointments being the notable exception - even though they are independent thereafter (Sotomayor supported CU vs FEC ruling). Separated gov and checks + balances mean they are largely separate.
The SC is more powerful as it determines whether laws are lawful or not.
This can go against the President + their wishes i.e. expected outcome of student debt forgiveness, Obama’s DAPA order, abortion but can suppport it - upheld Obamacare, Obergefell vs Hodges, Hawaii vs Trump. Especially true in foreign policy