The US Presidency Flashcards

Question

Vice president

Answer 1

Elected alongside presi in joint ticket system (stand on same platform, strive for balanced ticket) Presiding officer of senate, rarely performed but mainly vote to break Senate deadlock e.g Cheney Counts and announces results of EC votes. Some announce own succession to presidency, some announce own defeat First in line of succession-if presi dies, impeached or resigns the VP becomes presi. Acting president-if presi incapacitated for short time VP assumes role of acting president. Typically been for medical procedures

Answer 2

Ever since Presi Eisenhower, VP become breeding ground for future presi. Presi gives more responsibility and some become advisors directly to Presi. See daily intelligence briefings, and all have an office in the West Wing Major fundraiser, gen campaign money for presi or party Play washington insider-guide presi never elected to congress who may have served as state governor previously.

Answer 3

Meeting chaired by presi, all dept heads eg VP, secretary of state/defence No consi req for 1 Cabinet secretaries appt by presi, confirmed by Senate Meetings vary by pres-since white house expanded, meet less freq. More common for presi to meet w/ cabinet secretaries alongside advisors indy Serve at pleasure of presi, can be moved on by presi easily. May also ordain/est new cabinet depts e.g Bush Homeland security

Answer 4

Several members have right to attend meetings but not officially part of cabinet e.g OMB director, UN ambassador Positions not seen as privilege in same way as UK-not formally inc in patronage powers Promise of post won't inspire member of Congress to vote along party lines to maintain loyalty as 1 in UK would be

Answer 5

Formed in present in carnation 1939, decreed presi needs held. Arose from results of Brownlow committee Flexible, few positions req senate confirmation Fluid-adapt to presi style Dif to pin down no of staff Office headed by White House Chief of Staff

Answer 6

Main body used by presi for formation of foreign policy and national security. Formed by presi, VP, secretary of state/defence and NS advisor. Military advisors and intelligence advisors participate reg

Answer 7

Headed by chief of staff Assistants of presi, who oversee policy, pol matters and work to protect presi interests. No senate confirmation for roles

Answer 8

Largest dept, produce budget Oversee all financial aspects of implementation of presi agenda Assess effectiveness of govt programmes Director confirmed by Senate vote

Answer 9

Consi-nom justices. Senate approves Vacancy occurs->advice->nom->fbi background checks->senate hearings+confirmation Vacancy=death, retirement, impeachment Search for replacement from lower courts, executive branch, leg branch or academia Presi max terms 8 years whilst SC for life. Many outlive presi politically and in life Seek to appt someone similar ideologically to extend their political agenda beyond presidency e.g Trump 3 con justices Seak to leave SC as echo chamber of administrations past to shape future Relationship can play out when SCOTUS undertakes role as guardian of constitution

Answer 10

Presi not above law, cannot use executive privilege as excuse to withold evidence in criminal trials

Answer 11

5-4. Manually recounting indy precinct would violate equal protection clause of Consi as dif standards of counting would be in op State wide recounting not practicable by Dec 12 deadline and to extend this would undermine Florida state election code and consi allowed florida state leg to determine how it ran federal elections

Answer 12

upheld a texas challenge to Obama's DAPA executive order

Answer 13

Pass their leg proposals Sustain their vetoes Confirm their executive and judicial appts (Senate only) Ratify any treaties they negotiate (Senate only) Agree their proposed budget

Answer 14

Almost every power held bny Presi checked by congress-he/she needs their agreement e.g propose leg-amend or block leg Presi party may only control one house or none Members of congress have other loyalties (their constituents, lobby groups) Pol parties not as unified as UK Members of Congress elected sep from presi President has few ways to incentivise or disincentivise members of congress

Answer 15

Phone calls to members of congress to directly request their support Offers to support legislation that is imp to members Invitations to White House (Social or pol) Campaign for them (only for members of presi own party) Go on TV to appeal directly to voters and ask them to contact their members of congress Bully pulpit e.g Obama in rose garden before launching DACA

Answer 16

VP Office of Leg affairs Cabinet members Party leadership

Answer 17

Presi can do little with Congress as checks and balances stop presi becoming too powerful. FFs wanted co-op and compromise between each of the two branches, if this isn't achieved, gridlock occurs. Power of persuasion crucial

Answer 18

Neustadt-presi power mearly power to persuade Presi cannot reward loyal members of their parties w/ cabinet posts as in US not seen as a reward down to sep of powers Lacks any formal honours system that the presi can use to reward loyalty to party or presi agenda. Lacks house of lords to elevate those congressmen who have done well Presi de facto leader of the party yet they cannot remove the whip from troublesome congress members Presi doen't have anything to entice party members to vote the way they would like

Answer 19

Use VP e.g send them to fundraising dinners for congressmen, visits to states or as a negotiator for the administration Use EOP to persuade congressmen to advance presi agenda on 'the Hill'. Typically done thru office of leg affairs. Similarly, presi could appeal directly to the party leadership who might be able to assist in getting agenda thru Congress Appeal to public to try and build pop support for measure in an attempt to persuade Congress into action. If all else fails, presi may intervene personally to persuade congressmen to co-op. Could be done with phone calls, visits to oval office, presi campaign stops or even a ride in air force one

Answer 20

Appeal directly and morally to Congress e.g obama 2013 over need for military action in Syria. White house-bully pulpit e.g Obama call for gun control 2015 Use personal gravitas and charisma thru direct contact with those in Congress as can members of presi staff. e.g Trump sent aide Conway to speak to congressional whips on number of occasions Short electoral cycle could aid presi who can offer promises or assurances that will work well at ballot box. Obama promised to limit military intervention over Syria and not to put boots on the ground Noted that presi pop and mandate can impact upon how effective these moves are

Answer 21

Obama campaigned on healthcare reform throughout 2008 elections. Gained clear electoral mandate in election. Obamacare passed 2010 (quite a feat given how slow Congress is). Obama acted in a bipartisan way-appealing to Rep. Held healthcare summits at White House. Democrats, who controlled both houses, wanted some of reflected glory

Answer 22

Trump campaigned on repealing Obamacare. Rep controlled both houses. Yet 'repeal and replace' failed to pass into law. Trump had lower electoral mandate. Meant Reps were less likely to work with him. Trump's approval ratings consistently low (the lowest in history after one year). Reps were less united behind him. Lacked persuasive skills to convince them.

Answer 23

Checks and balances that Congress hold over the president are sig Amend, delay or reject legislative proposals, override vetoes, amend budget proposals, check commander-in-chief power and power of the purse, refuse treaties, refuse appointments and impeachment

Answer 24

Declare acts of presidents unconsi such as 2004 Bush vs Rasul ruling that detainees at Guantanamo Bay did have access to federal courts

Answer 25

e.g Bush started with 51% rating, moving up to 86^. By 2002 mid terms he had highest rating ever however began to fall and by 2008 down to 30% and sometimes lower

Answer 26

Mobilise public opinion either for or against president or his policies e.g Clinton 1993-94 with healthcare reforms, health insurance association of america launched series of commercials that really damaged the proposals. e.g Democrats unable to intro gun control. Most successful was Clinton with 10 year ban on assault weapons 1994-2004. NRA

Answer 27

24 hour news cycle. Media report and can limit what a president can do such as Johnson in Vietnam where media released images of casualties. Changed nature of war reporting e.g Afghanistan withdrawal 2021 Trump-twitter Obamacare negative coverage

Answer 28

1 person-getting around 3mn employees a challenge.

Answer 29

Reliant upon state govts to enact his policies 10th amendment-any power remaining defaults to state If state govt doesn't like it it can be a constraint e.g Biden pro-choice but doesn't control SC and 10th amendment

Answer 30

Bureaucracy has expertise and experience in areas of op which is unlikely to be matched by politicians/advisors. Own interests don't coincide with national masters Divided loyalties-serve executive, depend on congress for continued existence and funding. Congress-power of oversight and est, merge or abolish federal depts. Power of incumbency-congress members around longer than presi. Form alliances with congressional committees and pressure groups to form iron triangles which work against public interest in maintaining programmes of benefits to all three points of triangle but hardly anyone else Lack of co-ord-multiple agencies have stake in foreign policy but have dif priorities and sometimes pull in different directions Executive orders-can only enforce existing ones or use their power to govern executive branch. Cannot pass new laws. e.g Obama DAPA halted by court ruling 2016 Signing statements-little a president can do. Congress may insist on laws it has passed, SC could force president to follow intentions of congressional law Executive agreements-no ratification, up to president to decide what is a treaty and what is an agreement

Answer 31

President does not have enough power to be effective in role e.g Ford presided over period of social and economic difficulties for US and seemed unable to effect these. Unable to win re-election 1976. Reasons: oil embargo Carter struggled with failing economy and seen as weak in response to Iranian hostage crisis 1979 Not sufficient recognition of circumstances-idea that president able to fix 70s crisis quickly does not give sufficient lee way to circumstances Thinks this is a fixed position-can change. Look imperilled at one point but not whole presidency e.g Trump couldn't get funding for wall. Congress has power of purse

Answer 32

Protect safety and freedom of citizens Defence policy and procurement decisions related to force posture Promotion of peace, freedom and democracy globally Furthering free trade and capitalism in order to foster economic growth. Improve living conditions everywhere, promote sale and mobility of US products to international consumers who desire the, Bringing developmental and humanitarian aid to foreign people's in need. Both Congress and President are involved in foreign affairs

Answer 33

Submit annual budget-amend or block Negotiate treaties-senate power of ratification Commander in chief-declare war/power of purse Act as chief executive-investigate and impeach/hold trial and remove Nom executive officials relevant to foreign policy-senate power of confirmation

Answer 34

Congress declares war on another nation President as commander-in-chief can and does use military force without congressional approval prior to action.

Answer 35

WW2-Congress declared war following Pearl Harbour. Truman dropped atomic bombs on Japan raised power of president in terms of making foreign policy decisions Need for president to be able to act immediately. Temp legislation passed at end of war led to a new interpretation of consi that presi has prerogative in foreign affairs. In contemporary world, changing nature of threats and developments in technology further tipped balance towards commander in chief

Answer 36

Attempt to restore balance. President has to inform Congress within 48 hours of their intention to deploy US troops and obtain formal approval for deployment within 60 days, with 30 days for any withdrawal. Reality: President can wage war for 90 days without permission.

Answer 37

President can use force against anyone who aided 9/11. Obama carried out air strikes in Syria in 2014 even though ISIS were only loosely connected to 9/11

Answer 38

President's power over treaties increased due to executive agreements which have no input from Congress. e.g Nov 2013 Iran Nuclear Program lifted sanctions on Iran if it limited nuclear tech for 6 months Paris Agreement

Answer 39

Receive ambassadors and recognise foreign nations Dec 2014-Obama re-established diplomatic ties with Cuba Trump-better relations with N Korea, held number of summits with its leader

Answer 40

More power and responsibility in foreign and defence policy than in domestic affairs. Commanders in chief of armed forces: decide how and when to wage war Chief diplomat-make treaties to be approved by senate Head of state-president speaks for nation to other world leaders, receives ambassadors e.g Clinton-able to send troops to Bosnia and Kosovo whilst he could not pass his healthcare reforms at home Weak at home, strong abroard

Answer 41

Shared roles: *Head of govt *Chief legislator (US-propose UK-involved) *Commander-in-chief (US-ceremonial UK-delegated) *Party leader (US-selected UK-elected) Differences: UK-member of legislative, chief govt spokesperson, chief foreign policy maker US-chief diplomat, head of state

Answer 42

Shared: *Commander-in chief *Treaties Differences: UK-patronage, royal prerogatives, declare war US-nom executive branch officials/federal judges, pardons and commutations, cabinet

Answer 43

US-impeachment, power of purse, directly elected, SC can strike down, congressional committees, opposing party may control part or whole of leg UK-unelected, control HOC but not Lords, SC can't strike down, constituency, cabinet resignations, PMQs

Answer 44

Billionaire, business magnate 2016-304 ECV, 30 states, 46.1% votes

Answer 45

Withdrew from Paris agreement Travel ban-muslims Made it harder for migrants from Mexico/CA to travel to US Tightened borders, reduced refugee admissions and access to asylum Diverted billions in military funds to pay for wall in S border Quit trans-pacific partnership, renegotiated NAFTA $1.5tn tax cut 2017 Deteriorating relationship with China Banned trans people from serving in military

Answer 46

Appointed 3 SC justices Reversal on enviro protection 2017-air strikes on Syria, killed civillians BLM-Floyd COVID-19 Government shutdown 2018 Paid off people who he had affairs with Moved US embassy to Jerusalem Capitol riots Impeachment SA allegations

Answer 47

Impeachment x2 Refused to accept 2020 results-electoral fraud Russia inf 2016 election SA allegations Capitol riots

Answer 48

Delaware Senator 1973-2009 VP 2009-17 2020-306 ECV, 25 states, 51.3% vote

Answer 49

COVID-mask mandates, expanded production of PPE, vaccine dev Lowered medicare to 60 Landmark law protecting same-sex and interracial marriage Heores act-borrowers who earned less than $125k a year during pandemic would receive $10k in student loan forgiveness. Migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela will be allowed entry and given work permits. 30k per month allowed

Answer 50

Rejoin paris accord COVID-19 Withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan

Answer 51

SA allegations FBI-mishandlong of classified docs