Unit 2B Test Flashcards
Requirements to be president:
- Natural born citizen
- At least 35 years old
- Resident of America for at least 14 years
What does being the Commander in Chief entail?
- Head of Army and Navy
- Head of National Guard
What does it mean to be the Commander in Chief
You have civilian power over the military
Presidential powers as Chief Executive of Government
- “Faithfully execute” the laws
- require opinions of heads of agencies
- grant pardons except in cases of impeachment
- nominate judges to federal courts and nominate cabinet (confirmed by senate)
- call for special session of congress
Presidential powers in foreign affiars
- appoint ambassadors
- make treaties (to be confirmed by senate)
- send troops anywhere in the world if Congress authorizes it or during national emergency (War Powers Act) The president has 48 hours to justify in writing to congress why troops were sent, and 60 days before he must withdraw troops (unless congress extends time)
Presidential legislative powers
- Give State of the Union address to Congress to push his agenda
- recommend and suggest bills for congress
- call special sessions of congress
- veto bill (can be overturned by 2/3 of congress) 5. pocket veto – not signing a bill within 10 days and having Congress adjourn
Who picks the cabinet?
The president
Who makes up the cabinet?
The heads of the 15 most important agencies, these agencies help execute the laws
What are 3 examples of departments included in the cabinet?
Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Treasury
What does the Office of Management do?
Writes the budget, which must be confirmed by the president
What is the council of economic advisers
Part of executive office, helps advise the president on economic issues
What are the informal powers of the president?
- Executive orders
- Executive privilege
- Agenda setting
- Impoundment
What are executive orders?
Orders written by president or agency that have the weight of law
How can an executive order be undone?
- President can rescind it
- Next president can rescind it
- Supreme Court can rule it unconstitutional
What is executive privilge?
Right of president to keep certain documents private if pertaining to national security
In what case did the Supreme Court rule that executive power is not unlimited?
USA vs Nixon
What is agenda setting?
president sets out the legislation he wants passed (uses bully pupit)
What is impoundment?
Ability to refuse to spend money appropriated by congress (this was ruled unconstitutional)
What is the bureaucracy?
Administrative system that divides work into specific departments carried out by non-elected officials
Is the bureaucracy politically neutral?
Yes, it remains so through the Hatch Act, which bars bureaucrats from running for public office, making political speeches, or soliciting campaign funds from subordinates
True or False: The bureaucracy has shrunk over the past 100 years.
False, the bureaucracy has grown tremendously over the past 100 years, taking on more and more responsibilities
How many people does the bureaucracy currently employ?
About 4 million people (2.8 are civil servants, rest are military)
What is the biggest department?
The Department of Defense
Has bureaucratic discretion increased over time?
Yes
What ended the “spoils system”?
Government officials being appointed based on merit
Is it difficult or easy to fire a bureaucrat?
Difficult
What are the demographics of the higher levels of the bureaucracy
-More white people
-More men than women
Do the jobs of bureaucratic departments often overlap?
Yes
What is bureaucratic red tape?
Complex rules and procedures that must be followed to get stuff done
What are people the most critical about in the bureaucracy?
The large amounts of waste
What is an iron triangle?
informal alliances that work together to formulate and implement policy in their area of interest
What are iron triangles made up of?
1) a particular industry and its lobbyists
2) the congressional committee dealing with that industry
3) the agency that is actually affected
What is an alliance/issue network?
coalitions of interest groups, members of Congress, and bureaucrats form a close working relationship (more complicated than a simple iron triangle)
What is deregulation?
Removing government restrictions and regulations; deregulation has occurred recently in the telecommunications and transportation industries
What are the 3 main roles of the bureaucracy?
- Implementation
- Administration
- Regulation
What is implementation?
When the bureaucracy carries out laws and executive orders
What is administration?
Routine administrative work
What is an example of bureaucratic implementation
Homeland Security enforces airport security laws
What is an example of bureaucratic administration?
Social security administration sends out social security checks, postal service delivers mail
What is regulation?
Issue rules and regulations that impact the public
What is an example of bureaucratic regulation?
EPA sets out standards for clean air and water
What are characteristics of Independent Executive Agencies?
Perform services on behalf of government. These are established by Congress outside of the Executive Branch
What are examples of Independent Executive Agencies?
-Social Security
-Environmental Protection Agency
What are characteristics of Independent Regulatory Commissions?
Regulate economic activities, operate independently. Once appointed, leaders cannot be removed without cause. Leaders serve fixed terms
What are Quasi-Legislative Agencies?
Independent agencies responsible for filling in jurisdiction gaps and writing rules of Independent Regulatory Commissions
What are Quasi-Judicial Agencies?
Responsible for rule enforcement and punishing those who violate Independent Regulatory Commissions
What are examples of Independent Regulatory Commissions?
-Federal Reserve Board
-Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
-Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
What are characteristics of government corporations?
Established by government, serve a public need, intended to be profitable
What are examples of government corporations
-US Postal Service
-Amtrak Corporation for Public Broadcasting
What is Presidential Oversight in the bureaucracy?
The president controls the agencies’ budget access. President appoints heads to departments and can issue executive orders
What is Judicial Oversight in the bureaucracy?
Federal Courts can use their power of judicial review to determine whether an act taken by a department was unconstitutional
What is Congressional Oversight in the bureaucracy?
-Congress can create/abolish agencies. -
-Congress must authorize agencies to spend money.
-Congress must also appropriate (fund) all government agencies and programs.
-In some cases congress may use committee clearance
-Congress may hold committee hearings to hold agencies responsible, can also launch investigations of the bureaucracy
What has to happen to presidential appointees before they can work for the bureaucracy?
The Senate must confirm them
What is committee clearance?
The ability of a committee to review and approve decisions of agencies
How can Congress punish bureaucratic agencies?
Cutting their funding
