Unit 4 Lectures 12-14

Question 1

Constitutional Roles of the President (6)

Answer 1

1) Chief Legislator
2) Chief Executive
3) Commander in Chief
4) Chief Diplomat
5) Chief of State
6) Chief Jurists

Question 2

Non-constitutional roles of the President (2)

Answer 2

1) Head of Political Party
- selects the party’s chairman of the national committee and v.p. nominee
- political patronage
2) Chief Economist
- responsible for the overall health of the economy
- proposes the federal budget (though Congress can alter it)

Question 3

Roles of the President: Chief Legislator-Powers (2) and Checks (2)

Answer 3

Powers:
1) Proposes legislation
2) Threatens veto
Checks:
1) Congress need not pass suggested legislation
2) Congress can override veto with 2/3 majority in both houses

Question 4

Roles of the President: Chief Executive-Powers (3) and Checks (2)

Answer 4

Powers:
1) Enforces laws, treaties, and court decisions
2) Appoints officials to office and can fire them
3) Issue executive orders (which have the force of laws) to carry out laws
Checks:
1) Congress passes the laws and has the “power of the purse”
2) Congress can reject appointments and treaties

Question 5

Roles of the President: Commander in Chief-Powers (1) and Checks (3)

Answer 5

Powers:
1) Head of the armed forces (linked with civilian supremacy)
Checks:
1) Congress appropriates funds for military
2) Congress declares war
3) War Powers Act of 1973

Question 6

Roles of the President: Chief Diplomat-Powers (4) Checks (2)

Answer 6

Powers:
1) Sets overall foreign policy
2) Appoints and receives ambassadors
3) Negotiates both treaties and executive agreements
4) Gives diplomatic recognition to foreign government
Checks
1) Congress appropriates funds for foreign affairs
2) Senate can reject ambassadors and treaties

Question 7

Roles of the President: Chief of State (2)

Answer 7

1) The ceremonial head of our nation
2) Most nations separate the Chief Executive and Chief of State roles, but the office of the presidency combines both of these roles

Question 8

Roles of the President: Chief Jurist-Powers (2) and Checks (1)

Answer 8

Powers
1) Appoints federal judges
2) Issues pardons, clemency and amnesty
Checks
1) Senate can reject judicial appointments

Question 9

Non-constitutional sources of presidential power (6)

Answer 9

1) Unity of the office
2) Presidential character and personality
3) Growing complexity of society: industrial and technological society
4) Congress delegation of authority to the executive branch
5) Mass media casting the President into the public eye
6) Emergence of the U.S. as the great superpower after WWII. Assumption of great powers by the President to deal with various crises

Question 10

Executive Office of the President (4)

Answer 10

1) White House
2) Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
3) National Security Council (NSC)
4) Council of Economic Advisors

Question 11

Organization of White House Staff (2)

Answer 11

1) Circular method: president is the “hub” and numerous assistants are the “spokes”
2) Pyramid method: assistants report through a hierarchy, ultimately to a Chief of Staff, who then reports to the President.

Question 12

Rule of Propinquity

Answer 12

people who are in the room where decisions are made wield power

Question 13

Cabinet

Answer 13

• the 15 secretaries and 5 others who hold “cabinet rank”
• appointed by the president with senate consent
• cannot be members of Congress

Question 14

Vice President constitutional duties (2)

Answer 14

1) Become president or acting president if the office of president is vacant
2) Preside over Senate, voting only in case of ties

Question 15

People who hold “cabinet rank” (5)

Answer 15

1) CIA Director
2) White House counselor
3) UN Ambassador
4) US Trade representative
5) OMB Director