US 3 & 4 Flashcards
What are the constitutions powers of presidency
“curiously vague + brief about nature + powers of presidential office”
what is the presidences role in legislation
veto
what are two influences of informal expansion of presidential power
- rise of electronic mass media
2. post war economic expansion/ war powers
why did rise of electronic mass media influence expansion of presidential powers
- Presidential singularity = president the symbol of politics in America
- Consequences
o Image credibility: President has become the most trustworthy political voice
• Allows president to set the agenda; to imitate policy
o Presidential use of media to appeal directly to American public for support forces Congress into reactive role - Result»_space; Shift in balance of power from Congress to President
why did rpost war economic expansion influence expansion of presidential powers
- Original Constitutional Solution:
o President was given power to initiate defensive war (to defend nation) and to be Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces;
o Congress was assigned all power to initiate offensive war/power to declare war.
what is the war powers act (1973
- President can deploy armed forces only on condition of:
1. Declaration of war by Congress
2. An armed attack on the US, an armed attack against US armed forces abroad, or imminent threat of such attacks
3. Need to protect and evacuate US citizens whose lives are threatened in another country
4. Specific statutory authorization by Congress - The President is required to inform Congress of the initiation of hostilities within 48 hours
- And it limits involvement of US armed forces to 60 days unless congress, by specific legislation, authorises continuance
o 30 day extension may be granted by Congress if President argues Am. Troops are in danger
what are three political attitudes as to bernies and trumps success
- district in gov + political status quo
- feeling country on wrong track
- washing out of touch wihth common person
why were people voting for trump, and not hillary
- Trumps support base drawn to him for extreme views
- But if moderate voters were turned off by Trump, they were indifferent about Clinton (who would ‘bring more of the political status quo’)
o Clintons support was always vulnerable (soft), making Trump viable
what were clintons strategic difficulties
• Clinton did benefit from:
o Strong majority amongst women
o Strong majority amongst Latinos, Asians and African Americans
• But these were ‘non voters’
• Main strategic problem?
o How to energize campaign and prompt high turnout in these groups in a ‘flat’ election?
o Clinton’s negatives and voter dislikes were reasonably fixed
• // strategy not to rebadge
• But emphasize Trump as ‘unsuited’ to be president
• Seen in the debate
what were clintons debate strats
- Answer personal attacks with professional responses
- Needle Trump’s personality shortcomings to prompt aggressive reaction
- Look presidential, point to Trump’s arrogance, abrasiveness and recklessness
why on election day did clinton fall
- Though Clinton won popular vote
o Key groups who were angry with state turned away from Clinton and cast votes to Trump (rejected political status quo + Trumps unorthodox style: political change) - Results in:
o Enthusiastic Trump supports voted for him
• To ‘drain the swamp’
o Those unenthusiastic about Clinton staying home
• Allowing victory in vital states - ‘Firewall’ for Clinton
o Several of these states were blue collar, industrial states in the mid west
• No-one thought would go to Trump
• // ‘firewall’ breached and Trump victory
what are trumps 3 strategies for side stepping checks + balances system
- appoint hostile cabinet secretaries to deconstruct administrative state + delegitimise government itself
- use executive orders to comment gov to action without congressional legislations
- denigrate legitimacy of other government branches and free press
problem with executive orders
- Problem with executive orders:
o While don’t need Congressional involvement
o Doesn’t provide regulations of implementation
o No consultation or coordination
• = global chaos
explain trumps attack on free press
3. plant to denigrate legitimacy = o 'fake news' o 'enemy of the American people' • Example: barring certain networks and media on attending White House Press Conferences
