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US Government - Paper 3 > US Presidency > Flashcards

US Presidency Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the Formal sources of presidential power?

A
  1. Head of State and as the Head of Government
  2. Can appoint their own cabinet
  3. The President is responsible for the execution and enforcement of the laws created by Congress
  4. Nominates Supreme Court justices
  5. Can veto bills
  6. Chief diplomat
  7. Power of pardon
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2
Q

Examples of President nominating Supreme Court justices

A
  1. Biden nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Justice Stephen Breyer in 2022.
  2. Trump had made 3 appointments to the Supreme Court from 2017-2020. He nominated Neil Gorsuch in 2017, Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 (49 Rep, 1 Dem), and Amy Coney Barrett in 2020. Shifted the ideology of the Supreme Court to overwhelmingly Conservative with a 6-3 majority.
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3
Q

Examples of Presidents veto’ing bills

A
  • Biden 2023: vetoed Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act
  • Trump: 10 vetoes, 1 overridden
  • Biden: 12 vetoes, none override
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4
Q

Examples of Presidents as acting as the Chief Diplomat

A
  • June 2024: Biden proposed a ceasefire plan between Israel and Gaza
  • January 2021: Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement
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5
Q

Examples of Presidents using their power of pardon

A
  • Biden pardon Son Hunter Biden ( December 2024) - for his gun and tax evasion convictions
  • Biden pardoned 6500 people for simple possession of marijiuana 2022
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6
Q

What are informal sources of presidential power?

A
  1. The electoral mandate, executive orders, national events and the cabinet
  2. Executive orders
  3. National events
  4. Powers of persuasion
  5. Executive branch (cabinet,exop etc)
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7
Q

Example of a President exercising their power with few restrictions when granted a strong electoral mandate

A
  • Obama achieved some of his most important policy goals in his first two years of office, including health care reform (ACA) & beginning the process of moving troops from Iraq when he was firm on his electoral policies
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8
Q

Example of Presidents using Executive orders to implement policy in the way they wish without Congress’ approval

A
  • Biden signed more than 60 executive orders in his first 100 days of office. 24 of these directly reversed Trump’s policies.
  • This included halting funding for Trump’s border wall, reversing Trump’s travel ban targeting largely Muslim countries, and imposing a federal mask mandate in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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9
Q

Example of national events playing a modern role in how much a president how exercise their power

A
  • Obama faced: health care reform & the Affordable Care Act, the Budget Crisis & stimulus package, Osama Bin Laden & the Government shutdown.
  • Trump has faced opposition to the Mexican wall, immigration & the Government shutdown, Mueller’s Russia Inquiry, a Trillion dollar infrastructure plan & repealing the Affordable Care Act.
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10
Q

Example of powers of persuasion including the nature/characteristics of each president

A
  • Obama 2013 rose garden speech over Syria. It was an attempt to get congresses support for military action in Syria
  • Trump and his twitter storms - encouraged his followers to show strength and fight against “bad people” at the capitol
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11
Q

How is the relationships between the presidency and Congress

A
  • Success strongly depends on House and Senate majority
  • 2016 : Trump and the Republican held both houses - Trump was in a strong position , he brought in huge tax cuts. 2018 Democrats took the house of representatives and Trump’s policies hit gridlock. EXAMPLE: Border Wall Funding and the Federal Government Shutdown (2018-2019)
  • Trump struggled over passing the American Health Care Act in 2017 - suggests that even with a Republican president and a republican congress things are not always straightforward. The bill faced strong republican opposition in both the house and senate.
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12
Q

What are the limitations on presidential power?

A
  1. Congress, the Supreme Court and the Constitution
  2. The election cycle and divided government.
  3. By a simple majority, the House of Representatives can vote to proceed with the impeachment process.
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13
Q

What are the debates of the US presidency?

A
  1. How effectively they have achieved their aims
  2. The imperial presidency
  3. The extent of presidential accountability to Congress
  4. Congress can veto a presidential veto - Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act 2016
  5. The role and power of the president in foreign policy.
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14
Q

What’s the difference between imperial and imperilled power?

A

Imperial (power is strong). Imperilled (power is weak)

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15
Q

Three reasons that the President is imperial

A
  1. Commander-in-chief (have significant power on foreign policy)
  2. Chief Legislator
  3. Checks and balances
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16
Q

Example of President using their power of being the Commander in Chief

A
  1. Biden’s Afghanistan Withdrawal (2021)
  • Biden oversaw the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in August 2021.
  • Widely criticised due to the chaotic evacuation and the swift Taliban takeover.
  1. Military Aid to Ukraine (2022-24)
  • Response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Biden authorised billions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
    Used executive authority - sending weapons, intelligence, and training.
17
Q

Example of Presidents using their power of Chief Legislator

A
  • Veto legislation
  • Trump vetoed at least 10 legislation, including Iran War Powers Resolution
  • Bully pulpit (persuasion, soft power) - State of the Union- 2024 Biden calls for legislation of Border bill
  • The EXOP (bureaucratic department) discuss with interest group and persuade congresspersons to help legislation following the agenda of POTUS (iron triangle)
18
Q

Example of Congress overturning vetoes and what is the FF intention of this?

A
  • With a supermajority (⅔ of the Congress) - Congress overturned Trump’s veto on National Defense Authorisation Act (2021)
  • The founding fathers see Congress as the superior branch in the government - Constitution: congress = Article 1; executive = Article 2
19
Q

Example of Presidents appointing judicial nominees to extend their legacy in the SC

A

Trump recommended 3 judges in the SC. Including Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch -> voted against abortion rights in Dobbs v. Jackson (2022) (except Amy Coney Barrett)

20
Q

Example of President working with interest groups to exert influence on judicial verdicts through amicus curiae (friends of the court)

A
  • Congress refuse to confirm the appointment - Mitch McConnell refused to confirm Merrick Garland’s judicial nomination by Obama
  • SC has massive checks on executive orders through judicial review (founded in Marbury v. Madison) - Trump’s Travel Ban was blocked based on 5th amendment -> POTUS has no power to overturn it and must obey the rulings (otherwise it is unconstitutional and ultra vires (overpowering)
21
Q

President Case Study : Biden (2021-2025)

A
  • Bifurcated Presidency: domestically weak, internationally strong
  • First 100 days = Biden signed more than 60 executive actions in 100 days; 24 directly reversed Trump policies
  • State of the Union (2022): stated that he was willing to work with political rivals
  • Republicans believe him to be too ‘unfit’ for the role of president; many Democratic voters admit that they’re concerned about his age ahead of the his 2024 bid for re-election
22
Q

President Case Study : Trump (2017-21)

A
  • Hawkish Pragmatism: aggressive and erratic in his foreign policy approach
  • In 2017, Trump’s first Executive Order imposed a Travel Ban to Muslim countries (Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, Yemen and Iraq); decision was upheld in the SC
  • Signed an EO to build a border between Mexico and the US
  • In January 2020, he authorised an airstrike on targets in Iran resulting in the death of General Qassem Solemani
  • In May 2020, Trump vetoed the Iran War Powers resolution - without congressional approval
  • Totalled the most executive staffing changes
23
Q
A

US Government - Paper 3 (9 decks)

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