Unit 6

Question 1

Article ll

Answer 1

The roles and powers of the president are outlined in article ll of the Constitution.

Question 2

To Be President

Answer 2

-Must receive a majority vote of 270 from the Electoral College.
-Serves a four year term
-Must be a natural born citizen
-35 years old
-Have lived in the US for 14 years.

Question 3

Veto Power ( formal, Cheif Legislator)

Answer 3

If a bill passes both chambers it has to be signed within 10 days excluding Sundays it becomes law. If the president rejects the bill with a veto he will send the bill back to the chamber where it originated explaining why it was signed.

Pocket Veto- The president can simply refuse to sign a bill within 10 days.

The present can also threaten a veto as a way to get the changes made to a bill.

Congress can override vetoes with a 2/3 supermajority veto.

Question 4

Line Item Vetos

Answer 4

It was unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1998. It allowed too much power to the president. It was where the President was allowed to veto certain portions of appropriations of budget bills.

Question 5

Executive Orders ( Informal, Cheif Executive)

Answer 5

Allows the president to carry out the law or administer the government without Congressional approval.

Question 6

Signing Statements ( informal, Cheif Legislator)

Answer 6

A president can offer a statement when signing a bill into law that indicates how they understand the bill and how they plan on enforcing it.

• Critics say that it’s giving the president too much power to offer the lawmaking process.

Question 7

Treaties ( formal, are used more frequently, Chief Diplomate)

Answer 7

Allows the presidents to faciliate trade, provie mutual defense, set envroinment standars, or prevents weapons testing. REquires 2/3 of Senate approval.

Question 8

Executive Agreements (informal, are used less, Cheif Diplomate)

Answer 8

An agreement between the president and another head of state. Does not require senate approve but will likely need cooperation in order to carry it out.

Question 9

Bargaining and Persuasion ( informal)

Answer 9

Presidents must convince members of congress to vote for bills that dance their political agenda.

Question 10

Judicial Powers ( Formal powers, chief executive.)

Answer 10

• The President appoints federal judges and nominates Supreme Court justices. Senate must confirm.
  -President can also “grant pardons and reprieves.”
  
  • Pardon, reverse a guilty verdict.
  • Commutation, lessening a sentence.
  • Amnesty, pardoning a large group.

Question 11

Vice President

Answer 11

They are chosen by the president before they are elected. They don’t really have a lot or little power as it depends on how much power they are given by the president.

Question 12

Cabinet

Answer 12

Article ll refers to a cabinet, “the principal officers in each of the executive departments.” There are 15 cabinet secretaries. They can advice the president and run large governmental departments.

Question 13

Major extuitve deparments

Answer 13

State Department- the president’s main diplomatic body, deals with foreign relations and policy.
The state department has an ambassador for nearly every country in the world and even an embassy. The president appoints them.

Department of Defense- located at the Pentagon. They serve the president and cannot have served in uniform military service for 7 years. The Constitution is very specific about it.

Excutive office of the president- coordniates serveraila indpend agencies.

White House- President has an immediate staff that runs the White House Office and requires no Senate approval.
-Chief of Staff, White House Press Secretary, Chief Counsel, National Security advisor.

Question 14

National Securtity Consuel

Answer 14

The people in the National Security Consuel President, VP, secretaries of defense, state, head of the CIA, and the president’s national security advisor.

Question 15

Foreign and Military Powers are Shared between Congress and the President.

Answer 15

Congress Powers:
-POWER TO DECLARE WAR
-Funds Military, foreign endeavors, and foreign aid.

President Powers:
-COMMANDER IN CHEIF OF THE ARMED FORCES
-Appoint ambassadors but they have to be approved by the Senate.

Question 16

Expanded Powers of the Presidency

Answer 16

-Presidential power has expanded because of foreign policy.
-In times of war or crises people look at the president for quick leadership.
-Their influence is much greater in forgein affairs is greater then domestic affairs. Congress is more likely to defer to the president in issues of foreign policy.

Question 17

Imperial Presidency

Answer 17

a powerful president in relation to a weaker Congress. The president’s power has grown b/c war, international conflict, economic and domestic crises, and the president’s popularity and personality.

Question 18

Fed 70

Answer 18

Unity- a single executive can act quickly and will not be slowed down by differences of opinion.
Responsibility- it’s much easier for the American people to hold a single executive accountable.

Question 19

Attempts to Limit Expanding Presidential Power

Answer 19

1. War Power Resolution
2. 22nd Amendment- limits a President to two terms. Ratified in 1951 after FDR served four terms in a row.
3. 24th Amendment- Allows the President to temporarily give power to the Vice President if the President is mentally or physically unable to fulfill his duties.
   
   • Presidential Succession Act of 1947: assigns succession orders to 18 positions beyond the president.

Question 20

Transfers of power

Answer 20

20ths Amendment- moved the presidential inauguration date from March 4 to January 20. Shortened the “lame duck” period.
- Lame Duck President- Those that lost the election in November but are still serving till January 20th.

Question 21

The Bureaucracy

Answer 21

It’s all of the employees of the executive branch that take care of the government business. Or people that work with the government.