3.4 Interpretations and debates on US Presidency

Question 1

2

Give an example of Bill Clinton failing to achieve his aims

Answer 1

• Failed to fulfill campaign promise to end discrimation against gay people in military
• Compromise policy ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ satisfied neither side

Question 2

2

Give an example of Bill Clinton achieving his aims

Answer 2

• Supported trilateral trade bloc with Canada and Mexico
• Won bipartisan support in both House and Senate for NAFTA Implementation Act 1993 (ratification deadline had expired)

Question 3

2

Give an example of George W Bush achieving his aims

Answer 3

• Sought No Child Left Behind policy to expand equality of opportunity
• No Child Left Behind Act 2001 increased funding for federal education by $13.5bn

Question 4

3

Give an example of George W Bush not achieving his aims

Answer 4

• Promised FP with no nation building
• Invasion in Afghanistan and Iraq would seek to create liberal democracies
• National crisis of 9/11 changed entire agenda

Question 5

1

Give an example of Obama achieving his aims

Answer 5

• Obamacare - expanded healthcare insurance

Question 6

1

Give an example of Obama failing to achieve his aims

Answer 6

• Failed to close Guantanamo Bay

Question 7

1

Give an example of Trump achieving his aims

Answer 7

• Tax Cuts and Jobs Act - $2trn tax reductions

Question 8

1

Give an example of Trump failing to achieve his aims

Answer 8

• Failed to fully build Mexico-border wall

Question 9

1

Give an example of Biden achieving his aims

Answer 9

• Appointed Black female SC justice (Ketanji Brown Jackson) in 2022

Question 10

1

Give an example of Biden failing to achieve his aims

Answer 10

• Continued construction of Trump wall

Question 11

2

Describe an imperial presidency

Answer 11

• Overly powerful presidency due to unused or ineffective checks and balances from other branches
• President may evade congressional checks through issuing executive orders

Question 12

2

Describe an imperilled presidency

Answer 12

• President struggles to excercise constutional powers due to overly-effective checks and balances
• ‘lame duck’

Question 13

3

Describe a formal ‘lame duck’ President

Answer 13

• Period between November Presidential Election and January inaugration
• Either lost re-election or new President elected after end of 2-term limit of incumbent
• Lost electoral mandate, so excercise essentially no constitutional powers

Question 14

2

What determines whether a presidency is imperilled or imperial

Answer 14

• The factors that determine the relationship between the President and Congress/SC

Essentially the same as ‘describe the argument that the President is the most powerful branch of government’, but add in a greater consideration of how these factors (e.g. electoral mandate) change over time

Question 15

3

Give examples of the imperial presidency under Obama

Answer 15

• Executive orders of DACA and DAPA for immigration reform
• commutation of Chelsea Manning sentence
• used recess appointments following Congress’ refusal to ratify some of his nominations

Question 16

1

Give an example of the imperial presidency under Trump

Answer 16

• Claimed executive priviledge several times to protect information from January 6 Committee

Question 17

2

Give examples of the imperial presidency under Biden

Answer 17

• used ‘drawdown authority’ to provide military assistance for Ukraine
• used veto 12 times

Question 18

3

Give examples of an imperilled presidency under Obama

Answer 18

• Congress refused to pass immigration reform bills
• SC ruled extension to DACA and DAPA policy was unconstitutional - USA v Texas 2016
• SC struck down Obama use of recess appointments in 2014

Question 19

2

Give examples of an imperilled presidency under Trump

Answer 19

• Trump had to divert $3.8bn of defence budget spending to fund border wall after House refusal to fund project
• Bipartisan agreement in Congress led to override of Trump’s final veto during formal ‘lame duck’ period

Question 20

2

How does the policy focus of the President generally change throughout their term

Answer 20

• Years 1-2 - domestic focus
• Years 3-4 - FP focus

Question 21

Describe the arguments that Congress/President controls FP

Answer 21

• Constitution
• Public opinion v SC
• Legilslative agenda

Question 22

3

Describe the argument that Congress controls FP, not the President - constitution grants significant powers

Answer 22

• Treaties, appointments subject to Senate confirmation
• Presidential power in aid or troop deployment subject to Congress willingness to allocate funding
• difficult for President to enact controversial FP, especially during divided government

Question 23

4

Describe the argument that the President controls FP, not Congress - formal/informal powers

Answer 23

• bypass Congress in FP
• deploy troops in active combat without congressional approval (do not declare war)
• makes key appointments e.g. NSA - does not require Senate confirmation
• Congress unlikely to refuse funding for already deployed troops due to fear of media backlash

Question 24

5

Describe the argument that Congress controls FP, not the President - FP shaped by public opinion

Answer 24

• Congress more responsive to public opinion due to shorter election cycle
• especially prevalent during election year where Congress members more concerned with re-election than placating President’s contoversial FP
• e.g. Chuck Schumer
• accentuated by media focus which shapes opinion
• President may therefore request congressional support to increase legitimacy

Question 25

# 3 Describe the argument that the President controls FP, not Congress - **SC confirms President's powers**

Answer 25

* SC ruled that executive agreements hold same legal status as treaties * therefore Presidents **increasingly** using executive agreements which bypass 2/3 ratification by Senate * without fear of being deemed unconstitutional

Question 26

# 3 Describe the argument that Congress controls FP, not the President - **checks power through committee system**

Answer 26

* committees investigate issues with influential recommendations e.g. Benghazi * expertise of Senate Foreign Relations Committee makes it more confident in challenging President's FP * approval or rejection of funding proposals puts pressure on President

Question 27

# 3 Describe the argument that the President controls FP, not Congress - **influences legislative agenda**

Answer 27

* Congress deferential during national crises e.g. Patriot Act 2001 * Committee recommendations can be ignored * power of veto e.g. Obama - Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act 2016

Question 28

# 3 Give an example of a Treaty rejected by the Senate

Answer 28

* Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (1999) - ban nuclear weapon testing * 48-51 defeat * GOP controlled Senate

Question 29

# 1 Give an example of the President obtaining approval for military action

Answer 29

* Iraq Resolution 2002 - authorised use of military forces against Iraq government for Operation Iraqi Freedom OR Syria

Question 30

# 3 Describe the outcome of the United States House Select Committee on Benghazi

Answer 30

* Terrorist attack killed American diplomats and CIA contractors * Published 2016 (election year) * Criticised Secretary Clinton for failing to recognise inadequacy of secuirty measures

Question 31

# 2 Describe the USMCA

Answer 31

* Successor to NAFTA * 2020, bipartisan Senate ratified by 89-10

Question 32

# 2 Describe the powers of the President derived from the Commander in Chief of the Army (with examples)

Answer 32

* Conduct military action (not war) -- e.g. drone strike on Qasem Soleimani (Iranian military general) * Hold power to move troops - all 21st C Presidents, including Biden, have moved troops to Mexico border

Question 33

# 3 How has the President's powers over FP increased in recent times?

Answer 33

* Development of modern weaponry (drones, cyber-attacks, nuclear weapons) * Decline of conventional war * Increasing usage of exec agreements/orders (e.g. Paris Climate Agreement)

Question 34

# 1 Give an example of a President bypassing congressional approval for military action (Clinton)

Answer 34

* Clinton - bombing in Kosovo conducted without congressional authorisation

Question 35

# 2 Give an example of a President bypassing congressional approval for trade agreements (Trump)

Answer 35

* Used executive order to pull the US out of TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) * Signed exec order to renegotiate NAFTA

Question 36

# 4 Describe relations with Cuba under Obama and Trump

Answer 36

* Obama - restored diplomatic relations with Cuba through presidential policy directive and exec order (e.g. lifting sanctions) * Trump repealed this * Re-designated Cuba as sponsor of terrorism in 'lame duck' period (Jan 2021) * Powerful over FP even when supposedly imperilled

Question 37

# 3 Describe the arguments that the rise of presidentialism has reduced federalism

Answer 37

* Informal powers v constitution * federal spending * domestic platforms v temporary phenomenon

Question 38

# 4 Describe the argument that the rise of presidentialism has reduced federalism - **increased informal powers that affect states**

Answer 38

* more executive orders to bypass Congress and states ('rule by decree') * states struggle to resist federal agency expansion, especially when popular * not subject to checks and balances in constitution * SC appeals are costly and timely

Question 39

# 4 Describe the argument that the rise of presidentialism has **not** reduced federalism - constitution

Answer 39

* Constitution enshrines state powers * 10th amendment allows states to assume powers not explicitly granted to states * states challenge govt action on range of issues, even when President circumvents congressional action * SC cases e.g. *NFIB v Sebellius*, *Dobbs* confirmed state rights

Question 40

# 3 Describe the argument that the rise of presidentialism has reduced federalism - **increase in federal spending**

Answer 40

* increases due to economic crises, yet Presidents have continued change * e.g. IRA 2022 * little consultation of states

Question 41

# 3 Describe the argument that the rise of presidentialism has **not** reduced federalism - **federal spending**

Answer 41

* States have considerable power over restricting federal spending * may diminish federal programmes e.g. sanctuary cities * 9 states lack income tax

Question 42

# 3 Describe the argument that the rise of presidentialism has reduced federalism - **extensive domestic platforms**

Answer 42

* enforced national policy in areas that contradict state rights * vagueness in constitution * e.g. Obamacare

Question 43

# 3 Describe the argument that the rise of presidentialism has **not** reduced federalism - **temporary phenomenon**

Answer 43

* Growth of presidential action over states a temporary phenomenon * reactive to national crises, rather than attack on state rights * e.g. federal stimulus packages during COVID