Comparing Executives (US)

Question 1

What are the similarities and differences in the roles of the PM and the President as chief executive?

Answer 1

• Both are responsible for running their respective countries.
• The president is the singular executive - so has sole executive authority.
• The PM is the collective executive, in the cabinet the PM is Primus inter pares.
• President has greater power than the PM - can use direct authority to issue executive orders and signing statements.

Question 2

What are the differences between the roles of head of state in the US and in the UK?

Answer 2

• In the US the president is the head of state.
• In the UK, the monarch is the head of state.

Question 3

What similarities do the executives of the US and UK share over legislation?

Answer 3

• Both leaders initiate legislation.
• Separation of powers in the US means that the presidents power to initiate legislation is significantly limited.
• In the UK the executive is part of the legislature - it has significant influence over policy making.

Question 4

Why can the UK PM be described as an elective dictatorship?

Answer 4

• PMs with a sizeable majority and strong support from their party may be described as an ‘elective dictator’.
• Few checks and balances on the PM - parliament is sovereign so the UKSC can’t strike down laws - house of Lords can only delay legislation, whereas the senate can block legislation entirely.

Question 5

In what way is the presidents ability to pass legislation limited?

Answer 5

• Separation of powers limits the president’s control of party discipline.
• The house and senate whips work for the party leadership in the chambers, not the president.
• Presidents powers of patronage are also more limited - they cannot offer government jobs to members of the legislature.

Question 6

What powers does the president have in influencing legislation?

Answer 6

• President can veto legislation - the PM cannot. (presidents veto can be overturned by a 2/3s majority in both houses).
• If parliament passes legislation the PM disapproves of, it becomes law regardless.

-European Union Withdrawal Act (2019) - forced Johnson to seek an extension to brexit from the EU.

Question 7

What are the differences between the financial powers of the UK and US executives?

Answer 7

• Congress must approve the presidents budget each year - government shutdowns demonstrate the limits on presidential power.
• PMs in the UK find it easier to pass their budget as their party usually holds a majority. A budget vote in the UK is essentially a vote of confidence.

Question 8

What are the differences between the military powers held by the president and the PM?

Answer 8

• President is commander in chief - in the UK the monarch formally performs this role - PM however can declare war through the use of the royal prerogative.
• President can’t declare war - this can only be done through congress.
• Last time congress declared war was 1941.
• No legal need for the PM to consult parliament before committing troops - however constitutional convention of asking for parliamentary approval emerged in 2003 - parliament approving Iraq war.

Question 9

What are the differences in elections for the President and the PM?

Answer 9

• The US president is directly elected - has a personal mandate.
• In the UK the PM is the leaders of the largest party in the commons - receive their mandate from general elections.
• PMs in the UK do not need a personal mandate - partially when a PM takes over before a general election - Johnson.

Question 10

What are the differences in term limits between the president and the PM?

Answer 10

• PM has no term limits.
• US constitution prevents a president from being elected for more than two terms.
• Longest serving British PM Thatcher (11 years).
• For both PMs and Presidents their power tends to decrease at the end of their tenure.

Question 11

What are the differences between succession for the president and the PM?

Answer 11

• US constitution states a line of succession - PM. VP, House speaker.
• In the UK the PM may chose a deputy but it is not a constitutional requirement - when Johnson was hospitalised with covid in 2020 he didn’t have a deputy so first Secretary of State Dominic Raab filled in.
• PM typically not succeeded by their VP ut rather whoever the party chooses through an internal leadership competition.

Question 12

What are the differences between the patronage powers of the President and the PM?

Answer 12

• Both PM and President can reward supporters with cabinet positions.
• More useful to the PM who can use it to increase influence over parliament - loyalty of the payroll vote.
• Separation of powers means that the president can’t influence members of congress.
• PM can also give life peerages and honours - allows a PM to influence the composition of the Lords - similar to the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Question 13

What are the differences between the power of pardon of the PM and President?

Answer 13

• Power of pardon held and widely used by the president.
• In the UK the monarch can issue a royal pardon on the advice of the justice secretary, however this is rate.
  (2013 posthumous pardon of Alan Turning in WW2 for homosexual indecency’.

Question 14

Argument that the President holds greater power than the PM:

Answer 14

• President is head of state and of government - they are the sole head of the executive.
• They are directly elected, therefore have a personal mandate.
• President has a much larger bureaucracy to support them than the PM - EXOP.
• President is commander-in-chief.
• Presidents cannot be removed during a term in office, except through impeachment - House of Commons can remove a PM at anytime.
• US positions the worlds largest economic and military power gives the president international influence.

Question 15

Argument that the Prime Minister is more powerful than the president:

Answer 15

• A PM with a large majority can have and ‘elective dictatorship.
• The PM can use their whip system and patronage powers to influence the commons.
• PM does not require approval for their cabinet appointments.
• Less restricted by checks and balances than the president.
• No legal requirement for the PM to get parliament’s permission for militia actions.
• PMs don’t have term limits - can continue in office for longer.

Question 16

How do both the President and PM announce their legislative agenda?

Answer 16

• President - State of the Union Address to congress.
• Monarch delivering the Queen’s Speech on behalf of the government.

Question 17

Why do presidents find it harder to get legislation through congress?

Answer 17

• Harder during times of divided government.
• Members of congress less subservient to their party leadership than MPs in the UK.
• 2017, Trump failed to repeal Obama care in his first 100 days in office - defeated by Republican senators.
• The president can veto legislation - a power that the PM doesn’t above - however they are unlikely to be presented with legislation that they do not support.

Question 18

Why do PMs find it easier to push through legislation?

Answer 18

• Vast majority of parliamentary legislative time is given to government bills.
• The PM only has to convince one chamber - in which the PM typically has a majority.
• Using the whipping system to ensure that MPs toe the party line.
• PMs struggle under periods of minority government - eg May and her brexit deals

Question 19

What are the differences between the ways the legislatures of the US and UK scrutinise the executive?

Answer 19

• Both use committee system.
• PM is personally held to account during PMQs.
• Separation of powers means that the president only addresses congress at the state of the union address.

Question 20

What are the differences between the ways in which the legislatures of the US and the UK can remove the executive from office?

Answer 20

• Commons can call for a vote of no confidence at any time and for any reason.
• Simple majority is enough to remove the PM and the government from office.
• More complicated for congress through the impeachment process.
• No president has ever been found guilty by the senate and removed.

Question 21

What is the presidents relationship with their cabinet like?

Answer 21

• President’s cabinet nominees need senate confirmation.
• US cabinet officers are only responsible for their own department.
• They are not political rivals of the president - they tend to be polecat specialists.
• Cabinet reshuffles not used to regain greater control of their party.
• The president may only call a handful of cabinet meetings.

Question 22

What is the PMs relationship with their cabinet like?

Answer 22

• PM can appoint whoever they like.
• Primus inter pares.
• cabinet is the ultimate decision-making body - collective responsibility means that minister must support the government or resign.
• UK ministers are not policy specialists.
• PM can fall from power if they lose control of their cabinet.
• Cabinet meeting are frequently held in the UK.

Question 23

What are the differences between the bureaucracy of the PM and President?

Answer 23

• Both leaders act as chief executives for the whole government bureaucracy.
• President - heads federal government - PM - civil service.
• Vast majority of civil servants in the UK don’t change between in governments.
• In the US a new administration has to fill 4,000 government positions.
• Federal staff change from one administration to the next.

Question 24

What are the structural comparison of the political institutions of the US and the UK?

Answer 24

• Fusion of powers: gives the PM greater control over legislation. Separation of powers in the US limits a presidents control.
• Patronage: PM can rely on the ‘payroll vote’ whilst the president can not. Fact that the executive is found in the legislature gives them greater influence than in the US.
• Singular executive v Cabinet Government: The US president has sole executive authority whereas the PM is ‘first among equals’ - all cabinet ministers take collective responsibility.
• Difficult for a US president to be removed from office in the US - eg the impeachment process. Far easier to force a resignation in the UK.

Question 25

What are the rational comparisons of the political institutions of the US and the UK?

Answer 25

- Different individuals approach the role of the presidency and prime minister in different ways. - Rational strategies are used to respond to the political contexts eg responding to a weak legislative position ( Obama and Cameron). Responding to a national emergency ( G.W.Bush and Tony Blair) Responding to media criticism (Trump and Johnson).

Question 26

Responding to a weak legislative position: Obama and Cameron.

Answer 26

- Cameron's government was in coalition 2010-15. - Cameron was then highly focussed on his Quad committee. - Obama lacked control of his legislature for the majority of his presidency - lost the House in 2010 midterms and the Senate in 2014. - Obama unlike Cameron couldn't form a coalition - had to use executive orders and agreements to avoid asking congress to pass legislation - they would have been rejected.

Question 27

Responding to a national emergency: George W Bush and Blair.

Answer 27

- Both in office during 9/11. - Bush declared 'war on terror' - invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq. - Both leaders maximised control during the war - Bush using emergency powers to detain terror suspects without trial - Blair accused of being presidential - sofa government.

Question 28

Responding to media criticism: Trump and Johnson.

Answer 28

- Traditionally presidents and PMs have a good relationship with the media. - Both leaders adopted populist policies to win elections and used informal powers to bypass the media. - Johnson answering people's PMQs - Trump criticising the New York Times and the Washington Post. - Johnson refused Andrew Neil interview.

Question 29

What are the cultural theory comparisons of the role of the executives?

Answer 29

Respect and Presidential status: - US political culture has a greater degree of respect for the President than the UK PM. - President has an important ceremonial role seen in the White House and Air Force One. - When a president's term ends they are continued to return to as president - not the same for a PM. Limited Gov vs Parliamentary Gov: - US created a political system that was an alternative to British rule. - The role of PM however developed overtime - parliamentary sovereignty rooted since the glorious revolution. Imperial versus presidential criticism: - US public expect the president to act independent of congress. - Only accused of being imperial if they exceed the normal parameters of presidential authority. - In the UK the expectation is that the PM works collaboratively with cabinet and parliament.