The Executive Branch (9 questions)

Question 1

Executive privilege

Answer 1

• Conversation w/ staff can be kept secret

* applies to anything related to law investigation, national security, private aspect of policy making

Question 2

Executive agreements

Answer 2

Exactly like a treaty because it is a contract between two countries that has the force of a treaty, but it does not require the Senate’s “advice and consent”

Question 3

The presidency (two questions)

Answer 3

Requirements

• 35 years +
• American born or parent american born
• Must live in U.S. for 14 years
• Charismatic
• Money
• Looks

-22nd amendment has term limits

• Head of State (throw first pitch)
• Head of Gov’t
  1. Chief Executive: In charge of Burecrecy; appoint people to agency; can create new departments, eliminate departments, and reorganize
  2. Commander in Chief: Outranks ever military individual; can appoint or remove military officials
  3. Legislative Leader: impose executive order, issue signing statements, lobby members of congress (State of the Union Address)
  4. Chief Diplomat: Has most foreign policy power; write treaties; recognize new countries
  5. Appointment Power: appoints cabinet members, federal judges, supreme court judges, staff members (Senate must approve)

Question 4

Pocket veto

Answer 4

Congress is in recess; President does nothing and Congress can override a veto
Congress is not in recess; President does nothing and bill becomes law

Question 5

President versus Congress on war powers

Answer 5

• President is Commander in Chief (Article II Sec 2)
• Formal power to declare war belongs to Congress (Article I Sec 8)
• WWII is the last declared war
• Presidents have been committing troops w/ previous congressional approval to Congress passed the War Powers Resolution in 1973

Question 6

Cabinet

Answer 6

-Has no constitutional status; often distant from the president; responsible to the president

Question 7

Plural executive in California

Answer 7

Govenor shares power with the Lt. Govenor, attorney general and controller

Question 8

California governor’s roles

Answer 8

Appoints statewide officers
Legislative Leader: budget in jan and new budget in may
Has power of line item veto (with budget)