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DE US Government > Unit 4: Presidency > Flashcards

Unit 4: Presidency Flashcards

(70 cards)

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1
Q

What are the qualifications for the office of the President?

A

At least 35 years old, lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years, and a natural born U.S. citizen.

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2
Q

How long is the term of office for the President?

A

Four years.

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3
Q

What is the limit on the number of terms a President can serve?

A

Two terms, as per the Twenty-Second Amendment.

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4
Q

Can a Vice President serve as President for more than two additional years?

A

Yes, if they succeed to the office.

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5
Q

How can a President be removed from office?

A

Through impeachment if found guilty of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

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6
Q

What is the role of the Vice President and the majority of the Cabinet in declaring a President unable to discharge their duties?

A

They can declare the President unable to discharge their duties as per the Twenty-Fifth Amendment.

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7
Q

What happens if there is a vacancy (death, impeachment, resignation) in the Presidency?

A

The Vice President succeeds to the Presidency and serves out the current term.

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8
Q

What is the line of succession if both the President and Vice President positions are vacant?

A

It progresses to Congressional officers and then to the Cabinet.

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9
Q

What happens if there is a vacancy in the Vice Presidency?

A

The President can appoint a replacement as per the Twenty-Fifth Amendment, who must be confirmed by a majority of both houses of Congress.

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10
Q

What is the role of the Vice President in the Senate?

A

They serve as the President of the Senate and break tie votes.

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11
Q

How are Vice Presidents selected?

A

They are selected by presidential candidates to balance the ticket and broaden its electoral appeal.

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12
Q

What is the term of office for the Vice President?

A

They are elected to the same term of office as the President.

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13
Q

How have modern Vice Presidents been different from their predecessors?

A

They are more active and have been given more responsibilities by Presidents.

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14
Q

What is the Appointment Power?

A

President’s authority to appoint various officials.

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15
Q

Who can the President appoint?

A

Ambassadors, Cabinet members, heads of independent agencies, federal judges, U.S. marshals, U.S. attorneys, officers in the armed forces.

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16
Q

What is the process for confirming appointments?

A

Senate confirmation is required.

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17
Q

Can the President remove officials he appoints?

A

Yes, except for Federal judges.

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18
Q

What is a recess appointment?

A

Temporary appointment made during a congressional recess.

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19
Q

What is the power to convene Congress?

A

Ability to call special sessions of Congress.

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20
Q

What is the President’s role in negotiating treaties?

A

Can negotiate treaties, but they must be ratified by 2/3 of the Senate.

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21
Q

What are executive agreements?

A

Non-binding agreements made by the President without Senate approval.

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22
Q

Who decides which countries legally exist?

A

The President.

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23
Q

What is the State of the Union address?

A

Speech given by the President to recommend or influence legislation.

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24
Q

What can the President do with bills passed by Congress?

A

Sign them into law or veto them.

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25
What happens if the President vetoes a bill?
It can still become a law if 2/3 of both houses of Congress vote to override the veto.
26
What is a pocket veto?
When a bill sits on the President's desk for 10 days and Congress is not in session, it dies.
27
What is the role of the President as Commander-in-Chief?
Can conduct wars, commit armed forces to peacekeeping duties, military advisor missions, and small-scale conflicts.
28
What is required for large-scale conflicts?
Either a declaration of war or Congress' expressed consent.
29
What judicial powers does the President have?
Can grant pardons for Federal criminal offenses.
30
What does a pardon do?
Frees a person from punishment and restores all citizenship rights.
31
What is a reprieve?
Delays punishment for a specified amount of time.
32
What is commutation?
Reduces the punishment's severity.
33
What is executive privilege?
Right not to hand over documents or testify regarding confidential executive branch business. Limits are undefined, but it is not absolute.
34
What were the factors that contributed to the growth of presidential power?
Skilled leaders, Jacksonian Democracy, crises, mass communication media
35
What were the factors that contributed to the shrinking of presidential power?
Weak presidents
36
What is the Stewardship theory of presidential power?
President can do everything not specifically outlawed by the Constitution or law
37
What is the Taftian theory of presidential power?
President is strictly limited to powers granted in the Constitution
38
What is the role of the Cabinet in the presidential establishment?
Secretaries who help the President make decisions and enforce the law
39
What role do First Ladies play in the presidential establishment?
They use media attention to campaign for important issues
40
What is the Executive Office of the President (EOP)?
Councils of advisors like the NSC and Council of Economic Advisors
41
Who are the members of the White House Staff?
Administrative and personal assistants
42
What is the role of the White House Chief of Staff?
Controls day-to-day access to the President
43
Who are typically the President's closest advisors?
White House Staff members
44
Who Should Make Policy?
Presidentialist view: Constitution gives the Pres. broad discretionary powers. Congressionalist view: Pres. should execute Congress' laws and nothing more.
45
Which viewpoint do most presidents subscribe to?
Presidents mostly subscribe to the Presidentialist viewpoint.
46
When does a president's ability to make policy decline?
A president's ability to make policy successfully tends to decline over time, bottoming out during the lame-duck period between the election and inauguration of a new president.
47
What makes it difficult for presidents to make policy?
Divided government (different parties control the Presidency and Congress) & party polarization (parties in extreme disagreement) are difficult times for Presidents trying to make policy.
48
What challenge may presidents face with civil service employees/bureaucrats?
Civil service employees/bureaucrats (who can't be fired) may not cooperate with the President's policies.
48
What is the role of the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) in the budget process?
Through the OMB, the President is able to establish government priorities for discretionary spending programs.
49
Who prepares the annual Federal Budgets?
The OMB prepares the annual Federal Budgets.
50
What is the role of Congress in the budget process?
Congress makes changes to the budget, but the budget serves as the "blueprint" for what programs receive funding & how much.
51
What limits the President's control over the budget?
Two-thirds of the Federal Budget is mandatory spending programs (entitlements like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, etc.; required spending).
52
Why do budgets often have deficit spending?
Since entitlements are growing & popular (and raising taxes isn't), budgets routinely have deficit spending, forcing the gov. to borrow money.
53
What happens when the government borrows money for deficit spending?
The interest payments on the borrowed money become more mandatory spending.
54
What power do presidents have in terms of regulation?
Presidents have the power to issue rules & regulations to executive agencies known as executive orders, which have the same effect as laws.
55
What is the requirement for executive orders to be valid?
Executive orders are supposed to bear some relation to existing laws.
56
Where are disputes over executive orders settled?
Disputes over executive orders must be settled in the Supreme Court.
57
Why do most people want to avoid settling disputes over executive orders in the Supreme Court?
Settling disputes in the Supreme Court is a long, expensive, drawn-out process.
58
What is the role of the President as Chief Legislator?
Presidents set Congress' agenda with proposed bills.
59
How can Presidents win support for their programs through patronage and party ties?
By doing official favors for influential people or seeking help from important members of their political party.
60
What are some ways Presidents can win support through their style?
By playing up their 'common man' status or showcasing the grandeur of the office.
61
Why is leadership important for Presidents to win support?
Americans respect strong, decisive Presidents and their confidence can be contagious.
62
What is 'The Power to Persuade' and why is it important for a President?
It refers to a President's ability to convince others to support their agenda, which ultimately determines their success or failure.
63
What does it mean for a President to 'go public'?
It means using the 'bully pulpit' to gain support from the people and put pressure on Congress.
64
How has technology affected a President's ability to 'go public'?
Technology has made it easier to reach the public, but harder to capture their attention.
65
When does 'going public' work effectively?
It works when Congress opposes a policy that is clearly favored by the American public.
66
What typically happens to a President's approval ratings over time?
Most Presidents start with high approval ratings during their 'honeymoon period', but ratings gradually erode due to divisive actions.
67
What is the 'expectations gap' in relation to Presidential approval ratings?
It is the difference between what the people expect from the President and what the President can deliver, which grows over time and leads to falling approval ratings.
68
What are some factors that can decrease a President's approval ratings?
Scandals, bad economic conditions, and prolonged foreign policy crises/wars.
69
What are some factors that can increase a President's approval ratings?
Effective use of media ('spin'), good economic conditions, foreign policy crises/wars (short term 'rally effect'), and reelection campaigns.

DE US Government (11 decks)

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