US Presidency Flashcards
(21 cards)
What are enumerated powers?
Powers that are explicitly stated in the US Constitution.
What are the enumerated powers of the president?
- Commander in chief
- Signing or vetoing legislation
- Nominating justices
- Making treaties
- Granting pardons
- Giving the state of the union address
What is the difference between the roles of head of state and head of government?
Head of State (Ceremonial Role):
- Power of the pardon
- Receiving ambassadors
- Representing the US abroad
- Ceremonial duties
Head of Government (Legislative/Executive Role):
- Chief legislator
- Chief executive
Areas of Overlap (Both Roles):
- Commander in chief
- Recognising countries
- State of the Union address
- Making treaties
What are the informal sources of power for the US president?
- the cabinet - heads of each of the executive departments, who carry out the president’s executive orders
- the vice president, who has the constitutional duty to break a tie in the Senate
- the Executive Office of the President (EXOP)
- powers of persuasion
What are the powers of persuasion?
- appealing directly to the people to pressure Congress - this is easier in an age of social media.
- using the White House as a platform to advance their policy agenda
- using the electoral mandate to convince Congress to pass a policy
- offering support to members of Congress in their election campaigns or in passing their legislation in return for their support for presidential bills
What is EXOP?
The bodies that work within or directly for the White House to support presidents in delivering their agenda.
White House Office:
- President’s closest aides in the ‘West Wing’
- Deals with the press
Office of Management and Budget:
- Develops the annual budget
National Security Council (NSC)
- Advises the president on matters of national security
- Provides daily security briefings for the president
How can the president check congress?
- Commander in chief
- Signing or vetoing legislation
- Making treaties
- Giving the state of the union address
What is the strength and limitation of the president’s check on Congress of being commander in chief?
Strength:
- Congress is unlikely to use the power to declare war, giving the president a lack of checks on this power.
Limitation:
- The president cannot stop a succeeding president from changing the treaties or executive agreements that have been made.
What is the strength and limitation of the president’s check on Congress of signing or veoting legislation?
Strength:
- The president alone decides to use the veto and therefore does not have to compromise. A veto is unlikely to be overturned.
Limitation:
- If a veto is overturned, it can make the president look weak, since it means that some of the president’s own party voted against them.
What is the strength and limitation of the president’s check on Congress of signing or making treaties?
Strength:
- The president is able to create formal treaties, such as START 2010, or use the more informal executive agreements that do not need Senate ratification.
Limitation:
- The president cannot stop a following president changing the treaties or executive agreements that have been made.
What is the strength and limitation of the president’s check on Congress of giving the state of the union address?
Strength:
- This nationally televised address lays out the legislative agenda that Congress is expected to follow for the coming year. Bills that a president campaigned on for election are expected to pass Congress.
Limitation:
- Congress can still delay or amend the legislation put forward, or the president may have to compromise with members of Congress in order to get the necessary votes.
How can the president check the Supreme Court?
- Granting pardons
- Nominating justices
What is the strength and limitation of the president’s check on the Supreme Court of granting pardons?
Strength:
- The president can use this largely unchecked power to highlight areas linked to their own agenda, e.g. Biden pardoning thousands for cannabis possession.
Limitation:
- It is an unpopular move with the public so its use is often limited and more often used at the end of a president’s time in office.
What is the strength and limitation of the president’s check on the Supreme Court of nominating justices?
Strength:
- The president can try to nominate a justice who will be ideologically similar to themselves.
Weakness:
- Congressional hearings for Supreme Court justices have attracted a lot of controversy, e.g. Brett Kavanaugh
What factors affect the relationship between the president and other branches of government?
- Electoral mandate
- Election cycle
- Party control of congress
- Judicial review
- The composition of the SC
What factors limit the power of a president?
- National events
- Electoral cycle
- The Constitution
- Divided government
- Popularity
In what ways is the president stronger than Congress?
- They can use executive orders, executive agreements, and recess appointments.
- Unified government often results in fewer checks.
- In a national emergency, Congress often acts with deference.
- The president has more freedom in foreign policy.
- As one person, the president does not have to rely on compromise as Congress does.
- Congressional powers are largely reactive, allowing the president to act first.
In what ways is the president weaker than Congress?
- They can absolutely stop a president’s legislation from passing.
- They often have a newer mandate.
- They have the constitutional authority to remove a president.
- Divided government often results in stronger checks.
- When a president is unpopular, Congress is more willing to challenge them.
- Congress is more willing to challenge the president over domestic policy.
What is an imperial presidency?
When there is a lack of effective checks and balances resulting in a very strong president.
What is an imperilled presidency?
When checks and balances are very effective and result in a weak president.
How can the president control foreign policy?
- Commander in chief: withdraw troops
- Executive agreements: paris climate agreement
- Role as head of state: attend meetings of the G7
- Receiving ambassadors: recognise governments and nations
