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CHAPTER 12

The Presidency

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS Type: Factual Ans: D Page: 330

1. A parliamentary as opposed to a presidential system is found in all of the following countries except

a. Great Britain. b. Norway. c. Japan. d. France. e. A and C

Type: Conceptual Ans: C Page: 331

2. If the president selected his cabinet from the same source as a prime minister in a parliamentary system does, the U.S. cabinet would be selected by

a. powerful interest groups. b. well-known experts in particular fields. c. Congress. d. top campaign aides. e. a commission of aids and party leaders.

Type: Factual Ans: B Page: 330

3. In a parliamentary system, the voters cannot choose

a. their members of parliament. b. their prime minister. c. between two or more parties. d. whether to vote. e. A and B.

Type: Conceptual Ans: E Page: 331

4. Each of the following is a fundamental difference between presidents and prime ministers except

a. presidents and the legislature often work at cross-purposes. b. presidents are often outsiders without previous legislative or

executive experience. c. presidents do not necessarily remain in power if their party

controls Congress. d. presidents have no guaranteed majority in the legislature. e. presidents choose their cabinets from inside rather than outside

Congress.

Chapter 12: The Presidency 379


Type: Factual Ans: D Page: 331

5. An obvious and important difference between a president and a prime minister is that the latter always has

a. interest group support. b. support in the cabinet. c. support in the military. d. majority support in parliament. e. executive powers.


6. Unlike a prime minister, the president selects his cabinet officers and advisers to

a. help control Congress. b. reward personal followers. c. ensure that both parties are represented. d. appease the electorate. e. pacify interest groups.


7. If you are an ambitious member of the British Parliament, prudence will dictate that you

a. vigorously attack the policies of the other party. b. remain independent and objective in your voting decisions. c. avoid displeasing the leader of your party. d. campaign actively for the prime minister's direct reelection. e. become a relentless critic of parliamentary procedure.


8. Presidents, even with great majorities of their own party in Congress, experience difficulty in exercising legislative leadership because

a. the president must compete against interest groups for influence.

b. the president is unable to control Congress, unlike a prime minister.

c. the president's use of the veto is ineffective with Congress. d. members of Congress attract greater publicity when

challenging the president. e. members of Congress are able to thwart presidential aspirations

through the technicalities of committees and floor rules.

Type: Factual Ans: A Page: 331

9. With substantial Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress, President Kennedy, during the last year of his presidency, was able to secure passage of ________ of his proposals.

a. only one-fourth b. approximately one-half c. approximately three-fourths d. almost all e. all

380 Chapter 12: The Presidency


Type: Factual Ans: C Page: 331

10. Of the twenty-four congressional or presidential elections between 1952 and 1996, ________ produced a divided government.

a. four b. seven c. fifteen d. nineteen e. none


11. The text cites the 1946 Marshall Plan and the Tax Reform Act of 1986 to illustrate that

a. unified governments rarely accomplish anything of note. b. a divided government never could have produced them. c. both were produced by a unified government. d. one was produced by a unified government and one was

produced by a divided government. e. both were produced by divided governments.

Type: Conceptual Ans: B Page: 332

12. The text cites Jimmy Carter's strategic arms limitation treaty and Bill Clinton's policy on gays to illustrate that

a. divided governments can enable a president to introduce important legislation.

b. unified governments do not guarantee that presidential legislative initiatives will be carried out.

c. unified governments can be counted on to carry out presidential legislative initiatives.

d. whether the government is divided or unified is basically immaterial.

e. divided governments have routinely been more efficient than unified governments.


13. The text observes that the delegates to the Constitutional Convention feared

a. monarchy more than anarchy. b. anarchy more than monarchy. c. neither monarchy nor anarchy. d. monarchy and anarchy about equally. e. monarchy and anarchy were actually no different.

Type: Factual Ans: E Page: 333

14. An aspect of George Washington's personality that encouraged the delegates to the Constitutional Convention to approve an elected presidency was his

a. bravery in battle. b. clairvoyance. c. loyalty to his subordinates. d. keen wit. e. self-restraint.



Type: Conceptual Ans: D Page: 333

15. If the Framers had decided to have the president chosen by the Congress, we could reasonably expect Congress to dominate the president

a. and to control the military. b. and to pick the cabinet. c. or the president to ignore Congress. d. or the president to corrupt the legislature. e. or the president to capitulate to the judiciary.


16. Each of the following was one of the fears expressed by the Founders about aspects of the presidency except

a. the fear of a president's using bribery or force to ensure his reelection.

b. the fear of a president's using the militia to overpower state governments.

c. the fear of a president's using his position to shape public opinion.

d. the fear of a president's being corrupted by, or corrupting, the Senate.

e. the fear that the president would be directed by “minions and favorites.”


17. One of the fears expressed by the Founders about aspects of the Presidency was the fear of a president's

a. claiming certain inherent powers by virtue of his position. b. using the militia to overpower state governments. c. using his position to shape public opinion. d. powers to appoint select Supreme Court justices without

congressional approval. e. powers to pardon.


18. One of the fears expressed by the Founders about aspects of the presidency was the fear of a president's

a. claiming certain inherent powers by virtue of his position. b. being corrupted by, or corrupting, the Senate. c. using his position to shape public opinion. d. powers to appoint select Supreme Court justices without

congressional approval. e. powers to pardon.


19. Alexander Hamilton stood at the Constitutional Convention and gave a five hour speech calling for

a. a plural executive. b. an elected president. c. an official declaration that George Washington would be the

first president. d. his own appointment as Chief Executive. e. an elective monarchy.




20. The cause of those who argued for a single, elected president at the convention was, no doubt, aided by the fact that

a. Alexander Hamilton had already declared himself a candidate. b. Massachusetts had experienced great success under such a

system. c. The Articles of Confederation fostered deep respect for the

office. d. everybody assumed that George Washington would be the first

president. e. no individual was likely to be chose as president who was not a

member of the upper classes.


21. One concern expressed at the Convention focused on the possibility that shared powers would cause the president to be a mere “tool” of

a. the House of Representatives. b. the Senate. c. the Supreme Court. d. the Electoral College. e. special interest groups.


22. The House of Representatives has _________ to decide the winner of a presidential election.

a. never had b. rarely had c. frequently had d. never been given the power e. never recognized its own power


23. When no candidate receives a majority of votes in the electoral college, the House of Representatives decides who will win a presidential election. This circumstance

a. has never occurred. b. has occurred only twice. c. occurs once every 28 to 36 years. d. has occurred four times in this century. e. occurs frequently when the country is at war.


24. The first plan suggested at the Convention called for the president to be chosen by

a. state legislatures. b. the Supreme Court. c. popular election. d. the Electoral College. e. Congress.


25. The second plan that was suggested at the Convention for the selection of the President called for selection by

a. state legislatures. b. the Supreme Court. c. direct vote of the people.



d. the Electoral College. e. Congress.


26. The concern about the presidency that was most vigorously debated by the Framers was over the president's

a. use of bribery or force to ensure reelection. b. powers as commander-in-chief of the state militia. c. power over foreign affairs. d. dominance of the courts. e. powers to pardon.

Type: Conceptual Ans: A Page: 334

27. The concern shared by the Framers about the popular election of presidents was that it might

a. give inordinate power to larger, more populous states. b. open up elections to mass hysteria and to control by the media. c. give inordinate power to political parties, as indeed turned out

to be the case. d. prove unwieldy at a time when transportation and

communication were so primitive. e. cause political parties to gain to much power in the electoral

process.


28. The Framers solved the problem of how to elect the president by

a. forming a quasi-parliamentary system of government. b. providing for constitutional amendments. c. forming the House Election Committee. d. creating the Committee on Detail. e. creating the Electoral College.


29. Under the original provisions of the U.S. Constitution, the states were to choose presidential electors

a. however they wished. b. by popular vote. c. by vote of the legislature. d. by appointment of the governor. e. by rules designated in the courts.




30. The Framers assumed that, under the electoral college system, most presidential elections would be decided in the House. Why did this not turn out to be the case?

a. because most elections were not close enough to give state delegations the power to decide the outcome

b. because the first Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional the electoral college system for selecting a president

c. because political parties ended up playing a major role in producing nationwide support for a slate of national candidates

d. because the Senate quickly usurped the delegate powers of the House

e. because the Supreme Court narrowly interpreted the powers of the legislative branch


31. Regarding terms of office, the pattern among most early presidents was to

a. serve one term and then leave office. b. serve two terms and then leave office. c. be defeated in seeking a second term of office. d. serve three or more terms of office. e. leave office after being elected to a third term.


32. Presidents have been limited to two terms by the

a. Fourteenth Amendment. b. Sixteenth Amendment. c. Nineteenth Amendment. d. Twenty-first Amendment. e. Twenty second Amendment.


33. The legitimacy of the office of president was aided during the years of the first presidents by which of the following?

a. the limit placed on the number of terms a president could serve b. the appointment of people of stature to federal offices c. the rise in power of political caucuses d. the close relationship that developed between the president and

Congress e. narrow interpretations of the Constitution by the United States

Supreme Court


34. The legitimacy of the office of president was aided during the years of the first presidents by which of the following?

a. the limit placed on the number of terms a president could serve b. the minimal activism of early government c. the rise in power of political caucuses d. the close relationship that developed between the president and

Congress e. narrow interpretations of the Constitution by the United States

Supreme Court




35. Which of the following statements is incorrect?

a. In order to win an election, a candidate must receive at least half of the votes of the electoral college.

b. Each state receives an electoral vote for each member it has in the House.

c. In some states, electoral votes can be split. d. State electors assemble in their state capitals to cast their

ballots. e. Electoral ballots are opened before a joint session of Congress

during the first week in January.




b. Each state receives an electoral vote for each member it has in the House.


ballots. e. Electoral ballots are opened before a joint session of Congress





b. Each state receives an electoral vote for each member it has in the House and the Senate.

c. In some states, electoral votes can be split. d. State electors assemble in Washington to cast their ballots. e. Electoral ballots are opened before a joint session of Congress





b. Each state receives an electoral vote for each member it has in the House and the Senate.


ballots. e. Electoral ballots are opened before members of the U.S.

Supreme Court during the first week in January.



a. In order to win an election, a candidate must receive three-fourths of votes of the electoral college.

b. Each state receives an electoral vote for each member it has in the House and Senate.

c. In some states, electoral votes can be split.



d. State electors assemble in their state capitals to cast their ballots.

e. Electoral ballots are opened before a joint session of Congress during the first week in January.


40. Presidential candidates won a majority of electoral votes without winning a majority of the popular in all of the following elections except

a. 1876 b. 1888 c. 1992 d. 2000 e. C and D.


41. Which of the following statements about elections thrown into the House of Representatives is incorrect?

a. The House chooses from among the top two candidates. b. Each state casts one vote. c. A state’s vote is given to the candidate preferred by the

majority of the state’s House delegation. d. If there is a tie within a state, that state’s vote is not counted. e. This process is only used when no candidate receives a

majority of the votes of the electoral college.



a. The House chooses from among the top three candidates. b. Each state casts one vote. c. A state’s vote is given to the candidate preferred by the

majority of the state’s House delegation. d. If there is a tie within a state, that state’s vote is not counted. e. This process is only used when no candidate receives three

fourths of the votes of the electoral college.



a. The House chooses from among the top three candidates. b. Each state casts two votes. c. A state’s vote is given to the candidate preferred by the

majority of the state’s House delegation. d. If there is a tie within a state, that state’s vote is not counted. e. This process is only used when no candidate receives a

majority of the votes of the electoral college.



a. The House chooses from among the top three candidates. b. Each state casts one vote. c. A state’s vote is given to the candidate preferred by the

majority of the state’s House delegation. d. If there is a tie within a state, that state’s vote is counted twice.



e. This process is only used when no candidate receives a majority of the votes of the electoral college.


45. The personality of which president began to alter the relationship between the president and Congress and the nature of presidential leadership?

a. Andrew Jackson b. Ulysses Grant c. Richard Nixon d. Jimmy Carter e. William H. Harrison


46. Prior to the 1850s, the president who made the most vigorous use of the veto power was

a. George Washington. b. Alexander Hamilton. c. Andrew Jackson. d. Abraham Lincoln. e. John Adams.


47. Andrew Jackson established the precedent that a president's veto can be used

a. only on constitutional grounds. b. without first having a law declared unconstitutional by the

Supreme Court. c. even when Congress is still in session. d. on policy grounds even when a bill may appear to be

constitutional. e. without the advice and consent of the Senate.


48. The era from 1836 to 1932 is commonly viewed as one of

a. presidential dominance. b. a true balance of powers. c. Supreme Court dominance. d. presidential and Supreme Court dominance. e. congressional dominance.


49. President Lincoln justified his unprecedented use of the vague powers granted in Article II of the U.S. Constitution by citing

a. the debates of the Framers. b. the platform of the Republican party. c. the conditions created by civil war. d. Marbury v. Madison. e. the Declaration of Impendence.




50. From the examples of Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln, one learns that emergency conditions and ________ can offer presidents the opportunity for substantial increases in power.

a. a strong Congress b. a popular and strong-willed personality c. an uninterested public d. majority support in the cabinet e. a compliant Supreme Court


51. When we say that a powerful presidency has been institutionalized, we mean that its power is no longer dependent on

a. Congress. b. personality. c. legitimacy. d. the U.S. Constitution. e. Executive Orders.


52. All of the following are powers that only the president is constitutionally entitled to exercise except

a. appointing ambassadors. b. serving as military commander-in-chief. c. convening Congress in special sessions. d. receiving ambassadors. e. commission officers of the armed forces.


53. The powers that the president shares with the Senate include

a. receiving ambassadors. b. making treaties. c. granting pardons for federal offenses. d. wielding legislative power. e. commission officers of the armed forces.


54. If a president were to act only in accordance with the specific powers of Article II of the U.S. Constitution, he or she would probably be considered

a. primarily a policy maker. b. primarily an administrator. c. head of the military. d. primarily a legislator. e. primarily a judge.




55. Grover Cleveland used federal troops to break a labor strike by invoking his power to

a. take care that the laws be faithfully executed. b. prevent riots and insurrections. c. serve as commander-in-chief. d. oversee the executive branch. e. facilitate First Amendment activity.


56. According to the text, the greatest source of presidential power lies in the realm of

a. the U.S. Constitution. b. interpretation of laws. c. the execution of laws. d. foreign-policy formulation. e. politics and public opinion.


57. Until the 1930s, the pattern of U.S. legislation was that

a. little initiative was taken by the president or Congress. b. initiative was taken by the president and Congress about

equally. c. initiative was taken by the president and responded to by

Congress. d. initiative was taken by Congress and responded to by the

president. e. initiative was taken by the president with the advice and

consent of Congress.


58. If you are a person who revels in the outward display of power, you would enjoy having been president of the United States

a. at any stage in U. S. history. b. more in the eighteenth than in the nineteenth century. c. mostly in the late nineteenth century. d. only in the twentieth century. e. only after 1992.


59. The rule of propinquity states that

a. power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. b. power tends to be shared most evenly when leadership is

weakest. c. power tends to be wielded by the people who are in the room

where a decision is made. d. power is greatest when legitimacy is strongest. e. power is rarely distinguishable from wealth and fame.




60. Of the following, the group in closest physical and political proximity to the president is the

a. Executive Office of the President. b. State Department. c. cabinet. d. White House Office. e. the Press Corp.


61. The principal function of the White House Office is to

a. oversee the political and policy interests of the president. b. administer federal departments as the president's

representative. c. prepare the national budget for the president. d. supervise the national security agencies, such as the CIA and

FBI. e. supervise military intelligence agencies.


62. The Senate is required to confirm all of the following presidential nominations except

a. members of the White House Office. b. the heads of Executive Office agencies. c. the heads of cabinet departments. d. federal judges. e. B and D.


63. According to the text, the three methods by which a president can organize his personal staff are

a. intuitive, pyramid, and circular. b. pyramid, circular, and ad hoc. c. circular, ad hoc, and intuitive. d. ad hoc, intuitive, and pyramid. e. circular, tubular, and linear.


64. The method of staff organization that poses the risk of isolating or misinforming the president is called

a. intuitive. b. pyramid. c. circular. d. ad hoc. e. linear.




65. President Clinton's use of task forces, committees, and informal groups of friends and advisers is characteristic of which method of staff organization?

a. intuitive b. pyramid c. circular d. tubular e. ad hoc


66. When President Reagan appointed a chief of staff in 1985, he was acting according to what model of organization?

a. circular b. pyramidal c. ad hoc d. intuitive e. linear


67. When did Ronald Reagan appoint a chief of staff for his assistants?

a. at the beginning of his first term b. at the end of his first term c. at the beginning of his second term d. toward the end of his second term e. never


68. Included in the Executive Office of the President are all of the following except

a. the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). b. the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). c. the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA). d. the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA). e. the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (OUSTR).


69. The most important agency in the Executive Office of the President in terms of providing administrative assistance is the

a. Council of Economic Advisers (CEA). b. Office of Management and Budget (OMB). c. Office of Technology Assessment (OTA). d. Office of Environmental Quality (OEQ). e. the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (OUSTR).




70. Which of the following statements about the collegial nature of deliberations at cabinet meetings is true?

a. It has been consistent throughout most of its history. b. It is increasingly important, but only when discussions are

related to economic issues. c. It is more important now than it originally was. d. It was more important originally than it is now. e. It is largely fiction.


71. The seating order at cabinet meetings most accurately reflects

a. the importance of each department represented. b. the political closeness of each secretary to the president. c. the age of the department. d. a spirit of openness and equality. e. the seniority of the individuals in each department.


72. The cabinet officers consist of the heads of

a. the major executive departments. b. the major governmental agencies and commissions. c. the major governmental agencies. d. independent agencies and commissions. e. the minor governmental agencies.


73. One reason a president has relatively little power over his cabinet departments is because he

a. cannot appoint their heads. b. requires Senate approval of his choices for heads of these

departments. c. must share power with the judicial branch of government. d. must share power with the legislative branch of government. e. cannot appoint more than a fraction of their employees.


74. The main reason the cabinet is a weak entity is that

a. the secretaries are inherently jealous of one another. b. not all agencies are members of the cabinet. c. the secretaries defend, explain, and enlarge their own agencies. d. they are all personal friends of the president. e. tubular organizations schemes inevitably cloud the ability of

members to communicate effectively.


75. What distinguishes executive and independent agencies?

a. where they are located b. whether they report to Congress c. how they are funded d. the number of their employees e. The distinction is not altogether clear.




76. The prior work experience of presidential appointees to the executive branch is most likely to include

a. some federal agency. b. private corporations. c. foundations. d. labor unions. e. judicial experience.


77. A trend in recent cabinet appointments has been to

a. include those with independent followings. b. appoint both Democrats and Republicans. c. include those without political followings. d. appoint party leaders and workers. e. appoint former judges and lawyers.


78. In recent administrations, presidential appointments to the cabinet are least likely to have had

a. a strong political following. b. relevant expertise. c. interest group support. d. prior government experience. e. B and D.


79. Relationships between White House staff and department heads are typically characterized by

a. the revolving door. b. teamwork. c. mutual noninterference. d. tension and rivalry. e. reciprocity.


80. Personality plays a more important role in explaining the presidency than it does in explaining Congress because a president is

a. more likely to rely on hands-on politics and persuasiveness to enact policy.

b. less constrained by the rules and roles that operate within government.

c. more likely to be judged by his character in addition to his accomplishments.

d. relatively immune from public opinion and polls. e. less constrained by the judiciary or current notions of

constitutional principles.




81. The presidential character of Dwight Eisenhower was characterized by

a. the use of talented amateurs. b. persuasion in face-to-face encounters. c. ad hoc and chaotic decision making. d. deep suspicion of the media. e. careful and complete staff work.


82. The presidential character of Lyndon Johnson was characterized by

a. the use of talented amateurs. b. persuasion in face-to-face encounters. c. careful and complete staff work. d. deep suspicion of the media. e. bargaining and impersonal communications.


83. The presidential character of John F. Kennedy was characterized by

a. the use of talented amateurs. b. persuasion in face-to-face encounters. c. careful and complete staff work. d. deep suspicion of the media. e. professional competence and experience.


84. The presidential character of Richard Nixon was characterized by

a. the use of talented amateurs. b. persuasion in face-to-face encounters. c. careful and complete staff work. d. deep suspicion of the media. e. professional competence and experience.


85. The presidential character of Gerald Ford was characterized by

a. the use of talented amateurs. b. give-and-take, discussion-oriented procedures. c. voracious reading on very detailed matters. d. giving wide latitude to subordinates. e. ad hoc and chaotic decision making.


86. The presidential character of Jimmy Carter was characterized by

a. the use of talented amateurs. b. give-and-take, discussion-oriented procedures. c. voracious reading on very detailed matters. d. giving wide latitude to subordinates. e. ad hoc and chaotic decision making.




87. The presidential character of Ronald Reagan was characterized by

a. the use of talented amateurs. b. give-and-take, discussion-oriented procedures. c. voracious reading on very detailed matters. d. giving wide latitude to subordinates. e. expertise and experience.


88. The presidential character of George Bush was characterized by

a. ad hoc and chaotic decision making. b. the use of talented amateurs. c. voracious reading on very detailed matters. d. giving wide latitude to subordinates. e. hands-on management and personal contact.


89. The presidential character of Bill Clinton is characterized by

a. careful and complete staff work. b. keen interest in foreign affairs. c. persuasion in face-to-face encounters. d. deep suspicion of the media. e. legislative concession and international prestige.


90. Presidents need to rely on their powers of persuasion because of their

a. limited staffs and sketchy constitutional powers. b. opponents within the party. c. lack of ensured legislative majorities and opponents within the

party. d. sketchy constitutional powers and lack of ensured legislative

majorities. e. limited staffs.


91. The presidential audiences listed by Neustadt include all of the following except

a. heads of state from around the world. b. fellow politicians in Washington. c. party activists and officeholders outside Washington. d. the public. e. leaders in Washington.


92. When President Franklin Roosevelt gave the impression of self-confidence and being on top of things, the audience that was most likely to perceive him as effective comprised

a. fellow politicians and leaders. b. partisan activists at the state levels. c. the general public. d. the media. e. partisan activists at the local levels.




93. When a president makes fire-and-brimstone speeches confirming a shared sense of purpose, he is appealing principally to

a. fellow politicians. b. the media. c. partisan activists at the state and local levels. d. the general public. e. fellow leaders.


94. When a presidential candidate talks on the campaign trail of the many good things that he would accomplish as president, he is appealing principally to

a. fellow leaders. b. the media. c. partisan activists at the state and local levels. d. the general public. e. fellow politicians.


95. Although Republicans gained seats in the House in 1980 and 1984, political scientists are reluctant to conclude that the gains were due to presidential coattails because

a. so many Republican candidates opposed Reagan and his conservative ideology.

b. Reagan had sought to punish so many disloyal Republican candidates.

c. congressional elections are frequently insulated from presidential elections.

d. Reagan had rejected the Republican platform on which so many Republican candidates were running.

e. All of these.


96. Which of the following statements about the effect of presidential coattails on congressional elections is true?

a. It has increased in recent years. b. It has benefited Democrats, but not Republicans. c. It has been a consistently powerful factor in recent years. d. It has been a consistently negative factor in recent years. e. It has decreased in recent years.


97. When voters choose as members of Congress people of the same party as an incoming president, they probably do so for what reason?

a. as a reward to the incoming president for his successful campaign

b. as a means of ensuring additional congressional support for the incoming president

c. as an indication of the incoming president's personal popularity d. as a result of the unpopularity of the outgoing president e. as a result of congressional redistricting





a. George Bush entered office with an approval rating similar to the initial rating of Bill Clinton.

b. Bush had the highest disapproval rating of any president since such polling began.

c. Bush’s approval ratings for the first six months were quite typical of post 1960 presidents.

d. Bush received the highest approval rating every recorded in the aftermath of the attack of September 11.

e. None of these.


99. From the time of winning office to the time of leaving it, the popularity of most recent presidents

a. decreased steadily. b. decreased except at election time. c. increased steadily. d. increased except at election time. e. reveals no systematic trends and is impervious to elections and

campaigns.


100. Members of Congress pay attention to the personal popularity of a president because

a. the president may be called on to campaign for them. b. the president may campaign against them in a primary. c. many members of Congress have aspirations to the presidency. d. politicians tend to rise and fall together. e. interest group contributions often depend on perceptions of

proximity with popular presidents.


101. How successful a president is with Congress is difficult to gauge because

a. he never reveals his position on non-controversial bills. b. he can keep his victory score high by not taking a position on

any controversial measure. c. he does not have the power to veto bills of Congress. d. he does not have the ability to show his approval or

disapproval, since he must not sign bills before they can become law.

e. he can never overcome the influence of interest group money on congressional votes.




102. A president can appear to be successful with Congress yet not be so if

a. a few bills he likes are passed but most of his legislative program is bottled up in Congress and never comes to a vote.

b. Congress approves neither big nor trivial bills he endorses. c. he never reveals his position on any bills. d. he vetoes most bills sent to him by Congress. e. he vetoes economic legislation sent to him by Congress.


103. Which of the following is most clearly affected by the personal popularity of the president?

a. how well members of his party do in House elections b. how Congress treats his legislative proposals c. how well members of his party do in Senate elections d. how he conducts foreign policy e. how he wields the clemency power


104. The classic example of the honeymoon phenomenon was

a. Harry Truman. b. Franklin Roosevelt. c. Richard Nixon. d. Gerald Ford. e. Bill Clinton.


105. Veto power and executive privilege give a president both a way of blocking action and a

a. route of appeal to the people. b. means of affecting the party platform. c. trump card to play with the media. d. means of forcing Congress to bargain. e. means of overriding the influence of special interests.


106. If by December 30 the president does not sign a bill that was sent to him by Congress on December 24, he has probably

a. used his pocket veto. b. vetoed it. c. let it become law without his signature. d. tabled it. e. amended it.




107. A bill is passed to the president for action while Congress is still in session. After ten days he has still not approved it. What happens to the bill?

a. It is returned to Congress. b. It is vetoed. c. It becomes law. d. Nothing. The president has thirty days to act on a bill. e. Nothing. The president has ninety days to act on a bill.


108. When President Reagan was governor of California, he could veto portions of a bill that were irrelevant to the subject of the bill. He was exercising what is called

a. constitutional discretion. b. a pocket veto. c. states' rights. d. gubernatorial averaging. e. a line-item veto.


109. About what proportion of presidential vetoes has Congress been able to override?

a. less than 4 percent b. between 10 and 20 percent c. between 30 and 40 percent d. more than 65 percent e. more than 80 percent


110. More than 2,500 presidential vetoes have been made since 1789. Congress has overridden about what percent of these?

a. 4 percent b. 25 percent c. 38 percent d. 45 percent e. 86 percent


111. The presidential claims for executive privilege are based on the separation of powers and on

a. the U.S. Constitution. b. the need for cooperation with Congress. c. international law. d. Marbury v. Madison. e. the need for candid advice from aides.




112. United States v. Nixon held that there is

a. no executive privilege. b. absolute presidential immunity from judicial process. c. no unqualified presidential privilege of immunity from judicial

process. d. real but limited presidential immunity from judicial process. e. presidential immunity does not apply to matters which are civil

in nature.


113. The result of the Supreme Court's ruling in United States v. Nixon was that

a. Nixon was allowed to retain the disputed tapes and papers. b. Nixon was forced to hand over the disputed tapes and papers. c. Congress was forced to impeach Nixon to gain access to the

disputed tapes and papers. d. Congress was allowed to take custody of the disputed tapes and

papers under judicial review. e. None of these.


114. On the issue of a president's right to impound funds, the U.S. Constitution says

a. that a president must spend the money that Congress appropriates.

b. that a president does not have to spend money that Congress appropriates.

c. that a president may spend money that Congress does not appropriate.

d. that a president may spend money that Congress does not appropriate if congressional leaders support such expenditures.

e. nothing.


115. Presidential impoundment of funds has been severely limited in recent years because of

a. a string of unfavorable court decisions. b. the Budget Reform Act of 1974. c. public outrage. d. the opposition of the federal bureaucracy. e. restructuring of the Internal Revenue Service.


116. President Clinton's approach to his program was to

a. have a policy on almost everything. b. rely heavily on his predecessor's program. c. concentrate on only a few issues at a time. d. rely on his cabinet and other advisers. e. rely on congressional leaders.




117. President Reagan's approach to his program was to

a. have a policy on almost everything. b. rely heavily on his predecessor's program. c. concentrate on only a few issues at a time. d. rely on his cabinet. e. rely on congressional leaders.


118. One major constraint on a president's ability to plan and develop a program is the

a. lack of qualified academic support. b. Twenty-third Amendment. c. threat of a legislative veto. d. risk of adverse reaction to the program. e. proliferation of special interests.


119. A president who is uncertain whether a policy he is considering will be controversial would be most likely to

a. shift the decision to state leaders. b. leak parts of the policy to the media. c. commission a public-opinion poll. d. ask opposition leaders for advice. e. shift the decision to local leaders.



a. lack of qualified academic support. b. Twenty-third Amendment. c. threat of a legislative veto. d. limit of his or her time and attention span. e. proliferation of special interests.


121. The typical workweek for a president numbers approximately

a. 40 hours. b. 55 hours. c. 70 hours. d. 75 hours. e. 90 hours.



a. lack of qualified academic support. b. Twenty-third Amendment. c. threat of a legislative veto. d. unexpected crisis. e. proliferation of special interests.




123. Which of the following would be the most likely substantial constraint on a president's ability to plan a program?

a. a visit by foreign dignitaries b. criticism by the opposition party c. lack of control of federal expenditures d. an unexpected crisis e. criticism by congressional staff


124. Among the unanticipated crises of the Reagan administration were all of the following except

a. the suppression of Solidarity. b. U.S. hostages in Lebanon. c. the invasion of Afghanistan. d. civil war in Nicaragua. e. the Iran-contra crisis.


125. One of the crises the Clinton administration faced was

a. civil war in Nicaragua. b. the dissolution of the Soviet Union. c. continuing war in Bosnia and other parts of Yugoslavia. d. student rebellion in China. e. the Iran-contra crisis.



a. lack of qualified academic support. b. Twenty-third Amendment. c. threat of a legislative veto. d. inflexibility of most federal programs. e. proliferation of special interests.


127. The approach taken by most presidents in dealing with the constraints that are placed on their planning and developing a program is to

a. stick to a few key programs. b. delegate minor programs to states. c. delegate minor programs to communities. d. push for many programs simultaneously, expecting a few to

succeed. e. rely on rhetoric and personal friendships.




128. In recent decades, the two key issues that presidents have focused on in planning and developing new programs have been

a. military spending and social-welfare programs. b. inflation and the environment. c. military spending and the environment. d. taxes and the federal budget deficit. e. the economy and foreign affairs.


129. Almost every president since Hoover has tried to

a. increase the size of the federal government. b. decrease the size of the military. c. decrease the size of the federal government. d. reorganize the executive branch. e. increase the size of the press corp.


130. In the aftermath of the attack of September 11, 2001, President Bush created the White House Office of Homeland Security. The new office was given an impossible job because

a. it had only as dozen or so full-time staff. b. it had little budgetary authority. c. it had virtually no ability to enforce decisions regarding how

cabinet agencies operated. d. all of these. e. none of these.


131. The president is not legally required to consult Congress in reorganizing the

a. White House staff. b. Executive Office of the President. c. cabinet. d. all of these. e. B and C.


132. Which of the following statements about the legislative veto is correct?

a. It is an effective tool for preventing a president from reorganizing an agency or department.

b. It was used by Congress for the first time during the Nixon administration.

c. It was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1983. d. It is sometimes used in place of a regular law to reorganize an

agency or department. e. A and B.




133. Every president since Harry Truman has commented that the power of the presidency

a. needs to be limited in the defense of freedom. b. is flexible, but always adequate to the task at hand. c. needs to be expanded in the interest of freedom. d. is greater than it appears to be from the outside. e. looks greater from the outside than the inside.


134. Which of the following statements about a president's serving more than two terms is correct?

a. It has been done by only one president. b. It is neither prohibited nor encouraged by the U.S.

Constitution. c. It is illegal under Article II of the U.S. Constitution. d. It has never been done by a president. e. It has been ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.


135. ________ U.S. presidents have been assassinated while in office.

a. One b. Two c. Three d. Four e. Ten


136. Which of the following is true about presidential elections during times when the country is deeply divided?

a. A president has the best chance for reelection. b. Voter apathy is at its highest. c. Voters tend to ignore issues which are national in character. d. Voters tend to become preoccupied with local elections. e. A president seldom wins reelection.


137. Which of the following statements about the vice-presidential route to the presidency is correct?

a. It has hardly ever been a viable one. b. It works better through election than succession. c. It works better through succession than election. d. It has been a viable one for most vice presidents. e. It has always been contested by party leaders and outspoken

members of the judiciary.




138. Which of the following statements about the vice-presidential route to the presidency is correct?

a. It has happened only three times in U.S. history. b. It is the most common route to the presidency. c. It is prohibited by the U.S. Constitution. d. It happens most often if a president dies in office. e. It has always been contested by party leaders and outspoken

members of the judiciary.


139. The constitutional duty of the vice president is to

a. preside over the cabinet. b. coordinate foreign policy. c. preside over the Senate. d. supervise the White House staff. e. facilitate ratification of treaties.


140. Who succeeds to the presidency if both the president and vice president die?

a. the Speaker of the House b. the secretary of state c. the most senior cabinet officer d. the Senate majority leader e. the Senate minority leader


141. Who succeeds to the presidency if both the president, the vice president, and the Speaker of the House die?

a. the Senate president pro tempore b. the secretary of state c. the most senior cabinet officer d. the Senate majority leader e. the Senate minority leader


142. The position of acting president was created by

a. an act of Congress. b. executive reorganization. c. the Twenty-fifth Amendment. d. the original U.S. Constitution. e. an Executive Order.


143. When President Reagan was under anesthesia while being operated on in 1985, the relationship between him and Vice President Bush was governed by the

a. Succession Act of 1886. b. Succession Act of 1947. c. Twenty-second Amendment. d. Twenty-fifth Amendment. e. None of these.




144. A president suffers a stroke but nevertheless wants to remain in office. The vice president and cabinet disagree. Who decides whether the president should continue to serve?

a. the president b. the vice president and cabinet c. Congress d. the Supreme Court e. a writ of mandamus


145. A president suffers a stroke but nevertheless wants to remain in office. The vice president and cabinet disagree. The president may be removed by

a. impeachment. b. a two-thirds vote of Congress. c. a Supreme Court ruling. d. the combined opinions of the vice president and cabinet. e. a writ of mandamus.


146. Upon the death or incapacitation of a president and the succession of the vice president, a new vice president is chosen by

a. the new president with congressional approval. b. Congress. c. popular election. d. the Speaker of the House. e. the Supreme Court.


147. The objects of impeachment have most frequently been

a. cabinet members. b. federal bureaucrats. c. presidents. d. state governors. e. federal judges.


148. An impeached president is always

a. removed from office by the Senate. b. indicted by the House. c. removed from office by the House. d. removed from office by House leaders. e. indicted by the Senate.


149. ________ decide(s) whether a president should be impeached.

a. The House b. The Senate c. Both houses of Congress d. The Supreme Court e. The Senate Judicial Committee




150. ________ decide(s) whether to remove the president from office following an impeachment trial.

a. The Joint Judiciary Committee b. The House c. The Senate d. The Supreme Court e. The Senate Judicial Committee


151. ________ decide(s) whether an impeached president should be removed from office.

a. The House b. The Senate c. Both houses of Congress d. The Supreme Court e. The Supreme Court and the Senate Judiciary Committee


152. When Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon for his role in Watergate, it meant that Nixon

a. could not be impeached for any crime he may have committed while in office.

b. could not have committed any offenses that were actually punishable.

c. could be impeached but not convicted for any crime he may have committed while in office.

d. was innocent of any crime he may have committed while in office.

e. could not be prosecuted under federal law for any crime he may have committed while in office.


153. Which of the following statements about President Clinton’s impeachment is incorrect?

a. The Senate did not convict Clinton. b. Clinton was charged with perjury, obstruction of justice, and

abuse of power. c. A majority of the Senate voted not to convict. d. Clinton was accused of making false written statement to the

Judiciary Committee. e. The House vote to impeach was along party lines.


154. Which of the following statements about President Clinton’s impeachment is incorrect?

a. The Senate did not convict Clinton. b. Clinton was charged with perjury, obstruction of justice, and

abuse of power. c. A majority of the Senate voted to convict. d. Clinton was accused of making false written statement to the

Judiciary Committee. e. None of these.




155. Bill Clinton survived his impeachment trial for all of the following reasons except:

a. The public disliked his private behavior but did not think it amounted to an impeachable offense.

b. The economy was strong. c. The nation was at peace. d. Clinton was a left-wing Democrat. e. B and C.


156. The fundamental concern in defining the presidential succession is to

a. find a qualified successor. b. curb judicial powers. c. prevent anarchy. d. curb legislative powers. e. ensure the legitimacy of the office.


157. Concerning the powers of the executive and legislative branches of government, the text concludes that

a. both have become more powerful. b. both have become more constrained. c. only the presidency has become more powerful. d. only Congress has become more powerful. e. there has been little significant change across the nation’s

history.


158. Congress and the president both complain that they are too weak to control political events. Another way of looking at this issue is to note that

a. the federal government as a whole has become more constrained.

b. the power of both branches is the same as it was at the time of the Framers.

c. the judicial branch has assumed the dominant role in legislative decision making.

d. national issues are less complex than they once were. e. few politicians are risk-takers and see little benefit in

unnecessary political conflict.


159. Which of the following would not be a good rule of thumb for a newly elected president?

a. move to implement programs quickly b. avoid dealing with interest groups c. avoid getting involved in too many details d. rely on capable aides, not on the cabinet e. A and D.



TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS Ans: False Page: 330

160. In a parliamentary system, voters can choose the prime minister but not members of parliament.

Ans: True Page: 330

161. Under a parliamentary system, voters can choose a member of parliament but not the chief executive.

Ans: False Page: 331

162. A major difference between the parliamentary and presidential systems is that the president can generally be assured of a majority in the legislature.


163. Presidents are more likely than prime ministers to be able to count on a majority in the legislative body.


164. Gridlock is a necessary consequence of a system of direct democracy.

Ans: True Page: 331

165. True unified government is achieved only when the same ideological wing of the same party is in control of both branches of government.

Ans: True Page: 331

166. Unified government has become a rarity and divided government has become commonplace.

Ans: True Page: 333

167. The question of presidential reelection was a major issue at the Constitutional Convention.


168. Of all the problems confronting the Framers, the least was presidential reelection.

Ans: True Page: 334

169. The Framers thought that most presidential elections would be decided in the House.


170. The Founders thought that the possibility that presidential elections might be decided in the House was remote.


171. In the electoral college, voters decide how electors are chosen.



Ans: True Page: 334

172. Probably the best strategy for capturing the vote of the electoral college is to win the ten largest states.


173. George Washington established the practice of the president serving a four-year term rather than a two-year term.

Ans: True Page: 334

174. The Twenty-second Amendment set a limit of two terms on the presidency.

Ans: True Page: 335

175. Early presidencies were marked by minimal government activism and by the appointment of men of stature.

Ans: True Page: 335

176. George Washington spoke out against political parties.

Ans: True Page: 336

177. In the early years of the republic, the government had relatively little to do and few resources.

Ans: True Page: 338

178. Washington traveled widely so people could see the new president.


179. Washington’s relationship with Congress was close and positive.


180. Presidential power was greatly expanded under George Washington.

Ans: True Page: 338

181. Andrew Jackson sought to maximize the powers of the presidency.

Ans: True Page: 338

182. Andrew Jackson's administration was marked by the vigorous use of the veto for policy reasons.

Ans: True Page: 338

183. On the issues of slavery and sectional interests, Andrew Jackson was at odds with Congress.


184. President Jackson believed that the issues of slavery and sectionalism required the president to cooperate closely with Congress.




185. From the 1820s until the 1930s, presidents dominated the government in terms of formulating legislation.

Ans: True Page: 339

186. Abraham Lincoln received less than 40 percent of the popular vote in the election of 1860.


187. Lincoln supported the Mexican War and praised Andrew Jackson’s use of executive power.

Ans: True Page: 339

188. Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation without prior congressional approval.

Ans: True Page: 339

189. Lincoln blockaded Southern ports and suspended habeas corpus without prior congressional approval.

Ans: True Page: 339

190. Abraham Lincoln justified his use of presidential power by the emergency conditions created by civil war.


191. The popular conception of the president as the central figure of national government developed in the 1880s.

Ans: True Page: 340

192. The U.S. Constitution determines only the formal powers of a president; the informal ones are more significant.


193. Article II of the U.S. Constitution more or less determines the actual amount of power that an individual president has.


194. The president can grant pardons in cases involving impeachment.

Ans: True Page: 340

195. The president can convene Congress in special sessions.


196. The president shares the treaty making power with the House of Representatives.

Ans: True Page: 341

197. The greatest source of presidential power is found in politics and public opinion.


198. The president has a salary of $800,000 per year.



Ans: True Page: 341

199. In order to qualify for the presidency, an individual must be a resident of the United States for at least fourteen years.


200. Politics and public opinion have a relatively minor impact on presidential powers.

Ans: True Page: 342

201. In general, power is wielded by people who are in the room where a decision is made.


202. The rule of propinquity states that those closest to power are most likely to suffer its consequences.

Ans: True Page: 342

203. The titles held by White House aides often fail to indicate the extent of their real powers.


204. To a considerable extent, the power of a White House aide is reflected in his or her title.


205. The circular method of organizing the White House staff has the virtue of providing for an orderly flow of information.

Ans: True Page: 342

206. The circular method of organizing the White House staff has the virtue of giving the president a great deal of information.

Ans: True Page: 342

207. President Franklin Roosevelt alternated different methods of staff organization for different kinds of policy issues.


208. The ad hoc method of staff organization helps keep the president in close contact with government officials who are ultimately responsible for administrative action.


209. Most members of a president's White House staff are policy experts.

Ans: True Page: 344

210. Most members of a president's White House staff were active in the president's campaign.




211. The most important agency within the Executive Office is the cabinet.

Ans: True Page: 344

212. Heads of agencies in the Executive Office are presidential appointees.


213. Appointments to the heads of agencies in the Executive Office do not require Senate approval.

Ans: True Page: 345

214. The presidential cabinet is usually relatively unimportant in formulating administration programs.

Ans: True Page: 345

215. The president appoints more members of his cabinet departments than the British prime minister.

Ans: True Page: 346

216. Presidents get more appointments to their cabinet than do prime ministers to make up for what the separation of powers denies to the former.


217. The major responsibility of a cabinet department head is to advise the president on policy issues.

Ans: True Page: 346

218. The abundance of political appointments gives the president lots of opportunities to reward friends and political supporters.

Ans: False Page: 346 (table)

219. The president appoints most cabinet department employees.

Ans: True Page: 346

220. As of 1998, approximately one-fifth of all cabinet-level (or subcabinet-level) jobs were held by acting appointees.

Ans: True Page: 346

221. The president can appoint federal judges, subject to Senate approval.

Ans: True Page: 347

222. Most presidential appointees have had prior experience in the federal government.




223. Most presidential appointees come from the private sector and have no prior experience in the federal government.


224. Most cabinet members in recent administrations have been appointed in recognition of their own strong political followings.

Ans: True Page: 348

225. Most recent cabinet appointees have not had strong political followings.


226. The text suggests presidents, today, are more likely to desire a party leader than an “expert” in the cabinet.

Ans: True Page: 348

227. A president needs to consider important interest groups when making government appointments.


228. Compared with Eisenhower, Kennedy's presidential character was more formal and orderly.


229. Compared with Carter, Ford's presidential character was marked by a wide range of interests and an appetite for detail.

Ans: True Page: 352

230. The general public is not usually the most important audience that the president addresses.


231. Presidents aim their persuasive powers at three audiences, the most important of which are political activists and officeholders outside Washington.

Ans: True Page: 352

232. Most recent presidents have preferred radio and television addresses to news conferences.


233. Recent presidents have preferred informal news conferences to formal radio and television addresses.

Ans: True Page: 352

234. Presidents typically lack the power to threaten recalcitrant members of Congress with defeat at the polls.




235. The president's ability to threaten the electoral defeat of members of Congress who do not support presidential programs is a potent weapon in dealing with Congress.

Ans: True Page: 353

236. A president can keep his victory score with Congress high by not taking a position on any controversial measure.

Ans: True Page: 354

237. The popularity of a president immediately after being sworn in seems inevitably to decline by the midterm elections.


238. A president's popularity tends to grow during his or her term in office.

Ans: True Page: 353

239. Since 1934, in every off-year election but one (1998) the president's party has lost seats in one or both houses of Congress.

Ans: True Page: 356

240. The pocket veto comes into play only when Congress has adjourned.


241. The pocket veto may be used during both recesses and adjournments of Congress.


242. When the president vetoes a bill, he realizes that his veto has a good chance of being overridden in Congress.

Ans: True Page: 357

243. Few presidential vetoes are ever overridden by Congress.


244. The Supreme Court upheld the president's position in United States v. Nixon.

Ans: True Page: 358

245. In United States v. Nixon, the Supreme Court rejected Nixon's claim of absolute executive privilege.

Ans: True Page: 358

246. The ability of the president to speak in confidence has been greatly restricted as a result of recent federal court rulings limiting the number around him to claim executive privilege.




247. The Supreme Court upheld the Budget Reform Act of 1974 as constitutional.

Ans: True Page: 358

248. The Budget Reform Act of 1974 requiring the president to spend appropriated funds may actually be unconstitutional because it contains provisions for a legislative veto.

Ans: True Page: 359

249. Recent presidents have been expected to have a policy for almost every group and every problem.

Ans: True Page: 359

250. Few presidents are able to concentrate sufficiently on all the programs of their administration.

Ans: True Page: 359

251. One of the very real constraints on the president's ability to plan a program is the limit on time and attention span.

Ans: True Page: 360

252. Most federal programs can be changed only marginally, even if a president wants changes.


253. In practice, most presidents choose only ten or so major issues to concentrate on during their administration.


254. Presidents rarely rely on opinion polls to determine what policies to emphasize while in office.


255. When presidents act on the basis of what they believe their constituents want, they are taking the delegate approach.

Ans: True Page: 361

256. George W. Bush ran as a candidate interested in domestic affairs and with little background in foreign affairs.


257. Presidents rarely attempt to reorganize the executive branch of the federal government.


258. President Bush’s creation of the Department of Homeland Security represented the largest reorganization effort made by a sitting president.


259. Changing an agency through reorganization is more difficult than through abolishing a program or passing a new law.



Ans: True Page: 362

260. A president's reorganization of the Executive Office can occur only in consultation with Congress.


261. The legislative veto is an effective tool for forcing a president to deal with Congress on matters of agency reorganization.

Ans: True Page: 362

262. The legislative veto was ruled unconstitutional in 1983.


263. Most vice presidents have later run successfully for president.

Ans: True Page: 363

264. Most vice presidents have fared poorly when subsequently running for the presidency.

Ans: True Page: 363

265. John Tyler defined the powers of a vice president succeeding a president who dies in office.


266. The only official task of a vice president is to appear at all state funerals.

Ans: True Page: 363

267. The only official task of a vice president is to preside over the Senate and to vote in case of a tie.


268. The secretary of state becomes president if both the president and vice president die in office.

Ans: True Page: 364

269. Under the Twenty-fifth Amendment, a vice president becomes acting president if a president in office is disabled.


270. The Supreme Court rules whether a disabled president should continue to serve in office.

Ans: True Page: 365

271. Both elected and civil-service officials of the federal government can be removed from office via impeachment.



Ans: True Page: 365

272. According to law, federal civil officials are not subject to impeachment.

Ans: True Page: 365

273. Impeachment does not necessarily mean guilt.


274. Only one president in U.S. history—Andrew Johnson—was actually impeached.

Ans: True Page: 366

275. While the impeachment case against Andrew Johnson was entirely political, the one against Bill Clinton was more serious.

Ans: True Page: 366

276. One of the side effects of the Clinton impeachment episode was the death of the law creating the Office of the Independent Counsel.

Ans: True Page: 366

277. A majority of the Senate voted to convict Clinton during his impeachment.

Ans: True Page: 368

278. Many critics of the Constitution believed in 1787 that peaceful succession would not take place in the presidency.


279. Both Congress and the president have grown more capable of asserting their wills in the last fifty years.

Ans: True Page: 368

280. A major reason Congress and the president seem less able to control events than they used to be able to do is the complexity of the issues that have evolved since the 1930s.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS 281. What are the differences between the U.S. president and prime ministers in terms of identity and powers of

the chief executive?

Answer

a. President often an outsider

b. President chooses cabinet members outside Congress

c. President has no guaranteed majority in the legislature

d. Even when one party controls the White House and Congress, the two branches often work at cross purposes

Page: 330-331

282. Discuss the concerns that the Framers had about the presidency.

Answer



a. Avoidance of anarchy and monarchy: fear of presidential domination of Congress and of congressional domination of the president; presidential reelection; concern that large, populous states would dominate in a direct popular election

Page: 333-334

283. Explain the three ways a president can organize his or her personal staff.

Answer

a. Pyramid: most aides report through a hierarchy to a chief of staff

b. Circular: cabinet secretaries and aides report directly to president

c. Ad hoc: task forces and committees deal directly with president

Page: 342-343

284. Why does the president have only limited power over cabinet secretaries, making the cabinet a weak entity?

Answer

a. President cannot appoint many departmental employees

b. Secretaries head vast organizations that they defend, explain, and enlarge

Page: 345-346

285. List some of the aspects of the presidential character of any three presidents from Eisenhower to Clinton. Discuss how these personality traits affected each administration.

Answer

a. Eisenhower: orderly, careful staff work

b. Kennedy: improviser, talented amateurs

c. Johnson: wheeler-dealer, arm-twister

d. Nixon: mistrustful of media, hierarchical

e. Ford: genial, relaxed in personal dealings

f. Carter: Washington outsider, micromanager

g. Reagan: communicator rather than administrator

h. Bush: extensive experience, make decisions on basis of personal contacts

i. Clinton: attention to detail, ad hoc organization

Page: 350-351

286. On what two grounds have presidents based their power of executive privilege? Did the Supreme Court agree?

Answer

a. Separation of powers: one branch does not have the right to inquire into the internal workings of another

b. Principles of statecraft and prudent administration require presidents having the right to obtain confidential and candid advice

c. U.S. v. Nixon (1973): Supreme Court recognized a basis for this privilege in the area of sensitive or diplomatic matters but not an absolute privilege.

Page: 357-358

287. What are the provisions of the Twenty-fifth Amendment?



Answer

a. Disability: vice president serves as acting president whenever the president declares himself unable to discharge duties or whenever the vice president and a majority of the cabinet declare the president incapacitated.

b. If the president disagrees with the opinion of the vice president and cabinet, Congress decides. A two-thirds vote is needed to confirm the president unable to serve.

c. Vice presidential vacancy: president nominates new vice president if office is vacant, subject to confirmation by both houses.

Page: 364

ESSAY QUESTIONS 288. Assume you have been elected president. Your goal is to enact a legislative program. Discuss the best way

to achieve this objective. Point out the strengths and weaknesses of presidential power, focusing on the factors a president can influence and manipulate.

Answer

a. Because the president does not control Congress as does a prime minister, he or she must use persuasion to succeed, especially when courting the opinions of Washington insiders.

b. The president is most successful when his or her popularity is high; popularity is highest at the beginning of a term, so key proposals must be pushed quickly.

c. A president should be selective in introducing proposals because of the constraints of time, unexpected crises, and a controlled budget.

d. The threat of a veto can be powerful because Congress rarely overrides a veto.

e. President does not rely much on the cabinet; uses capable White House staffers and gives them clearly defined responsibilities.

Page: Ch 12

289. The power of the president is a hotly debated issue. Some scholars refer to an "imperial presidency" despite the Founders' intention to make Congress the "first branch." From the material in the text, argue that Congress is indeed a more powerful branch than the presidency.

Answer

a. President has no guaranteed support in Congress, and the government frequently divided.

b. Presidential power relies heavily on persuasion and presidential popularity tends to decline as a term progresses.

c. Presidents have little control over cabinet departments.

d. None of the president's powers to say "no" are final: veto can be overridden; executive privilege limited by Supreme Court; Congress restricted use of impoundments.

e. President cannot reorganize outside the White House without congressional approval.

f. Presidential coattails have weakened.

g. Presidents get less than one-half their programs through Congress.

Page: Ch 12

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