Magruder's American Government
1st EditionSavvas Learning Co
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United States Government: Our Democracy
1st EditionDonald A. Ritchie, Richard C. Remy
1,148 solutions
Civics
1st EditionHOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
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United States Government: Our Democracy
1st EditionDonald A. Ritchie, Richard C. Remy
1,148 solutions
What did the national government lack under the Articles of Confederation that suggested the need for a strong executive?
a. the ability to create a budget -- Consider This: A number of significant economic issues arose as a result of the Articles of Confederation government, though the inability of the president to create a budget was not one of them. An institutionalized lack of cohesion and lack of centralized authority prevented the national government from
acting without the consent of the states and sometimes from acting at all.
b. the ability to veto a bill
c. the ability to negotiate treaties
d. the ability to respond quickly to emergencies
d. the ability to respond quickly to emergencies
The Founders created a system of __________ to prevent a powerful monarchy.
a. concentric power
b. equal power -- Consider This: The notion that the three
branches of government should balance one another does not mean that all three are afforded the same degree of power. Following the American Revolution, the framers and much of the American public feared expansive executive authority after experiencing rule by the British monarchy; as a result, the framers consciously empowered the legislative branch.
c. shared powers
d. diminishing power
c. shared powers
In the early years of the Republic, American citizens harbored fears about anew system of government that included a federal executive. What was key to reassuring the public that the president would not become a powerful monarch akin to the British king from whom they had just broken away?
a. Essays were published under the pseudonym Cato assuring citizens that a president could be impeached if necessary. -- Consider This: The Cato articles were composed by Anti-Federalists, opponents of the
Constitution as originally written and of the executive branch itself. Ultimately, it was not the arguments put forth in prominent publications but dominant public sentiment that swayed broader opinion.
b. Citizens had faith that George Washington would not abuse his authority
c. The framers revised the Constitution to include a strong legislative branch of government.
d. The framers held meetings with citizens to answer questions about the Constitution.
b. Citizens had faith that George Washington would not abuse his authority
What is prerogative power?
a. The president has limited powers according to the Constitution, and Congress has the right to rein him in when he oversteps his bounds. -- Consider This: Abraham Lincoln exercised prerogative power during the Civil War, often acting unilaterally and in ways that angered the other branches of government.
b. Legislative politics
are secondary to the president's decisions, because he or she alone has the right to act independently for the public good.
c. Although government should be centered on legislative politics, executives should be able to act when the law is silent and when necessary for the public good.
d. The president and Congress must work together on every issue and reach an agreement through compromise, as neither has the right to act alone.
c. Although government should be centered on legislative politics, executives should be able to act when the law is silent and when necessary for the public good.
Which of the following statements best characterizes the nature of the conflict between presidents and Congress?
a. The conflict is a by-product of the weakening of American political parties.
b. The conflict is integral to the design of the Constitution, deliberately intended to balance power.
c. The conflict is a by-product of the recent polarization of the American party system. -- Consider This: Although political gridlock has been a source of increasing frustration among the American public, conflicts between the branches of government represent an aspects of checks and balances.
d. The conflict is a by-product solely of divided government.
b. The conflict is integral to the design of the Constitution, deliberately intended to balance power.
The framers designed the Constitution so that Congress would share power with _________________.
a. the bureaucracy -- Consider This: Although the framers viewed the legislative branch as holding a primary role in government, they also sought to balance its power with an executive branch meant to play a major role in governance.
b. the vice president
c. the president
d. Joint Chiefs of Staff
c. the president
The philosophies of political philosopher John Locke influenced the framers of the Constitution. Although he favored limited government, Locke also was a proponent of ________, which bestows discretionary executive powers upon the presidency.
a. judicial authority
b. prerogative power
c. the personal presidency -- Consider This: The personal presidency concerns the increased expectations placed on the president
by virtue of that individual's personal persona and public perception. The power in question relates to the ability of the executive to act in the public good during times of crisis regardless of explicit legal authority.
d. the articles of impeachment
b. prerogative power
Which vice president has been considered by some as the most powerful?
a. Gerald Ford
b. Harry Truman
c. Dick Cheney
d.
Lyndon Johnson -- Consider This: Although Johnson took on the most vital role of the vice presidency - taking office in the event of the death of the president - his policy role during the Kennedy Administration was somewhat limited.
c. Dick Cheney
What is the term used to describe the presidency as working collectively?
a. imperial presidency
b. institutional presidency
c. rotational
presidency
d. parliamentary presidency -- Consider This: The term parliamentary implies a connection with the legislature while the term in question refers to the structure of the presidency as transcending the president. This structure includes not only the chief executive but also the Cabinet and the Executive Office of the President.
b. institutional presidency
Throughout most of its history, which position was considered insignificant to the functioning of the US government?
a. vice president
b. chief of staff -- Consider This: The chief of staff holds a gatekeeping role, making the individual one of the most important in the federal government. The position in question also maintains great proximity to the president but has historically been given little day-to-day responsibility.
c. secretary of state
d. speaker of the House
a. vice president
Which shaped the modern presidency and gave birth to the welfare state?
a. the beginning of television -- Consider This: Television allowed presidents to speak directly to the American people, having an effect similar to the radio decades before. It was the expansion of policy by the president, however, rather than the modes of communication employed that gave rise to the modern presidency.
b. the Great Society
c. the New Deal
c. the New Deal
What is one of the reasons the Whig model of presidential powers began to erode by the end of the nineteenth century?
a. Changes in foreign and domestic affairs led to calls for strong executive leadership.
b. The United States was not yet a central player in world affairs. -- Consider This: Largely as a result of American foreign policy following the Civil War, the US began to emerge as a
fledging world power with increasing social, political, and economic interests abroad.
c. Presidents believed they should not be the center of government.
d. Citizens began to fear that presidents were becoming too powerful.
a. Changes in foreign and domestic affairs led to calls for strong executive leadership.
How has the rise of the institutional presidency altered congressional-presidential relations in the modern era?
a. Congressional staffing has increased more than presidential support staff, shifting the balance of power in favor of Congress. -- Consider This: While congressional staffs have increased over the years, they have not increased at the pace of the staff in the executive branch.
b. The increase in presidential support staff has left the president with fewer responsibilities, making Congress more powerful.
c. The increase in presidential support staff has
tipped the balance of power in favor of the presidency.
d. The complexity of executive branch staffing has reduced the president's influence in the policy process in comparison with congressional influence.
c. The increase in presidential support staff has tipped the balance of power in favor of the presidency.
Which of the following explains changes in the job of the vice president?
a. During the age
of the nuclear missiles, many Americans believed that there should not be any learning curve for new presidents.
b. In 1848, Daniel Webster outlined additional roles that should become part of the vice presidency to make it a more significant office.
c. As the United States became a more global power, a need arose for the vice president to take on additional responsibilities -- Consider This: Although changes in American foreign policy helped expand the role of the president, they had
little impact on the role of the vice president. The evolution in question took place because of concerns over the possible deaths of presidents and what that might mean for the country's leadership moving forward.
d. Based on the poor results of nine vice presidents assuming the presidency, initiatives have been taken so vice presidents spend more time with the president to be better prepared to take over the presidency if needed.
a. During the age of the nuclear missiles, many Americans believed that there should not be any learning curve for new presidents.
How has the office of vice president changed over the years?
a. The vice president is no longer trusted as vice presidents were in the past.
b. The vice president, who once was highly involved, is now frozen out of the policy-making process. -- Consider This: Once primarily a ceremonial position, the vice presidency has been
elevated since the early Cold War when nuclear proliferation transformed political realities.
c. The vice president has been more involved in the policy-making process in recent years than in the past.
d. The vice presidency has become a prerequisite for the presidency.
c. The vice president has been more involved in the policy-making process in recent years than in the past.
When might citizens be particularly concerned about an expansion of presidential power?
a. when they support the president's agenda
b. in times of economic crisis
c. during presidential election years -- Consider This: While Americans consider political figures more extensively during election years, there is no direct, consistent correlation between this kind of evaluation and concerns over the use of executive power. Opposition to how extensively the president utilizes power typically occurs when the public
has specific objections to presidential initiatives.
d. when they oppose the president's agenda
d. when they oppose the president's agenda
What distinguishes the modern presidency from the institution originally envisioned by the framers of the Constitution?
a. The modern presidency has become the central focus of American politics since the 1930s, supplanting Congress as the "first branch" of
government.
b. The modern presidency is less involved in the development of foreign policy than the framers intended. -- Consider This: Despite some trepidation of behalf of the founders concerning an empowered executive, foreign policy powers were constitutionally divided between the president and Congress.
c. Modern presidents exhibit a greater level of deference to Congress in budgetary matters than the framers intended.
d. Modern presidents are more cautious in advocating for their
legislative agendas than the framers intended.
a. The modern presidency has become the central focus of American politics since the 1930s, supplanting Congress as the "first branch" of government.
What was the turning point that gave rise to the modern institutional presidency?
a. the social strife arising from the civil rights movement
b. the economic and social turmoil of the Great Depression
c.
the demands of managing a modern army during World War I -- Consider This: Although World War I vastly expanded the role of the federal government, that expansion persisted only until the war's end and did not expand the executive branch in the way that future crises would.
d. the rise and importance of television as a mechanism that brought the president into the living rooms of American citizens
b. the economic and social turmoil of the Great Depression
How does the White House staff differ from the president's Cabinet?
a. The White House staff has greater access to and more influence on the president than the Cabinet.
b. The Cabinet has more access to the president than the White House staff. -- Consider This: Although this state was true in the past, the role of the White House staff has increased in recent decades.
c. The President can fire the White House staff but only
Congress can dismiss a member of the Cabinet.
d. Members of the Cabinet are political experts well-versed in poll ratings and focused on the president's historical legacy.
a. The White House staff has greater access to and more influence on the president than the Cabinet.
The president may seek the advice of the __________ regarding how much the administration should propose to spend for each government program.
a. National Securities Council
b. House Ways and Means Committee
c. Office of Management and Budget
d. Treasury Department -- Consider This: Although the Treasury Department resides in the Executive Branch, it does not handle presidential spending proposals. This is managed by an entity within the Executive Office of the President (EOP).
c. Office of Management and Budget
Which statement about first ladies is correct?
a. Abigail Adams was politically active during her husband's presidency.
b. Eleanor Roosevelt limited her role to informal, behind-the-scenes activities.
c. Hillary Clinton, although since becoming politically active, played a limited role while her husband was president. -- Consider This: Clinton played an active policy role in her husband's administration, leading a task force on health care form. She became the first First Lady to take such a leading
role and, to date, her level of involvement has not been matched by her successors.
d. Michelle Obama has been her husband's confidant but has had limited involvement in policy debates.
d. Michelle Obama has been her husband's confidant but has had limited involvement in policy debates.
According to some political scientists, which of the following leadership abilities is central to presidential success?
a. the ability to enter into executive agreements -- Consider This: According to political scientist Richard Neustadt, the formal powers of the presidency, as outlined in the Constitution, are rather minor.
b. the ability to write legislation
c. the ability to persuade members of Congress and the public
d. the ability to negotiate treaties
c. the ability to persuade members of Congress and the public
If you lived in the first quarter of the twentieth century, the president at the time most likely subscribed to which model to define his powers?
a. stewardship
b. Whig - -- Consider This: The Whig model was used during much of the nineteenth century as presidents believed they were limited to the powers expressly granted in the Constitution. Theodore Roosevelt forever changed this conception of presidential powers.
c. New Deal
d. institutional
a. stewardship
A president may use informal power in which of the following cases?
a. negotiating a treaty -- Consider This: While the president can enter into executive agreements with other nations, the power to negotiate treaties rests only with Congress. Informal powers are those not explicitly spelled out in the Constitution but are deemed logical extensions of presidential powers given the context of contemporary
politics.
b. presenting the state of the union address
c. discussing legislation with key members of Congress
d. appointing an ambassador to Brazil
c. discussing legislation with key members of Congress
The first First Lady to make her role more public was _______.
a. Michelle Obama
b. Hillary Clinton
c. Abigail Adams -- Consider This: Although Abigail Adams served as informal advisor and
confidant to her husband, her role in his administration and politics in general was not a public one. First ladies did not begin to assume positions related to public policy until the twentieth century.
d. Eleanor Roosevelt
d. Eleanor Roosevelt
Since Franklin Roosevelt, presidents have used radio and later television to reach the American people. Which of the presidents was dubbed by the press as the "Great Communicator"?
a. Harry Truman
b. Richard Nixon -- Consider This: Although each of Nixon's presidential campaigns and his presidency were greatly impacted by the growing popularity of television, his efforts at forging a personal connection with the American people through the media fell short.
c. Ronald Reagan
d. George W. Bush
c. Ronald Reagan
Which one of the powers listed here is a constitutional power that the president shares with the Senate?
a. making treaties
b. granting pardons -- Consider This: Only the president has the authority to grant pardons whereas the power in question can be exercised through executive order by the president or by Congressional vote.
c. receiving foreign ambassadors
d. replacing Cabinet heads
a. making treaties
Which best describes the president's constitutional duty to Congress?
a. The president must give Congress an occasional update on the state of the union.
b. The president must have at least one Cabinet member of the opposing party.
c. The president must inform Congress of actions potentially leading to war. -- Consider This: Many of the president's constitutional duties to Congress pertain to communication of important developments. According to the War Powers Resolution, the president can legally wage war for
60 days without the consent of Congress. Notification to Congress of troop deployment by the president must be made within 48 hours.
d. The president must inform Congress of the reasoning behind a vet
a. The president must give Congress an occasional update on the state of the union.
In which of the following situations did the president share the decision to go to war with Congress rather than acting on his own?
a. Abraham Lincoln ordered a naval blockade on the rebellious southern states.
b. Thomas Jefferson sent the U.S. Navy to fight Barbary pirates.
c. Harry Truman ordered troops to defend South Korea against North Korea. -- Consider This: Calling the Korean War a "police action," Truman did not obtain the consent of Congress prior to intervention. The United Nations technically took the lead in the conflict with the US as the principle fighting force.
d. Richard Nixon waged the
Vietnam War.
b. Thomas Jefferson sent the U.S. Navy to fight Barbary pirates.
What role was George W. Bush performing when he created the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives?
a. chief executive
b. chief diplomat
c. chief legislator -- Consider This: Rather than make a recommendation to Congress, Bush used an executive order to create the office.
d. chief of staff
a. chief executive
Which type of executive order would be used to declare a new holiday?
a. Levees
b. Proclamation
c. Presidential decision directive -- Consider This: The decision directive deals with national security while the executive order in question is ceremonial in nature.
d. National security directive
b. Proclamation
What distinguishes modern presidents from early presidents?
a. Modern presidents are much more controlled by their political party than early presidents. -- Consider This: While partisanship has increased in many ways during the modern political era, the power of the presidency has expanded considerably as well. This has resulted in expanded presidential initiatives.
b. Modern presidents are much less active in the formulation of policy than early presidents.
c. Modern presidents are much
more active in the formulation of policy than early presidents.
d. Modern presidents are much less prone to engage in international conflicts than early presidents.
c. Modern presidents are much more active in the formulation of policy than early presidents.
Which of the following is true of how presidents have exercised their veto power?
a. Harry Truman had the fewest vetoes overridden.
b. Franklin
Roosevelt exercised his veto power more than any other president.
c. Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson had the lowest percentage of vetoes sustained.
d. Ronald Reagan had more vetoes overridden than Gerald Ford. Despite the short time he was in office, Ford saw his vetoes overridden 12 times compared to nine times under Reagan.
b. Franklin Roosevelt exercised his veto power more than any other president.
Which statement regarding the battle over health care reform is true?
a. Bill Clinton made health care reform a priority in his first term, and his proposal for it gained much support in Congress.
b. Senator Edward Kennedy's Health Security Act was passed by Congress but ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
c. Health care reform has been proposed in various forms since the early twentieth century.
d. Barack Obama was the first president to propose health
care reform. -- Consider This: The first efforts at enacting health care reform took place during the Progressive Era.
c. Health care reform has been proposed in various forms since the early twentieth century.
Why was the War Powers Resolution (1973) adopted by Congress?
a. to expand the powers of the president in the conduct of war
b. to limit the powers of the military-industrial complex in
influencing foreign policy
c. to reinvigorate the role of Congress in the conduct of war
d. to make Congress the sole actor in the conduct of war -- Consider This: The War Powers Resolution requires, in part, that the president consult with Congress in "every possible instance" before sending troops to combat.
c. to reinvigorate the role of Congress in the conduct of war
What role does the presidential veto play in regard to the balance of power?
a. to make the president more powerful than the Congress
b. to limit the powers of the president
c. to make sure that the president had the final say on all matters legislative -- Consider This: Congress can override a presidential veto with the support of two-thirds of both houses.
d. to incorporate an element of shared power in governance
d. to incorporate an element of shared power in governance
In the role of chief legislator, the president is responsible for which of the following?
a. leading the policymaking process
b. assembling a staff and a Cabinet
c. enforcing laws made by Congress -- Consider This: The standard role of the executive branch is to enforce laws made by Congress. The president's role as chief legislator, however, goes above and beyond the constitutionally defined role.
d. spending money as
allocated by Congress
a. leading the policymaking process
What is likely to be the primary motivation for the president in utilizing an executive agreement?
a. to include the Senate in diplomatic activity with foreign leaders
b. to establish an agreement with a foreign government that does not require Senate ratification
c. to demonstrate a bipartisan spirit in the conduct in passing legislation
with Congress
d. to appease party supporters -- Consider This: Circumventing a disagreeable Congress might help the president earn the support of the party faithful, but there is no inherent or consistent link between party support and the use of the executive agreement.
b. to establish an agreement with a foreign government that does not require Senate ratification
Under which of the following circumstances would the president be most likely to convene Congress?
a. The president wants to appoint a justice for the Supreme Court. -- Consider This: Only the Senate is responsible for the confirmation of Supreme Court justices; and even still, there is no formal meeting with the president when the nomination announcement is made. The kind of meeting described is reserved for the most extenuating of circumstances and when the president does not have the authority to take the desired steps
independently.
b. The president declares a national day of mourning upon the death of a former president.
c. The Congress has gone on strike and refuses to convene itself.
d. The president seeks a declaration of war on a foreign country that has attacked the United States militarily.
d. The president seeks a declaration of war on a foreign country that has attacked the United States militarily.
Congress can remove a president through __________.
a. veto
b. filibuster -- Consider This: The filibuster is a Senate protest measure used to block a vote, not to remove a president. Removal of a president occurs only as a result of steps taken by both the House and the Senate.
c. executive order
d. impeachment and conviction.
d. impeachment and conviction.
Which president was impeached by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives in the past thirty years?
a. Ronald Reagan -- Consider This: Although the Iran Contra affair raised many questions about Reagan's involvement in the "arms for hostages" deal, impeachment charges were never brought, and would have been especially unlikely from a Republican Congress. The president in question, a Democrat, was impeached by the House as a result of perjury.
b. George H. W. Bush
c. Bill Clinton
d. George W. Bush
c. Bill Clinton
Robert Dallek suggests that pragmatism, consensus building, charisma, trustworthiness, and __________ are five qualities usually found in effective presidents.
a. vision
b. strength
c. intelligence
d. empathy -- Consider This: Presidents' ability empathize can often be linked to a general sense of charisma and public engagement. The quality in question relates to the understanding a president
has of the overall direction the nation must take in order to secure a better future.
a. vision
Which term describes the presence of mounting expectations placed on the president by the public?
a. presidential mandate
b. going public
c. institutional presidency -- Consider This: The expansion of presidential powers and the heavy use of the media during campaigns have led the public to place
increasing faith in the president.
d. personal presidency
d. personal presidency
Which president placed the presidency at the center of American governance?
a. Ronald Reagan
b. Abraham Lincoln -- Consider This: As a wartime president, Lincoln set the precedent of expanded executive power in times of crisis. This conception of the presidency did not last, however, as it would take approximately 70
years for another American crisis to make the central role of the president permanent.
c. Harry S. Truman
d. Franklin D. Roosevelt
d. Franklin D. Roosevelt
Which of the following statements best describes contemporary relationships between presidents and Congress?
a. They are always passive, with Congress dominating the executive branch.
b. They are agreeable in times of economic growth. --
Consider This: The power of the president as chief legislator has expanded considerably during the modern political effort, causing more opportunity for conflict over policy positions even in times of economic prosperity.
c. They are generally antagonistic.
d. They are generally hostile during periods of unified government.
c. They are generally antagonistic.
How might rallying events affect presidential politics?
a. Rallying events lead to drops in presidential approval ratings, making passage of their agendas more difficult.
b. Rallying events may energize the party base but have no significant effect on mainstream presidential politics. -- Consider This: In an age of personal politics, the emotional bond citizens have with the president is a contributing factor to the success of the president's policy initiatives.
c. Rallying events make presidents more politically
cautious because of concerns that the gatherings may alienate moderates.
d. Rallying events tend to temporarily increase presidential approval ratings, providing windows of opportunity to press for action on their agendas.
d. Rallying events tend to temporarily increase presidential approval ratings, providing windows of opportunity to press for action on their agendas.
What actions taken by George
Washington gave his presidency added significance?
a. His political ambitions greatly expanded the powers of the presidency. -- Consider This: Washington offered the example of a powerful but constrained executive.
b. His early actions served to establish important precedents that greatly increased the legitimacy of the office.
c. His military leadership as president was critical during the War of 1812.
d. His ambitions set up an early struggle between Congress and the
presidency.
b. His early actions served to establish important precedents that greatly increased the legitimacy of the office.
As a result of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon _______.
a. was impeached by the House of Representatives -- Consider This: Nixon did not finish out his second term in office, but the reason was not impeachment as charges were never brought against him.
b. was prosecuted for
felonies in the Senate
c. resigned to avoid impeachment and a Senate trial
d. became the only president to be impeached
c. resigned to avoid impeachment and a Senate trial
A president's approval ratings can be affected by numerous factors. Which of the following statements describes trends in presidential approval?
a. Once a president's approval ratings begin to decline, the trend is
irreversible.
b. Historically, presidents experience a "honeymoon period" with regard to their ratings.
c. Historically, presidents experience higher ratings in their second term. -- Consider This: George W. Bush's approval ratings peaked in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks and declined steadily through his second term.
d. Individual events seldom have a noticeable effect on presidential approval ratings.
b. Historically, presidents experience a "honeymoon period" with regard to their ratings.