the executive branch

Which of the following situations is an example of the president using the bully pulpit as a tool for

agenda setting?

• President Reagan delivering a televised address urging a reduction in federal taxes

• President Clinton invoking executive privilege in resisting a subpoena by the United States Senate

  during the Whitewater investigation

• President Obama issuing an executive order delaying the deportation of at least five million

  undocumented immigrants

• President Bush issuing a signing statement in the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 that considerably

  weakened its provisions

Which of the following is an example of the executive branch implementing a public policy passed

by Congress?

• Congress passes a law reorganizing the structure of the federal bureaucracy.

• The Department of Health and Human Services determines eligibility requirements for government

  assistance.

• As chief diplomat, the president negotiates a treaty that is then ratified by the Senate.

• A Federal Trade Commission official is asked to testify before Congress about the agency’s

  activities.

In the last years presidential primacy, so indispensable to the political order, has turned into presidential

supremacy. The constitutional Presidency—as events so apparently disparate as the Indochina War and

the Watergate affair showed, has become the imperial Presidency and threatens to be the revolutionary

Presidency. . . . The imperial Presidency was essentially the creation of foreign policy. A combination of

doctrines and emotions—belief in the permanent and universal crisis, fear of communism, faith in the duty

and right of the United States to intervene swiftly in every part of the world—had brought about the

unprecedented centralization of decisions. Prolonged war in Vietnam strengthened the tendencies toward both centralization and exclusion. So the imperial Presidency grew at the expense of the constitutional

order. Like the cowbird, it hatched its own eggs and pushed the others out of the nest. And, as it

overwhelmed the traditional separation of powers in foreign affairs, it began to aspire toward an

equivalent centralization of power in the domestic polity.

Which of the following statements is a correct implication of the author's argument?

• The modern president has abused the power of the executive branch through the use of the bully

  pulpit.

• Federal courts play a substantial role in the American political system, but they have been unable to

  check the executive.

• The perception of multiple crises has led to the growth of an executive branch that is undermining

  the separation of powers in the government.

• The Constitution has failed to protect the separation of powers by giving the executive branch and

  the president too much power.

In the last years presidential primacy, so indispensable to the political order, has turned into presidential

supremacy. The constitutional Presidency—as events so apparently disparate as the Indochina War and

the Watergate affair showed, has become the imperial Presidency and threatens to be the revolutionary

Presidency. . . . The imperial Presidency was essentially the creation of foreign policy. A combination of

doctrines and emotions—belief in the permanent and universal crisis, fear of communism, faith in the duty

and right of the United States to intervene swiftly in every part of the world—had brought about the

unprecedented centralization of decisions. Prolonged war in Vietnam strengthened the tendencies toward both centralization and exclusion. So the imperial Presidency grew at the expense of the constitutional

order. Like the cowbird, it hatched its own eggs and pushed the others out of the nest. And, as it

overwhelmed the traditional separation of powers in foreign affairs, it began to aspire toward an

equivalent centralization of power in the domestic polity

Based on the passage above, which of the following constitutional provisions would the author

most likely identify as a solution to the problem of the imperial presidency?

• Congress creating term limits for all members of government

• The president making stronger use of bureaucratic discretion

• Congress exercising the power to regulate commerce

• Congress insisting that it declare war prior to the use of international force

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the text by Schlesinger and The Federalist 70? (the reading in question 3 and 4)

• While Schlesinger views centralization of power in the presidency as dangerous, The Federalist 70

  views it as vital to the presidency’s effectiveness.

• While The Federalist 70 views centralization of power in the presidency as dangerous, Schlesinger

  views it as vital to the presidency’s effectiveness.

• Both Schlesinger and The Federalist 70 view centralization of power in the presidency as

  dangerous.

• Both Schlesinger and The Federalist 70 view centralization of power in the presidency as vital to the

  presidency’s effectiveness.

Which of the following situations best reflects the author’s concern about an “imperial” presidency? (the reading from question 3 and 4)

• The Senate ratifying treaties without executive approval

• Congress declaring war independent of the president

• The president issuing an increasing number of executive agreements

• The president appointing a new secretary of education

In The Federalist 70, Alexander Hamilton states that “energy in the executive is a leading character

in the definition of good government.” In this statement, Hamilton is arguing in favor of the need for

• a single executive who can respond quickly to crises

• a president who has a good understanding of public policy

• an electoral college in the selection of the president

• a president who is youthful and assertive

Which of the following statements reflects a pattern in the line graph?

• Nixon had the highest approval ratings of any president in the graph.

• Most presidents exit office with lower approval ratings than when they entered office.

• Most presidents begin their term with approval ratings lower than 50%.

• Eisenhower had the lowest approval ratings of any president in the graph.

Which of the following statements is most accurately supported by the data in the table?

• President Clinton greatly reduced the use of presidential signing statements compared with his

  predecessors.

• While President George W. Bush issued fewer signing statements than President Clinton, his

  included more objections than President Clinton’s.

• President Clinton’s brief access to the power of the line-item veto allowed him to issue fewer signing

  statements that raised concerns about legislation.

• President George W. Bush was forced to issue more signing statements as a direct result of the

  terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Which of the following accurately compares the formal and informal powers of the president?

• Formal Power

  Vetoing legislation to prevent a bill from becoming a law

  
  

  Informal Power

  Using a pocket veto to prevent a bill from becoming law

• Formal Power

  Using the bully pulpit to influence public opinion

  
  

  informal power

  appointing ambassadors and receiving diplomats from other nations

• Formal Power

  Acting as commander in chief of the military

  
  

  Informal

  signing executive agreements with foreign nations

• Formal Power

  Using the power of the purse to support government programs

  
  

  Informal Power

  Using signing statements to shape legislation