Chapter 5 Review - The Presidency

Which of the following best describes the viewpoint shown in the cartoon?

• Presidents believe they have superpowers.

• The Supreme Court unfairly blocks presidential initiatives.

• Executive orders are unconstitutional.

• Other branches of government check the president.

What influence does the president have over the Supreme Court?

• the ability to dismiss justices for proper cause

• the power to nominate Supreme Court justices

• the duty to inform the court of his/her opinion in writing

• the power to approve the justice department's nominations

• the power to overturn Supreme Court decisions

Shortly after the 2008 election, President Obama appointed outspoken and controversial House member Rahm Emanuel to lead his White House as chief of staff. The selection drew criticism from Republican leaders, including House minority leader John Boehner, who remarked that the selection “is an ironic choice for a president-elect who has promised to change Washington, make politics more civil, and govern from the center.” Which of the following explains how Congress could legitimately respond to the appointment?

• The Senate could refuse to confirm the appointment.

• The House of Representatives could filibuster the nomination.

• The Rules Committee could refuse to release the bill that made the appointment.

• Members of Congress could issue statements opposing the appointment but have no formal power to block it.

Since the 1970’s, Presidents have made use of executive orders at an increasing rate because executive orders

• are noncontroversial measures that can be easily implemented

• are rarely defeated in Congress

• do not need to be passed by Congress

• avoid judicial review

• must be ratified by the Senate rather than by the House

All of the following have contributed to an increase in presidential power in the post-1945 era EXCEPT

• tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War period

• an increase in public expectations for services from the federal government

• economic and domestic problems such as inflation, unemployment, and civil rights issues

• increasing United States involvement in international affairs

• legislation granting the President the power to impound funds appropriated by Congress

All of the following are formal or informal sources of presidential power EXCEPT

• presidential authority to raise revenue

• presidential access to the media

• precedents set during previous administrations

• public support

• the Constitution

Which of the following is a member of the White House Staff?

• The chair of the Federal Reserve Board

• The national security advisor

• The secretary of commerce

• The ambassador to the United Nations

• The attorney general

The usefulness to the President of having cabinet members as political advisers is undermined by the fact that

• the President has little latitude in choosing cabinet members

• cabinet members have no political support independent of the President

• cabinet members are usually drawn from Congress and retain loyalties to Congress

• the loyalties of cabinet members are often divided between loyalty to the President and loyalty to their own executive departments

• the cabinet operates as a collective unit and individual members have no access to the President

The President can do which of the following without seeking the consent of either the House or the Senate?

• Ratify a treaty.

• Appoint ambassadors.

• Appoint district court judges.

• Deploy troops.

• Declare war.

Which of the following is an action a president can take to rally public support for the administration's legislative agenda?

• Use the State of the Union Address to pressure Congress to pass a bill lowering income taxes.

• Hold private meetings with key members of Congress to promote a compromise on the budget.

• Forge an executive agreement with another country regulating the safety of consumer products.

• Sign a bill into law that would provide increased aid to college students.