How Presidents Govern

President Harry Truman displayed the phrase "the buck stops here." What does "the buck stops here" mean?

• President makes the ultimate decision in important matters and takes the blame when they go wrong.

• Only the president can make fiscal decisions dealing with the economy

• Either the president will agree or veto legislation based on his relationship with Congress

Answer explanation

President George W. Bush once described the president as “the Decider.” What did Bush mean in describing himself and other presidents as “the Decider”?

• Presidents can avoid blame for unpopular decisions by letting the president's cabinet make decisions.

• Presidents must make all the policy decisions in the executive branch.

• Presidents must make the most important policy decisions in the executive branch.

Answer explanation

The White House Staff including special assistants to the President and The Executive Office of The President including the National Security Council, The Council of Economic Advisors, and The Office of Management and Budget are parts of the executive branch that

• have limited responsibilities

• report directly to congress on what the president does

• advise the president on important matters

Answer explanation

Which of the following is true about presidential cabinets?

• Some presidents rely heavily on the heads of Cabinet departments, but it depends on the President.

• Cabinet heads are, in a lot of ways, more powerful than the President.

• Most Presidents ignore the cabinet heads.

Answer explanation

Which one of follow is NOT one of the three main strategies presidents use to govern?

• the President as leader of his political party

• the Presidential veto

• the President' ability to mobilize public opinion (bully pulpit)

• the President's administrative strategies as chief executive

Answer explanation

Divided government means that the President's political party is different from the party that controls congress. Divided government would probably

• make it more difficult for the President to govern.

• have no effect on the President's ability to govern.

• make it easier for the President to govern.

Answer explanation

Which term is used to describe the president's nearly unlimited access to and use of the media as governing strategy?

• Stumping

• Freedom of Information Act

• Bully pulpit

• Log rolling

Answer explanation

Over time presidents have _______ the size and power of the Executive Office especially since the New Depression and World War II.

• expanded

• reduced

• elastic

Answer explanation

All the following significant events in American History—the Louisiana Purchase, the Annexation of Texas, emancipating slaves (Emancipation Proclamation), interning Japanese Americans during World War II, desegregating the Army, creating the Peace Corps, and implementing affirmative action—were all accomplished by

• the bully pulpit

• executive orders

• president as party leader

• Supreme Court decisions

Answer explanation

Which one of the following is the most effective and important strategies a President has to make policy and to govern?

• the President as leader of his political party

• the President' ability to mobilize public opinion (bully pulpit)

• the President's administrative strategies as chief executive

Answer explanation