Question 1

The state secrets privilege

Accepted Answer

A)  was not considered a presidential right by President Obama, leading to an unprecedented release of executive branch documents. 
B)  cannot be used to dismiss claims by those who say they have been harmed by government action. 
C)  was not invoked by President Obama, despite its potential use to deflect lawsuits against the government. 
D)  is usually respected by the courts. 
E)  can be used to keep information from the public, but not from other branches of government. 
A)  was not considered a presidential right by President Obama, leading to an unprecedented release of executive branch documents. 
B)  cannot be used to dismiss claims by those who say they have been harmed by government action. 
C)  was not invoked by President Obama, despite its potential use to deflect lawsuits against the government. 
D)  is usually respected by the courts. 
E)  can be used to keep information from the public, but not from other branches of government. D

Question 2

Which of the following statements about the vice presidency is LEAST accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  In recent years, the power of the office has grown; Dick Cheney was probably the most powerful vice president in American history. 
B)  Aside from presiding over the Senate, the vice president has few significant constitutional duties. 
C)  The vice president has historically been the president's most important advisor. 
D)  Presidents can temporarily transfer their authority to their vice presidents if the president will be incapacitated-for instance, by an invasive medical procedure. 
E)  A vice president who secures the support of the majority of the cabinet can declare a president incapacitated and assume the office of president. 
A)  In recent years, the power of the office has grown; Dick Cheney was probably the most powerful vice president in American history. 
B)  Aside from presiding over the Senate, the vice president has few significant constitutional duties. 
C)  The vice president has historically been the president's most important advisor. 
D)  Presidents can temporarily transfer their authority to their vice presidents if the president will be incapacitated-for instance, by an invasive medical procedure. 
E)  A vice president who secures the support of the majority of the cabinet can declare a president incapacitated and assume the office of president. C

Question 3

Which president first used the presidency as a "bully pulpit" to advocate publicly for specific legislation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Andrew Jackson 
B)  Abraham Lincoln 
C)  Theodore Roosevelt 
D)  Woodrow Wilson 
E)  Franklin Roosevelt 
A)  Andrew Jackson 
B)  Abraham Lincoln 
C)  Theodore Roosevelt 
D)  Woodrow Wilson 
E)  Franklin Roosevelt C

Question 4

One of the more controversial (and currently sharply curtailed) powers of the president is the power of impoundment, whereby

Accepted Answer

A)  the president can not only veto a bill, but also prevent it from being reconsidered by Congress. 
B)  the president can seize the property of private citizens without due process in times of emergency. 
C)  the president can withhold funds from Congress. 
D)  the president can summarily dismiss congressional members suspected of wrongdoing. 
E)  the president can cancel national elections in the event of insurrection or invasion. 
A)  the president can not only veto a bill, but also prevent it from being reconsidered by Congress. 
B)  the president can seize the property of private citizens without due process in times of emergency. 
C)  the president can withhold funds from Congress. 
D)  the president can summarily dismiss congressional members suspected of wrongdoing. 
E)  the president can cancel national elections in the event of insurrection or invasion.

Question 5

What is the primary reason that American presidents do not exercise the power of a line-item veto?

Accepted Answer

A)  Congress passed a law stripping them of the power to do so. 
B)  No president has expressed a desire to wield such a power. 
C)  There is no precedent of such power anywhere in the American system of government. 
D)  The Supreme Court has ruled that the Constitution does not authorize such a power. 
E)  The majority of the American people oppose such a power. 
A)  Congress passed a law stripping them of the power to do so. 
B)  No president has expressed a desire to wield such a power. 
C)  There is no precedent of such power anywhere in the American system of government. 
D)  The Supreme Court has ruled that the Constitution does not authorize such a power. 
E)  The majority of the American people oppose such a power.

Question 6

The most severe limit on presidential power is

Accepted Answer

A)  the congressional power to overturn presidential vetoes. 
B)  the Senate approval power over presidential appointments. 
C)  impeachment and removal from office. 
D)  the growing power of the vice president. 
E)  the two-term limit. 
A)  the congressional power to overturn presidential vetoes. 
B)  the Senate approval power over presidential appointments. 
C)  impeachment and removal from office. 
D)  the growing power of the vice president. 
E)  the two-term limit.

Question 7

The Constitution explicitly grants the presidency all of the following powers EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  the ability to appoint ambassadors. 
B)  the right to veto legislation. 
C)  the right to create new laws. 
D)  the power to negotiate foreign treaties. 
E)  the position of commander in chief of the armed forces. 
A)  the ability to appoint ambassadors. 
B)  the right to veto legislation. 
C)  the right to create new laws. 
D)  the power to negotiate foreign treaties. 
E)  the position of commander in chief of the armed forces.

Question 8

Which of the following individuals was NOT a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016?

Accepted Answer

A)  Bernie Sanders 
B)  John Kasich 
C)  Jeb Bush 
D)  Ted Cruz 
E)  Donald Trump 
A)  Bernie Sanders 
B)  John Kasich 
C)  Jeb Bush 
D)  Ted Cruz 
E)  Donald Trump

Question 9

Public financing of presidential campaigns

Accepted Answer

A)  was used by Hillary Clinton in 2012. 
B)  was used by Donald Trump in 2012. 
C)  has been in place for nearly a hundred years. 
D)  is essentially obsolete. 
E)  is required by law. 
A)  was used by Hillary Clinton in 2012. 
B)  was used by Donald Trump in 2012. 
C)  has been in place for nearly a hundred years. 
D)  is essentially obsolete. 
E)  is required by law.

Question 10

Define the various duties of the American president. What are the president's most important roles? Which of these roles is most carefully supervised or limited by other branches of government or by the American people? Which roles are most susceptible to abuse?

Accepted Answer

The American president has a wide range

Question 11

President Lincoln demonstrated the wide latitude a president has in responding to a crisis with wartime actions such as

Accepted Answer

A)  the suspension of habeas corpus. 
B)  the confiscation of private property without due process. 
C)  the trial of civilians in military courts. 
D)  defying the orders of federal courts. 
E)  All of these answers are correct. 
A)  the suspension of habeas corpus. 
B)  the confiscation of private property without due process. 
C)  the trial of civilians in military courts. 
D)  defying the orders of federal courts. 
E)  All of these answers are correct.

Question 12

A president's legislative success is relatively high in all of the following situations EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  when Congress is in the hands of the president's own party. 
B)  in the president's period of highest public approval. 
C)  when it is the president's first term. 
D)  in times of national emergency when the president commands deference. 
E)  when Congress is in the hands of the opposition party. 
A)  when Congress is in the hands of the president's own party. 
B)  in the president's period of highest public approval. 
C)  when it is the president's first term. 
D)  in times of national emergency when the president commands deference. 
E)  when Congress is in the hands of the opposition party.

Question 13

Which of the following statements about executive powers of appointment is LEAST accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  The president is free to choose top administrative posts, known as the cabinet, with the advice and consent of the Senate. 
B)  Although presidents must secure Senate approval for ambassadors and judges, presidents are free to select their cabinet members without Senate oversight. 
C)  The president can temporarily circumvent senatorial oversight by appointing officials while the Senate is in recess. 
D)  The Senate has rejected relatively few nominees overall, although such rejections have increased in recent years. 
E)  Senate committees put nominees through extensive screening and vetting procedures before voting on confirmation. 
A)  The president is free to choose top administrative posts, known as the cabinet, with the advice and consent of the Senate. 
B)  Although presidents must secure Senate approval for ambassadors and judges, presidents are free to select their cabinet members without Senate oversight. 
C)  The president can temporarily circumvent senatorial oversight by appointing officials while the Senate is in recess. 
D)  The Senate has rejected relatively few nominees overall, although such rejections have increased in recent years. 
E)  Senate committees put nominees through extensive screening and vetting procedures before voting on confirmation.

Question 14

In winning votes for their agenda, presidents can employ a number of tactics, including which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  They can offer to direct funds to member districts for discretionary projects. 
B)  They can help members from their own party raise campaign funds and make personal appearances for them. 
C)  They can recommend members or their campaign contributors for political appointments. 
D)  They can appeal to the public and ask them to pressure Congress. 
E)  All of these answers are correct. 
A)  They can offer to direct funds to member districts for discretionary projects. 
B)  They can help members from their own party raise campaign funds and make personal appearances for them. 
C)  They can recommend members or their campaign contributors for political appointments. 
D)  They can appeal to the public and ask them to pressure Congress. 
E)  All of these answers are correct.

Question 15

Define the president's constitutional powers. Which powers does the Constitution explicitly bestow upon the president? Which implied powers has the presidency claimed over time? Are all the powers currently wielded by the president constitutional ones, or has the executive office expanded its powers beyond constitutional limits?

Accepted Answer

The president's constitutional powers ar

Question 16

The National Security Council

Accepted Answer

A)  was created by George Washington in the wake of French threats in the 1790s. 
B)  is headed by a national security advisor, who does not require Senate confirmation. 
C)  is an agency within the Department of Defense. 
D)  includes the president, but not the vice president. 
E)  has fallen out of use over the last two decades. 
A)  was created by George Washington in the wake of French threats in the 1790s. 
B)  is headed by a national security advisor, who does not require Senate confirmation. 
C)  is an agency within the Department of Defense. 
D)  includes the president, but not the vice president. 
E)  has fallen out of use over the last two decades.

Question 17

The principle of executive privilege is primarily used to

Accepted Answer

A)  overturn legislation of which the president disapproves. 
B)  distribute money among executive agencies as the president sees fit. 
C)  safeguard the confidentiality of presidential communications. 
D)  pressure Congress into expediting legislation proposed by the president. 
E)  enhance the transparency and accessibility of the Oval Office. 
A)  overturn legislation of which the president disapproves. 
B)  distribute money among executive agencies as the president sees fit. 
C)  safeguard the confidentiality of presidential communications. 
D)  pressure Congress into expediting legislation proposed by the president. 
E)  enhance the transparency and accessibility of the Oval Office.

Question 18

A series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions (among them, Rasul v. Bush and Hamdi v. Rumsfeld) affirmed

Accepted Answer

A)  post-9/11 detainees have certain constitutional rights and protections. 
B)  the prohibition of off-shore drilling and exploration. 
C)  protection of Alaska's public lands from future oil exploration and development. 
D)  limits to congressional war authority. 
E)  significant limits to judicial jurisdiction in civil rights cases. 
A)  post-9/11 detainees have certain constitutional rights and protections. 
B)  the prohibition of off-shore drilling and exploration. 
C)  protection of Alaska's public lands from future oil exploration and development. 
D)  limits to congressional war authority. 
E)  significant limits to judicial jurisdiction in civil rights cases.

Question 19

President Obama's presidential style was described as

Accepted Answer

A)  based on the corporate CEO model. 
B)  rational, rigorous, and unemotional. 
C)  characterized by a lack of interest in policy details. 
D)  based on the hierarchy found in the military. 
E)  essentially the same as that of George W. Bush. 
A)  based on the corporate CEO model. 
B)  rational, rigorous, and unemotional. 
C)  characterized by a lack of interest in policy details. 
D)  based on the hierarchy found in the military. 
E)  essentially the same as that of George W. Bush.

Question 20

When President Bush responded to the September 11, 2001, attacks by unilaterally authorizing CIA agents to assassinate terrorist targets, he was exercising

Accepted Answer

A)  an express power. 
B)  a delegated power. 
C)  a discretionary power. 
D)  an emergency power. 
E)  an executive privilege. 
A)  an express power. 
B)  a delegated power. 
C)  a discretionary power. 
D)  an emergency power. 
E)  an executive privilege.

The state secrets privilege

Which of the following statements about the vice presidency is LEAST accurate?

Which president first used the presidency as a "bully pulpit" to advocate publicly for specific legislation?

One of the more controversial (and currently sharply curtailed) powers of the president is the power of impoundment, whereby

What is the primary reason that American presidents do not exercise the power of a line-item veto?

The most severe limit on presidential power is

The Constitution explicitly grants the presidency all of the following powers EXCEPT

Which of the following individuals was NOT a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016?

Public financing of presidential campaigns

Define the various duties of the American president. What are the president's most important roles? Which of these roles is most carefully supervised or limited by other branches of government or by the American people? Which roles are most susceptible to abuse?

President Lincoln demonstrated the wide latitude a president has in responding to a crisis with wartime actions such as

A president's legislative success is relatively high in all of the following situations EXCEPT

Which of the following statements about executive powers of appointment is LEAST accurate?

In winning votes for their agenda, presidents can employ a number of tactics, including which of the following?

The National Security Council

The principle of executive privilege is primarily used to

A series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions (among them, Rasul v. Bush and Hamdi v. Rumsfeld) affirmed

President Obama's presidential style was described as

When President Bush responded to the September 11, 2001, attacks by unilaterally authorizing CIA agents to assassinate terrorist targets, he was exercising

Citizenship: in Our Changing Democracy

The Constitution: The Foundation of Citizens Rights

Federalism: Citizenship and the Dispersal of Power

Civil Liberties: Citizens Rights Versus Security

Civil Rights: Toward a More Equal Citizenry

Public Opinion

Political Participation: Equal Opportunities and Unequal Voices

Interest Groups in America

Parties and Political Campaigns: Putting Democracy Into Action

Media: Tuning in or Tuning Out

Congress: Doing the Peoples Business

Bureaucracy: Citizens As Owners and Consumers

The Courts: Judicial Power in a Democratic Setting

Public Policy: Responding to Citizens

Foreign and Defense Policy: Protecting American Interests in the World

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Exam 12: The Presidency: Power and Paradox

The state secrets privilege

Which of the following statements about the vice presidency is LEAST accurate?

Which president first used the presidency as a "bully pulpit" to advocate publicly for specific legislation?

One of the more controversial (and currently sharply curtailed) powers of the president is the power of impoundment, whereby

What is the primary reason that American presidents do not exercise the power of a line-item veto?

The most severe limit on presidential power is

The Constitution explicitly grants the presidency all of the following powers EXCEPT

Which of the following individuals was NOT a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016?

Public financing of presidential campaigns

Define the various duties of the American president. What are the president's most important roles? Which of these roles is most carefully supervised or limited by other branches of government or by the American people? Which roles are most susceptible to abuse?

President Lincoln demonstrated the wide latitude a president has in responding to a crisis with wartime actions such as

A president's legislative success is relatively high in all of the following situations EXCEPT

Which of the following statements about executive powers of appointment is LEAST accurate?

In winning votes for their agenda, presidents can employ a number of tactics, including which of the following?

The National Security Council

The principle of executive privilege is primarily used to

A series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions (among them, Rasul v. Bush and Hamdi v. Rumsfeld) affirmed

President Obama's presidential style was described as

When President Bush responded to the September 11, 2001, attacks by unilaterally authorizing CIA agents to assassinate terrorist targets, he was exercising

Citizenship: in Our Changing Democracy

The Constitution: The Foundation of Citizens Rights

Federalism: Citizenship and the Dispersal of Power

Civil Liberties: Citizens Rights Versus Security

Civil Rights: Toward a More Equal Citizenry

Public Opinion

Political Participation: Equal Opportunities and Unequal Voices

Interest Groups in America

Parties and Political Campaigns: Putting Democracy Into Action

Media: Tuning in or Tuning Out

Congress: Doing the Peoples Business

Bureaucracy: Citizens As Owners and Consumers

The Courts: Judicial Power in a Democratic Setting

Public Policy: Responding to Citizens

Foreign and Defense Policy: Protecting American Interests in the World

Filters