Question 1

An example of a demand from political partisans for aid and services from the president is pressure from __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  Latin American leaders to negotiate a regional free trade agreement 
B)  the Sierra Club to expand the amount of wilderness designations in the National Forests 
C)  local citizens to expand unemployment compensation 
D)  the head of the party national committee to make a public statement about raising the minimum wage 
A)  Latin American leaders to negotiate a regional free trade agreement 
B)  the Sierra Club to expand the amount of wilderness designations in the National Forests 
C)  local citizens to expand unemployment compensation 
D)  the head of the party national committee to make a public statement about raising the minimum wage

Question 2

What is a common characteristic of the variety of ways that presidents can use power?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are all direct. 
B)  They are all indirect. 
C)  They are all aimed toward inputs. 
D)  They are all focused on outcomes. 
A)  They are all direct. 
B)  They are all indirect. 
C)  They are all aimed toward inputs. 
D)  They are all focused on outcomes.

Question 3

A(n) __________ is an official presidential commentary on the meaning or significance of legislation.

Accepted Answer

A)  executive order 
B)  writ of habeas corpus 
C)  per curium opinion 
D)  signing statement 
A)  executive order 
B)  writ of habeas corpus 
C)  per curium opinion 
D)  signing statement

Question 4

Which of the following was an author of the Federalist Papers?

Accepted Answer

A)  James Monroe 
B)  George Washington 
C)  Thomas Jefferson 
D)  John Jay 
A)  James Monroe 
B)  George Washington 
C)  Thomas Jefferson 
D)  John Jay

Question 5

Which strategy do presidents pursue when they have just claimed a power that neither Congress nor the courts have endorsed?

Accepted Answer

A)  They act as if no new powers are being claimed at all. 
B)  They vocally challenge Congress to stop them from claiming this new authority. 
C)  They hold a public ceremony in the Rose Garden to rally public opinion behind them. 
D)  They bring the matter before the Supreme Court so the Court can rule on the constitutionality of the matter. 
A)  They act as if no new powers are being claimed at all. 
B)  They vocally challenge Congress to stop them from claiming this new authority. 
C)  They hold a public ceremony in the Rose Garden to rally public opinion behind them. 
D)  They bring the matter before the Supreme Court so the Court can rule on the constitutionality of the matter.

Question 6

President Obama's use of an executive order to increase the minimum wage paid to federal contractors illustrates an __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  expansion of presidential power through independent executive initiative 
B)  illegal use of informal presidential powers 
C)  informal mechanism to increase presidential power over the economy 
D)  enhancement of presidential power at the expense of the judiciary 
A)  expansion of presidential power through independent executive initiative 
B)  illegal use of informal presidential powers 
C)  informal mechanism to increase presidential power over the economy 
D)  enhancement of presidential power at the expense of the judiciary

Question 7

With respect to the War Powers Resolution (1973), Congress has __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  ignored the restrictions it placed on the legislative role in war-making decisions 
B)  fully realized all the intentions and goals of the resolution 
C)  actively worked to implement the requirements of the resolution 
D)  done little to uphold the resolution's limitations on the president's war-making authority 
A)  ignored the restrictions it placed on the legislative role in war-making decisions 
B)  fully realized all the intentions and goals of the resolution 
C)  actively worked to implement the requirements of the resolution 
D)  done little to uphold the resolution's limitations on the president's war-making authority

Question 8

Differentiate between the different types of political power that a president can exercise and discuss the goals embedded in the exercise of political power.

Accepted Answer

A) Define political power as the capacit

Question 9

How many presidents served under the Articles of Confederation?

Accepted Answer

A)  three 
B)  five 
C)  seven 
D)  ten 
A)  three 
B)  five 
C)  seven 
D)  ten

Question 10

The president's interest in power is largely __________ in nature.

Accepted Answer

A)  personal 
B)  instrumental 
C)  ceremonial 
D)  political 
A)  personal 
B)  instrumental 
C)  ceremonial 
D)  political

Question 11

President Obama might have had a different outcome in terms of his legislative agenda if __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  he had attempted to cooperate with the Speaker of the House, John Boehner 
B)  more Democrats had won elections at the state and local levels of American politics 
C)  liberal Democrats had supported his jobs bill in 2011 
D)  the Democratic Party had retained control of both chambers of Congress following the 2010 midterm elections 
A)  he had attempted to cooperate with the Speaker of the House, John Boehner 
B)  more Democrats had won elections at the state and local levels of American politics 
C)  liberal Democrats had supported his jobs bill in 2011 
D)  the Democratic Party had retained control of both chambers of Congress following the 2010 midterm elections

Question 12

When one political party retains a majority of one of the two chambers of Congress and the White House, the United States is in a period of __________ government.

Accepted Answer

A)  unified 
B)  divided 
C)  unitary 
D)  federal 
A)  unified 
B)  divided 
C)  unitary 
D)  federal

Question 13

Which of the following is a consequence of the institutional nature of the US presidency?

Accepted Answer

A)  All presidents want to expand and guard their institutional power base. 
B)  Presidents frequently defer to Congress when there is ambiguity over presidential authority. 
C)  Liberal presidents are more likely to expand presidential power while conservative presidents are more likely to guard it. 
D)  Presidents are reluctant to infer new powers from the language of the Constitution. 
A)  All presidents want to expand and guard their institutional power base. 
B)  Presidents frequently defer to Congress when there is ambiguity over presidential authority. 
C)  Liberal presidents are more likely to expand presidential power while conservative presidents are more likely to guard it. 
D)  Presidents are reluctant to infer new powers from the language of the Constitution.

Question 14

If a president has faced persistent opposition to his or her policy agenda in Congress, which strategy would best improve the chance of future legislative success?

Accepted Answer

A)  The president should campaign and fundraise on behalf of his or her party's candidates during the midterm election cycle. 
B)  The president should make a public grab for power to force his or her agenda through Congress. 
C)  The president should make liberal use of signing statements to indicate that he or she does not agree with the interpretation surrounding the legislation that Congress is willing to pass. 
D)  The president should withdraw from the policy process and let Congress determine the legislative agenda in hope that the policy outcomes fail. 
A)  The president should campaign and fundraise on behalf of his or her party's candidates during the midterm election cycle. 
B)  The president should make a public grab for power to force his or her agenda through Congress. 
C)  The president should make liberal use of signing statements to indicate that he or she does not agree with the interpretation surrounding the legislation that Congress is willing to pass. 
D)  The president should withdraw from the policy process and let Congress determine the legislative agenda in hope that the policy outcomes fail.

Question 15

Unified government occurs when one political party controls __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  the US Senate and the White House 
B)  the White House and a majority of state governorships 
C)  both chambers of Congress and the White House 
D)  both chambers of Congress and a majority of state legislatures 
A)  the US Senate and the White House 
B)  the White House and a majority of state governorships 
C)  both chambers of Congress and the White House 
D)  both chambers of Congress and a majority of state legislatures

Question 16

The president has just negotiated a trade agreement with Canada. What must happen to make it binding and enforceable?

Accepted Answer

A)  The US House of Representatives must vote to approve it. 
B)  The US Trade Representative must sign it. 
C)  A successful ratification vote must occur in the US Senate. 
D)  Nothing must happen, as presidents have sole authority to negotiate binding treaties. 
A)  The US House of Representatives must vote to approve it. 
B)  The US Trade Representative must sign it. 
C)  A successful ratification vote must occur in the US Senate. 
D)  Nothing must happen, as presidents have sole authority to negotiate binding treaties.

Question 17

A president who wanted to communicate his or her intentions not to implement particular parts of a law could do so through a(n) __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  executive order 
B)  signing statement 
C)  line-item veto 
D)  pardon 
A)  executive order 
B)  signing statement 
C)  line-item veto 
D)  pardon

Question 18

How can the president exert indirect influence over the legislative process?

Accepted Answer

A)  vetoing legislation 
B)  introducing legislation 
C)  engaging in daily negotiations 
D)  mobilizing public sentiment 
A)  vetoing legislation 
B)  introducing legislation 
C)  engaging in daily negotiations 
D)  mobilizing public sentiment

Question 19

Which action is most likely to lead to a negative perception of a president's executive actions?

Accepted Answer

A)  equivocation in a time of international crisis 
B)  optimism in the face of a national economic crisis 
C)  tenacity when negotiating with foreign leaders 
D)  rapid action in the face of a global economic crisis 
A)  equivocation in a time of international crisis 
B)  optimism in the face of a national economic crisis 
C)  tenacity when negotiating with foreign leaders 
D)  rapid action in the face of a global economic crisis

Question 20

How do the expectations of the general public and other actors with respect to presidents affect the actions of executives in the exercise of power? Give examples where appropriate.

Accepted Answer

A) Discuss the idea that presidents have

An example of a demand from political partisans for aid and services from the president is pressure from __________.

What is a common characteristic of the variety of ways that presidents can use power?

A(n) __________ is an official presidential commentary on the meaning or significance of legislation.

Which of the following was an author of the Federalist Papers?

Which strategy do presidents pursue when they have just claimed a power that neither Congress nor the courts have endorsed?

President Obama's use of an executive order to increase the minimum wage paid to federal contractors illustrates an __________.

With respect to the War Powers Resolution (1973), Congress has __________.

Differentiate between the different types of political power that a president can exercise and discuss the goals embedded in the exercise of political power.

How many presidents served under the Articles of Confederation?

The president's interest in power is largely __________ in nature.

President Obama might have had a different outcome in terms of his legislative agenda if __________.

When one political party retains a majority of one of the two chambers of Congress and the White House, the United States is in a period of __________ government.

Which of the following is a consequence of the institutional nature of the US presidency?

If a president has faced persistent opposition to his or her policy agenda in Congress, which strategy would best improve the chance of future legislative success?

Unified government occurs when one political party controls __________.

The president has just negotiated a trade agreement with Canada. What must happen to make it binding and enforceable?

A president who wanted to communicate his or her intentions not to implement particular parts of a law could do so through a(n) __________.

How can the president exert indirect influence over the legislative process?

Which action is most likely to lead to a negative perception of a president's executive actions?

How do the expectations of the general public and other actors with respect to presidents affect the actions of executives in the exercise of power? Give examples where appropriate.

Constitutional Origins

An Institutional Presidency

The Nomination of Presidents

General Elections

Transitions of Governance

Negotiating With Congress

Unilateral Powers

Political Control of the Bureaucracy

Presidential Relations With the Federal Judiciary

Public Opinion and the Media

Domestic Policy

Foreign Policy

Economic Policy

Wartime Policymaking at Home

Appedix: Introduction Thinking Institutionally about an American Presidency

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Exam 3: Power and the Institutional Presidency

An example of a demand from political partisans for aid and services from the president is pressure from __________.

What is a common characteristic of the variety of ways that presidents can use power?

A(n) __________ is an official presidential commentary on the meaning or significance of legislation.

Which of the following was an author of the Federalist Papers?

Which strategy do presidents pursue when they have just claimed a power that neither Congress nor the courts have endorsed?

President Obama's use of an executive order to increase the minimum wage paid to federal contractors illustrates an __________.

With respect to the War Powers Resolution (1973), Congress has __________.

Differentiate between the different types of political power that a president can exercise and discuss the goals embedded in the exercise of political power.

How many presidents served under the Articles of Confederation?

The president's interest in power is largely __________ in nature.

President Obama might have had a different outcome in terms of his legislative agenda if __________.

When one political party retains a majority of one of the two chambers of Congress and the White House, the United States is in a period of __________ government.

Which of the following is a consequence of the institutional nature of the US presidency?

If a president has faced persistent opposition to his or her policy agenda in Congress, which strategy would best improve the chance of future legislative success?

Unified government occurs when one political party controls __________.

The president has just negotiated a trade agreement with Canada. What must happen to make it binding and enforceable?

A president who wanted to communicate his or her intentions not to implement particular parts of a law could do so through a(n) __________.

How can the president exert indirect influence over the legislative process?

Which action is most likely to lead to a negative perception of a president's executive actions?

How do the expectations of the general public and other actors with respect to presidents affect the actions of executives in the exercise of power? Give examples where appropriate.

Constitutional Origins

An Institutional Presidency

The Nomination of Presidents

General Elections

Transitions of Governance

Negotiating With Congress

Unilateral Powers

Political Control of the Bureaucracy

Presidential Relations With the Federal Judiciary

Public Opinion and the Media

Domestic Policy

Foreign Policy

Economic Policy

Wartime Policymaking at Home

Appedix: Introduction Thinking Institutionally about an American Presidency

Filters