Deck 13: The Presidency

Question 1

Following an election, the presidential transition team

A) Has full run of the White House in setting up new staff and processes
B) Is exclusively composed of loyal campaign staffers
C) Can be impeded in its work by the outgoing administration
D) Is the strongest indicator of a president's future success

Answer 1

Can be impeded in its work by the outgoing administration

Question 2

One of the most important factors in highly rated presidencies is

A) Prior experience in business
B) Prior experience in politics
C) High GPA performance in school
D) Re-electability

Answer 2

Re-electability

Question 3

The role of Vice President of the United States

A) Is largely symbolic
B) Is invested with great power
C) Is dependent on the assignment of responsibility by the President
D) Is to keep a death watch on the presidency

Answer 3

Is dependent on the assignment of responsibility by the President

Question 4

First Ladies

A) Are primarily arm candy for the President
B) Are expected to relinquish professional responsibilities
C) Are rarely effective advisors to the president
D) None of the above

Question 5

Executive orders and presidential signing statements

A) Are the prerogative of all presidents to exercise at will
B) Are noncontroversial instruments of presidential power
C) Cannot be challenged in court or overturned by Congress
D) None of the above

Question 6

The power of the presidency has grown for ______ main reasons

A) One
B) Three
C) Four
D) Six

Question 7

Presidential character is measured along which dimension?

A) Active-passive
B) Positive-negative
C) Candid-Fake
D) Both a and b

Question 8

All of the following are part of the presidency as an institution EXCEPT

A) Vice president
B) The armoire
C) Executive Office of the President
D) The cabinet

Question 9

The president's primary constitutional responsibilities are defined in

A) Article I
B) Article II
C) Article III
D) Article IV

Question 10

"Going public" is a strategy presidents use to

A) Shape public opinion'
B) Place pressure on Congress
C) Both a and b
D) Neither a nor b

Question 11

The most important determinant of a president's approval rating is

A) The economy
B) International crises
C) Scandal
D) All of these

Question 12

"Going public" _________ the president's approval rating.

A) Improves
B) Decreases
C) Does nothing for
D) Fluctuates

Question 13

The president plays an important role

A) In challenging the Supreme Court
B) In influencing legislation
C) In creating new constituencies
D) None of these

Question 14

Unilateral powers of the president include

A) Executive orders
B) National security directives
C) Executive agreements
D) All of these

Question 15

A(n) ________ is a person or group that has administrative and supervisory responsibilities in an organization.

A) President
B) Chief
C) Executive
D) None of these

Question 16

The Articles of Confederation followed the model of the states in having a

A) Strong-executive model
B) Weak-executive model
C) Passionate-executive model
D) No-executive model

Question 17

The Constitutional Convention created a

A) Strong executive with strong checks
B) Weak executive with strong checks
C) Strong executive with weak checks
D) Weak executive with weak checks

Question 18

Alexander Hamilton described _______ as a desirable characteristic of good government in Federalist Number 70.

A) Positivity
B) Energy
C) Enthusiasm
D) Loyalty

Question 19

Alexander Hamilton saw _________ as important qualities for a good executive.

A) Decisiveness and friendliness
B) Dispatch and decisiveness
C) Enthusiasm and friendliness
D) Enthusiasm and dispatch

Question 20

All of the following are views of presidential power EXCEPT

A) The stewardship doctrine
B) A restrictive view
C) A prerogative view
D) A sweeping view

Question 21

The ____________ changed the government's role towards regulating the economy.

A) Dust Bowl
B) Roaring Twenties
C) Era of Good Feelings
D) Great Depression

Question 22

The expansion of executive authority during the New Deal reflected an increasing demand by the American people for

A) negative government.
B) positive government.
C) neutral competence.
D) reactive government.

Question 23

The idea of a positive government means that

A) Government should always look for the bright side
B) Government should be quick to react to crises
C) Government should play a major role in preventing or dealing with crises
D) None of these

Question 24

The president is expected to be representative of

A) Those who voted for her/him
B) All voters
C) All Americans
D) No one but him/herself

Question 25

One reason the presidency is harder to study than Congress or the judiciary is

A) The small N problem
B) The elusivity of presidents
C) Congress and the judiciary are more open to being studied
D) The large N problem

Question 26

The most important organization in the Executive Office of the President is

A) The Council of Economic Advisors
B) The Office of Management and Budget
C) The National Security Council
D) All of these

Question 27

The __________ houses the president's most influential advisors

A) The Council of Economic Advisors
B) The White House Office
C) The Office of Management and Budget
D) The National Security Council

Question 28

Most presidents use the ___________ model of organization.

A) Spokes-of-the-wheel
B) Hierarchical
C) Conical
D) Equality

Question 29

A bill may become a law without the president's signature in which of the following circumstances?

A) The president does not send the unsigned bill back to Congress with written objections.
B) Only if a 2/3 majority of Congress has voted in support of the bill.
C) If Congress has ended its session during the 10 days that the president has to review the bill.
D) None of the above.

Question 30

When Abraham Lincoln suspended the right of habeas corpus during the Civil War, he was following a _______________ view of presidential power.

A) Prerogative
B) Restrictive
C) Stewardship
D) Weak-executive

Question 31

The period in which presidents enjoy their highest approval ratings is b

A) The final year of their term.
B) the first-year "honeymoon" period.
C) their second term in office.
D) the mid-term elections.

Question 32

Presidents who make direct appeals to the public in order to put pressure on Congress to support presidential initiatives are engaging in which of the following strategies?

A) Direct lobbying
B) Logrolling
C) Going public
D) Campaigning

Question 33

Which of the following presidential responsibilities does NOT have an explicit foundation in the Constitution?

A) Chief Executive
B) Chief of State
C) Chief Diplomat
D) Party Leader

Question 34

The 1973 law that attempted to limit the power of the executive to send troops into combat without congressional approval is the

A) War Powers Act.
B) Commander-in-Chief Reform Act.
C) Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.
D) PATRIOT Act.

Question 35

If the president takes no action within 10 days of a bill being passed by Congress, and Congress has adjourned, the bill

A) has been "pocket-vetoed".
B) becomes a law.
C) remains in limbo until Congress readjourns, at which point the 10-day clock resumes.
D) has been vetoed.

Question 36

Agreements between the United States and other nations, negotiated by the president, that have the same weight as a treaty but do not require Senate approval are called

A) executive orders.
B) executive agreements.
C) treaties.
D) continuing resolutions.

Question 37

In his formal constitutional role as the head of government, responsible for overseeing the executive branch and administering the laws of the land, the president is regarded as

A) chief of state.
B) chief executive.
C) commander-in-chief.
D) chief diplomat.

Question 38

At the Constitutional Convention, supporters of the strong-executive model were helped by

A) the examples of strong governors in New York and Massachusetts.
B) the assumption that George Washington would be the first president.
C) the historical legacy of legislative limitations on the monarchy.
D) all of these choices.

Question 39

The argument that the oath of office requires a president to preserve the Constitution, even if it means taking unconstitutional actions to do so, is

A) the oath paradox view of presidential power.
B) the restrictive view of presidential power.
C) the stewardship doctrine.
D) the prerogative view of presidential power.

Question 40

How does party polarization affect presidential success in winning roll call votes in Congress?

A) Party polarization has made it more difficult to get votes from opposition party members.
B) In the House, party polarization increases the success rates of majority party presidents and decreases the success rates of minority party presidents.
C) In the Senate, party polarization decreases the success rates of both majority and minority party presidents.
D) All of the above.

Question 41

In his symbolic role as the ceremonial leader of the American people, the president is regarded as the

A) chief of state.
B) chief executive.
C) commander-in-chief.
D) chief legislator.

Question 42

The "new NAFTA" is called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Question 43

Even though he was not re-elected, President Donald J. Trump was one of the most popular presidents in US history.

Question 44

The psychological perspective has proven effective in explaining and predicting how presidents handle the job.

Question 45

Historically, the vice president has played a large role in policymaking.

Question 46

The president is his/her party's most visible leader.

Question 47

The strongest determinant of presidential success in Congress is whether Congress is controlled by the president's party.

Question 48

Congress has increased the power of the presidency

Question 49

Expectations on the president have grown slower than the power given to the president.

Question 50

The various individuals who serve in the executive branch often compete and struggle for access to the president, and some are more influential than others.

Question 51

The first lady has no role in politics.

Question 52

Why do presidents veto bills? Which models provide the best answer to this question?

Question 53

Which first ladies have left a lasting impact on politics?

Question 54

Does the president have too much power? Not enough power?