Deck 12: The Presidency

Question 1

In his role as , the president can appoint, with Senate approval, and remove high-ranking officers of the federal government.

A) chief executive
B) political party leader
C) head of state
D) chief legislator
E) commander in chief

Answer 1

A

Question 2

In the twentieth century, presidents ordered troops into all of the following countries EXCEPT

A) Canada.
B) Cuba.
C) Mexico.
D) Honduras.
E) Nicaragua.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The president's power to grant a pardon serves as a check on power.

A) gubernatorial
B) executive
C) legislative
D) bureaucratic
E) judicial

Answer 3

E

Question 4

As , the president can grant reprieves, pardons, and amnesties.

A) commander in chief
B) chief diplomat
C) head of state
D) chief executive
E) chief legislator

Question 5

At 42, was the youngest person to hold the office of president.

A) Jimmy Carter
B) Theodore Roosevelt
C) Barack Obama
D) Thomas Jefferson
E) George W. Bush

Question 6

The perks of being the U.S. president include all of the following EXCEPT

A) a staff of more than 80 persons.
B) free dental and medical care.
C) use of a mountain retreat called Camp David.
D) unlimited free sports, movie and concert tickets.
E) residence in a 132-room mansion.

Question 7

When the president negotiates and signs treaties with other nations, he is performing his role as

A) chief diplomat.
B) head of state.
C) commander in chief.
D) chief executive.
E) chief legislator.

Question 8

The presidential practice of appointing individuals to government or public jobs to reward those who helped the president win office is known as .

A) patronage
B) logrolling
C) favoritism
D) nepotism
E) peonage

Question 9

In the presidential-parliamentary system of France, the division of powers between the president and parliament is

A) clearly delineated in the French constitution.
B) are shared equally.
C) virtually non-existent, with the president able to dominate parliament in all policy areas.
D) that the president focuses on foreign affairs while the parliament focuses on domestic affairs.
E) flexible, evolving, and subject to change in response to popular pressures.

Question 10

Which of the following is a constitutional requirement for becoming president of the United States?

A) Must have been a resident within the United States for thirty-five years.
B) Must be of sound moral character.
C) Must be at least thirty-five years old.
D) Must be a citizen of the United States (either natural born or naturalized).
E) Must be elected by a majority of the popular vote nationwide.

Question 11

Elected at years of age, John F. Kennedy was the youngest elected president.

A) 47
B) 43
C) 53
D) 57
E) 35

Question 12

The requirements for becoming president of the United States are set forth in of the U.S. Constitution.

A) Article II, Section 1
B) Article II, Section 2
C) Article I, Section 1
D) Article I, Section 2
E) Article III, Section 1

Question 13

Choosing a vice presidential running mate is something the president does as

A) political party leader.
B) chief executive.
C) head of state.
D) chief legislator.
E) commander in chief.

Question 14

When the president , he is performing his role as head of state.

A) attends party fund-raisers
B) makes executive agreements
C) decorates war heroes
D) grants a pardon for a federal offense
E) vetoes a bill passed by Congress

Question 15

A is a release from punishment or the legal consequences of a crime and the restoration of a person's rights and privileges.

A) reprieve
B) pardon
C) ratification
D) veto
E) judicial review

Question 16

The Senate must approve a treaty by a before it becomes effective.

A) unanimous consent agreement
B) simple majority
C) two-thirds vote of the members present
D) three-fourths vote
E) three-fifths vote of the members present

Question 17

At 69, was the oldest person elected president.

A) Ronald Reagan
B) Franklin Roosevelt
C) George Washington
D) William McKinley
E) George H. W. Bush

Question 18

Under the U.S. Constitution, only the has the right to declare war.

A) Senate
B) President
C) Congress
D) Department of Defense
E) governor of the state

Question 19

In his role as , the president can set up military governments in conquered lands.

A) chief executive
B) chief diplomat
C) head of state
D) chief legislator
E) commander in chief

Question 20

In his role as , the president suggests a budget to Congress and submits an annual economic report.

A) chief executive
B) political party leader
C) head of state
D) chief legislator
E) chief diplomat

Question 21

suspended certain constitutional liberties, blockaded southern ports, spent funds that Congress had not appropriated, and banned "treasonable correspondence" from the U.S. mail.

A) Andrew Jackson
B) Abraham Lincoln
C) Woodrow Wilson
D) Harry Truman
E) George W. Bush

Question 22

Used only under Clinton before being ruled unconstitutional, the enables a president to veto one or more specific items within a larger bill.

A) pocket veto
B) regular veto
C) line item veto
D) inherent power
E) lame duck veto

Question 23

Excluding Obama, since 1966 which president has been the most successful at passing legislation?

A) Reagan
B) Clinton
C) Johnson
D) Ford
E) George H.W. Bush

Question 24

claimed the presidential power to regulate the economy. Since that time, Americans have expected the president to be actively involved in economic matters and social programs.

A) In his first term as president, George Washington
B) During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln
C) After he assumed office in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt
D) During the Great Depression in the 1930s, Franklin D. Roosevelt
E) At the beginning of the Vietnam War in 1964, Lyndon Johnson

Question 25

The president who used the veto power most frequently, totaling 372 regular vetoes, was .

A) Franklin Delano Roosevelt
B) John F. Kennedy
C) Andrew Johnson
D) Andrew Jackson
E) Barack Obama

Question 26

Legislative success for a president is defined as how often the president

A) got his way on roll-call votes on which he took a clear position.
B) was able to get his legislative proposals introduced in Congress.
C) was able to veto legislation.
D) was able to get the support of the public for a legislative proposal.
E) got an invitation to appear before a joint session of Congress.

Question 27

Veto is a Latin word meaning

A) "you are wrong."
B) "I forbid."
C) "I approve."
D) "your turn."
E) "I refuse."

Question 28

set a precedent for the president to act as chief legislator by submitting proposed legislation to Congress.

A) George Washington
B) Andrew Jackson
C) Woodrow Wilson
D) Franklin D. Roosevelt
E) George W. Bush

Question 29

An executive order is a(n)

A) written statement, appended to a bill at the time the president signs it into law, indicating how the president interprets that legislation.
B) inherent executive power claimed by presidents to withhold information from, or to refuse to appear before, Congress or the courts.
C) binding international pact that is made between the president and another head of state and that does not require Senate approval.
D) formal agreement between the governments of two or more countries.
E) presidential order to carry out a policy or policies described in a law passed by Congress.

Question 30

If the president does not send a bill back to Congress after ten congressional working days,

A) the bill becomes law without the president's signature.
B) Congress can force an override with a three-fourths vote in both chambers.
C) Congress can kill the bill with a pocket veto.
D) the president still has the opportunity to veto the bill with an executive order.
E) the bill becomes law against the wishes of Congress in what is called a pocket veto.

Question 31

All of the following are specified presidential powers found in Article II of the Constitution EXCEPT

A) faithfully represent a national party and nominate a national party chairperson.
B) serve as commander in chief of the armed forces and state militias.
C) appoint with Senate consent the heads of executive departments.
D) make treaties with the advice and consent of the Senate.
E) ensure that the laws passed by Congress be faithfully executed.

Question 32

A signing statement is

A) a written statement, appended to a bill at the time the president signs it into law, indicating how the president interprets that legislation.
B) used by the president to grant reprieves, pardons, and amnesties.
C) used by the president to commit troops for up to ninety days in response to a military threat.
D) a formal agreement between the governments of two or more countries.
E) a presidential order to carry out a policy or policies described in a law passed by Congress.

Question 33

Additional powers that are necessary to carry out the specific responsibilities of president are set forth in the Constitution. They are known as powers.

A) inherent
B) explicit
C) implied
D) expanded
E) line item

Question 34

In 2009, President Obama had the most successful legislative year of any president

A) ever.
B) since Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
C) in a quarter century.
D) since Richard Nixon's second term in office.
E) since the opening days of Franklin Roosevelt's presidency.

Question 35

The 161 signing statements of challenged more than 1,100 clauses of federal law-more legal provisions than were challenged by all previous presidents put together.

A) Theodore Roosevelt
B) Harry Truman
C) Richard Nixon
D) Bill Clinton
E) George W. Bush

Question 36

Congress can override a presidential veto with a

A) simple majority vote in the Senate.
B) simple majority vote by the members present in each chamber.
C) two-thirds vote by the members present in each chamber.
D) two-thirds vote in the House.
E) signing statement.

Question 37

According to Richard Neustadt, in his book Presidential Power,

A) "Presidential power rests on the ability to develop a legislative program."
B) "Presidential power decreases with each successive president."
C) "Presidential power is the power to influence the economy."
D) "Presidential power is the power to persuade."
E) "Inherent powers are the real powers of the presidency."

Question 38

In his first two years in office, President Obama exercised the veto power

A) only twice.
B) eleven times.
C) fourteen times.
D) twenty-seven times.
E) thirty-one times.

Question 39

Which president made the following observation about the presidency? "All the president is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing, and kicking people to get them to do what they are supposed to do anyway."

A) Ronald Reagan
B) Bill Clinton
C) Richard Nixon
D) Franklin Delano Roosevelt
E) Harry Truman

Question 40

The presidential strategy known as "going public" refers to

A) participating in televised debates during a presidential election campaign.
B) publicly acknowledging mistakes or misconduct.
C) going out on the campaign trail to help members of Congress get reelected.
D) using press conferences, public appearances, and televised events to arouse public opinion in favor of certain legislative programs.
E) appearing on talk shows to demonstrate that the president connects with ordinary people.

Question 41

Traditionally, the cabinet has consisted of the and other officers whom the president may choose to appoint.

A) vice president, the secretary of state,
B) members of the National Security Council (NSC)
C) White House chief of staff, the press secretary,
D) director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the chair of the Council of Economic advisers,
E) heads of the executive departments

Question 42

By law, the president is required to inform Congress within of making any executive agreement.

A) twenty-four hours
B) one week
C) ten days
D) thirty days
E) sixty days

Question 43

Congress has an advantage of the president in

A) granting reprieves and pardons.
B) the ability to regulate foreign and interstate commerce.
C) the ability to rally public opinion.
D) dealing with a national crisis.
E) setting foreign policy goals and objectives.

Question 44

An informal group of unofficial presidential advisors has been called a(n) since the Andrew Jackson presidency.

A) kitchen cabinet
B) executive cabinet
C) policy czar system
D) president's inner circle
E) discretionary cabinet

Question 45

was the first president to issue a signing statement.

A) George Washington
B) James Monroe
C) Franklin Roosevelt
D) Ronald Reagan
E) George W. Bush

Question 46

The term divided government refers to

A) federalism-the division of powers between the national government and the states.
B) the constitutional principle of checks and balances.
C) the separation of powers among three branches of government.
D) the cultural and political differences between the red states and the blue states.
E) at least one house of Congress being controlled by a different party than the White House.

Question 47

The White House Office includes the

A) Council of Economic Advisers and the National Security Staff.
B) Office of Management and Budget and the Office of the Vice President.
C) president's chief of staff, the press secretary, and the counsel to the president.
D) Council on Environmental Quality and the Office of Administration.
E) Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Question 48

Of all the executive staff agencies, the has the most direct contact with the president.

A) Council of Economic Advisors
B) White House Office
C) Office of the Vice President
D) National Security Staff
E) Office of Administration

Question 49

Congress has declared war

A) over two hundred times.
B) in seventy-one different conflicts.
C) forty-two times.
D) in only five different conflicts.
E) twice.

Question 50

Today, the president travels at all times with the " ", the briefcase containing the codes used to launch a nuclear attack.

A) messenger bag
B) camera case
C) football
D) racquet bag
E) phone charger

Question 51

The president has an advantage over Congress in

A) the ability to authorize legislation.
B) the ability to regulate foreign and interstate commerce.
C) some budgetary matters.
D) the ratification of treaties.
E) setting foreign policy goals and objectives.

Question 52

The Executive Office of the President

A) was set up by President Barack Obama so that he could centralize the advisory function within the White House Office by appointing a number of "czars" who have responsibility for certain policy areas.
B) is an informal group of unofficial advisers, often referred to as a kitchen cabinet.
C) is the oval room in which the president carries out official business as chief executive.
D) is a group of staff agencies that assist the president in carrying out major duties.
E) includes the most important executive departments, including the Departments of State, Defense, Treasury, and Justice.

Question 53

Criticism of led to the passage of the War Powers Resolution.

A) President Clinton's decision to send troops into Haiti and to Bosnia
B) President George H. W. Bush's decision to use American troops to force Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait
C) President Truman's decision to send U.S. armed forces to Korea
D) the president's role in the Vietnam conflict
E) President Reagan's decision to send troops to Lebanon and Grenada

Question 54

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 requires the president to

A) declare war without congressional approval if it is deemed necessary.
B) wait for Congress to take action before deploying troops.
C) notify the public within forty-eight hours of deploying troops.
D) consult with the Joint Chiefs of Staff before asking Congress to declare war.
E) notify Congress within forty-eight hours of deploying troops.

Question 55

A(n) is a binding international pact that is made between the president and another head of state that does not require Senate approval.

A) treaty
B) executive agreement
C) executive order
D) claim of executive privilege
E) signing statement

Question 56

Executive privilege is best defined as

A) the power of the president, in performing the role of chief executive, to appoint high-ranking officers of the federal government.
B) the power of the president to issue executive orders.
C) an inherent executive power claimed by presidents to withhold information from, or to refuse to appear before, Congress or the courts.
D) the ability of the president to change the Executive Office of the President according to his needs and leadership style.
E) the power of the president to make executive agreements with other heads of state.

Question 57

In October 2002, Congress passed a(n) authorizing the use of U.S. armed forces against Iraq.

A) joint resolution
B) executive agreement
C) approval of an executive order
D) declaration of war
E) signing statement

Question 58

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 prevents the president from keeping troops abroad for more than , unless Congress authorizes a longer period.

A) fourteen days (or twenty-one days, if more time is needed for a successful withdrawal)
B) thirty days (or thirty-five days, if more time is needed for a successful withdrawal)
C) forty-five days (or sixty days, if more time is needed for a successful withdrawal)
D) sixty days (or ninety days, if more time is needed for a successful withdrawal)
E) one hundred eighty days (or two hundred days, if more time is needed for a successful withdrawal)

Question 59

Policy on tax rates, subsidies, and decreases and increases in government spending levels is known as policy.

A) fiscal
B) monetary
C) economic
D) budget
E) appropriations

Question 60

The president

A) is limited to one term in office.
B) has no term limits.
C) serves a six-year term.
D) serves a maximum of two, five-year terms.
E) is limited to two terms in office.

Question 61

If a vacancy occurs in the vice presidency,

A) a vice president is selected by the electoral college.
B) a vice president is appointed by the president and confirmed by the cabinet.
C) a vice president is nominated by the president and confirmed by a majority vote of both chambers of Congress.
D) there is currently no provision for filling the office.
E) the Speaker of the House, on his or her resignation as Speaker and as representative, acts as vice president.

Question 62

The addresses the question of what should be done if the president becomes incapable of performing the duties of the office.

A) Twenty-fifth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1967,
B) Twenty-second Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1951,
C) Americans with Disabilities Act
D) Civil Service Reform Act
E) Succession Act of 1947

Question 63

The advises the president on important matters and directs the operations of the presidential staff.

A) Press Secretary
B) First Lady
C) National Advisory Council
D) Chief of Staff
E) First Gentleman

Question 64

In 1974,

A) Gerald Ford became acting president after Congress, by a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress, determined that Richard Nixon was not able to discharge the normal functions of the presidential office.
B) Nelson Rockefeller became president after Gerald Ford resigned the office.
C) Richard Nixon resigned as president and chose Gerald Ford to replace him.
D) Gerald Ford advanced to the office of president and Nelson Rockefeller was named vice president. For the first time in U.S. history, neither the president nor the vice president had been elected to his position.
E) Spiro Agnew became president and Gerald Ford was named vice president.