Which of the following is an implied presidential power?
appointing department heads
making policy recommendations
vetoing legislation
issuing executive orders
Correct. Issuing executive orders is an implied presidential power.
Which of the following is an expressed presidential power?
exercising executive privilege
granting pardons and reprieves
serving as head of state in diplomatic relations
entering into executive agreements
Correct. Granting pardons and reprieves is an expressed presidential power.
Which of the following is a check on the president's power to appoint department heads?
budgetary support
bureaucratic approval
Senate confirmation
judicial veto
Correct. The president's power to appoint department heads is checked by the fact that any appointment requires Senate
confirmation.
Which of the following is a duty the president assumes as a public opinion leader?
shape the party agenda
implement party priorities
serve as head of state
shape the national agenda
Correct. Shaping the national agenda is a duty the president assumes as a public opinion leader.
Which of the following is an example of an expressed power?
invoking executive privilege
vetoing legislation
issuing executive orders
organizing the federal bureaucracy
Correct. Vetoing legislation is considered an expressed power.
President Ronald Reagan's management style resembled which of the following?
a general
wheel-like
a CEO
hands-on
Correct. President Ronald Reagan's management style resembled that of a CEO.
President Jimmy Carter preferred which style of leadership?
hands-off
reactionary
big picture
hands-on
Correct. President Carter favored a hands-on approach in which he was directly involved in a great deal of decision making, even over relatively mundane issues.
Which of the following would represent an accurate statement regarding executive orders?
Executive orders require the approval of Congress.
The Supreme Court does not have the power to rule on the constitutionality of executive orders.
The power to issue executive orders is expressed in the Constitution.
Executive orders are derived from the presidential oath of office and the Executive Power Clause.
Correct. Executive orders are derived from the presidential oath of office and the Executive Power Clause.
Executive privilege was invoked in which of the following cases?
school desegregation in Little Rock, Arkansas
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
the White House Office of Faith-Based Initiatives
the Watergate scandal
Correct. Executive privilege was invoked by President Nixon in the Watergate scandal.
The president's veto power is derived from which of the following?
Article II of the Constitution
Article I of the Constitution
the Executive Power Clause
the Supremacy Clause
Correct. The president's veto power is derived from Article I of the
Constitution.
When might we expect to see a large number of vetoes?
when Congress is out of session
when the U.S. is involved in a war
when there is a Democratic Congress and a Democratic President
when there is a Republican Congress and a Democratic president
Correct. We might expect to see a large number of vetoes during times of divided government—e.g., when there is a Republican Congress and a Democratic President (or
vice-versa).
Which of the following reflects a duty of the vice president?
to vote in the Senate if there is a tie
to oversee troop deployments
to replace the Speaker of the House in his or her absence
to remain a constant presence in Congress
Correct. The official duties of the vice president include voting in the Senate if there is a tie.
Which of the following powers would a president most likely utilize toward the end of his or her term?
giving a State of the Union address
granting a pardon to a convicted criminal
appointing a secretary of state
nominating a Supreme Court justice
Correct. A president would most likely utilize the power to grant a pardon to a convicted criminal toward the end of his or her term.
Which of the following represents a presidential check on judicial power? Choose the BEST answer.
vetoing legislation
presiding over an impeachment hearing
convening Congress
granting amnesty to a group of people
Correct. Granting amnesty to a group of people represents a presidential check on judicial power.
The president's power to exonerate a person from the penalties associated with committing a crime but not the crime itself is known as what?
a reprieve
executive forgiveness
a pardon
granting
amnesty
Correct. A reprieve occurs when the president eliminates the penalties associated with committing a crime, although the violator is not exonerated from the crime itself.
If a president wishes to enter into a treaty with another country, what is required before he or she can proceed?
the approval of three-fourths of the Senate
the approval of two-thirds of the House
the approval of three-fourths of the House
the approval of
two-thirds of the Senate
Correct. A treaty requires at least two-thirds of the Senate to support the president's proposal.
What alternative mechanism may a president use to enter into an international agreement without the support of legislators?
signing an executive agreement
replacing an ambassador
proposing a UN resolution
issuing an executive order
Correct. An executive agreement represents an alternative to a
treaty, one that does not require Senate approval.
Under what circumstances might the president use the power to receive foreign dignitaries and appoint U.S. ambassadors? Choose the BEST answer.
to recognize the legitimacy of other nations
to provide a check on the judicial system
to strengthen party loyalty
to criticize proposed legislation
Correct. The president might use the power to receive foreign dignitaries and appoint U.S.
ambassadors in order to recognize the legitimacy of other nations.
What was the goal of the War Powers Act of 1973?
to expand the military authority of the president and relieve Congress of certain military-related responsibilities
to formally end the war in Vietnam
to limit the power of presidents to engage the U.S. military without congressional approval
to increase public knowledge of wartime developments by granting the
media greater access to the Pentagon
Correct. The War Powers Act was designed to limit the president's ability to deploy the military without the consent of Congress.
In entering into conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, President George W. Bush did which of the following?
concluded an executive agreement
waited until the War Powers Resolution had passed Congress
acted in his capacity as commander in chief
mobilized troops after
Congress had declared war on these nations
Correct. In entering into conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, President George W. Bush acted in his capacity as commander in chief.
How many executive departments existed during the time that George Washington served as president?
six
none
three
one
Correct. There were three executive departments in existence when George Washington was president.
How large is the federal civilian workforce in the executive branch?
nearly 1.5 million employees
nearly 2.8 million employees
nearly 100,000 employees
nearly 500,000 employees
Correct. The federal civilian payroll for the executive branch includes almost 2.8 million employees.
How has presidential power changed over the course of American history?
It grew for a short time and then shrunk again.
It has grown over time.
It has shrunk considerably.
It has remained largely the same.
Correct. Presidential power has generally grown throughout American history, particularly in the 20th century.
Which of the following was a primary focus of government policies and programs between the 1780s and 1930s?
economic stimulus
social initiatives such as welfare and pension programs
federal bureaucratic expansion
commerce between
states and with other nations
Correct. Commerce between states and nations was a primary focus of government policies and programs between the 1780s and 1930s.
Which of the following occurred during the Great Depression and its aftermath?
The Supreme Court's interpretation of the Commerce Clause remained consistent with its historical treatment of this clause.
Government programs were implemented to deal with events like Shays' Rebellion.
The federal government contracted in size due to the severity of the recession.
The executive branch created a number of new bureaucratic offices.
Correct. During the Great Depression and its aftermath, the executive branch created a number of new bureaucratic offices.
Which department was most recently added to the president's cabinet?
the Department of Homeland Security
the Department of Education
the Department of Housing and Urban Development
the Department of Agriculture
Correct. The most recent executive department to be added to the president's cabinet is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Presidents have historically depended on their party in which of the following capacities?
supporting judicial nominees
setting the agenda
funding the campaign
mobilizing voters
Correct. Presidents have historically
depended on their party for its organizational efforts in mobilizing voters.
The relationship between a president and his party is typically described as which of the following?
parasitic
symbiotic
generally negative
intense
Correct. The relationship between a president and his party is typically described as symbiotic.
Which of the following would represent an instance of the president "going public"?
circumventing Congress to petition the people directly
revealing classified information
delivering a State of the Union address
opening campaign donations to the people
Correct. Circumventing Congress to directly petition the people would be an instance of the president "going public."
How has President Donald Trump changed the relationship between the presidency and party members?
by inviting party leadership to speak for him in the press
by using his influence to campaign for party members
by using Twitter to bypass the filters of party and press
by giving his legislative agenda to members of his own party in Congress before "going public"
Correct. President Trump has used new media and Twitter to bypass party and press, often criticizing his own party.
Why might the Founders have limited the powers of the executive branch?
They sought continuity with the executive powers outlined in the Articles of Confederation.
They intended for the judicial branch to be the most powerful.
They wanted to avoid the tyrannical power of a king.
They preferred the idea of a direct democracy.
Correct. The Founders might have limited the powers of the executive branch because they wanted to avoid the tyrannical power of a king.
How have presidents expanded their power over time? Choose the BEST answer.
through their use of expressed powers
through their interpretation of implied powers
through public relations campaigns
through constitutional amendments
Correct. Presidents have expanded their power over time through their interpretation of implied powers in the Constitution.
What action by President Trump was limited by federal courts?
the War Powers Resolution
the Voting Rights Act of 1965
the Equal Rights Act
Executive Order 13769
Correct. Federal courts blocked the enforcement of Executive Order 13769 in Washington v. Trump.
Which of the following situations represents a check on presidential power?
the Supreme Court declining to hear a challenge to an executive order
the president promoting an aide to become his new chief of staff
the Senate holding a vote on a Supreme Court nomination
the governor of a state deciding to challenge the president for reelection
Correct. The Senate holding a vote on a Supreme Court nomination would be considered a check on presidential power.
The fact that Bill Clinton left office with a much higher approval rating than that of George W. Bush can be explained by which of the following factors (among others)?
the thriving economy at the end of the Bush administration
Clinton's scandal-free tenure in office
the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan initiated by the Bush administration
Bush's charismatic personality
Correct. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan initiated by the Bush administration became extremely unpopular, and contributed to George W. Bush's low approval rating.
According to Richard Neustadt, a president's performance is directly related to which of the following?
the ability to maintain good relations with the media
management style
general appearance
the power to persuade
Correct. The president's performance, according to Richard Neustadt, is directly related to the power to persuade.
According to Barber's typology, which of the following personality types potentially makes the best type of president?
passive negative
passive positive
active positive
active negative
Correct. According to Barber's
typology, an active positive personality potentially makes the best type of president
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