AQA A-Level Politics US executive

What are the three divisions of a president's formal powers?

Enumerated: Powers given by the constitution or delegated by Congress.
Implied: Implied by the text of the constitution.
Inherent: They are needed for the president to carry out role, are not linked to powers given in the constitution unlike implied powers.

Which section of the constitution gives the president power to propose legislation to Congress?

Article 2 Section 3

When, and under which, did the president start using Article 2 Section 3 more?

In 1933 under Roosevelt with the great depression and the first hundred days.

How did Roosevelt also expand presidential powers?

Expanded emergency powers in a national emergency such as the executive order in 1942 when he detained 120,000 Japanese Americans, despite it being overruled by the supreme court in 1945.

How were inherent powers used in 2001?

9/11, Bush ignored civil liberties and anti-torture laws to lock up terror suspects.

Are executive powers formal or informal and what are they?

Formal and means that they control federal bureaucracy and is made up of 15 executive departments and has control over the federal budget setting out expenditure for the year however it is written by the OMB. Financial year 2023 was $1.7 trillion.

Is the president influencing the passage of legislation through Congress a formal or informal power and what happens?

The president does this in the state of union address usually in January and is where the president presents their legislative priorities for each chamber of Congress. They can make policy priorities at any time. They also sign, veto, pocket veto or leave a bill on the desk. As of November 2023, Biden has made 8 vetos. George H.W Bush made 44

Is the appointment process a formal or informal power?

Formal, they can make 4,000 appointments in the executive with 700 confirmed by the senate. For instance, Biden confirmed Jane Hartley as UK ambassador in May 2022. However, Merrick Garland was not confirmed when appointed by Obama in 2016.

Is the foreign policy power a formal or informal power and what is it?

Formal and means that the president is the commander in chief of the US armed forces. The constitution states that only Congress can declare war but hasn't done so since 1941. The 1973 War Powers Act requires the president to seek Congressional approval of military advancement however the president has not always done so such as Obama in Libya in 2011 and also initiated affairs in Syria in 2015.

Is the power to grant pardons a formal or informal power?

Formal, a president can pardon anyone with an exception of cases of impeachment such as Ford pardoning Nixon for Watergate in 1972.

Is the power to persuade a formal or informal power and what is it?

Formal as said in 1960, the political scientist Richard Neustadt announced that 'Presidential Power is merely the power to persuade'. They can do this in many ways such as how the president can persuade in a number of ways. Firstly they can make use of the Vice President, for example sending them to fundraising dinners for congressmen, Secondly the President could use EXOP to persuade congressmen to advance the Presidential agenda on 'the Hill'. This would typically be done through the Office of Legislative Affairs, Thirdly, the President may appeal to the public to try and build popular support for a measure, in an attempt to persuade Congress into action. If all else fails, the President may intervene personally to persuade Congressmen to cooperate.

How does the president's power to persuade differ from that of the UK prime minister? Stretch, which comparative theory is used here?

- The prime minister can reward their loyal MPs with cabinet posts however, due to a more rigid separation of powers, cabinet posts are not seen as a reward from Congress.

- The US lacks any formal honours system like in the UK as the prime minister who can promote loyals to the House of Lords like in the UK system.

- Despite both being party and de facto party leaders respectively, the president cannot remove the whip from disloyal members of Congress like the prime minister can in parliament.

The theories used: structural and possibly rational

Is deal-making a formal or informal power and what is it?

Informal, they may make a deal to support a policy that the legislator is championing or deliver funding to their home state or district. Trump made bi-partisan deals to pass the first steps act 2018.

What are the constraints by Congress on the president's power?

- Amending, delaying or rejecting presidents legislation
- Overriding a presidential veto
- Power of the purse
- Confirmation of appointments
- Ratification of treaties
- Power to declare war
- Investigation
- Impeachment

Main backgrounds of cabinet officers

Former politicians, senator and served as Obama's secretary of state from 2009-13 not only policy experience but also a unifier of different democrat factions after lost the 2008 nomination.
Academics, Obama appointed Nobel prize winning physicist Steven Chu as secretary of energy.
Experts in the field, Steven Mnuchin, Trump's secretary of the treasury from 2017 was previously an investment banker and hedge fund manager.
Lobbyists: Trump appointed former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler to head of the Environment Protection Agency in 2018.

What does the makeup of a president's cabinet reflect and give two examples of how this is the case?

Their own perspective and experience. Former law professor Obama chose a highly academic cabinet with two-thirds of the office attending ivy league universities. Billionaire Trump wanted officers made of money with a net worth of $2.3 billion to his first cabinet.

What was Biden's cabinet composed of?

The most diverse cabinet in history with Janet Yellen as first female treasury secretary, Lloyd Austin as an African American defence secretary, Pete Buttigieg as transport secretary openly gay and Deb Haaland first native American cabinet officer

What is the executive office of the president?

A group of offices that support the president in the running of federal government. These include the white house office, the national security council, the office of the vice president and the office of management and budget.

How many staff does the EXOP have and who is it headed by?

3,000-4,000 headed by the white house chief of staff.

Which 5 offices does the WHO include?

Office of the chief of staff, Office of Legislative affairs, Office of Cabinet affairs, Office of Communications and Office of the national security adviser.

Why, in terms of confirmation, is the appointment to the WHO significant?

It does not need confirmation from the senate.

Who chairs and has membership of the National Security Council?

Chaired by the president, members vice president, secretary of state, secretary of the treasury, secretary of defense, chair of joint chiefs of staff.

What does the NSC run?

The secure situation room in the basement of the white house.

Trump's approval ratings in his party and in the nation as a whole in 2018

85-90% in his party and 40% for the nation

Which case happened in 2008 which demonstrates how approval ratings can lead to a downfall of a president?

Kucinich-Wexler case 2008 after hurricane Katrina. This case looked at potential lies by Bush to gain congressional support to invade Iraq in 2003.

When was EXOP established?

1939

Who forms the National Security Council (NSC) and when was it created?

1947, president, vice president, secretary of state, secretary of defence and the national security adviser.

Which act established the NSC?

National Security Act 1947

In terms of killing, what is the NSC able to do and how does it do this?

It is authorised to kill terror suspects from a panel of NSC advisers.

Which homeland security adviser developed which system which would be able to track terror suspects and when?

Joe O'Brennen with disposition matrix starting in 2010.

Between 2004 and 2012, approximately how many people were killed as a result of disposition matrix?

Around 3,000

How have the ways in which the president can govern changed in recent years?

The president cannot try and govern on the basis of compromise and concession.

How did Obama use coalition building?

He made policies to suit many such as in 2012 a stimulus bill and an auto financial sector as well as healthcare security and extended rights for minority groups and women.

What is the average approval ratings for the first year of presidency?

83%

What was the name of FDR's coalition and who did it consist of?

New Deal Coalition consisting of unions, blue collar workers, industry, minorities, intellectuals, Southerners and Democratic party organisations in the states.

What is the average approval ratings for the last year of presidency?

48%

Name a recent president who faced the waxing and waning of power.

Barrack Obama

How many EC did Obama get and how much of the popular vote?

365 with 52.9%

What did Obama promise in 2008?

A new kind of foreign policy after the neo conservative wars of Bush.

As the US was in a financial crisis, what was an example of an economic stimulus passed in the early days of Obama?

American recovery and reinvestment act 2009 which created better unemployment security with $20 billion for an increase of 14% in food stamps.

When was the beginning of the waning of Obama's power but was he still successful after and why?

2010 when the democrats lost control of the house with the start of the tea party movement.

But he was still successful such as in the killing of Osama Bin Ladern in 2011.

How were the Republicans in Congress frustrating Obama after 2010?

Many of them felt like Obamacare had gone too far and did not support gun control measures after the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting.

When did Obama become a lame duck president and why?

2014 when he lost control of both houses in Congress.

Between 2015 and 2017, how many executive orders did Obama sign?

78

When was Obama's executive order to give some rights to illegal immigrants struck down by the supreme court?

2016

What did the Brownlow committee find and when was the Brownlow committee?

It found that the "president needs help" 1939

How many cabinet positions were there in the US originally?

3

How did the US cabinet come about?

In 1789, George Washington met with "advisers" as article II of the constitution points out and ever since, presidents have done the same.

Name 4 functions of the cabinet for the president

- Monitoring Congress
- Prompting Action
- Presenting "Big Picture" Items
- Team Spirit

Example of Obama using a cabinet meeting to prompt action.

In 2014, Obama used it to prompt action after secretary of defence, Chuck Hagel was being slow with the release of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.

Example of Bush and Obama using a cabinet meeting to monitor Congress.

2002, Bush authorisation for military action in Iraq, Homeland security bill and budget.

2015, Obama used to discuss congressional agenda. P

Example of how Biden used cabinet September-October 2023

September to discuss government continuity after potential partial shutdown and October to discuss how a crisis was averted.

When did Biden give out how many pardons for marijuana offences?

End of 2023, 6,500

What are the roles of US cabinet?

Provide information and analysis of key issues facing the administration.

Providing guidance in specialist policy areas.

Writing speeches/presenting the president's view to the public.

What does article 2 give to the president?

Sole executive power

How many times a year did Obama's cabinet meet?

3.5

In 2017 and 2018, how many times did Trump's cabinet meet?

9

How many times did Trump's cabinet meet in 2019?

4

Why can executive orders be seen as a weakness of the president?

They are an alternative to legislation when they cannot get legislation passed.

What are executive agreements and why are they different to treaties?

They are an agreement between the US and another country. They do not need senate confirmation.

How many executive orders did FDR sign?

3,721

When and how did Eisenhower use an executive order?

He used one in 1957 to enforce racial desegregation at little rock.

How many executive orders has Biden signed?

138

Name three differences between the US and UK cabinet.

In the US, cabinet members need confirmation whereas in the UK the prime minister can appoint who they want.

In the US, the president is higher whereas in the UK the prime minister is primus inter pares.

In the US, cabinet ministers are only responsible for their department whereas in the UK there is collective responsibility.

Name 5 informal powers of the president

- Power to persuade
- Deal making
- Setting the agenda
- De facto party leader
- World leader

How did Biden convince Congress to pass the American Rescue Plan Act 2021?

Talked about how 37,000 have died and how the time to act is now.

What % of Congressional support did Obama have in 2009?

96.7%

What % of Congressional support did Obama have in 2011 and 2014?

57% and 45.7%

What is meant by the president signing statements?

They sign a bill into law but also wish to comment on it.

How did Trump set the agenda and give an example of it in action.

Twitter. In January 2021 he said "fight like hell" just before the insurrection.

Who was Richard Nixon's chief of staff and what did he used to do?

Bob Haldeman used to report to the president after frequent meetings with White House officials.

Who does the president appoint in the EXOP to dominate the cabinet?

Policy czars

What are policy czars?

They are appointed to oversee a certain area of policy similar to those overseen by cabinet ministers.

Who was trade czar from 2016 and what did he do?

Peter Navaro he was instrumental in pushing tariffs up against China.

What areas of policy did Jared Krushner oversee as policy czar?

Border wall, health and diplomacy with China and Mexico.

How was Krushner a highly influential policy czar?

In 2017, he convinced Trump to over rule the objections of Rex Tillerson and James Mattis secretaries of state and defence to move the US embassy from Israel to Jerusalem despite objections from European allies and Palestinians.

Since 1789, how many vetoes have there been?

2,594

What is meant by a pocket veto and give an example of one?

If the president does not sign a piece of legislation within 10 days it automatically becomes law. If the president leaves it for 10 days before Congress adjourns, it will not have enough time to act on it.

In 2010, Obama used it to block a bill which would have led banks to more easily send homes into foreclosure

What is meant by presidential memorandum?

Orders by the president which set standards for federal government.

Give an example of how public opinion has been impactful on the power of the US president.

48% were opposed and 42% in favour of the construction of keystone XL.