ap gov executive branch test

what are the requirements to be president

35 years old, lived in USA for 14 years, native born

how long is a president's term in office

4 years

what is the maximum amount of terms a president can serve

2 terms (10 year max in special cases)

what amendment limits the president to 2 terms

22nd amendment

who is the only president who served more than 10 years (4 terms)

FDR

why was the president initially given very vague and limited powers

founding fathers were afraid of another king/dictator

what was the intention of the executive branch

to ensure that the legislative branch was the most powerful

why was the electoral college created

to ensure that the small states would matter and that we the people would not chose an idiot

who set the precedent of two terms

Washington

what is the ONLY unchecked power of the president

pardoning power

what is the pardoning power of the president

a president's authority to release or excuse a person from the legal penalties of a crime

who choses the president if the votes are tied

the house of representatives

what kind of system is the electoral college referred to

winner takes all system

describe the electoral college's winner takes all system

the winner of each state receives all of the electoral votes of that state

what is each state's electoral votes based on

representation in congress

how often does representation in congress for electoral votes change

every 10 years based on census (population)

how many electoral votes are there today

538

how many electoral votes are needed to win the presidency

first to 270 wins

what happens if there is no winner/there is a tie in the electoral college

house picks the president, senate picks the vice president

did the founders anticipate the two party system

no; we did that ourselves

evaluate the parts of the 538 votes in the electoral college

number of representatives + number of senators + 23rd amendment (435+100+3)

what is the 23rd amendment in importance to the electoral college

Allows Washington DC (District of Columbia) to have 3 electoral votes.

what are the only two states with proportional voting

nebraska and maine

what is proportional voting

a proportion of a state's delegates are chosen to match voter preferences in the primary

list the formal powers of the president (powers listed in the constitution)

-commander in chief

-treaty negotiator

-nominates federal judges (cabinet)

-state of the union

-veto power

-pardon felons

-execute laws (signs laws)

-draws up the budget

describe the presidents formal power of being commander in chief

presidents ability to control/be the head of the armed services

describe the presidents formal power of being able to nominate federal judges

the president can appoint supreme court justices, trial judges, appellate judges...

describe the presidents formal power of the state of the union

first couple months every year of the presidents term letting the American public and congress know their plans/objectives

describe the presidents formal power of vetoing

able to veto bills from congress; very rarely overridden

describe the presidents formal power to pardon felons

its the only unchecked power that the president has; essentially can give people a get out of jail free card

whats the presidents easiest formal power

signing laws

describe the presidents formal power of drawing up the budget

does it alongside congress

list the informal powers of the president (not written in constitution)

-legislative leader

-party leader

-personnel recruiter

-leader of the free world

-morale builder

-bully pulpit

-executive privilege/executive officer

describe the presidents informal power of being a legislative leader

president cannot write legislation but can put pressure on all branches of the government by being the only person who is able to use the media and get full coverage of everything they want

describe the presidents informal power of being a party leader

they are the most important person in the party they are associated with (democrat or republican)

describe the presidents informal power of being a personnel recruiter

ability to hire whoever, whenever they want

describe the presidents informal power of being the leader of the free world

we have the largest democracy so they try to spread democracy and help other countries who are trying to hold onto their democracy

describe the presidents informal power of being a morale builder

when bad things happen the president is the shoulder of the U.S. to lean on; president goes on TV, visits places, etc to boost morale

describe the presidents informal power of the bully pulpit

presidents ability to use the mass media as a unique individual being in charge of the entire country to put pressure on congress/interest groups/on the public to implore them to get behind what the president believes in; using mass media to influence public policy or opinion

describe the presidents informal power of executive privilege/executive officer

-determines/guides/directs how to carry out a law

-in charge of the government agencies that carry out laws

-ability to keep national security secrets from everyone

who carries out the laws passed by congress

president/executive branch

most of them time, does the president work in conjunction with congress or circumvent them

usually works in conjunction with congress but sometimes carries out their laws in a different way than intended

who declares war

congress

what is the presidents abilities in relation to war

has the ability to wage war or commit troops without the formal operation of war from congress

do presidential appointments need to be approved

yes

who approves presidential appointments and how any votes are needed to do so

the senate; majority vote (51)

what are some examples of who the president appoints

cabinet members, heads of various agencies, all federal judges, U.S. marshals, foreign ambassadors

does congress have to pass the presidents budget

yes

how can congress override a presidents veto

2/3 vote in both chambers of congress

define the power of the purse

congress must authorize any funds of war

can congress end any war

yes by cutting the funding

in foreign policy ___ generally defers to the president

congress

why does congress usually give the president the ability to decide things for foreign policy

-prez has more information and people at his disposal

-congress readily takes the back seat allowing the prez to receive the glory, but most usually the ridicule that comes with decisions.

do the presidents treaty negotiations have to be approved by anything? how?

must be approved by 2/3 of the senate; when the prez negotiates they are the treaty maker, the senate just needs to approve

can the president enter into executive agreements with heads of other countries

yes

what holds the same weight as a treaty without needing senate approval; how the president works around the senate

entering into executive agreements with heads of other countries

who is responsible for keeping us safe from domestic insurrection and foreign invasion

the president

who is the commander in chief of the armed forces

the president

does the president have the ability to display the national guard when necessary

yes

when though the forma; declaration of war is made by congress, who has the power to CONTROL the war

the president

what gave the president the ability to commit troops without congressional approval

gulf of tonkin resolution

what is the gulf of tonkin resolution

gave the president the ability to commit troops without congressional approval

why was the gulf on tonkin resolution allowed

because we had a unified government, so congress said it was okay since president Johnson had the same beliefs as congress; also made it so that congress wouldn't be blamed if anything went wrong

why si the gulf of tonkin resolution significant

because it gave president Johnson the authorization without formal declaration of war by congress for the use of military force in southeast Asia

is the gulf of tonkin resolution still standing?

it was rescinded and replaced by the war powers act

what was the war powers act

the U.S. federal law providing that the president can send U.S armed forces into action abroad only by authorization of congress or if the U.S. is already under attack or serious threat. requires that the president notify congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days without an authorization of the use of military force or a declaration of war.

how many years after the gulf of tonkin was the war powers act enacted

9

why did congress pass the war powers act

because president Nixon was a republican and congress was mainly democratic so they had less trust in him and implemented this basically taking away a president right they gave to Johnson just before him.

what did congress do when Nixon vetoed the war powers act

congress overrode the veto making it an official law

what did congress do when Nixon ignored the war powers act law

congress took it to the supreme court

what did the supreme court rule on the gulf of tonkin privileges for Nixon

determined they didn't have standing "nothing to do with constitution" and since congress gave away their powers and now trying to take it back, the supreme court decided they don't have to follow this federal law; essentially, gulf of tonkin is still a thing even though its against the law, its allowed.

what are the jobs of the president

fight inflation, keep taxes low, promote economic growth, prevent recession, and create jobs

who does the president utilize to attack economic issues

secretary of the treasury, the council of economic advisors, and the chairperson of the federal reserve board

who does the president work with to write the budget

the OMB

what happens when the president is popular

they have more power/more things get done

what is the white house staff

the presidents most trusted people. the inner circle. his closest advisors.

does the white house staff have to be confirmed

no

who is included in the white house staff

anyone who the president trusts to share top secret information with, for example: chief of staff, domestic advisors, security advisors, the chef, secretaries. etc

who are the executive office of the president

political appointments; agencies that report directly to the president

who must approve the executive office of the president

the senate

what is the most powerful agency in the executive office of the president

office of management and budget (OMB)

why is the office of management and budget (OMB) the most powerful agency

they direct the money

why was the OMB created

to help the president in drawing up the annual budget

what created the OMB

the budgeting accounting act

who decides which agencies will get money each year

the OMB/president

how does the president control the bueraucracy

budgeting; he decided what agencies get the most

what receives the most money from the budget currently

entitlement programs

what is the first job of the president/what usually gets done really quick once in office

appointing cabinet positions

what are the cabinet positions

head of executive agencies

how many executive departments are there currently

15

what were the first three executive departments

state, war, treasury

what was the last added executive agency

homeland security

are executive agencies mentioned in the constitution

no

who can the president fire without any cause/proof/just if they wants to

executive agency appointments

what are independent agencies

collection of agencies that regulate segments of the economy

what are some examples of the independent agencies

federal reserve board (FED), security exchange commission (SEC), and the federal communications commission (FCC)

who appoints the heads of the independent agencies

the president

who approves the presidents appointments of independent agencies

the senate

what agencies can the president not fire without any proof

independent agencies

why can't independent agencies be fired by the president without proof of wrong

they are independent once approved