Question 1

Why is the president's State of the Union address important?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is often the only time that members of Congress get to question the president directly. 
B)  It is an opportunity for the president to set the legislative agenda by initiating proposals and directing public attention to the executive's goals. 
C)  It is an opportunity for the president to highlight the positive actions of the previous year. 
D)  It is the only time the president is constitutionally allowed to address Congress. 
E)  It determines the exact budget for the upcoming year. 
A)  It is often the only time that members of Congress get to question the president directly. 
B)  It is an opportunity for the president to set the legislative agenda by initiating proposals and directing public attention to the executive's goals. 
C)  It is an opportunity for the president to highlight the positive actions of the previous year. 
D)  It is the only time the president is constitutionally allowed to address Congress. 
E)  It determines the exact budget for the upcoming year.

Question 2

An informal group of advisers to the president is often called the

Accepted Answer

A)  Kitchen Cabinet. 
B)  plumbers. 
C)  round table. 
D)  colloquium. 
E)  good ole boys (despite the fact that many women have entered these ranks). 
A)  Kitchen Cabinet. 
B)  plumbers. 
C)  round table. 
D)  colloquium. 
E)  good ole boys (despite the fact that many women have entered these ranks).

Question 3

In order to get around the need for Senate approval of treaties, many contemporary presidents have made use of ______ in foreign affairs.

Accepted Answer

A)  diplomacy 
B)  international protocols 
C)  executive immunity 
D)  executive agreements 
E)  bypass agreements 
A)  diplomacy 
B)  international protocols 
C)  executive immunity 
D)  executive agreements 
E)  bypass agreements

Question 4

Describe the different constitutional powers of the president. What are some of the president's most important powers? What are some of the checks upon the president's powers? What was the Founders' vision of the office of president?

Accepted Answer

The president of the United States has s

Question 5

After the president and vice president, which office is next in the line of succession?

Accepted Answer

A)  Speaker of the House 
B)  Senate majority leader 
C)  Chief Justice of the Supreme Court 
D)  secretary of state 
E)  attorney general 
A)  Speaker of the House 
B)  Senate majority leader 
C)  Chief Justice of the Supreme Court 
D)  secretary of state 
E)  attorney general

Question 6

The main political value of the vice president is to

Accepted Answer

A)  bring the president votes in the election from a group or region that would not otherwise be a likely source of support. 
B)  draw negative attention away from the president during times of crisis. 
C)  give the president an institutional link to Congress. 
D)  act as the political party's chief fundraiser. 
E)  promote bipartisanship with members of the opposing political party. 
A)  bring the president votes in the election from a group or region that would not otherwise be a likely source of support. 
B)  draw negative attention away from the president during times of crisis. 
C)  give the president an institutional link to Congress. 
D)  act as the political party's chief fundraiser. 
E)  promote bipartisanship with members of the opposing political party.

Question 7

The office of the presidency was established by ______ of the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 8

According to political scientist Terry Moe, why does Congress suffer from a collective-action problem in the face of presidential power?

Accepted Answer

A)  Individual members of Congress are more concerned with the substantive impact of presidential action on their constituents rather than the general implications of presidential powers. 
B)  The House and the Senate must work in tandem but constantly find any unity impossible. 
C)  The Constitution gives the president the ability to resist any congressional oversight not supported by two-thirds of members. 
D)  Members of Congress are often uninformed about the actions of the president. 
E)  The size and diversity of Congress make cooperation difficult. 
A)  Individual members of Congress are more concerned with the substantive impact of presidential action on their constituents rather than the general implications of presidential powers. 
B)  The House and the Senate must work in tandem but constantly find any unity impossible. 
C)  The Constitution gives the president the ability to resist any congressional oversight not supported by two-thirds of members. 
D)  Members of Congress are often uninformed about the actions of the president. 
E)  The size and diversity of Congress make cooperation difficult.

Question 9

The president's power to set the debate concerning public policy in Congress is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  executive mandate. 
B)  executive privilege. 
C)  legislative initiative. 
D)  executive order. 
E)  presidential prerogative. 
A)  executive mandate. 
B)  executive privilege. 
C)  legislative initiative. 
D)  executive order. 
E)  presidential prerogative.

Question 10

An executive order is

Accepted Answer

A)  a rule or regulation issued unilaterally by the president, with the status of a law. 
B)  an emergency decree that is law only for the duration of a crisis or pending congressional approval. 
C)  a demand to Congress that it vote on a particular piece of legislation. 
D)  any act of the executive branch that does not have to be made public. 
E)  a decree issued by the president that requires the federal courts to hear a particular case regarding the Constitution. 
A)  a rule or regulation issued unilaterally by the president, with the status of a law. 
B)  an emergency decree that is law only for the duration of a crisis or pending congressional approval. 
C)  a demand to Congress that it vote on a particular piece of legislation. 
D)  any act of the executive branch that does not have to be made public. 
E)  a decree issued by the president that requires the federal courts to hear a particular case regarding the Constitution.

Question 11

A significant initiative set forth by Lyndon Johnson was

Accepted Answer

A)  the New Deal. 
B)  the war on terrorism. 
C)  Prohibition. 
D)  the Great Society. 
E)  the Great Leap Forward. 
A)  the New Deal. 
B)  the war on terrorism. 
C)  Prohibition. 
D)  the Great Society. 
E)  the Great Leap Forward.

Question 12

Contemporary presidents frequently use popular mobilization and executive administration to achieve their goals because

Accepted Answer

A)  these strategies give the president the opportunity to work directly with members of Congress from both political parties. 
B)  these strategies almost never fail to produce the exact outcome the president wants. 
C)  America's system of separated powers makes party support an unreliable presidential tool. 
D)  the Constitution gives the president almost no other way to pursue political change. 
E)  the Supreme Court has ruled that presidents are no longer allowed to draft legislation and work directly with members of Congress to pass it. 
A)  these strategies give the president the opportunity to work directly with members of Congress from both political parties. 
B)  these strategies almost never fail to produce the exact outcome the president wants. 
C)  America's system of separated powers makes party support an unreliable presidential tool. 
D)  the Constitution gives the president almost no other way to pursue political change. 
E)  the Supreme Court has ruled that presidents are no longer allowed to draft legislation and work directly with members of Congress to pass it.

Question 13

The president's expressed powers include all of the following except

Accepted Answer

A)  military. 
B)  partisan. 
C)  judicial. 
D)  diplomatic. 
E)  executive. 
A)  military. 
B)  partisan. 
C)  judicial. 
D)  diplomatic. 
E)  executive.

Question 14

In the early 1800s, the system of nominating presidential candidates that left the candidates beholden to their party's leaders in Congress was called

Accepted Answer

A)  the King Caucus. 
B)  party primaries. 
C)  congressional nominations. 
D)  presidential gerrymandering. 
E)  the spoils system. 
A)  the King Caucus. 
B)  party primaries. 
C)  congressional nominations. 
D)  presidential gerrymandering. 
E)  the spoils system.

Question 15

The ______ is the informal designation for the heads of the major federal government departments.

Accepted Answer

A)  White House staff 
B)  Committee of Staff 
C)  presidential advisory committee 
D)  Cabinet 
E)  Executive Office of the President 
A)  White House staff 
B)  Committee of Staff 
C)  presidential advisory committee 
D)  Cabinet 
E)  Executive Office of the President

Question 16

Since the 1930s, Congress has delegated far less authority to the president than in earlier eras.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Which of the following statements about signing statements is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Constitution requires that the president explain his interpretation of every law he signs by issuing a signing statement. 
B)  Although signing statements were commonly used prior to 1900, no modern president has issued them when signing a piece of legislation into law. 
C)  Signing statements never instruct executive agencies whether to implement sections of a new law and never interpret ambiguous provisions of the law. 
D)  While presidents have made signing statements throughout American history, they have only recently been recorded and made part of the official legislative record. 
E)  Signing statements were invented during the Reagan administration as a way for the president to circumvent the federal court system. 
A)  The Constitution requires that the president explain his interpretation of every law he signs by issuing a signing statement. 
B)  Although signing statements were commonly used prior to 1900, no modern president has issued them when signing a piece of legislation into law. 
C)  Signing statements never instruct executive agencies whether to implement sections of a new law and never interpret ambiguous provisions of the law. 
D)  While presidents have made signing statements throughout American history, they have only recently been recorded and made part of the official legislative record. 
E)  Signing statements were invented during the Reagan administration as a way for the president to circumvent the federal court system.

Question 18

Which of the following statements about the presidential veto is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Presidents have used the veto only twice in American history. 
B)  Use of the veto has remained constant across presidential administrations, and vetoes are frequently overridden. 
C)  Use of the veto varies considerably across presidential administrations, and vetoes are seldom overridden. 
D)  Use of the veto has remained constant across presidential administrations, and vetoes are frequently overridden 
E)  Use of the veto has remained constant across presidential administrations, and vetoes are seldom overridden. 
A)  Presidents have used the veto only twice in American history. 
B)  Use of the veto has remained constant across presidential administrations, and vetoes are frequently overridden. 
C)  Use of the veto varies considerably across presidential administrations, and vetoes are seldom overridden. 
D)  Use of the veto has remained constant across presidential administrations, and vetoes are frequently overridden 
E)  Use of the veto has remained constant across presidential administrations, and vetoes are seldom overridden.

Question 19

When Congress delegates power to the executive branch, it

Accepted Answer

A)  substantially reduces the power of the federal government compared to state governments. 
B)  has no impact on the importance of the presidency at all. 
C)  violates the Constitution by violating the separation of powers. 
D)  substantially reduces the importance of the presidency. 
E)  substantially enhances the importance of the presidency. 
A)  substantially reduces the power of the federal government compared to state governments. 
B)  has no impact on the importance of the presidency at all. 
C)  violates the Constitution by violating the separation of powers. 
D)  substantially reduces the importance of the presidency. 
E)  substantially enhances the importance of the presidency.

Question 20

Which first lady was the first to seek and win public office on her own?

Accepted Answer

A)  Dolley Madison 
B)  Eleanor Roosevelt 
C)  Betty Ford 
D)  Hillary Clinton 
E)  Laura Bush 
A)  Dolley Madison 
B)  Eleanor Roosevelt 
C)  Betty Ford 
D)  Hillary Clinton 
E)  Laura Bush

Why is the president's State of the Union address important?

An informal group of advisers to the president is often called the

In order to get around the need for Senate approval of treaties, many contemporary presidents have made use of ______ in foreign affairs.

Describe the different constitutional powers of the president. What are some of the president's most important powers? What are some of the checks upon the president's powers? What was the Founders' vision of the office of president?

After the president and vice president, which office is next in the line of succession?

The main political value of the vice president is to

The office of the presidency was established by ______ of the Constitution.

According to political scientist Terry Moe, why does Congress suffer from a collective-action problem in the face of presidential power?

The president's power to set the debate concerning public policy in Congress is called a(n)

An executive order is

A significant initiative set forth by Lyndon Johnson was

Contemporary presidents frequently use popular mobilization and executive administration to achieve their goals because

The president's expressed powers include all of the following except

In the early 1800s, the system of nominating presidential candidates that left the candidates beholden to their party's leaders in Congress was called

The ______ is the informal designation for the heads of the major federal government departments.

Since the 1930s, Congress has delegated far less authority to the president than in earlier eras.

Which of the following statements about signing statements is most accurate?

Which of the following statements about the presidential veto is most accurate?

When Congress delegates power to the executive branch, it

Which first lady was the first to seek and win public office on her own?

American Political Culture

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

Congress

Bureaucracy in a Democracy

The Federal Courts

Filters

Exam 13: The Presidency

Why is the president's State of the Union address important?

An informal group of advisers to the president is often called the

In order to get around the need for Senate approval of treaties, many contemporary presidents have made use of ______ in foreign affairs.

Describe the different constitutional powers of the president. What are some of the president's most important powers? What are some of the checks upon the president's powers? What was the Founders' vision of the office of president?

After the president and vice president, which office is next in the line of succession?

The main political value of the vice president is to

The office of the presidency was established by ______ of the Constitution.

According to political scientist Terry Moe, why does Congress suffer from a collective-action problem in the face of presidential power?

The president's power to set the debate concerning public policy in Congress is called a(n)

An executive order is

A significant initiative set forth by Lyndon Johnson was

Contemporary presidents frequently use popular mobilization and executive administration to achieve their goals because

The president's expressed powers include all of the following except

In the early 1800s, the system of nominating presidential candidates that left the candidates beholden to their party's leaders in Congress was called

The ______ is the informal designation for the heads of the major federal government departments.

Since the 1930s, Congress has delegated far less authority to the president than in earlier eras.

Which of the following statements about signing statements is most accurate?

Which of the following statements about the presidential veto is most accurate?

When Congress delegates power to the executive branch, it

Which first lady was the first to seek and win public office on her own?

American Political Culture

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

Congress

Bureaucracy in a Democracy

The Federal Courts

Filters