POL 342 The American Executive

Midterm Exam Study Guide

-Presidency and the Founding (key debates over the executivelength of term, number of the executive, election process, authority/powers; resulting compromises; Federalists and the Anti-Federalists) 1. Key debates: Number of executives Method of selection: either selected by congress or popular vote, didnt like either one came up with electoral college Length of term in office and number of terms o 4 year term, number of terms unlimited until after FDR and the 22nd Ammendment. Distribution of powers: o Senate approves appointments o Senate ratifies treatise o Congress declares war o Congress can override veto

-President under the Articles: No separate federal executive; weak overall -Constitutional powers of the president: veto legislation, appointments, president is commander-in-chief. -Presidents role in separation of powers -Checks and balances on the executive branch and of the executive branch -12th Amendment it changed the process of the Electoral College. Elector cast votes for one vicepresident and one president. Not two votes for two presidents. -22nd Amendment term limit on the president -25th Amendment - deals with succession to the Presidency and establishes procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, as well as responding to Presidential disabilities. VP serves rest of presidents term, president can appoint VP if office becomes vacant. VP takes over if President becomes disabled.

-Presidential succession -Impeachment -Take care clause; chief executive : Take Care clause, means that the president will see the law is properly executed.

-Vice president (creation and purpose; job description; 4 eras of the VP; reasons for selecting a certain VP) Four time Periods of VP o The Founding era Successor to the president Tie breaking vote with senate (problematic, ties the congress and the president together) th o 19 Century: the VP is weaker as a result of the 12th Amendment Party Leaders chose the VP, the idea of balancing the ticket Role is more ceremonial in the Senate o Teddy R to Truman VP is enhanced, media and changed to nomination process Teddy R is key in turning around VP FDR made vp: member of cabinet, presidential advisor, and liaison to congress. o Modern VP ready to step into Presidency Constituency pressures Must have experience, ability, and political compatibility Became a party builder

-Presidential legislative action (executive orders; letters/memoranda; vetoes; signing statements) Signing statements memo that accompanies a bill, about how he wants the bill to be implemented and critique the bill Executive order authorized an agency to do something, do not require congressional approval; supreme court can declare it unconstitutional. Letters/memoranda direct federal agencies on more detailed policy issues

-Scientific study of the presidency (what it is; why its needed) Traditional presidency research usually thick descriptions

Cant generalize so story is always incomplete Data limitations in presidency studies

-Presidential campaigns (nomination procedure for presidentschanges in the primaries and why; front-loading; national conventions; developing a strategy) -Electoral College (number of electors; how it works; why we have it; selection of electors; faithless electors; reform proposals) -Formal and informal roles of the presidency (chief of state; commander in chief; manager of prosperity; protector of the peace; etc.) -Presidential power to persuade (basic argument; professional reputation; public prestige; why the president doesnt issue commands; president as a clerk) -Going public (basic argument; changes in Washington that have led to going public strategy; relation to bargaining; individualized pluralism; institutionalized pluralism; when strategy is/has been successful) -Imperialist presidency (basic argument; what qualifies a president as imperialistic; which presidents were the most imperialistic and why) -Political context/time and how it shapes presidential power

Extended Response:

-How has the process for nominating presidential candidates changed over time? Describe the congressional caucus system, brokered party conventions, and the modern primary system.

-Compare and contrast the four eras of the vice presidency.

Which vice presidents

were most influential in changing the office? (Be sure to discuss T.R. and FDR).

Four time Periods of VP o The Founding era Successor to the president Tie breaking vote with senate (problematic, ties the congress and the president together) th o 19 Century: the VP is weaker as a result of the 12th Amendment Party Leaders chose the VP, the idea of balancing the ticket Role is more ceremonial in the Senate o Teddy R to Truman VP is enhanced, media and changed to nomination process Teddy R is key in turning around VP FDR made vp: member of cabinet, presidential advisor, and liaison to congress. o Modern VP ready to step into Presidency Constituency pressures Must have experience, ability, and political compatibility

-How would you describe the modern vice presidency? What are two constitutional changes that led to this transformation? It has institutionalized Responsibilities still vary Became a stepping stone to the white house Become a party builder Jordan Rule: if VP asks for your vote on a bill, you vote the opposite way Constitutional changes: the 25th and 22nd amendment

-Discuss the qualifications for presidentbe sure to include both the constitutional requirements and the informal qualifications. -What are the roles of the president? Be sure to discuss both the constitutional roles of the president and the informal roles (as identified by Rossiter). Formal Roles: o Chief of state Like king, hold state dinners o Chief Executive Powers not equal to responsibilities Appoint ambassadors

Chief Diplomat Dominate role in foreign relations Head of State department o Commander in chief Direct war, take war like action o Chief legislator Guides legislative activity Veto, budget Stat of the Union Informal Roles: o Chief of the party o Voice of the people National constituency o Protector of Peace In times of emergency he gives comfort o Managaer of Prosperity Singled out for being responsible for economy o Leader of the Free World US is world leader

-Explain the imperial presidency. Which presidents were most imperialistic and why? What are the requirements for a president to be imperialistic? -Discuss the role of political time/context in presidential leadership success. -Why did the Founders choose the Electoral College as the method for selecting the president? What other potential methods of selection did they consider? List and discuss 4 benefits of using the Electoral College system and 4 drawbacks. -Explain Neustadts theory the power to persuade. Define it and list and discuss the

2 component parts, how it relates to issuing commands, and the difference between powers and power. -Explain Kernells theory of going public. Discuss 2 of the changes in Washington that have lead to this. Explain the difference between institutionalized pluralism and individualized pluralism. -Compare the Neustadt and Kernell accounts of presidential powerdiscuss 1 way these theories overlap/are similar and 1 way they are differe