Government in America Chapter 12 Notes
The Presidency
1. Many presidents come to power promising great things to Americans. Why do they do this? Why are
they often unsuccessful in accomplishing their promises?
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12.1 – The Presidents
1. - What are some of the expectations Americans have for their presidents?
2. How are these expectations problematic for presidents?
3. Americans want a strong president, but are fearful of what?
4 Americans want government to be small and limited, but also want it to do what?
5. What are the Constitutional requirements to be president?
6. The vast majority of presidents can be characterized how?
7. How do most presidents come to their job?
8. Define Twenty-Second Amendment
9. How does someone become an “accidental president”?
10. What percentage of presidents have been “accidental presidents”?
11. Define Twenty-fifth Amendment
12. Define Impeachment
13. How may presidents have been impeached? Who are they?
14 Define Watergate
15. What are the four different points about impeachable offenses?
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12.2 – Presidential Powers
1. What does the Constitution say are the powers of the president?
2. Why was the president given so few powers?
3. How did the framers help to prevent some of these abuses from happening?
4. How have presidents expanded the power of the office beyond what the Constitution grants?
5. In the 1950s and 1960s, how was presidential power viewed?
6. What events pushed many to think negatively about presidential power?
7. How has presidential power been viewed following those events?
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12.3 – Running the Government: The Chief Executive
1. Define Executive Orders
2. What are formal jobs of the Vice President?
3. What are some of the different roles that Vice Presidents have played?
4. Define Cabinet
5. What is the job of secretaries in the president’s cabinet?
6. What is the Executive Office?
7. Define National Security Council
8. Define Council of Economic Advisers
9. Define Office of Management and Budget
10. What are some of the things that the White House staff does?
11. What role does the First Lady play?
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12.4 – Presidential Leadership of Congress: The Politics of Shared Powers
1. What requirements are placed on the president with regards to his relationship with Congress?
2. Define Veto
3. What are the 3 options that the president has once Congress has passed a bill?
4. How can Congress still pass a vetoed law?
5. Define Pocket Veto
6. What is a line-item veto?
7. How to the bonds of party help the president as the chief legislator?
8. Why would members of Congress break with their party ties and vote against a president with the in
the same political party?
9. What are some incentives that the president can offer to members of his party to get their support?
What are some of the things he might do to punish them if they do not support him?
10. Define Presidential Coattails
11. What trend occurs during midterm elections to seats of the president’s party?
12. What is one of the key ways for the president to get support in Congress for his ideas?
13. How does public approval of the president impact his work as chief legislator?
14. What are electoral mandates?
15. How do electoral mandates impact the president’s work as chief legislator?
16. How does the president use bargaining to achieve his legislative goals?
17. How does moving fast help the president achieve his legislative goals?
18. How does setting priorities help the president achieve his legislative goals?
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12.5 – The President and National Security Policy
1. How does the president serve as chief diplomat?
2. How does the president serve as commander in chief?
3. Define War Powers Resolution
4. Define Legislative Veto
5. What is the argument by presidents as to why they should have such broad powers when it comes to
war?
6. Define Crisis
7. How has modern technology impacted the president’s role as crisis manager?
8. Why does the president drive most policymaking in foreign affairs, rather than Congress?
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12.6 – Power from the People: The Public Presidency
1. How does the president gain support by going public?
2. What are some of the things that impact presidential approval?
3. What is the “bully pulpit?”
4. Why are presidents usually not effective in getting support from the public for their policy initiatives?
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12.7 – The President and the Press
1. What is the relationship between the president and the press?
2. What does the media typically focus on when reporting on the president?
3. What is the role of the president’s press secretary?
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12.8 – Understanding the American Presidency
1. Is a strong presidency a threat to American democracy? Why or why not?
2. Does divided government impact the ability of a president to be strong?
3. What is the contradiction in what Americans want from government?
4. In more recent presidencies, how have presidents impacted the scope of government?