APG Unit III Review
Fall 2013
Which branch was expected to
execute acts of Congress and
protect against mass movements to
redistribute wealth?
The Executive branch
What are three specific powers
given to the President?
Commander in Chief, appoints
cabinet members, grant pardons,
make treaties appoints judges
and ambassadors, etc.
Why was Washington so careful
about the discharge of his
duties?
Fearful of setting precedents,
which is how most presidential
powers have been established
Who must the Supreme Court count
on to make sure that its decisions
are adequately enforced?
Executive Branch
Who served as the first President
and Vice President of the United
States?
George Washington and John
Adams
Who appoints Justices &
Ambassadors? Who approves
them?
President, Senate
Who has the power to negotiate
treaties and enforce the laws?
President
Who is commander in Chief of the
armed forces and also in charge of
federal departments (Defense,
Treasury, State, etc.)
the President
What branch has used many
precedents over time to add to
its powers? When did many of
these take place?
executive branch; during times
of national crisis (war, Great
Depression, etc.)
What are two formal ways the
President can try to influence
Congress? Informal?
veto, call special session, make
State of the Union Address;
use bully pulpit, trade political
favors/offer campaign support
What are two powers Congress
has over the President?
approve treaties, cabinet
officials, & judges, veto
override, control the budget
process
What is a plurality election?
An election involving more than
two candidates in which the
person who receives the most
votes is the winner
Who has the power to enforce
laws?
President (Executive Branch)
Which branch of government
must approve the President’s
decision to deploy troops?
None (trick question)
Although the 1973 War Powers
Act places limits on the
President’s ability to do this
What is the chief difference
between a President and a Prime
Minister?
The President is an independent
executive power (potential divided
government), the PM always comes
from the majority party in the
legislature (no divided gov’t)
Identify three key types of
federal officials that are
appointed by the President.
SC Justices, ambassadors,
cabinet members, cabinet level
posts (OMB, SBA, CEA, etc.)
How long is a President’s term in
office? How many terms can one
president serve?
nd
(22
4 years, 2 terms
Amendment established this in
1951)
What are three of the
Constitutional requirements for
being President?
35 years of age, natural born
citizen of the U.S., resident for
14 years
What two types of government
offices are most often held by
people who later become
President?
senator & governor
What typically happens to
Presidential candidates who are
either very liberal or very
conservative? Give an example.
they are defeated, Goldwater or
McGovern
What religious background have
all but one of our Presidents
come from? Who was the
exception?
Protestant (non-Catholic
Christian), JFK
When you have more popular votes
than your competition, but not a
majority, you have a _____ of the
votes. Name two presidents who won
this way.
Plurality; Truman in ’48, Nixon
in ‘68, Clinton in ‘92
Identify 5 constitutionally
designated roles of the
President.
Commander in Chief, Head of
State, Present State of the
Union, Negotiate treaties,
Chief Executive (oversee
Cabinet & Bur)
What are the primary roles of
the White House staff?
Advise President on policy, handle
relations with Congress and
bureaucracy (cabinet), public &
press relations (speech writing,
etc.)
What government entity is
charged with determining voter
eligibility requirements? Why is
this significant?
individual state governments get to
decide the requirements for their
respective states; voting
conditions and practices really
vary from state to state
Name three activities PACs
engage in to gain access to
legislature.
make campaign contributions,
run issue ads, lobby, research
Which cabinet member is
effectively the CEO of the
Department of Justice?
Attorney General
How is the president chosen if
no candidate wins a majority of
the electoral vote?
the House chooses based on a
majority vote of its state
delegations (each state gets
one vote)
What is political efficacy?
What demographics define
voters who have it?
A citizen’s belief that they
understand politics, and that their
political participation matters;
efficacy increases with age and
education
What are “inherent powers” of
the president? Give an example.
Powers exercised based on the
authority granted be Article II, not
specifically listed; Louisiana
Purchase, internment of Nisei, half
of the New Deal… 
Name three traditional reasons
for low voter turnout.
registration requirements, weak
party affiliation, weekday
elections, frequent local and
state elections
What are 4-5 factors that play a
role in how likely someone is to
vote?
Their age, gender, education
level, race, marital status, and
whether or not they belong to
a union
What is the “mandate theory of
elections”? Do political scientists
support this theory?
It’s the idea that voters “send a
message” when they vote – so that
those elected (especially by large
margins) have their mandate to make
change; pol scientists do not support
mandate theory
Since 1972, voters in presidential
elections have been less tied to
party loyalties and more
interested in what?
the characteristics and positions
of individual candidates
What are the three biggest
influences on how someone
decides to vote?
Party identification, their
evaluations of the candidates,
their views on specific policies
What are “motor voter” laws?
What is their intent?
Laws that allow you to register
to vote at the same time you
apply for a drivers license;
designed to increase voter
registration
What religious group has enjoyed
increasingly greater influence in the
Republican Party since the early
1980s? How did they get there?
Evangelical Christians; Reagan’s
bundling of conservative views
on social issues
What types of party members
attend their party’s presidential
nominating convention?
“strong” party voters, very
ideological in their approach
and dedicated to the party
What is a “pocket veto”? What
effect does it have?
President takes no action on a
bill for 10 days while Congress
is not in session; it effectively
kills the bill
How did the framers handle their
fears regarding the abuse of
executive power?
Put many legislative & judicial
checks on the executive in
place
How did historians feel about the use of
Presidential power in the two decades
following WWII? How and why did that
change in the 1960s & 1970s?
They favored a powerful
Presidency, but LBJ, the Vietnam
War, Nixon, and Watergate made
the public more fearful of
Presidential power
Who are the first two people in
line to succeed the President?
the VP and then the Speaker of
the House
Identify two ways the role of the
VP has expanded since
Eisenhower.
represent U.S. to foreign
countries, serve on the
National Security Council, play
a larger policy shaping role
Since Lady Bird Johnson, how
have most First Ladies chosen to
define their role?
By focusing on one issue
(beautification, literacy,
healthier diet & exercise, etc.)
Who officially elects the
President? How do you earn
votes in this system?
the electoral college, if you win
the popular vote in a state you
win all of the electoral votes
What is the group of the
President’s advisors called?
Cabinet (14 advisors plus the
Attorney General
Identify four Cabinet
Departments.
Justice, State, HUD, Health and
Human Services, Defense,
Treasury, Interior, Labor,
Commerce, Transportation,
Education, VA, Homeland Security
Who approves cabinet
appointees, do they generally
accept or reject them?
the Senate, accept
What are the two key factors
that limit the role of the cabinet?
conflicting loyalties with the
President and maintaining
secrecy with a large group (14
of them)
What committee is comprised of
the President’s key foreign and
military policy advisors? What is
their primary role?
The National Security Council
(NSC); advise President on all
national security issues and
help make critical decisions
What is a power many governors
have that the President would
love to have? Why?
Line Item veto; gives executive
power to veto individual parts
of laws or budget items
What law, passed under the
Johnson administration, set out
to guarantee the provisions of
the 15th Amendment?
Voting Rights Act of 1965, which
solidified the right to vote
regardless of race
What Office has responsibility for
developing and administering the
federal budget? How is it most
impactful?
The Office of Management and
Budget (OMB); develops cost
analyses for various proposals
that help Pres create proposed
budget
Who is the highest ranking White
House staff member? Identify two
things Presidents count on receiving
from their top level staffers.
Chief of Staff; Information,
analysis, policy options, and …
loyalty! 
Why is party support so important to a
sitting President? How much consistent
support can a President actually count
on within his own party?
Needs full backing of party to
pursue legislative agenda;
two-thirds at any given time
What causes this gap in party
loyalty to the President?
The views of the various
constituencies represented by
members of Congress (think of
current range in Republican Party
from moderate to Tea Party)
What typically happens to the
number of seats the President’s
party holds in Congress as the
result of a midterm election?
The Party of the President
typically loses seats in
Congress during the midterms
What is the primary reason the
Electoral College has not been
reformed?
Would require constitutional
amendment, needing support
of ¾ of state legislatures –
many states don’t want to give
up their power
What are two proposals for
reforming the Electoral College?
Straight popular vote, by
congressional district (+2),
percentage allocation based on
popular vote in each state
Identify two types of legislative
skills important to the success of
the President.
Bargaining, exploiting the
honeymoon period, building
Congressional coalitions &
structuring votes
Describe the correlation between
Presidential approval ratings and
the President’s ability to
influence Congress.
Strong approval ratings (and
electoral mandates) make it
much easier for the President
to influence Congress
Identify two ways the President
directs national security policy.
Treaties and executive agreements,
Commander in Chief, War Powers
(use of troops without
Congressional approval),
International Crisis management
Why is the presidency is referred
to as the “Bully Pulpit?”
Presidents can use the spotlight
of the office to try and
influence or sway public
opinion
What is the fundamental reason
there is ongoing tension
between the President and the
Press?
President wants to control flow of
information to his advantage,
Press wants all info immediately
(plus greater emphasis on
investigative journalism)
Is press coverage of the
President usually negative or
positive? Why?
Negative; easier for the press to
generate negative stories +
tension over information
Who can bring charges of
impeachment? For what
reasons?
House of Reps, “Treason,
bribery, or other high crimes
and misdemeanors”
Who acts as the jury in an
impeachment trial? What is the
required vote for a “conviction”?
The Senate, two-thirds
Which two Presidents have been
impeached? Were either of
them found guilty?
Andrew Johnson and Bill
Clinton, no
What are the two chief
th
provisions of the 25
Amendment?
Allows the VP to step in temporarily
for the President if the President is
disabled, and establishes a
procedure for replacing the VP
What was the spoils system?
the idea that the President
could appoint all of his
supporters to government
posts after he was elected
Roughly how many government
posts are appointed by the
President? Out of how many
total federal employees?
3,000; over 4 million
What did the Pendleton Act do?
it started the Civil Service system
(employment & promotion based
on exams and merit) & therefore
put an end to the spoils system
What did the Hatch Act (1939)
do?
Prohibited almost all federal
employees (workers in the
bureaucracy) from participating
in open political activity
Give two examples of
government corporations.
FDIC, TVA, and the Postal
Service
Give two examples of
government agencies.
CIA, NASA, EPA
What President oversaw the
largest expansion in the federal
bureaucracy? Why?
FDR, New Deal (Great
Depression), & response to
WWII
What name is given to the
extremely tight relationship
between Gov’t agencies, their
client/interest groups, and
Congress? Why?
The Iron Triangle; because it is
difficult for those outside the
triangle to influence policy
New gov’t agencies are often started in
response to changing needs, how
quickly are these agencies eliminated
when no longer needed?
Not very quickly, often continue
to exist for own sake
Describe the role the
bureaucracy plays in the
legislative process.
Very active, new laws often
originate in the bureaucracy,
bureaucrats often consult with
Congress
Identify two major factors that
have led to the growth of the
federal bureaucracy.
International crises, economic
problems, demands of citizens,
national growth and changing
technology
What is deregulation? What is
the most recent example of
deregulation gone bad?
lessening the amount of power a
regulatory commission has over
an industry; Enron and the
energy industry, subprime
mortgage crisis
Identify three roles of political
parties.
Pick candidates, run campaigns,
provide cues to voters,
articulate policies, coordinate
policy making
Over the history of American
politics, how far do successful
parties usually stray from the
political center?
Not far at all – most of our
political combat happens in the
political middle (moderates &
undecided voters)
Is the control and leadership of
American political parties highly
centralized?
No; more fragmented and
decentralized – history of party
machines running local politics
What is the difference between a
closed and an open primary?
Closed primaries require voters to
register ahead of time for the
party’s primary they wish to vote
in, open primaries allow voters to
make that choice on election day
What is a blanket primary?
A primary where voters get to pick
from all of the prospective
candidates for a position (usually
top 2 vote getters regardless of
party go on to general election)
When an election reshapes a party
coalition in a new way, it is known
as a ______. An election that shifts
from the current trend (before
returning) is a ______.
Critical Election
Deviating Election
Which party represented the true
entrance of the common man
into American politics? Who was
its leader?
The Democrats, Andrew
Jackson
What issue brought about the
rise of the Republican Party?
What year did they first capture
the White House?
Slavery, 1860 (Abraham
Lincoln)
Which party controlled most of
American politics for the ~60 years
following the Civil War? What
brought that control to an end?
Republicans, FDRs New Deal
Coalition of Democrats in 1932
Provide two examples of
rd
instances where 3 parties had a
major influence on a Presidential
Election.
Bull Moose in 1912 (TR),
American Independent in 1968
(Wallace), Reform in 1992
(Perot), Green in 2000 (Nader)
What are two reasons third
parties are significant?
They allow for non-revolutionary
expression of discontent (a vent), they
impact elections by drawing votes away
from major party candidates, they allow
for discussion outside the mainstream
discourse
How are the two major political
parties organized?
They have separate,
independent organizations at
the national, state, and local
levels
What proportion of registered
voters usually votes in national
elections?
Less than half
What role do PACs play in
campaigns?
They work outside the official
campaign structure to try and
influence the result by running
ads, staging events, etc.
What two SC decisions greatly
increased role of PACs?
Buckley v Valeo essentially gave
PACs free speech rights, Citizens
United removed limits on
donations to PACS and led to
creation of “super PACs”
What are three of the main
provisions of the Federal Election
Campaign Act?
Established the FEC to regulate campaign
finance, established hard limits on the
amount of $$ donated to candidates,
established Presidential Election
Campaign Fund
What does education level help
us predict about voting behavior
in the U.S.?
College graduates are more
likely to vote than those
without a college degree
What type of programs represent
the largest portion of mandatory
government spending?
Entitlement programs (e.g.
Social Security, Medicare, etc.)
Who did the 26th Amendment
add to the voting rolls? What
happened as a result?
18-21 year olds, they actually
voted in lower percentages
than any other age group
What is the single most
important factor in the political
socialization of children?
Their parents and family
Is Senate confirmation required
for members of the White House
staff?
No, the President is able to
choose his own staff without
interference from Congress
Why do Presidents make
extensive use of executive
orders (EOs)?
EOs allow Presidents to direct
actions of the federal gov’t
without approval of Congress
What amendment guaranteed
the vote for women? When was
it passed?
19th, 1920 (after WWI)
When the press focuses more on
poll results than on the actual issues
in an election this is known as
______. Why can this be
problematic?
Horserace Journalism –
problematic because it favors
leader and keeps public from
becoming educated on issues
What are some of the reasons
politicians use leaks?
Float trial balloons, draw public
attention to a problem,
discredit opponent, try to force
action on an issue
What is the basic role that the
media has in terms of the
national policy agenda?
Media has tremendous power to draw
attention to certain issues and ignore
others, people most often assume that
what’s most important is what’s in the
news, editorial approach can shift public
opinion
What are two of the primary
provisions of the Federal
Elections Campaign Act?
Set firm limits on donations to
candidates, made donations public,
established Federal Election
Commission to regulate elections,
set up Presidential Election
Campaign fund to provide public $$$