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a form of democracy in which the executive is elected by the legislature and government is responsible to the legislature. i.e. Britain, Italy, Ireland, and Israel.
-Monarch: Head of state
-Prime Minister: Head of government |
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| a form of democracy in which the executive is elected independently and the government is not responsible to the legislature. |
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| Mixed presidential system |
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| a form of democracy in which the executive is elected independently and shares a responsibility for the government with the legislature. |
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| a partial veto that allows the executive to strike specific passages from a given bill. |
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| the practice of rewarding loyal partisans with government positions after they demonstrate their support during an election. |
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a government in which the president is from a different party than the majority in Congress.
* Opposition-party members in Congress can be expected to oppose the president and criticize presidential policies and competence.
* Under divided government, the presidential veto or veto threat can be a powerful weapon in this partisan conflict. |
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a government in which the president is from the same party as the majority in Congress.
* Bargaining between the president and Congress becomes easier to manage when the president Congress belong to the same party. |
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| action taken by a president to communicate directly with the people, usually though a press conference, radio broadcast, or televised speech, in order to influence public opinion and put pressure on Congress. |
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| the body of law created by executive agencies with the purpose of refining general law passed in legislation. |
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an official means by which the president can instruct to execute the laws passed by Congress.
- Presidents issue executive orders to avoid waiting for legislation that might not be forthcoming from a Congress controlled by the opposition party → usually used during wartime.
i.e. Harry Truman's order to desegregate the armed forces. |
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| an agreement between the US and one or more foreign countries. Because it is not a formal treaty, it does not need Senate approval. |
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| a public statement written by the president and attached to a particular bill to outline the president's interpretation of the legislation. |
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independent, private-sector counsel hired by Congress to investigate government officials.
* means for the two major political parties to attack each other and seek advantage in elections. |
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| process by which the House of Representative formally charges a federal government officials with "Treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." |
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| What is a crucial part in the president, his close advisors, and appointed bureaucratic agents? |
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| That the agents share the president's policy goals and views. The president (principal) must try to coordinate the bureaucracy (agents) by cultivating loyalty to certain policies throughout the federal bureaucracy. |
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| What is accredited for the creation and evolution of the presidency's powers? |
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The president’s ability to solve broad collective dilemmas has been an underlying cause of the growth in presidential power. The modern presidency emerged through a series of institutional changes that caused the presidential power to increase in response to specific historical crises --> such as wars, depressions, and civil unrest
i.e. Abraham Lincoln dealing with Southern states ceded from the Union, the Civil War. |
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| What issues arise, in relation to presidential power, after a crises occurs? |
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| After the crisis passes, there is often a disagreement over whether to return to a weaker presidency or to maintain the new institutionalized powers of the executive office. |
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| What are the characteristics of the president intended by the Founders? |
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1. That the president would not be too democratic --> not directly voted by the people, this lead to the establishment of the Electoral College.]
2. The president would not be too beholden to the large states -->each state has as many electoral votes to select the president as it has senators and representatives. This system gives additional weight to the larger states, but reserves substantial voting power to the smaller states due to their ability to tip the scale one way or another.
3. Other branches check the president --> need the approval of the Congress to raise money and declare war.
4. President checks the other branches --> veto power and ability to appoint federal judges.
5. The presidency would play the primary role in the conduct of foreign policy and of the military --> Commander in Chief and head of state. |
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| What are the constitutional roles of the president? |
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Executor of the laws and commander in chief of the armed forces, but the Constitution is very vague on the exact powers of the president. Vagueness regarding presidential power, which provided openings for presidents to increase their powers and institutional capacities when they believed circumstances warranted for such moves.
*Enumerated powers: specified in the Constitution and others that developed later and became codified into law through court rulings or statues. |
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| What is special about the presidency in America compared to other countries? |
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| In America, the president is both the head of state/government → presidential system with separation of powers. |
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| What president regard himself as the voice of the people? |
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| How does the spoils system aid the president? |
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| It helps presidents carry out their policies within the bureaucracy and solidify the loyalties of new voters toward the party in office. |
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| How did Van Buren envision the utilization of the spoils system? |
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| To create mass parties in support of one presidential candidate, this mobilization of large numbers of voters is meant to link local, state, and national elections around a common partisan effort. |
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| In what two arenas is the president the leader of the party? |
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- Elections --> riding on the president's coattails.
- Policymaking --> The president’s initiatives shape the policy agenda not only for the party, but also of the national government as a whole.
* Meant to solve collective dilemmas that arise in the party. |
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| What has caused the Presidency to become more populist? |
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| What presidents tremendously advanced the presidency's powers and how? |
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1. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909):
- “Bully Pulpit": his privileged place as speaker on behalf of the American people. He used this to pressure those who opposed his agenda.
- Responded to pressure from these constituents by forming regulatory agencies and using litigation as a forceful tool against the "trust".
2. Woodrow Wilson:
- Sought to establish the American president as a major voice in international politics.
*He wanted to help the European countries resolve their internal collective dilemmas. Emphasized an internationalist foreign policy and established regular contact with his counterparts abroad.
- His philosophy of democratic governance emphasized the value of direct contact between the president as leader and the people he serves.
3. FDR (1932-1945):
- The New Deal and the leadership of the Allies in WWII, led to massive increases in the size, reach, and importance of the national government.
- New Deal: a set of policies intended to boost the American economy in the face of the Great Depression, to stabilize it and to further regulate the activities of corporations → redistribute income in favor of retirees, widows, the disabled, and orphans.
*Intended to increase both the taxes the government collected from the people and the benefits people received from the government.
- FDR's administration's war effort greatly expanded the size of the national government by mobilizing more sailors and US soldiers during WWII.
* After WWII, the country abandoned its isolationist foreign policy and become deeply involved in international affairs on every continent.
- The political fate of all presidents has increasingly been tied to the state of the national economy. |
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| What is the purpose of private polls? |
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| Presidents have increasingly conducted private polls to measure public opinion about their standing → use them on a regular basis to hone their communications with the general public and to gauge their popular approval. |
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| What are some of the President's informal powers? |
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| Head of major political party and his ability to command public attention and communicate directly with citizens. |
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| A veto that occurs automatically if a president does not sign a bill for 10 days after passage in Congress and Congress has adjourned during that 10-day period. |
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| What is the purpose of a veto? |
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| Presidents use the veto to nullify bills passed by Congress that they felt were not constitutional, but the mere threat of the veto can convince Congress to modify a piece of legislation. |
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| What is the purpose of Congress sending the President a popular bill that they know he will not sign? |
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| They hope to embarrass the president and make the public unhappy with his leadership. |
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| How does the President reward those who aid him during the elections? |
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| Positions such as the ambassadorships to foreign countries are handed out as rewards to people who helped the president get elected. |
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| What are the three institutions that the president heavily relies on? |
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The president relies on staff to guide the bureaucracy and constantly seeks advice from them on policy matters:
1. White House Staff: organizes schedules and plots political, legislative, and international strategies.
- Chief of staff controls access to the president, manages presidential duties, and is head of the EOP.
- The national security adviser helps manage foreign relations and the military aspects of the job.
2. Executive Office of the President: provides expertise and continuity to the executive branch --> the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of the US Trade Representative.
- EOP is formed around the agenda of the current president, advises the president, and provides Congress with credible information.
-OMB provides information about federal revenues and spending, and assists the entire national government with budget information.
* It is a crucial source of advice for the president and helps him craft the budget proposal that he sends to Congress every year.
* Can be both a source of reliable information and expertise for the entire government and an asset to the president.
3. The Vice President: used to balance the ticket. |
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| What are the four crucial roles of the VP? |
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1. The VP must be ready to take over the presidency and must be fully informed about all matters that the president deals with in case the CP is called upon to assume control of the government.
2. The VP is a key adviser to the president and regularly counsels the president on foreign and domestic policy.
3. The VP casts tie-breaking votes in the Senate.
4. The VP typically helps the president coordinate federal bureaucratic agencies to achieve presidential goals:
- Active in promulgating the president’s agenda and helping to solve coordination problems. |
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| Why is the term "imperial presidency" misleading? |
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It implies that the president is detached from the American people and not subject to public pressure. False because:
(1) Congress can override presidential vetoes and withhold money for president’s policies.
(2) The president must obey the law and the Constitution. |
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| How is the president influence by the public? |
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| Presidents are either encourage or restrained by mass public opinion → they take the blame when the economy turns bad or foreign policy matters initiatives do not work well. |
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| Why does the public tolerate such a powerful presidency? |
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| The American people seem to tolerate and even prefer a powerful and decisive president, as long as there are electoral and institutional checks on that power. |
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