Complete Test Bank Ch.8 The Presidency Barbour - Test Bank | Keeping the Republic 9e by Barbour by Christine Barbour. DOCX document preview.
Test Bank
Chapter 8: The Presidency
Multiple Choice
1. According to the textbook, President George W. Bush’s use of signing statements ______.
a. threatened the system of separation of powers
b. was a strictly ceremonial act with no significance
c. helped to clarify for executive agencies how they are to implement laws
d. created agreements between presidents and the heads of foreign governments
e. was a traditional action taken by presidents to signify their agreement with Congress
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
2. Presidents are limited to two full terms in office by ______.
a. an act of Congress
b. a Supreme Court decision that interpreted Article II of the Constitution
c. custom
d. constitutional amendment
e. an executive order issued by President Harry Truman
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
3. In Great Britain the role of head of government ______.
a. is filled by the prime minister
b. is combined with the role of head of state
c. is performed by the president
d. has been eliminated
e. is shared among a set of executive-branch officials
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
4. According to the textbook, the framers adopted the Electoral College as a way to ______.
a. override the power of the judiciary
b. insulate the president from the masses
c. control unrestrained presidential power
d. make the president more dependent on Congress
e. imitate foreign democratic systems
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
5. A major assumption that the founders had concerning the Electoral College was that electors would ______.
a. be political party leaders
b. further the democratic goal of popular government
c. be chosen by the state legislatures
d. be leading citizens who could be trusted to exercise good judgment
e. represent the average citizen when picking a president
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
6. The presidential impeachment process is intended to remove sitting presidents for ______.
a. loss of support in Congress
b. ineffective leadership
c. waning public popularity
d. immoral behavior
e. treason, bribery, and high crimes and misdemeanors
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
7. Alexander Hamilton’s principal argument about the presidency in Federalist No. 70 is that it ______.
a. should be an energetic president
b. should allow the president to act as the civilian head of the military
c. must have a vice president who would be ready to take over in case the president dies
d. must be selected by the “best citizens” of the Electoral College
e. should possess the pardoning power because most state governors have that ability
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
8. If there is a disagreement as to whether the president is disabled and should turn his or her duties over to the vice president, the issue is resolved by ______.
a. the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the Constitution
b. the rules of succession as established by an act of Congress
c. agreement between the president and vice president
d. a ruling of the Supreme Court
e. a vote of the cabinet
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
9. Which of the following grants the president the power to exempt a person from being punished for a crime?
a. impeachment
b. pardoning power
c. executive orders
d. signing statements
e. the cycle effect
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
10. Many observers have concluded that impeachment is not an effective check on presidents because ______.
a. it is too easy for presidents to rally public opinion against the process
b. members of Congress will not use the process
c. the Supreme Court would probably overturn a president’s conviction
d. the process is too crippling for the government because Congress and the president would be consumed with the impeachment and trial
e. presidents are never likely to commit an impeachable offense
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
11. The Iran-contra controversy did not lead to the impeachment of President Ronald Reagan because ______.
a. the public concluded it was a necessary act of foreign policy
b. no laws were broken
c. he had left office before Iran-contra was discovered
d. the Republicans controlled Congress and refused to impeach the president
e. he claimed he knew nothing about Iran-contra, and no evidence was found to contradict him
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
12. The president’s cabinet is composed of the ______.
a. president’s party leadership
b. chairs of the congressional standing committees
c. appointees heading each of the fifteen major departments in the executive branch
d. Joint Chiefs of Staff and state-level policy advisors
e. chief justice and several congressional leaders
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
13. The president’s power to act as chief executive of the federal government comes from all of the following constitutional provisions EXCEPT the provision ______.
a. stating the executive power will be vested in a president
b. giving the president power to appoint heads of departments
c. stating that the president “shall take care that the laws are faithfully executed”
d. requiring the heads of department to report to the president
e. stating the president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Constitutional Power of the President
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
14. Which of the following statements is true about the modern use of treaties and executive agreements?
a. Executive agreements have been held unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in favor of treaties.
b. The percentage of completed interstate negotiations that end in treaties and executive agreements is about the same each year.
c. Most completed international negotiations (over 90 percent) end in executive agreements rather than treaties.
d. Most completed international negotiations (over 90 percent) end in treaties rather than executive agreements.
e. About the same number of each is completed each year.
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Constitutional Power of the President
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
15. The significance of the president’s inherent powers is that they ______.
a. allow the president to fulfill the office of president as the founders intended
b. are unconstitutional according to the Supreme Court
c. have been used to expand the powers of the presidency beyond what is explicitly stated in the Constitution
d. were commonly used by nineteenth-century presidents
e. were more often used in the nineteenth century by weak presidents
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
16. All of the following are roles of the president of the United States EXCEPT ______.
a. commander-in-chief
b. chief administrator
c. chief foreign policy maker
d. head of the EOP and OMB
e. chief justice of the Supreme Court
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
17. Presidents must play their role as ______ in order to solve problems, but that requires them to behave in ways that conflict with their role as ______.
a. head of state; chief administrator
b. head of government; party chief
c. commander-in-chief; head of state
d. head of government; head of state
e. party chief; head of government
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
18. Presidents have been able to ignore the restrictions on their ability to go to war contained in the War Powers Act because ______.
a. public opinion tends to rally around presidents when they deem military action necessary abroad, and Congress has declined to challenge such presidents
b. Congress has no power under the War Powers Act
c. Congress can never agree on a course of action when it comes to military decisions
d. the provisions of the act are vague and make it easy to ignore
e. everyone agrees the Supreme Court would probably declare the law unconstitutional if Congress ever attempted to enforce it
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
19. Presidents’ authority over foreign and defense policy comes from all of the following EXCEPT their power ______.
a. to declare war
b. as commander-in-chief of the armed forces
c. to negotiate treaties
d. to conclude executive agreements
e. to recognize ambassadors from other nations
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
20. In the United States, treaties are negotiated by the president and require ______.
a. review by the Supreme Court before they can be implemented
b. no endorsement from any other government agency
c. two-thirds approval from the Senate
d. two-thirds approval from Congress
e. three-quarters approval from the cabinet prior to their submission to Congress
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
21. Pacts made by the president with another head of state that do not require Senate approval are called ______.
a. executive orders
b. treaties
c. executive agreements
d. international memos of understanding
e. interstate protocols
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
22. All of the following statements concerning the president’s veto power are true EXCEPT ______.
a. presidents have had the power of the line-item veto since 1995
b. Congress is generally unsuccessful at overturning presidential vetoes
c. presidents use the veto more frequently when their party does not control Congress
d. George W. Bush was the third president not to veto a bill in his first term
e. the threat of a veto is a powerful tool in presidential negotiations with Congress
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
23. Which of the following is NOT among the president’s legislative powers?
a. the line-item veto
b. the State of the Union address
c. executive orders
d. the vice president’s role as presiding officer of the Senate
e. the presidential veto
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
24. Which of the following best describes President Herbert Hoover’s views on the role of the federal government in the Great Depression?
a. The government was a primary causal factor and must, therefore, expend all available resources to relieve the crisis.
b. It was a private economic crisis and the government had only limited power and responsibility for addressing it.
c. It was a private economic crisis and it was the job of the Congress to expand the powers of the president so that he could effectively help those in need.
d. Corrupt leaders of America’s industrial sector were primarily to blame and, therefore, it was up to them to reverse the country’s downward economic spiral.
e. The government’s powers of oversight in the economy badly needed to be reduced.
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
25. All of the following statements concerning presidents’ judicial power are true EXCEPT ______.
a. their power over the courts is very weak in the short run
b. they can have a tremendous long-term impact on the judiciary
c. senior senators of the president’s party wield power over the president’s judicial appointments
d. presidents can try to influence the judiciary by having the solicitor general argue cases
e. the pardon power is a check on the judiciary
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
26. The responsibilities of the solicitor general include all of the following EXCEPT ______.
a. serving as head of the Department of Justice
b. deciding which cases to file with the Supreme Court for the government
c. representing the government before the Supreme Court
d. filing amicus curiae briefs with the Supreme Court
e. serving as a bridge between the judiciary and the executive
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
27. Most of the strength of the modern presidency is based on the ______.
a. inherent powers of the president
b. increased media pressures on the president
c. special powers delegated to the president by Congress
d. explicit constitutional roles assigned to the president
e. “rally around the flag” effect during times of national crisis
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
28. Activist nineteenth-century presidents tended to claim that they were exercising ______.
a. powers granted to them explicitly in the Constitution
b. emergency powers granted by Congress
c. the will of the people
d. superior wisdom
e. inherent powers of the executive implied in the Constitution
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
29. Inherent powers are the ______.
a. powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution
b. unwritten abilities of judges to issue contempt citations and bench warrants
c. powers granted to Congress by the necessary and proper clause
d. congressional powers to control the budget process
e. constitutional responsibilities of the cabinet members
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
30. The response of a certain president to what event led to Americans’ belief that government should play a much more active role in helping solve problems beyond their control?
a. the Civil War
b. World War II
c. the September 11 attacks
d. the civil rights movement
e. the Great Depression
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
31. In concluding their chapter on the presidency, Barbour and Wright contend that, in the modern era, the media have ______.
a. had an overall negative impact on presidential popularity
b. alienated Americans from the president
c. persuaded Americans that they know their president well
d. provided their audiences too little information about the president
e. exercised undue influence on popular perceptions of executive authority
Learning Objective: 8.6: Give examples of ways in which public opinion affects the relationship between citizens and the president.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Citizens and the Presidency
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
32. To pass their legislative agendas, presidents must ______ members of Congress to get Congress to support their proposals.
a. intimidate
b. threaten
c. bribe
d. persuade
e. punish
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
33. All of the following statements concerning the cycle effect are true EXCEPT ______.
a. it creates pressure for presidents to introduce their most important legislative proposals early in their terms
b. it results from the inevitable alienation of public support that accompanies the need for presidents to make divisive decisions
c. it affects only presidents whose party does not control Congress during midterm elections
d. it can cause presidents with little experience in Washington politics to lose an opportunity for maximum influence on the legislative process
e. its effects are modified by the state of the economy and major events
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
34. The cycle effect refers to the tendency for presidents to ______.
a. undergo rapid changes in their popularity regardless of conditions in the nation
b. depend heavily on national emergencies to push their legislative agenda through Congress
c. experience predictable shifts in their popularity over the course of their presidency
d. start their first term with low popularity, which then increases as their legislative program is enacted
e. have periods of very high and very low popularity at random intervals throughout their presidency
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
35. The president’s public approval rating tends to be affected by all of the following EXCEPT ______.
a. the popularity of the first spouse
b. the predictable rise and fall of a president’s popularity over a term in office
c. the state of the economy
d. divisive events, such as a conflict with Congress
e. unifying events, such as the beginning of a war
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Going Public
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
36. According to the text, effective heads of government are expected to do all of the following EXCEPT ______.
a. line up votes in the House and the Senate
b. work with their party to pass legislation
c. broker deals with Congress
d. act as a symbol for all Americans
e. developing public support
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
37. Barbour and Wright imply that a president’s style ______.
a. has become less important as the president’s powers have expanded
b. should not matter to whether a president is considered a success or a failure
c. is totally under her control
d. can have important effects on her success in the position
e. tends to distract attention away from more serious matters
Learning Objective: 8.5: Evaluate the importance of leadership style and image as they relate to presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Presidential Personality
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
38. Which of the following strategies do presidents NOT use to influence Congress?
a. ignoring the “ratings game”
b. going public
c. keeping the economy healthy
d. using the power to persuade
e. building coalitions with members of Congress
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
39. The term legislative liaison refers to ______.
a. congressional leaders who have a close relationship with the president
b. lobbyists who have an especially good relationship with Congress
c. the congressional party leadership who work closely with the committee chairs
d. reporters who have a close working relationship with leading members of Congress
e. executive personnel who seek congressional support for the president’s agenda
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
40. Divided government occurs when ______.
a. one party controls the presidency while the other party controls at least one house of Congress
b. the vice president must cast the deciding vote as president of the Senate
c. the presidency and the Supreme Court are controlled by different parties
d. the three branches of government are unable to work together to solve problems
e. the president and Congress are unable to agree on a joint political agenda
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
41.The major reason presidents are not as successful in a divided government is ______.
a. opposing parties stand for different approaches and solutions to the nation’s problems
b. members of one party simply want to defeat a president of the other party
c. Congress has less control over its members
d. presidents do not try to do as much for fear that what will pass will represent the other party’s priorities
e. Congress takes control of the legislative agenda
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
42. The chief of staff ______.
a. coordinates the president’s commander-in-chief duties
b. oversees operations of all White House staff and controls access to the president
c. coordinates the activities of the entire federal bureaucracy
d. plans the first spouse’s activities
e. presides over the cabinet
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
43. According to the text, presidents take into account all of the following when selecting their cabinets EXCEPT ______.
a. pleasing relevant interests
b. ideological agreement with the president
c. personal loyalty to the president
d. ethnic and gender balance
e. independence of stature and reputation
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
44. The Executive Office of the President was formed to ______.
a. control the president
b. provide expert advice
c. control the cabinet
d. replace the cabinet
e. serve the cabinet
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
45. Calvin Coolidge’s infamous reticence to speak to the press would be part of what Barbour and Wright would refer to as his ______.
a. power to persuade
b. presidential style
c. senatorial courtesy
d. inherent powers
e. executive privilege
Learning Objective: 8.5: Evaluate the importance of leadership style and image as they relate to presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: The Presidential Personality
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
46. One effect of the Twelfth Amendment on the selection of the president and vice president has been ______.
a. greater interparty rivalry
b. to encourage ticket balancing
c. an increased emphasis on attracting minority-party voters
d. to encourage former presidents to run as vice presidential candidates
e. an improvement in status for the vice president
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
47. The role of the vice president ______.
a. is not mentioned in the Constitution
b. is, with the exception of presiding over the Senate, determined by the president
c. has been significantly reduced in the modern age
d. has generally been stronger under Republican presidents than under Democratic presidents
e. is limited to presiding over the Senate and exercising ceremonial duties
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
48. James David Barber classified presidents ______.
a. by region and party to predict how they would succeed as president
b. by their nationality and ethnic background
c. by the office they held previous to the presidency
d. based on their morals and whether or not they would be positive leaders
e. based on their energy level and their orientation toward life
Learning Objective: 8.5: Evaluate the importance of leadership style and image as they relate to presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Personality
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
49. According to James David Barber’s typology of presidential personalities, which type of president is likely to perform best in office?
a. active-positive presidents
b. active-negative presidents
c. passive-positive presidents
d. passive-negative presidents
e. active-passive presidents
Learning Objective: 8.5: Evaluate the importance of leadership style and image as they relate to presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Presidential Personality
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
50. The text authors classify Obama as a(n) ______ type of president.
a. passive-negative
b. passive-positive
c. active-negative
d. active-positive
e. none of these
Learning Objective: 8.5: Evaluate the importance of leadership style and image as they relate to presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Personality
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
51. The different public assessments of President George W. Bush’s and President Bill Clinton’s characters show us that ______.
a. although of different parties, the public has assessed them nearly identically
b. Bush ranked higher on all traits than did Clinton
c. Bush and Clinton share the same presidential character
d. presidents have different styles and project different images to the public
e. Clinton ranked higher on all traits than did Bush
Learning Objective: 8.5: Evaluate the importance of leadership style and image as they relate to presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Presidential Personality
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
52. Given his hands-off management style and sunny disposition, it is not surprising that many presidential scholars classify ______ as a passive-positive president.
a. Lyndon Johnson
b. Jimmy Carter
c. Richard Nixon
d. Ronald Reagan
e. Bill Clinton
Ans.: D
KEY: Learning Objective: 8.5: Evaluate the importance of leadership style and image as they relate to presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Presidential Personality
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
53. The second most important factor that consistently influences presidential approval is the ______.
a. state of the economy
b. public’s opinion of the first spouse
c. size of the defense budget
d. president’s relationship with Congress
e. none of these
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
54. The rise of public expectations of the president dates from the administration of ______.
a. Franklin D. Roosevelt
b. George Washington
c. Ulysses S. Grant
d. Gerald Ford
e. Harry Truman
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
55. The archetypical example of an active-negative president would be ______.
a. George H. W. Bush
b. Richard Nixon
c. Ronald Reagan
d. Barack Obama
e. Ronald Reagan
Learning Objective: 8.5: Evaluate the importance of leadership style and image as they relate to presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Presidential Personality
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
56. A reasonable inference from Barbour and Wright’s discussion of the role of the president’s spouse in American politics is that ______.
a. Americans assume that the president’s spouse should be a formal advisor to the president
b. First Ladies have never tackled issues that have caused controversy or attracted criticism
c. the phenomenon of presidential spouses trying to influence politics is a recent one
d. the expectations of this job have shifted as Americans’ construction of gender relations has changed
e. historically speaking the role of “first lady” has been free from controversy
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
57. The most important on-going role of the vice president is to ______.
a. preside over, and break tie votes in, the Senate
b. oversee the White House staff
c. be there to take over if the president becomes incapacitated
d. serve as legislative liaison for the president
e. act as president of the House of Representatives
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
58. The only major constitutional role of the vice president is to ______.
a. direct the hiring of patronage positions
b. act as President of the Senate
c. preside over the National Security Council
d. run the Executive Office of the President
e. appoint White House staff
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
59. The person in the White House who is most likely to control the president’s day-to-day schedule is the ______.
a. chief of staff
b. first spouse
c. vice president
d. protocol officer
e. chief administrator
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
60. The bureau within the Executive Office of the President that works most closely with, and under the most direct supervision of, the president is the ______.
a. National Security Council
b. Office of Management and Budget
c. White House Office
d. Council of Economic Advisors
e. Executive Office of the President
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
True/False
1. An example of the head of state function would be when the president greets ambassadors from other countries at the White House.
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
2. The impeachment process is generally free from politics and partisanship.
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
3. Presidents can try to influence the judiciary by having the Speaker of the House argue cases before the court.
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
4. Barack Obama used signing statements much less than did George W. Bush.
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Easy
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
5. Dwight Eisenhower is generally considered to be the first “modern” president.
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
6. President George W. Bush was not the first president to use signing statements, although sometimes he did create a great deal of controversy when he employed them.
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
7. The last few months of a president’s term in office are called the honeymoon period, a time when the president’s popularity ratings are higher than normal.
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
8. There is a gap between the powers of the presidency and what the public expects the president to do.
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
9. The National Security Council was deeply involved in the Iran-contra affair.
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
10. As president, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower had very similar styles.
Learning Objective: 8.5: Evaluate the importance of leadership style and image as they relate to presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Presidential Personality
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
Short Answer
1. When the founders met at Philadelphia to draft a new constitution, why did they not view the presidency as a priority?
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
2. What type of role did those founders who favored a limited executive envision for the president?
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
3. In what ways did Abraham Lincoln overstep the bounds of his constitutional authority during the Civil War?
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
4. Through what specific pieces of legislation, passed during the 1970s, did Congress attempt to limit the powers of the president?
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
5. What factors contributed to George W. Bush ending his presidency as a “reclusive lame duck”?
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
6. With regard to how he handles his relationship with his political opponents, how has Donald Trump different from past presidents thus far?
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
7. Explain how a president’s popularity ratings are tied directly to their effectiveness in office.
Learning Objective: 8.5: Evaluate the importance of leadership style and image as they relate to presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
8. Despite their considerable impact on the president’s ability to do their job, why can approval ratings often be difficult to understand?
Learning Objective: 8.6: Give examples of ways in which public opinion affects the relationship between citizens and the president.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Citizens and the Presidency
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
9. In what way did many of President George W. Bush’s signing statements reflect his desire to expand the power of the presidency?
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
10. Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, why did congressional Democrats go along with President George Bush’s efforts to strengthen the powers of the president?
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
Essay
1. What is the impact of divided government on the president’s legislative agenda?
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
2. Fully discuss the double expectations gap. What does each of the gaps mean for the power of the presidency?
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Presidential Politics
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
3. Compare presidential eras through time. How does the modern presidency today differ from the modern presidency under Franklin D. Roosevelt? How has the presidency changed compared to the era of the traditional presidency? What does it mean for expectations of the president these days?
Learning Objective: 8.2: Compare the modern presidency with the founders’ expectations for a limited executive.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: The Evolution of the American Presidency
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
4. Discuss the power to persuade, going public, presidential character, and presidential style. Why are these personal features so important to presidential success? How do they help us to understand the presidency in ways that just studying the constitutional powers of the presidency does not?
Learning Objective: 8.3: Identify strategies and tools presidents employ to overcome the constitutional limitations of the office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: The Presidential Personality
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
5. What are the different roles of the cabinet and the Executive Office of the President? Why is the Executive Office of the President, especially the White House Office, considered to be closer to the president both personally and politically? What are the effects of the tension between the cabinet and the Executive Office of the President and the White House Office on presidential decision making?
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
6. Explain the qualifications and conditions of office for the presidency.
Learning Objective: 8.1: Describe the tension between the president’s role as chief executive and the constitutional checks on presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: The Presidential Job Description
Difficulty Level: Medium
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
7. How has the role of the vice president changed over the past two decades?
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
8. Discuss how the role of first lady has evolved over the course of the twentieth century and into today.
Learning Objective: 8.4: Describe the organization and functions of the executive office.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: Managing the Presidential Establishment
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
9. Discuss the classification of presidential personalities as outlined by James David Barber and provide examples of presidents who fit within each of his classifications.
Learning Objective: 8.5: Evaluate the importance of leadership style and image as they relate to presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Presidential Personality
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
10. What is presidential style and how has it been reflected by presidents of the mid-to-late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries?
Learning Objective: 8.5: Evaluate the importance of leadership style and image as they relate to presidential power.
REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Presidential Personality
Difficulty Level: Hard
TOP: SAGE Learning Outcomes for American Government: Explain the main institutions of American government, including their roles and interrelationships.
Document Information
Connected Book
Test Bank | Keeping the Republic 9e by Barbour
By Christine Barbour