Unit V: The Executive Branch FRQ Review! Unit V: The Executive Branch

2002 Check your Ch. 13 Notes The concept of “divided government” in the United States means that one political party can control the executive branch while another controls the legislative branch. This poses problems for the president in making appointment to federal offices. Describe two problems that divided government poses for the President in making federal appointments. Identify and explain two ways Presidents try to overcome the problems described in A.

Check your Ch. 13 Notes Possible Solutions??? Generate public support (i.e. use of the media) Compromise on choice Building coalitions in Congress Deal-making (including veto as a threat) Building coalitions of interest groups Making interim recess appointments Finding a “bulletproof” nominee Selecting minority nominees Reliance on White House staff

2003 Check your Ch. 13 Notes Presidential approval ratings fluctuate over the course of each presidential administration. Identify two factors that decrease presidential approval rating and explain why each factor has that effect. Identify two factors that increase presidential approval rating and explain why each factor has that effect.

Presidential Approval Ratings Check your Ch. 13 Notes Presidential Approval Ratings White House conducts a weekly poll. Product of factors such as party identification, the “honeymoon period,” and the campaign effect, which follows reelection Changes related to scandals, economic conditions, foreign policy issues and Rally Events (occurrences which cause Americans to “rally” around their leader. Usually involves a foreign policy crisis, i.e. Sept. 11) Approval rating is usually lower at the end of a president’s term = the Expectations Gap Public Approval operates mostly in the background - but has lots of potential to influence Congress to go along with the president’s proposals Remember Mandates?: Perception that the voters strongly support the president’s character and policies.

2004 Check your Ch. 13 & Ch. 20 Notes Presidents are generally thought to have advantages over Congress in conducting foreign policy because of the formal and informal powers of the presidency. Identify two formal constitutional powers of the President in making foreign policy. Identify two formal constitutional powers of Congress in making foreign policy. Identify two informal powers of the President that contribute to the President’s advantage over Congress in conducting foreign policy. Explain how each of the informal powers identified in C contributes to the President’s advantage over Congress in conducting foreign policy.

Check your Ch. 13 & Ch. 20 Notes Commander-in-Chief of armed forces Negotiate treaties & executive agreements with other nations Nominate & receive ambassadors Recognize a nation B. Congress can: Declare war Raise and organize armed forces Appropriate funds – “power of the purse” Senate ratifies treaties (advice & consent) Senate confirms cabinet & ambassador nominations (advice & consent) C. Access to media Agenda-setting Meet with world leaders Crisis manager More access to information Recognized as global leader

2006 Check your Ch. 15 Notes The United States Congress and the President together have the power to enact federal law. Federal bureaucratic agencies have the responsibility to execute federal law. However, in the carrying out of these laws, federal agencies have policy-making discretion. Explain two reasons why Congress gives federal agencies policy-making discretion in executing federal laws. Choose one of the bureaucratic agencies listed below. Identify the policy area over which it exercise policy-making discretion AND give one specific example of how it exercises that discretion. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Federal Reserve Board Describe two ways Congress ensures that federal agencies follow legislative intent.

Check Ch. 15 notes - Bureaucracy & Democracy So why does Congress give federal agencies so much policymaking discretion in executing federal laws? Congress lacks expertise & the agencies have specialized units & expertise Congress doesn’t want to be blamed for bad policy It’s time-consuming = delegated authority It’s more efficient = discretionary authority (Congress writes broad legislation and bureaucracy fills in the gaps) Structure of the bureaucracy Large Specialized Tenure protections (difficult to fire)

Check your Ch. 15 Notes Bureaucracy & Democracy Presidents Try to Control the Bureaucracy Appoint the right people Issue executive orders: used to direct the bureaucracy to implement a policy Tinker with the agency’s budget Reorganize an agency Congress Tries to Control the Bureaucracy Influence presidential appointments (Senate confirms) Hold hearings Rewrite the legislation or make it more detailed BUT Big government provides services to constituents and it’s hard to control once created

Check your Ch. 15 Notes Bureaucracy & Democracy Courts Try to Control the Bureaucracy Court rulings can limit bureaucratic practices Judicial Review – can declare bureaucratic actions unconstitutional Can issue injunctions against federal agencies Interest Groups Try to Control the Bureaucracy Use of the First Amendment Lobbying Protests Media usage Speech Litigation – regulations can be challenged in court

2007 Check your Ch. 13 Notes Conflicts between Congress and the President over war powers have their origin in the United States Constitution. In 1973 Congress passed the War Powers Resolution in an attempt to clarify the balance of powers between the two branches of government. Describe the primary constitutional conflict between Congress and the President over the decision to go to war. Describe two provisions of the War Powers resolution that were designed to limit the President’s power over war making. The War Powers Resolution has received mixed reviews, but Congress has other powers over war making. Other than the constitutional power you described in A, identify and explain two other formal powers Congress has over war making.

2008 Check your Ch. 13 Notes A number of factors enable presidents to exert influence over Congress in the area of domestic policy. However, presidents are also limited in their influence over domestic policymaking in Congress. The Constitution grants the president certain enumerated powers. Describe two of these formal powers that enable the president to exert influence over domestic policy. Choose two of the following. Define each term and explain how each limits the president’s ability to influence domestic policymaking in Congress. mandatory spending party polarization lame-duck period

Presidents have problems exercising their Legislative Power when… Check your Ch. 13 Notes Presidents have problems exercising their Legislative Power when… Mandatory Spending: spending already dictated by law (i.e. Social Security) Party Polarization: parties becoming more extreme and refusing to work together = opposite of bipartisanship Lame Duck Period: end of president’s term when people stop taking him seriously b/c they know he can’t run for office again Divided Government: when Congress is controlled by one party & the president is from the other

2010 Check your Ch. 15 Notes The federal bureaucracy as part of the executive branch exercises substantial independence in implementing governmental policies and programs. Most workers in the federal bureaucracy are civil-service employees who are organized under a merit system. Describe one key characteristic of the merit system. For each of the following, describe one factor that contributes to bureaucratic independence. The structure of the federal bureaucracy. The complexity of public policy problems. For each of the following, explain one Constitutional provision that it can use to check the bureaucracy. Congress The courts Interest groups

Check your Ch. 15 Notes Bureaucracy & Democracy Presidents Try to Control the Bureaucracy Appoint the right people Issue executive orders: used to direct the bureaucracy to implement a policy Tinker with the agency’s budget Reorganize an agency Congress Tries to Control the Bureaucracy Influence presidential appointments (Senate confirms) Hold hearings Rewrite the legislation or make it more detailed BUT Big government provides services to constituents and it’s hard to control once created

Check your Ch. 15 Notes Bureaucracy & Democracy Courts Try to Control the Bureaucracy Court rulings can limit bureaucratic practices Judicial Review – can declare bureaucratic actions unconstitutional Can issue injunctions against federal agencies Interest Groups Try to Control the Bureaucracy Use of the First Amendment Lobbying Protests Media usage Speech Litigation – regulations can be challenged in court

2010 = HUH?? The framers of the Constitution created a political system based on limited government. The original Constitution and the Bill of Rights were intended to restrict the powers of the national government. Later constitutional developments also limited the powers of the state governments. Explain how each of the following limits the power of the national executive. Federalism Checks and balances

2011 Check your Ch. 13 Notes The Constitution of the United States creates a government of separate institutions that share power rather than a government that delegates power exclusively to a single branch. Frequently, this means that presidents and Congress struggle with each other. For each of the presidential powers below, explain one way that congressional decision making is affected by that power. Veto power Power to issue executive orders Power as commander in chief For each of the congressional powers below, explain one way that presidential decision making is affect by that power. Legislative oversight power = Not covered until Unit 6 Senate advice and consent power Budgetary power