William_T._Bianco,_David_T._Canon]_American_Polit

451

The development of

presidential power

Trace the evolution of presidential power.

(Pages 420–423)

Summary

Presidents get their powers from a variety of sources: some powers

are from the Constitution; others have more informal origins.

Although the president’s constitutional powers have not changed,

presidential power has grown substantially over time. Nonetheless,

even presidents’ power is still limited in a number of contexts.

Practice Quiz Questions

1. Which of the following is not a reason why presidential
   power has increased over time?
   a changes in the Constitution
   b America’s growth as a nation
   c America’s emergence as a dominant actor in international
   politics
   d the expansion of the federal government
   e acts of legislation passed by Congress


2. Which of the following events during Donald Trump’s
   presidency best illustrates the limits of presidential
   power?
   a congressional consideration of new gun control laws
   b the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court
   c the use of airstrikes in Syria
   d the failure to repeal Obamacare
   e Trump’s defeat of Hillary Clinton in 2016

The president’s job

description

Describe the constitutional and statutory powers of the

president today. (Pages 423–437)

Summary

The president’s formal powers arise from a combination of

constitutional provisions and additional laws that give him or her

increased responsibilities. The president has many duties, but the

primary responsibilities of the office are to oversee the executive

branch and implement laws passed by Congress. Although some

presidents might prefer to focus on either domestic or foreign

policy, most find that their priorities are determined by domestic

and world events.

Key terms

constitutional authority

(p. 423)

statutory authority

(presidential) (p. 423)

vesting clause (p. 424)

head of government (p. 424)

head of state (p. 424)

recess appointment (p. 426)

executive orders (p. 426)

executive agreement (p. 429)

State of the Union (p. 430)

executive privilege (p. 433)

Practice Quiz Questions

3. Presidents use recess appointments when they are trying
   to.
   a fill a judicial vacancy outside the scheduled period
   b fill a vacant seat in Congress
   c temporarily dodge the need for Senate approval
   d temporarily dodge the need for House approval
   e fill vacancies with a permanent replacement


4. A presidential proclamation that unilaterally changes
   government policy without congressional consent is called

a an executive privilege

b a fast-track authority

c an executive agreement

d an executive order

e statutory authority

5. Some scholars argue that the War Powers Resolution has
   effectively expanded the power of.
   a the president
   b Congress
   c the Supreme Court
   d the Department of Defense
   e the State Department


6. The first-mover advantage refers to the president’s
   negotiating advantage over.
   a foreign leaders
   b governors
   c the bureaucracy
   d Congress
   e international organizations

Study Guide

Study guide

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