2.4-2.7 Amsco AP Government Reading Guide

La Joya Community High School - Avondale-AZ

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AP U.S. Government & Politics

AP U.S. Government & Politics

AP U.S. Government & Politics

AP U.S. Government & Politics

AP U.S. Government & Politics

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Chapter 5: The Presidency

Directions: Fill Each Box With Information Important To Gaining A Clear Understanding Of The Topic

2 Roles and Powers of the

President

Article II – The president can recommend legislative measures to congress, veto or approve proposed bills from article 1, and convene or adjourn the houses of congress. The framers also created a system by which the Electoral College chooses the president every four years.

Formal Powers – the president exercises the formal powers of the office those defined in article II .

Informal Powers – As well as the informal powers those political powers interpreted to be inherent in the office to achieve policy goals.

Chief Legislator – term for the president as architect of public policy and the one who sets the agenda for congress

Powers of Persuasion – the president uses a number of skills to win support for a policy agenda. The president will use bargaining and persuasion to get congress to agree with and pass the legislative agenda

Veto – To reject or prohibit action and laws of other government officials checks and balances a system that balances the distribution of power in a government

Pocket Veto – A veto taking place when congress adjourns within 10 days of having submitted to a bill to the president who simply lets it die by neither signing nor vetoing it

Think as a Political Scientist: Describe trends in data

Practice: Study the table on page 142, which shows

trends in presidential vetoes at different times in the

nation’s history. Then, offer one reason why trends

might have varied so greatly.

Response:

A president who uses the veto infrequently is

often viewed as a successful executive because

policy goals are accomplished easily. Conversely,

a president who vetoes many bills can be

regarded as less successful and might have

difficulty implementing

his policy goals.

Line-Item Veto – This measure would empower an executive to eliminate a line of spending from an appropriations bill or a budgeting measure, allowing the president to veto part, but not all, of the bill.

Commander in Chief -The role of the president as supreme commander of the military forces of the United States and of the state National Guard units when they are called into federal service

Executive Agreement – It is a simple contract between two heads of state: the president and a prime minister, king, or president of another nation.

Executive Powers and Policy -- The Panama Canal - The policies of two presidents regarding the Panama Canal show two very different ways of using the powers of the executive branch to advance a policy agenda and interact with Congress

Executive Orders – empowers the president to carry out the law or to administer the government. Unlike a criminal law or monetary appropriation, which require congress to act, a presidential directive falls within executive authority.

Signing Statements - These statements explain their interpretation of a bill, their understanding of what is expected of them to carry it out, or just a commentary on the law.

Executive Privilege - the right to withhold information or their decision-making process from another branch, especially Congress.

Essential Question: How can a president implement a policy agenda?

President can exercise formal powers of the office those in article II as will informal powers to achieve policy’s agenda.

Power Granted to the President - The President of

the United States is granted some important

powers as the nation’s leader and chief executive

of the executive branch. Many of these revolve

around creating policy and signing bills into law.

This, their position in their political party, and

their nominees for major positions, shape the

country’s trajectory. Additionally, there are key

powers in relation to foreign policy and their role

as a diplomat and Commander in Chief.

Example in Implementing Policy Agenda

. Signing statements, executive privilege, line-

item veto, and appoints judges

2 Checks on the

Presidency

The President’s Term - Constitution gives the president the power to assemble that group and “. appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls and all other officers of the United States whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for and which shall be established by law.”

The Vice President - Declares that in care of presidential removal, death, resignation, or inability, the presidents duties and powers “shall devolve on the vice president

• Is an assistant to the president with little influence and largely undefined job description

Cabinet - a formal body of leaders or department heads who act as government advisors

Secretaries - modern presidents create some balance based on geography , gender, ethnicity, and even partisan ideology.

Ambassador - an official representative of a country's government

Chiefs of Staff - a council of the top informed officials from each division advises the president on military strategy.

• the role of the president as ceremonial head of the government

Federal Agencies - are subcabinet entities that carry out specific government function -executive agency, military department, a court of the united states

White House Staff - the presidents immediate staff of specialists makeup the white office. These require no senate approval and tend to come from the presidents inner circle or campaign

Chief of Staff - tend be tough, punctual, detail-oriented managers, and these qualities allow the president to concentrate on big picture decisions.

Inherent Powers - powers that a sovereign entity can assume to have as a necessary to the work ability of the government or office

The Senate and Presidential Appointees - occasionally high- level appointees are subjected to senate investigation and public hearing. Most are still approved while a few will receive intense scrutiny and media attention and some appointment with fail

Senate Standoff - senate disagrees with presidents staff

When the president tries to appoint cabinet secretary, but senate shuts it

down.

Ambassador Appointments - the senate is also likely to confirm ambassador appointments although those positions are often awarded to people who helped fund the president's campaign rather than people well qualified for the job

• the official representative of the US. Government to another

Think as a Political Scientist: Explain how political processes apply to different scenarios

Practice: Read the summaries of Senate action on presidential nominees on page 155 and answer the following

questions:

Stewardship Theory Approach to governing presumed the president had a duty to act.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt President during great depression and new deal

War Powers Act Maintains the presidents needs for urgent action and defense at the US while preventing war authority.

Think as a Political Scientist: Describe the author’s claim and perspective

Practice: Read the excerpt on page 163 from Franklin Roosevelt’s 1941 State of the Union Address and answer

the following questions:

1. What is one claim Roosevelt makes in this speech?

That in the future there is 4 essential human freedoms

2. What is FDR asking the American public to do?

To come together and help the cause cause he asks them for a personal sacrifice

3. Does Roosevelt’s speech seem to be from the perspective, or point of view, of an “imperial president’? Explain

your answer.

No because he isnt asking about taking over, hes talking about trying to make America better and he doesn’t

mention any other country

4. Is FDR acting within powers granted to the president in the Constitution? Yes because there would be no

reason in this speech for

congress to check his power as he is just tryna inspire and share what he wants

Essential Question: How have presidents interpreted and explained their use of formal and informal powers?

Complete the tables below to answer.

Presidential Expansion of Power Response to Expansion of Presidential Power

2 Presidential

Communication

Bully Pulpit A prominent stage from where ideas can be pitched to the American people

State of the Union Address

Constitution requires the

president to report to congress

from time to time on the state of

the union

Think as a Political Scientist: Explain how political behaviors apply to

different scenarios

Practice: Read the excerpts from three presidents’ speeches during various

economic crises that the nation experienced on page 168. Identify the

political behavior the president is trying to encourt in each excerpt. Also,

explain one similarity and one difference among these messages to the

people of the United States.

Response: James Madison felt more like an explanation of what was going on

and a possible

solution. Franklin Roosevelt was trying to boost the morale of the people.

Reagan seems like he’s

apologizing but at the same time telling the people to stick together and

they could get through it.

FDR and Reagan both give encouraging words while Madison seems like hes

just addressing the

government and not the people.

The communications office works

to control information coming out of

the white house and try to shape

the presidents message

Spin and Manipulation

Bush was caught

manipulating the news

press

Obama Embraces New Media Hired a 30-year-old new media director

Image Control Congress basically hires photographers to make the president look good