American Government - Quiz The Presidency

1. A president can issue a pardon in which of the following circumstances? a. For all offenses against the United States, except impeachment 2. Why is it difficult to gauge how successful presidents are with legislation in Congress? a. They can keep their victory score high by not taking a position on any controversial measure. 3. From the time of winning office to the time of leaving it, what can be said about the popularity of most recent presidents? a. It has decreased except at election time. 4. An obvious and important difference between a president and a prime minister is that the latter always has what? a. Majority support in parliament 5. According to public opinion research, the president’s use of the “bully pulpit” tends to do which of these? a. Bolster existing public views 6. Which president was very successful at getting legislation through Congress during the “honeymoon” days of his presidency? a. Franklin Roosevelt 7. The Constitution gives the vice president which of the following? a. The job of presiding over the Senate and voting in case of a tie 8. When the president uses the prestige and visibility of the office to guide or mobilize the American people, he or she is using which of the following? a. Bully pulpit 9. When the Constitutional Convention met in 1787, which of these describes the power of most state governors? a. They weren’t powerful and couldn’t serve long terms. 10. Today, senior White House staff members are often drawn from which of the following? a. The president’s campaign staff 11. The president, in his capacity as head of state, is responsible for which of the following? a. Engaging in activities that are largely symbolic or ceremonial in nature 12. George Washington limited himself to two terms, and no president served more until whom? a. Franklin Roosevelt 13. Which of the following is true of executive orders? a. They are part of a president's executive power. 14. During the early years of the Republic, which department, under the direction of Alexander Hamilton, was “the principal federal office"? a. Treasury Department 15. Which kind of veto causes a bill to not become a law if the president does not sign the bill within ten days and Congress has adjourned within that time? a. Pocket 16. Presidents must rely heavily on the power of persuasion because they have what? a. Vague constitutional powers and a lack of ensured legislative majorities 17. The main function of the president's cabinet is to do which of the following? a. Provide advice to the president to aid in decision making 18. When no presidential candidate receives a majority of the electoral vote, which of the following occurs? a. The election is decided by the House of Representatives. 19. The position of “acting president” was created by what? a. The Twenty-Fifth Amendment 20. Which elastic phrase has become a significant source of presidential power? a. “Take care that the laws be faithfully executed” 21. Which of the following amendments to the U.S. Constitution establishes procedures for filling presidential and vice-presidential vacancies and makes provisions for presidential incapacity? a. Twenty-Fifth 22. In which method of White House staff organization, used by President Jimmy Carter, do cabinet secretaries and assistants report directly to the president? a. Circular structure 23. The president has the power to appoint all of the following positions, except for which one? a. Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives 24. Which amendment to the Constitution requires the president and the vice president to be chosen separately by the electoral college? a. Twelfth 25. The Constitution does not give the president the power to do which of the following? a. Declare war 26. Executive privilege was limited by the Supreme Court as a consequence of which of the following? a. The Watergate scandal 27. The 1948 Marshall Plan and the Tax Reform Act of 1986 illustrate which of the following? a. Both were produced by divided governments. 28. Which of these describes the response to James Wilson’s suggestion at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that the president be elected by the people? a. Initially received almost no support 29. A written declaration that a president may make when signing a bill into law is known as which of the following? a. Signing statement 30. In what kind of structure do subordinates report to the president through a clear chain of command headed by a chief of staff? a. Pyramid