3.2.1.3.1 The executive branch: sources and constraints of presidential power Quiz: AQA Politics, Unit 2

The 20 questions

1. Which article of the US Constitution sets out the powers of the President?

   • Article I
   • Article V
   • Article II
   • Article III

2. Which is an example of a formal power of the US President?

   • Acting as de facto leader of the President's party in Congress
   • Vetoing bills passed by Congress
   • Acting as the leader of the free world in international affairs
   • Setting the national agenda through public speeches and media appearances

3. Which is an example of an informal power of the US President?

   • Granting pardons for federal offences under Article II
   • Acting as de facto leader of the President's party
   • Making treaties with foreign countries with the consent of two-thirds of the Senate
   • Appointing federal judges with the advice and consent of the Senate

4. What is the difference between enumerated and inherent powers in relation to the presidency?

   • Enumerated powers are granted by Congress each year, while inherent powers are fixed by the Supreme Court
   • Enumerated powers are exercised by states, while inherent powers belong only to the federal government
   • Enumerated powers are informal and unwritten, while inherent powers are fixed in the Bill of Rights
   • Enumerated powers are explicitly listed in the Constitution, while inherent powers are implied

5. Why does the President's role as agenda setter count as an informal power?

   • It is granted by the Supreme Court, which decides the order of business in each session
   • It is explicitly listed in Article II, which gives the President control of the congressional calendar
   • It is established by a statute which Congress must approve before the President can act
   • It is not specified in the Constitution, but it arises from the President's position

6. What is the role of the Executive Office of the President (EXOP)?

   • It is a legislative committee that drafts bills for the Senate and the House
   • It supports the President with policy advice, management
   • It is a court that hears appeals from the federal bureaucracy and federal agencies
   • It is a state government office that represents the President in each state capital

7. When was the Executive Office of the President created?

   • 1865, under President Abraham Lincoln
   • 1789, under President George Washington
   • 1963, under President John F. Kennedy
   • 1939, under President Franklin D. Roosevelt

8. Which constraint on presidential power relates to Congress?

   • The President's power to appoint the Speaker of the House of Representatives
   • The President's power to appoint justices of the Supreme Court without Senate approval
   • Party support in Congress, which affects whether the President's legislation can pass
   • The President's ability to pardon any federal offender without any reference to the courts

9. Which factor constrains presidential power through public opinion?

   • The attitudes of the media and the public, which can influence support
   • The length of time that the President has served in the armed forces
   • The number of Supreme Court justices appointed by the President in office
   • The number of electoral votes that the President won in the previous election

10. Which evaluation best supports the view that presidential power is constrained by formal checks and balances?

    • Congress has no power to override presidential decisions, so checks are purely symbolic
    • Congress can override vetoes by a two-thirds vote
    • The President can override any congressional decision by a simple executive order at any time
    • The Supreme Court can remove the President from office for any policy it disagrees with

11. Which statement best describes the effect of the Supreme Court's orientation on presidential power?

    • A Court that is sympathetic to executive power may support presidential action, while a hostile Court may restrict it
    • The Supreme Court's orientation has no effect on presidential power, which is fixed by the Constitution
    • The Supreme Court can only hear cases about state law and never addresses presidential actions
    • The Supreme Court always supports the President, regardless of the law or the facts of the case

12. Which example best illustrates the use of an informal power by a US President?

    • Vetoing a bill that was passed by both houses of Congress
    • Using public speeches to build support
    • Nominating a Supreme Court justice and receiving Senate confirmation
    • Negotiating a treaty and securing the consent of two-thirds of the Senate

13. Which argument best supports the view that presidential power depends on circumstances?

    • The President's authority depends only on the age of the President, as set by statute
    • The President's authority varies with party control of Congress and the political climate, so it can wax and wane
    • The President's authority depends only on the decisions of state governors in each election
    • The President's authority is always the same, because it is fixed by the Constitution in every case

14. Which claim about the President's relationship with the federal bureaucracy is most accurate?

    • The bureaucracy has no relationship with the President, because it reports directly to Congress
    • The relationship varies between presidents, depending on how they manage agencies and advisers
    • The bureaucracy is elected by the public and can dismiss the President at any time
    • The bureaucracy is controlled by the Supreme Court, which sets each agency's annual budget

15. Which evaluation best assesses the claim that presidential power has expanded over time?

    • Growth of the EXOP and the use of implied powers suggest expansion, but constraints can still limit presidents
    • Presidential power has shrunk steadily since 1789, because Congress has taken all executive functions
    • Presidential power has never changed, because the Constitution has never been interpreted by any court
    • Presidential power has expanded only in the years of war, and has not changed at any other time

16. Which statement about the President's role as world leader is most accurate?

    • Presidents conduct foreign policy and represent the US abroad, although treaties require Senate consent
    • Presidents represent the states abroad, while Congress controls all foreign contact
    • Presidents have no role in foreign policy, which is conducted solely by the Supreme Court
    • Presidents can make binding treaties alone, without any Senate involvement at any stage

17. Which claim about the President as party leader is most accurate?

    • The President is a de facto party leader
    • The President is formally elected as party leader by Congress each year after the midterms
    • The President has no connection to the party, because parties are banned from the White House
    • The President is the leader of the Supreme Court, which decides the party's policy

18. Which power is an example of a formal power of the President under the Constitution?

    • Acting as commander in chief of the armed forces
    • Setting the national agenda through public appearances and speeches
    • Shaping public opinion through the media in support of a programme
    • Acting as the de facto leader of the President's party in Congress

19. Which example shows the constraint of party support in Congress on presidential power?

    • A President's bill becomes law automatically once it is announced in a press conference
    • A President's bill stalls because the opposition controls the committees that must approve it
    • A President's bill is blocked because the monarch has refused to sign it into law
    • A President's bill passes quickly because the Supreme Court has approved it in advance

20. Which factor is an informal source of presidential power?

    • Power to grant pardons for federal offences under Article II
    • Power to make treaties with a two-thirds vote of the Senate
    • Public visibility as world leader
    • Power to nominate judges and receive Senate confirmation

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