Summary
Summary US politics - Revision
- Module
- US politics
- Institution
- AQA
President and constraints, Voting Behaviour, Pressure Groups, Devolution and Federal model, Civil Rights UK vs US; detailed notes with examples and dates included
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Executive branch of Gov - President and constraints -● Powers outlined in Article 2 of constitution
● Powers to run the government’s executive branch and use EXOP to do this; chief executive
● Powers to propose legislation to congress
● Proposes a legislation agenda to congress in the yearly state of union address but can also put
forward legislation at any point in time
● Budget is key legislation submitted by the president to congress and is drawn up by the OMB
which sits within the EXOP
● Once a bill is passed the legislative process in Congress the president has the power to sign the
bill into law
● If president objects legislation passed by congress they can veto it, if vetoed the bill must return
to congress in 10 days, president can use pocket veto which is when the president does not sing
a bill until congressional session has ended at which point the bill can no longer become law
● President has power to lead the US armed forces in foreign policy action
● In practice president asks for approval from congress to use the army
● President will always carry the nuclear football which has access to the nuclear codes to
authorise a nuclear attack
● Figurehead of the US, carries out ceremonial functions on behalf of the US and leads the nation
during times of national crisis - Bush 9/11
● Powers to nominate judges to SC and federal courts
● Nominates officials to the executive branch and including the heads of executive departments,
ambassadors and heads of government agencies; nominations must be approved by vote in
Senate
● President can make and negotiate treaties with other countries
● President has the power to pardon citizens from criminal sentences - Obama used 212 times
● Being elected gives the president the mandate to carry out policies outlined in election campaign
● Electoral mandate important as a president elected with a large majority has a stronger mandate
to carry out their policies than a president with a smaller majority of the vote
● Obama = large majority 53% of popular vote 2008
● Electoral mandate limited in the power it gives the president as congress can block the
president’s legislative proposals
● Executive orders are documents which have the effect of law and are drafted by the government,
give the president the power to manage certain federal government operations and direct
government officials to act, presidential powers not written in the constitution
● Specific national events can give the president power because they enable the prescient to
become a symbol of national unity and highly popular
● President wants cabinet members who are specialists in policy areas of the department which
they head; mainly from Congress, city mayors, state governors or academics
● Cabinet gives president power to president big picture items which affect the cabinet such as
major legislation the budget and elections
● Presidents try to unite their cabinet at the start of their administration into a team that will move
forward with the president’s agenda, use cabinet to look collegial and open to consulting others in
the government on policies and issues
● Cabinet meetings can be used by presidents to check on legislation of interest to them which is
passing through congress
● Cabinet fulfils key functions for cabinet members including resolving disputes between
government departments and provides a chance for interaction with the president, fulfils key
functions for the president, among most important in the executive as they are heads of the main
state departments
, ● EXOP has grown in importance for the president with more access than the cabinet and has
become the main source of advice for the president
● Cabinet officers have divided loyalties and have loyalties other than a president including loyalty
to their own department
● NSC supports the president in coordinating foreign policy and national security policy, honest
broker role acting as an advisor for the president, significance depends on the president and how
they choose to seek its advice on key policy matters
● OMB = overseas all federal department and agency spending, offers the president advice on how
to allocate funding in the budget, analyses legislation and regulation proposed by the executive
for its financial implications to the budget, confirmed by senate vote and speaks on behalf of
president on areas relating to budget
● WHO = policy advice, act as communicator between president and congress management of
president’s daily schedule and running the White House, manages any crisis and makes sure that
decision are reached in an orderly way by presenting all relevant options to the president,
impartial advisors than policy makers
● Can work through people in order to persuade party leaders of senate / house, VP can be used to
persuade congress as they have an office in congress where they can meet with members of
both houses
● Offer members of congress support with legislation which benefits their district or state, offer to
campaign for a member of congress in their next election if the member is of the same party as
the president, call individuals to encourage them to vote a certain way, use perks to secure the
support and vote of members of congress
● President’s personality important to build strong relations with congress, if from same party
presidential persuasion more successful
● Constitution outlines a system of checks and balances whereby each of the 3 branches of
government can check the actions of the others
● Congress can amend the president’s budgetary requests, able to reject / amend and delay the
president’s legislative proposals, can use the power of the purse and its power to declare war to
check the president’s power to engage in foreign policy, power to override the president’s veto if
there is a ⅔ majority vote in favour of overriding in both houses
● Can impeach a president and remove them from office, senate has the power to reject
nominations to the executive and judiciary made by the president
● President needs the senate to ratify any treaties which they have negotiated which the senate
can refuse to do
● SC limits presidential power by using judicial review where the court can overrule laws and
actions by the executive if the court views it unconstitutional
● Small mandate from previous election can weaken the president’s position and their ability to
carry out their legislation and policies, president in their 2nd term has more constraints on power
than in their 1st term
● 22nd amendment = limits president to 2 terms makes the president a lame duck in their 2nd term
where they have less influence because of their limited time remaining as president
● Divided government = where one party does not control the presidency / HOR / Senate, divided
government limits the president’s ability to have legislation approved, if senate controlled by a
different party to the president presidential appointments to the executive and judiciary will often
be more difficult to approve
● President with lower public approval ratings will have less political power than a president who is
more popular with voters
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