US Presidency (Edexcel A Level Politics): Flashcards

Head of Government is the president's role managing government operations, including legislative powers and issuing executive orders.

The Commander-in-Chief is the president's constitutional power of controlling the armed forces, as when Biden ordered the withdrawal from Afghanistan (2021).

A treaty negotiated by the president is subject to two-thirds Senate ratification, as with the START treaty approved in 2010.

Trump's mass pardon of around 1600 January 6 offenders shows that the pardon power has almost no constitutional check.

Using the appointment power, President Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court (2022).

False.

Divided government is when the party controlling at least one house of Congress is different to the party of the President.

High opinion poll ratings strengthened Obama's bargaining power, boosting negotiations on the Affordable Care Act (2010).

Judicial review is the Supreme Court's power to limit presidential actions, as when it struck down Trump's attempt to end DACA (2020).

In United States v Texas (2016), the Supreme Court blocked DAPA, ruling the president had exceeded executive authority.

DACA (2012) protected certain undocumented migrants who had arrived in the US as children from deportation and allowed them to work legally.

True.

The Court ruled the administration had not followed proper legal procedures, showing judicial support for correctly applied executive action.

The veto power lets a president reject legislation passed by Congress, as when Trump vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act (2020).

Executive orders are directives issued by the president to federal departments and agencies to instruct them on implementing laws, carrying the force of law without congressional approval.

The bully pulpit is public persuasion, where the president engages the public directly in order to pressure legislators.

Biden's strong 2020 electoral mandate gave him the legitimacy to press Congress to pass the American Rescue Plan.

The electoral mandate is the power a president gains after an election, providing a clear endorsement from the electorate of their policies.

False.

Executive orders cannot create new law; they can only interpret law and direct departments on how to implement it.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) prepares the federal budget and reviews agency regulations.

The president's implied powers come from the necessary and proper clause of the US Constitution.

The National Security Council advises the president on foreign and military policy and coordinated advice during the Afghanistan withdrawal (2021).

False.

The Cabinet's advice is not binding, so presidents can ignore it, as when Kirstjen Nielsen resigned as Homeland Security Secretary in 2019.

National events can increase public support and congressional deference, as post-9/11 approval ratings boosted George W. Bush's influence in 2001.

An executive agreement is an international agreement made by the president that does not require Senate approval, such as Biden's US–Mexico border cooperation agreements (2021).

There are fifteen Cabinet Secretaries, each heading one of the 15 executive departments.

After 9/11, Bush's 'War on Terror' rhetoric led to the rapid passage of the USA PATRIOT Act (2001) with minimal congressional resistance.

The 'War on Terror' was Bush's rhetorical framing after 9/11 that allowed him to set the national agenda and gain support for military action.

When Democrats took control of Congress in 2006, Bush's informal power to advance his domestic agenda weakened, showing that informal power depends on retaining congressional support.

Obama used speeches, televised addresses and public campaigning to build support for the Affordable Care Act (2010).

True.

After Republican control of Congress from 2010, Obama increasingly relied on executive orders, including DACA (2012).

Trump used direct communication and populist mobilisation, particularly via X, bypassing traditional media to pressure Congress.

Soft power is influence exercised through diplomacy rather than force, which Obama emphasised internationally, such as the Paris Climate Agreement (2015).

Trump secured the rapid confirmation of three conservative Supreme Court justices during his presidency.

Biden exercised informal power by using behind-the-scenes persuasion to build coalitions and pass major legislation such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021).

False.

Biden's informal powers weakened after the 2022 midterms, as concern over inflation and foreign policy limited his persuasive influence.

As the Iraq War became increasingly unpopular, Bush's ability to persuade both the public and Congress declined.

The Senate confirms cabinet and judicial nominees, as when Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed to the Supreme Court.

Judicial review is the Supreme Court's power to invalidate executive actions, as when it blocked Trump's attempt to end DACA (2020).

A 43-day government shutdown in 2025 showed that Congress can limit the president through its control of funding (appropriations).

President Trump was impeached twice, in 2019 and 2021, and was found not guilty by the Senate on each occasion.

False.

The House brings impeachment charges while the Senate tries the impeachment.

Checks and balances are the constitutional powers that create tension between branches, preventing action by one branch alone.

The lifetime tenure of justices limits a president's short-term influence over the judiciary, as shown by Obama's failed Merrick Garland nomination (2016).

In 2022 the Supreme Court restricted EPA regulatory authority, ruling against its power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

The House January 6th Committee (2021–22) scrutinised the actions of the Trump administration over the January 6th insurrection.

True.

Partisan alignment can weaken these powers, as shown by the Senate's refusal to convict Trump during impeachment.

A president can influence the Supreme Court indirectly through appointments, so effectiveness depends on the composition and timing of appointments.

Presidential power is limited by Congress, the Supreme Court, the US Constitution, divided government and the election cycle.

Divided government is when the Presidency, House of Representatives and Senate are not all controlled by the same party.

Biden's Build Back Better proposal stalled in 2021 due to Democratic divisions and opposition in the Senate.

Party unity is when a president has a unified party behind them, allowing them to rely more on party support to exercise power.

President Trump was impeached in 2019 for obstruction of Congress and abuse of power, and in 2021 for incitement to insurrection.

Judicial review is the Supreme Court's power to declare presidential actions unconstitutional, as when it blocked Trump's attempt to end DACA (2020).

True.

The lame duck period after his 2020 defeat saw Trump's only veto override, showing the election cycle's limiting effect.

Presidents can still act via executive orders, as when Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden after the 2024 election won by Trump.

True.

Presidents may use persuasion or executive orders to bypass Congress, as Trump did on environmental and immigration policy in his first term.

Presidents serve fixed terms, so they must consider re-election likelihood and the impact of mid-term elections.

Trump's tax reform (2017) passed quickly with a Republican-controlled Congress, showing how party alignment weakens congressional limits.

Bush campaigned in 2000 as a compassionate conservative on tax cuts, education reform and limited government.

Compassionate conservative was how Bush presented himself in 2000, combining conservative policy with a concern for social welfare.

Bush passed the No Child Left Behind Act (2002), expanding federal involvement in education accountability.

Obama's signature healthcare achievement was the Affordable Care Act (2010), which expanded insurance to millions.

False.

Comprehensive immigration reform failed repeatedly due to congressional opposition, forcing reliance on executive action such as DACA.

Obama described chemical weapons use in Syria as a red line, but failed to follow up his threat with military intervention.

Trump passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017), significantly reducing corporate and income taxes.

False.

Repeal of the Affordable Care Act failed despite Republican control of Congress.

Biden's flagship 2021 pandemic relief measure was the American Rescue Plan.

The chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal (2021) damaged Biden's credibility.

America First was Trump's 2016 foreign policy priority of reducing US international commitments and putting domestic interests first.

The imperial presidency refers to a president on whom checks and balances are ineffective, allowing them more power than intended in the Constitution.

In 2019 President Trump declared a national emergency over the southern border, allowing funds denied by Congress to be used to build a border wall.

A veto override requires a two-thirds majority in Congress, which means the presidential veto is rarely challenged effectively.

False.

Congress cannot directly remove executive orders and can only overturn them through new legislation, which is a lengthy process.

Congress can delay or withhold funding for presidential projects, as when its refusal to agree a spending plan caused a historic 43-day government shutdown in 2025.

Executive agreements are international deals that can be fast-tracked to bypass the Senate, such as Biden's sanctions on Russia (2022).

Executive orders take effect without congressional approval and can only be reversed by new legislation, so Trump's 225 orders in 2025 gave him considerable power that Congress could not easily check.

True.

Divided government is needed for strong oversight, as party unity early in the Biden and Trump terms produced limited oversight.

The president can order military strikes without informing Congress, as when Trump had Iranian general Soleimani killed in 2020, reflecting presidential dominance in foreign policy.

Congress attempted to limit Trump's Venezuela action using the War Powers Resolution, which failed only due to a tie-breaking Senate vote by Vice President Vance.

Congress overrode President Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorisation Act (2021), which he had vetoed over a lack of border-wall funding.

The power of the pardon is a constitutional presidential power that lacks direct checks, as when Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden.

A US president can serve a maximum of two terms, whereas UK Prime Ministers have no formal term limit.

Cabinet collective responsibility is the UK expectation that ministers publicly support Cabinet decisions, tightening the Prime Minister's control over the Cabinet.

False.

Only the US President can veto legislation; the UK Prime Minister cannot directly veto bills but controls the Commons via a party majority.

The US President is directly elected via the Electoral College and holds a direct electoral mandate, whereas the UK Prime Minister is the leader of the party with a Commons majority.

Impeachment is the process by which a US president can be removed from office, which is rare and requires the consent of both Houses of Congress.

A UK Prime Minister can be removed by a no-confidence vote in the Commons alone.

PMQs (Prime Minister's Questions) allow MPs to question the Prime Minister weekly.

Divided government is when different parties control the presidency and Congress, which increases the effectiveness of US legislative oversight.

True.

Because UK Parliament is sovereign, judicial review is limited, whereas US Congress's actions can be reviewed by courts.

President Biden authorised military support to Ukraine (2022–23), while PM Sunak attended G7 summits influencing sanctions on Russia.

As an example of legislative investigative powers, Congress investigated the January 6th Capitol attack of 2021.