Government Chapter 13 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is the President's role as the Chief of State?

The President is the ceremonial head of the government of the United States, the symbol of all the people of the nation.

What is the President's role as the Chief Executive?

The Constitution vests the President with the executive power of the United States, making him or her the nation's chief executive.

What is the President's role as the Chief Administrator?

The President is the chief administrator, or director, of the United States government.

What is the President's role as the Chief Diplomat?

The President is the main architect of American foreign policy and chief spokesperson to the rest of the world. Signup and view all the answers

What is the President's role as the Commander in Chief?

The Constitution makes the President the commander in chief, giving him or her complete control of the nation's armed forces. Signup and view all the answers

What is the President's role as the Chief Legislator?

The President is the chief legislator, the main architect of the nation's public policies. Signup and view all the answers

What is the President's role as the Chief of Party?

The President acts as the chief of party, the acknowledged leader of the political party that controls the executive branch. Signup and view all the answers

What is the President's role as the Chief Citizen?

The President is expected to be the representative of all the people. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three qualifications the President must have?

<ol> <li>Be a natural born citizen, 2. Be at least 35 years old, 3. Have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What issues have arisen involving the length of the President's term?

Traditionally, Presidents limited the number of terms served to two. This was set by George Washington. It was broken by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Signup and view all the answers

How is the President compensated?

The President is paid $400,000 a year, with additional allowances for expenses and benefits. Signup and view all the answers

How does the Constitution provide for presidential succession?

The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, clarifies that the Vice President will become President if the President is removed from office. Signup and view all the answers

What are the constitutional provisions for presidential disability?

<ol> <li>The President informs Congress in writing that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. 2. The Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet inform Congress in writing that the President is incapacitated.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the Vice President?

<ol> <li>To preside over the Senate, and 2. To help decide the question of presidential disability.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What were the Framers' original provisions for choosing the President?

The President and Vice President are chosen by a special body of presidential electors. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the electoral college today?

Electors pick a President and a Vice President on their ballot to ensure they are paired after the election. Signup and view all the answers

What are the flaws in the electoral college?

It is possible to win the popular vote but lose the electoral college vote. This has happened four times in U.S. history. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Presidential Roles

Chief of State: Ceremonial head of the U.S. government and symbol of the nation.
Chief Executive: Holds executive power, managing the federal government.
Chief Administrator: Directs the operations and functions of the government.
Chief Diplomat: Main architect of foreign policy; represents the U.S. internationally.
Commander in Chief: Full control over the armed forces, responsible for military decisions.
Chief Legislator: Main architect of public policy; plays a significant role in law-making.
Chief of Party: Leader of the political party that controls the executive branch.
Chief Citizen: Represents the interests of all citizens.

Presidential Qualifications

Must be a natural-born citizen.
At least 35 years of age.
Resident of the U.S. for 14 years.

Presidential Terms and Compensation

Tradition of two-term limit followed until Franklin D. Roosevelt's four terms.
Initial presidential salary was $25,000; currently $400,000 with additional benefits including allowances for travel, official entertainment, and living in the White House.

Presidential Succession and Disability

Succession: The 25th Amendment mandates that the Vice President becomes President if the current President is removed from office.
Disability: The President can declare incapacity, or the Vice President and Cabinet members can inform Congress of the President's inability to fulfill duties.

Role of the Vice President

Presides over the Senate.
Assists in determining presidential disability.

Electoral Process

Originally, the President and Vice President were chosen by a special body of electors who cast two votes for different candidates.
The electoral college functions under the 12th Amendment, where electors cast separate votes for President and Vice President.

Flaws in the Electoral College

Possible to win the popular vote but lose the presidency due to electoral votes; this has occurred four times: 1824, 1876, 1888, and 2000.

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Description

Test your knowledge of the roles of the President as outlined in Chapter 13. This set of flashcards covers key concepts such as the President's duties as Chief of State and Chief Executive, providing a succinct review of essential functions. Perfect for students looking to solidify their understanding of executive branch responsibilities.