| What is the main factor that indicates the relationship between the president and congress? | The numbers in both the senate and the house |
| How has Biden started off? | He has a narrow majority in the House and the narrowest margin possible in the Senate meaning there is unified government |
| How did Trump start off in 2016? | Trump and the Republicans held both houses, he brought in huge tax cuts (2017 tax cuts and jobs act) |
| What happened to Trump in 2018? | The democrats took control of the House of Representatives and Trump's policies hit gridlock |
| How does popularity and timing affect the relationship between congress and President? | The more popular a president is, the more unlikely congress are to stand in their way and will at least debate their agenda |
| What are examples of times were President's have high popularity ratings? | When a popular president has just won an election, when a popular president has just shown great strength/leadership |
| What are examples of times Congress wont help the President pass his agenda? | If the president's party has taken a real beating in the mid term elections or the president has made a big mess of a national event |
| How does the constitution affect the relationship between the President and congress? | Separation of powers |
| How does the Separation of powers affect the relationship between the President and congress? | The president and congress receive separate mandates - both believe they have the power from the people to govern |
| How does the fact they are elected at different points help change the relationship between the president and Congress? | Congress can feel emboldened after mid terms such as in 2018 and 2006 |
| How do the mandates of the president and congress differ? | Members of congress are accountable to their state or district rather than the whole nation |
| How does Separation of powers affect the President's power of patronage? | due to separation of powers the president cannot promote or demote people, they do however know who can to an extent |
| How does a divided government affect the relationship between the President and congress? | When it happens the President must work in a bipartisan way to get things passed or faces gridlock |
| How does a united congress affect the relationship between the President and congress? | A united congress can override a president in a way that the president cannot override a congressional vote |
| How is the President's relationship with congress illustrated through agenda setting and legislation? | Having only won a national election the president can claim to have a national mandate and therefore congress has to debate the issues they want them to |
| What is an example of this? | in 2016 Trump wanted immigration reform, a wall, cuts in corporation tax and to repeal Obamacare, these became the agenda for congress. |
| What can the President be seen as in setting the agenda? | The Chief legislator |
| How does congress have a say in agenda setting and legislation? | Congress can set its own agenda and frequently will, especially following a mid term dominated by a national campaign |
| What is an example of Congress setting its own agenda following a mid term dominated by a national campaign? | In the 2006 'New direction for America' campaign |
| What is an example that suggests united government is everything for a good relationship between president and congress? | Obama couldn’t pass his budget as the Republican house demanded austerity and wouldn’t debate his immigration bill |
| What is an example that suggests a united government isn't everything for a good relationship between the president and congress? | Trump's struggles over passing the American Health Care Act in 2017 as a republican president with a republican congress shows it isn’t always about united government |
| What is key for the President to have a good relationship with Congress? | Using their powers of persuasion to get congress to debate their agenda, pass it and also fund it |
| Why are the powers of persuasion important? | More often than not, the President’s party doesn’t control both houses so powers of persuasion are necessary to pass any bill |
| What do separation of powers ensure? | The President cannot act without asking Congress |
| What is the President's power over the supreme court? | the ability to make appointments |
| What are limitations to the President’s power over the supreme court? | They have no control on how many nominations they will make if any and they also need the agreement of the senate |
| What is the president required to carry out? | Supreme court decisions as part of the President's oath to defend the constitution and the law |
| How did Trump challenge the norms between the relationship between the president and the judiciary | Trump called district judge Robart a “so-called” judge” when his immigration bill was halted in the Supreme Court |
| What does the Supreme court have? | Strong powers to check the President’s power as it has the power to make judicial review |
| Key quote from Chief Justice Charles Evan Hughes? | “We are under a constitution, but the constitution is what the judges say it is" |
| What does judicial review mean? | the Court can deem actions of the executive or congress as unconstitutional |
| What can the supreme court use judicial review to do? | Interpret the meaning of the constitution |
| What is an example of the Supreme court using judicial review to interpret the meaning of the constitution | Furman v Georgia 1972 temporarily banning capital punishment due to a different interpretation of 'cruel and unusual' punishment |
| What has the supreme court also played a role in? | Clarifying the results of elections |
| What are the two examples of its role in clarifying presidential elections? | in 2000 it handed the election to Bush and in 2020 throwing out Trump's claims as baseless |
| How does the President's power of appointment interfere with their relationship with the supreme court? | On occasion the president can shift the balance of the Court as republicans tend to nominate conservative judges whereas democrats nominate more liberal judges |
| What is an example of a president shifting the balance? | Trump's three nominations of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett shifted the balance of the Court to a conservative place |
