REVIEW SHEETS

REVIEW FOR FIRST EXAM

Sample Short Answer:

Barber's psychological classification scheme

how the Constitution affects the presidency

purpose and impact of presidential debates

consequences of the public's high expectations of the president

in what ways can the president influence news coverage?

difference between the "heroic" president and the "imperial" president

how the electoral system shapes the presidency

paradox:  "we want a common person but we also want an uncommon charasmatic leader"

paradox:  "what it takes to become president may not be what is needed to govern the nation"

groupthink

multiple advocacy

3 ways to help presidential decision-making

impact of the economy and war on public approval of the president

3 important environmental policy achievements for each of the following presidents - - Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Carter

how does Greenstein evaluate John F. Kennedy as communicator?

in discussing Lyndon Johnson, what does Greenstein mean by the "unmaking of a presidency"?

according to Greenstein, what were the strengths and weaknesses of Richard Nixon?

according to Greenstein, how did the state of the economy and the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel affect Jimmy Carter's standing in the polls?

why did President Kennedy view the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty with United Kingdom and the Soviet Union as an environmental treaty as well as an arms control treaty?

Sample Essay:

Describe the importance of the qualities of presidential leadership discussed in class:  empathy with the public, ability to communicate, credibility, a sense of timing, courage, vision, flexibility

Compare and contrast the political communication style of Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Carter

How did Rachel Carson and her book Silent Spring shape President Kennedy's view of conservation and protecting the environment?  How did the Global 2000 Report to the President give insight into President Carter's concern about the global environment?

How did  President Johnson's strength as legislative leader help him in terms of conservation and environmental protection?  How did President Nixon's use of administrative powers help him in the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency?

An important power of the president is to make appointments.  Describe the significance of President Kennedy appointing and President Johnson retaining Stewart Udall as Secretary of the Interior

REVIEW FOR SECOND EXAM   

Sample Short Answer: Identify and Describe the Significance

In class, five sources of conflict between the president and the Congress - - Constitution, internal structure of Congress, constituencies, information/expertise, parties - - were discussed.  Describe two of them.

In discussing Reagan and the environment, Daynes and Sussman refer to Richard Nathan who characterized the Reagan presidency as one that employed an "administrative strategy."  Briefly discuss the meaning of this strategy and how it was used

Five legislative skills presidents use to persuade Congress to support the administration's agenda were discussed in class.  Give a specific example for two of these skills 

Briefly, what role did Bush (41) play at the Earth Summit in 1992?

How previous commitments and time constraints affect presidential decision making

Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and the Kyoto Protocol

President Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis

President Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" policy

In class, we discussed five presidential functions - - crisis management, morale builder, recruiter, priority setting, coalition-building.  Provide one example of domestic policy and one example of foreign policy for two of the functions

List five (5) factors that you believe are most important in evaluating presidential leadership. Among the five, which one do you find to be most important and briefly, why

Reagan 1 and Reagan 2 regarding his relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union

Sample Essay:

Bill Clinton and George W. Bush completed two terms.  The last president to do so was Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s.  Drawing upon the Greenstein book, compare and contrast Clinton and Bush on the following factors:  political communication, political skill, vision, and cognitive style.  Which president perfomed better overall?  Why?

Given the important role of the presidency in American politics as discussed in class and in the readings, which institutional reform proposal would you support and why:  1) establish a one term, six year presidency, 2) keep the existing two-term presidency, 3) allow unlimited terms in office.  What are the strengths and weaknesses of your choice?

Presidential scholar Michael Genovese argues that over the last three decades or so the presidency has failed or not lived up to our expectations.  How would you evaluate Presidents Clinton, and Bush  (43), and Obama against Genovese's position?

Given the controversy involving the 2000 presidential election, which of the following options regarding the Electoral College would you prefer and why:  a) keep it as established by the Founders,  b) keep it but allocate electoral votes in proportion to the popular vote in each state, c) abolish it in favor of the popular vote.