Paul Jones Mrs. Quinn G.A.L.R.E. December 8, 2010 Unit 4 Lesson 23 Reviewing and Using the Lesson 1. What factors explain the growth of presidential power during our nation's history? The Constitutional Indeterminacy of the Presidency, the Precedential Effects of Executive branch action, the role of executive branch lawyering, the growth of the executive branch, presidential control of the administrative state,presidential access to and control of information, the media and the presidency, the presidency in popular culture, military and intelligence capabilities, the need for government to act quickly, and the increasingly polarized two-party system. 2. Has Congress relinquished too much power to the president? Explain your view. No, if anything, Congress has not relinquished enough. There is a continuing trend of increasing executive power, and when Congress was to act that simply stood by the president in the name of the party system. 3. How is the system of checks and balances designed to limit the exercise of presidential power? Checks and balances was not only made to limit presidential power, but all branch power. The judicial and executive are greater than the legislative, the judicial and legislative are greater than the executive, and the legislative and the executive are greater than the judicial. 4. How well does the system of checks and balances work? Why? By counterbalancing influences by which an organization or system is regulated, typically those ensuring that political power is not concentrated in the hands of individuals or groups. 5. How can public opinion affect presidential power? Public opinion can allow a president to get away with things they otherwise might not be able to, or the converse of this condition. 6. How would you define a feeble executive? In what ways might a feeble executive be an dangerous as an overly energetic executive? A feeble executive implies a feeble execution of the government. An energetic executivon is one which limits the rights of the individual. 7. What is the difference between a president and a prime minister? A prime minister is part of and the head of the legislative branch and head of the executive, while the president is solely head of the exective.