Essay 14

The president has a number of executive powers that allow him some influence over domestic policymaking in Congress. For example, the president has legislative powers, including the power to veto a law, pocket veto a law, or sign legislation to pass a law. This means that even if congress passes a law, the president can veto it and send it back, thus influencing Congress to change, alter, or throw out the proposed change to policy. The president is also the Commander in Chief, which means he or she has the power to call into service the National Guard, and in times of emergency may be given the power by Congress to manage national security or the economy (LLI).
The President also has limits on his/her ability to influence policymaking, however. For example, mandatory spending in which spending is not controlled by annual
budget decisions, limits the president because budgetary constraints make it
difficult to accomplish policy goals.
Party Polarization, or increased interparty differences, also limits the president in that
the opposing party may block policy
goals there is a lack of moderates with whom to build coalitions.


2008-2)A number of factors enable presidents to exert influence over Congress in the area of domestic policy. However, presidents are also limited in their influence over domestic policymaking in Congress.

-The Constitution grants the president certain enumerated powers. Describe two of these formal powers that enable the president to exert influence over domestic policy.

-Choose two of the following. Define each term and explain how each limits the president’s ability to influence domestic policy making in Congress.
*Mandatory spending
*Party polarization
*Lame-duck period


http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap08_gopo_us_sgs.pdf