Which action by the president is not a check on the power of the legislative branch?

The correct answer is: "Short-term goals are more immediate than long-term goals".

A short-term goal is something to be accomplished in the near future, which can mean in a day, a month or even a year, depending on the type of activity undertaken. A long-term goal is something to be done after the time horizon which is used to define short-term, after that day, month or year.

In terms of planning, both type of goals can be quite intesive, and usually they are steps of the same strategy but located in different points in time. So either of them can be more costly or more planning-intensive. It depends on the ultimate aim of the whole strategy developed.