question

About how many Senate seats are in contest in any given election?

answer

33

question

Attempts to use the redistricting process for political advantage are called

answer

Gerrymandering

question

Choose all of the following categories that David Mayhew described as part of Congress's "electoral connection."

answer

Advertising, Credit Claiming, and Position Taking

question

Choose all of the following correct paths that a bill can take in becoming a law.

answer

The following two answers are correct: Subcommittee -> Floor -> Conference Committee -> President Floor -> Conference Committee -> Floor -> Veto. Remember that once a bill goes to the president, it will not go back to conference committee.

question

Choose all of the following that are norms of how Congress functions.

answer

Specialization, Universalism, Seniority

question

Congressman Ramsey votes for a farming bill that Congressman Walcott cares about in exchange for Congressman Walcott voting for a housing bill that Congressman Ramsey supports. This is an example of what norm?

answer

Reciprocity

question

If a legislator is elected with less than 55 percent of the vote, he or she is said to

answer

Hold a marginal seat. A marginal seat is any seat where the winner received less than 55 percent of the vote in a two-person race.

question

Kevin is having trouble with his social security checks arriving on time, so he contacts the office of his member of the House. His representative's office then gets in touch with the Social Security Administration and straightens out the issue for Kevin. This is an example of

answer

Casework

question

Madison saw the relatively short two-year House term as a means of accomplishing what?

answer

Tying representatives to public sentiment

question

Marcy lives in a district where her member of the House is the same race and religion as she. Seeing someone in the House who shares her background helps build her trust in the government. This is an example of the argument for what kind of representation?

answer

Descriptive

question

Most politicians are likely to describe their representational style as that of a(n)

answer

Politico

question

Since the 1960s, the number of marginal seats in Congress has

answer

Decreased Consistently

question

The American Congress has how many houses?

answer

Two- Senate and House of Representatives

question

The distributive theory of congressional committees is most closely related to the __________ norm, while the informational theory of congressional committees is most closely related to the __________ norm.

answer

Reciprocity; Specialization

question

The incumbency advantage specifically refers to incumbent politicians'

answer

Frequency of Re-Election

question

The whip system has all of the following functions

answer

Information gathering, Building a party coalition

question

What do we call laws that prevent politicians from serving more than a certain number of years in a given elected position?

answer

Term limits

question

What does the franking privilege allow representatives to do?

answer

Send mail at no cost

question

What is markup as it relates to Congress?

answer

A collaborative process in which the final wording of a bill is determined

question

Which house of Congress did the Founders envision as being the more responsible one, with the greater concern about national, rather than local, interests?

answer

The Senate

question

Which of the following is closely associated with credit claiming?

answer

Pork-Barrel Policies

question

Which one of the following is NOT a way that Congress exerts control over the bureaucracy?

answer

Appointing Important Bureaucrats

question

A result of the "permanent campaign" is that

answer

Senators are less insulated from electoral forces than previously

question

Congress's bicameral structure reflects an attempt to reconcile which competing interests of the early nation?

answer

Large states versus Small states

question

It takes at least __________ to make a credible challenge in a political campaign to unseat an incumbent in most districts, and in many areas with expensive media markets, the minimum price tag for such a campaign is __________.

answer

$1 million; $2 million

question

Much of what made Congress the "first branch" of national government in the early days of U.S. history are powers grounded in the

answer

Elastic clause of the U.S. Constitution (Article I, §8, clause 18).

question

Officially, state legislatures redraw district boundaries every 10 years to ensure that

answer

Districts are approximately equal in population

question

The Founders viewed the Senate as the more likely of the two houses to debate and act for

answer

National Interests

question

Urban voters tend to expect what of their representatives?

answer

Less direct contact and more policy explanations

question

What the public refers to as gridlock and bickering is often a manifestation of representatives dealing with the dueling demands that they

answer

Be responsible national leaders and responsive to local concerns

question

What trend has allowed the president to assume a more central policy-making role?

answer

The increasing importance of national security issues

question

When representatives help constituents interact with government programs or agencies, they are engaging in

answer

Casework

question

Why is promoting descriptive representation valuable in itself?

answer

It encourages trust in the system among various demographic groups

question

Choose all of the following reasons given in the text for why a president might use a signing statement.

answer

To influence the way the bureaucracy implements the law To counter congressional interpretation of the law To guide court interpretations in the event of a legal challenge

question

Executive agreements

answer

Take place between the executive branch and a foreign government and can be reversed by subsequent presidents.

question

For most people appointed to the Executive Office of the President (EOP), the primary consideration in selecting them is their

answer

Loyalty to the President

question

How many presidents have been impeached by the House?

answer

Two- Andrew Jackson and Bill Clinton

question

James Monroe's "Monroe Doctrine" demonstrates the important role that early presidents played in what area?

answer

Foreign Policy

question

Modern vice presidents are __________ than their predecessors.

answer

More Influential

question

One of the biggest expansions in presidential power came in the 1930s under whose leadership, especially as part of his New Deal initiatives?

answer

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

question

Since the founding of the nation, what has been the trend in presidential power?

answer

Presidential power has greatly expanded since the time of George Washington

question

The 15 executive department heads who help the president implement policy make up what office?

answer

Cabinet

question

The president negotiates a free-trade treaty with Colombia. The treaty then goes to the Senate for approval. The Senate cannot force the president to negotiate with a country if the president does not desire to do so. What is this an example of?

answer

First Mover Advantage

question

What is an executive order?

answer

A proclamation by the president that changes policy without congressional approval

question

What is the source of the president's statutory authority?

answer

Laws enacted by Congress

question

Which of the following events is likely to most positively influence a president's popularity?

answer

A national security crisis

question

Which of the following is a cabinet position that is subject to Senate approval?

answer

Secretary of Defense

question

Which of the following statements about the presidential impeachment process is true?

answer

The House votes to impeach the president, and the Senate conducts a trial to decide if the president should be removed from office.

question

While not universally true, a president's approval rating is likely to be highest when?

answer

Right after the initial election

question

________ take place between the executive branch and a foreign government. They can be reversed by subsequent presidents.

answer

Executive Agreements

question

A high presidential approval rating produces which of the following consequences?

answer

Congress is more likely to support the president's programs

question

Congress passes a bill, adjourns, and the president does not respond to the bill. The bill then dies. What is this called?

answer

Pocket Veto

question

Laws enacted by Congress provide the president with __________ authority.

answer

Statutory

question

Over the course of American history, presidential power has generally tended to

answer

Grow

question

Recess appointments

answer

Allow the president to bypass Senate confirmation

question

The Senate must confirm __________ presidential appointments to federal positions.

answer

Most

question

The term "bully pulpit" was first associated with which President?

answer

Theodore Roosevelt

question

The vesting clause of the Constitution states that

answer

Executive power is to be vested in the president of the United States.

question

What constitutes the president's tactic of "going public"?

answer

Appealing directly to the American people to gain support for his or her programs

question

What is the purpose of the president's using the veto as threat?

answer

The president can influence the legislative process in Congress.

question

What was the name of the legislation that required presidents to seek congressional approval for major military operations around the world?

answer

War Powers Resolution

question

Which of the following is a major goal for all staffers of the Executive Office of the President in his first term?

answer

The re-election goals of the president

question

Which of the following is an example of the "rally 'round the flag" effect?

answer

George W. Bush's high approval ratings following the 9/11 attacks

question

Why are presidential pardons sometimes controversial?

answer

Pardons may allow executive branch appointees to pursue the president's objectives with impunity.

question

Choose all of the following tasks that bureaucracies routinely do.

answer

-Purchase goods and services for the American government -Develop and enforce regulations that shape choices made by individuals -Deliver services to Americans

question

How is a Senior Executive Service position different from other bureaucratic positions?

answer

It does not have civil service protections.

question

In many parts of the bureaucracy, hiring is done at least in part by how people score on an examination. This is best described as an example of what?

answer

Civil Service Regulations

question

Juan goes into his college's advising office to ask a question about a course. Before he can ask that question, he is told he must fill out an advising template. Juan believes this is a bit foolish as he is just there to ask a simple question, but he is told that everyone who wishes to speak with an adviser must have a completed template. This is an example of what? Choose all that apply.

answer

-Standard operating procedure -Red tape

question

Many bureaucratic failings can be explained by

answer

The complexity of the tasks the bureaucracy undertakes.

question

Many critics of the modern bureaucracy cite the abundance of __________, which refers to the unnecessarily complex procedures that lower-level bureaucrats must follow when implementing policies, regardless of whether they are applicable to the situation at hand.

answer

Red Tape

question

Some government agencies have the reputation of being "turkey farms," meaning that

answer

Campaign workers and donors are rewarded for their service by being appointed to these agencies.

question

The Federal Reserve and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) are examples of what?

answer

Independent Agencies

question

The Great Society saw bureaucratic expansions into which of the following areas?

answer

-Health care for the elderly and poor -Education -Civil rights for minorities

question

The method of oversight whereby members of Congress respond to complaints about the bureaucracy or problems of implementation only as they arise is known as __________ oversight.

answer

Fire Alarm

question

The spoils system was characterized by placing priority on __________, which was particularly useful to __________.

answer

political loyalty; party organizations

question

What marked a shift in the history of the bureaucracy from the spoils system predominating to the widespread use of the merit system?

answer

Passage of the Pendleton Act in 1883

question

Which group is responsible for monitoring government spending and preparing the president's annual spending proposal?

answer

Office of Management and Budget

question

Which of the following is a common strategy for preventing bureaucratic drift?

answer

Using standardized procedures in the monitoring of agency behavior

question

Which of the following is an example of a member of Congress performing police patrol oversight?

answer

Interviewing senior bureaucratic personnel

question

In response to demands for more professionalism in the delivery of government services, Congress enacted ___________ in 1883.

answer

the Pendleton Civil Service Act

question

It has been argued that the size of the federal bureaucracy can be attributed to

answer

The tendency for bureaucrats to be budget maximizers.

question

Most members of Congress lack policy expertise. Why do bureaucrats respond to political pressures from Congress?

answer

To protect their budgets, bureaucrats will be responsive to political pressures from Congress.

question

The complexity of the tasks the bureaucracy undertakes explains

answer

Why Americans are frustrated with government in general.

question

The Federal Register publishes proposed new regulations before taking effect. This procedure is known as

answer

Notice and Comment

question

The Great Society ______ voting rights and civil rights laws.

answer

Expanded

question

The interaction between the president, who needs something done, and a bureaucrat, who is responsible for carrying out the president's orders, is called

answer

The principal-agent game

question

Under the spoils system, what were the highest priorities of the bureaucracy?

answer

Political and party loyalty

question

What is an example of an independent agency?

answer

The Federal Reserve

question

What is fire alarm oversight in Congress?

answer

Members of Congress respond to complaints about the bureaucracy or problems of implementation only as they arise rather than exercising constant vigilance

question

What is regulatory capture?

answer

Bureaucrats favor the interests of the groups or corporations they are supposed to regulate at the expense of the general public.

question

What is the function of the Office of Management and Budget?

answer

Creating the president's annual budget proposal to Congress, reviewing proposed rules, and other budget-related tasks

question

Which president expanded use of the spoils system as the federal government began to perform more tasks?

answer

Thomas Jefferson

question

After the Court ruled on Brown v. Board of Education, who enforced the controversial decision?

answer

The President

question

Appellate jurisdiction refers to the Court's power to

answer

Hear appeals from lower courts

question

Basic details about the federal court system, such as the creation of district courts and the size of the Supreme Court, are found in what document?

answer

The Judiciary Act of 1789

question

Bilbo is arrested for theft. He is charged by the courts and the case goes to trial. In this example, Bilbo is the

answer

The Defendant

question

Choose all of the following opinions that might be written by someone on the winning side of a Supreme Court case.

answer

-Majority opinion -Concurring opinion

question

Choose all of the following statements about opinion writing that are true.

answer

-If the Chief Justice is in the majority, he or she assigns the person who writes the majority opinion. -If the Chief Justice is not in the majority, the most senior member of the Court in the majority assigns the majority opinion.

question

How has the Supreme Court's case load changed over time?

answer

The Supreme Court hears fewer cases now than it did 40 years ago.

question

If a plaintiff and defendant settle a case before it goes to trial or a verdict is reached, this is called a

answer

A plea bargain

question

In Lawrence v. Texas the Supreme Court struck down a law banning sodomy in Texas. This is an example of judicial __________.

answer

Activism

question

The __________ approach to deciding Supreme Court cases says that justices should attempt to defer to the elected branches of government and not contradict their actions.

answer

Judicial Restraint

question

The burden of proof is __________ in criminal cases than in civil cases.

answer

Higher

question

The Supreme Court's power of judicial review was established

answer

As a result of Marbury v. Madison.

question

What does the term standing refer to?

answer

The legitimate justification for bringing a civil case to court

question

What is a class action lawsuit?

answer

A civil lawsuit brought by a group of individuals

question

When the Supreme Court strikes down a congressional or state law, it engages in

answer

Judicial Review

question

Which of the following is the most common path that a case takes to get to the Supreme Court?

answer

Writ of certiorari

question

Who is most likely to submit an amicus curiae brief?

answer

An interest group

question

A negotiated agreement in a criminal case in which a defendant agrees to tell the court that he or she is guilty in return for the state's agreement to reduce the severity of the criminal charge or prison sentence the defendant is facing is known as a

answer

A plea bargain

question

A(n) __________ is a legal action by which a group of individuals with common interests can file a suit on behalf of everyone who shares that interest.

answer

Class-Action Suit

question

As the power of _______ has evolved, it has become a central part of the system of checks and balances.

answer

Judicial Review

question

At the outset of a case, judges determine whether the person filing the case has a legitimate basis for bringing it; this is called

answer

Standing

question

Congress may change all of the following except

answer

The Supreme Court's original jurisdiction

question

Fears about the courts' role as a protector of minority rights are most likely under which judicial selection system?

answer

Non-Partisan election

question

In __________ cases, the government is always the plaintiff.

answer

Criminal

question

In a civil case, what standard of proof is necessary to establish guilt?

answer

Preponderance of the evidence

question

Judicial review was established in the case of

answer

Marbury vs. Madison

question

Jurisdiction refers to

answer

A Courts area of authority

question

The Constitution gives the Supreme Court __________ jurisdiction in cases involving foreign ambassadors and issues in which a state is a party.

answer

Original

question

The doctrine of stare decisis

answer

Applies only to criminal law

question

The Judiciary Act of 1789

answer

Created a system of federal courts.

question

What are legal precedents?

answer

Prior cases whose principles are used by judges as the basis for their decision in a present case

question

Which president threatened to pack the Court with justices who would support his policies?

answer

Franklin D. Roosevelt

question

If needed, differences in House and Senate bills are resolved by

answer

Conference Committee

question

How is extended debate in the U.S. Senate terminated?

answer

Cloture

question

A document explaining the president's interpretation of a new law is referred to as

answer

A signing statement

question

Proclamations that unilaterally change government policy without subsequent congressional consent are

answer

Executive Orders

question

The president's attempts to gain support for his programs by appealing directly to the American people is called

answer

Going public

question

Federal Judges

answer

Are appointed for life

question

Which body has the authority to give "consent" to a president's appointments such as an ambassador or judge?

answer

Senate

PS103 EXAM 2 – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards