Pol 101-Exam #2

A representative who voted to limit greenhouse gas emissions because she thought it was in the best interest of the country even though her constituency did not support that action exemplifies a ________ style of representation. A.) Trustee B.) Delegate C.) Plebiscitary D.) Runaway agent E.) Jurisprudential

Which political institution in the American system of government did the framers intend to be the closest to the people? A.) The Senate B.) The House of Representatives C.) The Supreme Court D.) The Electoral College E.) The President

3.) Why does the Senate tend to be a more deliberative body than the House? A.) Because the Senate has more rules governing the lawmaking process B.) Because the Senate is more centralized and organized C.) Because the Senate has more members and thus a more diverse set of views D.) Because the Senate has smaller constituencies E.) Because the Senate has a strong commitment to the principle of unlimited debate

Which of the following is NOT a tool used by legislators to maintain the incumbency advantage? A.) Serve on committees that deal with issues relevant to his or her constituents B.) Help constituents obtain favorable treatment from the federal bureaucracy C.) Insert language into bills to provide special benefits to one's own constituents D.) Send mail free of charge to constituents to keep them informed of government affairs E.) Make reciprocal agreements between legislators to vote for or against a bill

In 2003, the Texas legislature redrew the Texas congressional district boundaries in a way that favored Republicans. This exemplifies the practice known as: A.) Gerrymandering B.) Pork-barreling C.) Casework D.) The franking privilege E.) Filibustering

6.) Who is the individual with the most real power within the U.S. Senate? A.) The Speaker B.) The Vice President C.) The Minority Leader D.) The President Pro Tempore E.) The Majority Leader

Why would opponents of a bill prefer an open rule to a closed rule? A.) The open rule makes it easier to add amendments that may weaken its chances of passing B.) The open rule allows the other chamber to make a decision on the bill first C.) The open rule prevents a bill's supporter from making further demands on minority party legislators D.) Members of the House can exercise their filibuster power and block the legislation E.) An open rule means that a bill can be recalled even after it is passed

When members of the Senate prevent action on legislation they oppose by continuously holding the floor and speaking until the majority backs down, which tactic are they using? A.) Cloture B.) Advise and Consent C.) Filibuster D.) Blowback E.) Blockade

If the president vetoes a bill: A.) The bill dies for at least ten years B.) It can be reintroduced in the next session but cannot pass in the session during which it was vetoed C.) The veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate D.) The veto can be overridden by a simple majority vote in both the House and Senate E.) The veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in either the House or Senate

Which of the following is NOT a reason that a president might issue an executive order? A.) Executive orders allow the president to establish the chain of command B.) Executive orders allow the president to take action without the necessity to persuade. C.) Executive orders allow the president to reorganize the structure of the executive branch. D.) Executive orders allow the president to set procedures for the operation of the executive branch. E.) Executive orders allow the president to take unlimited action without congressional authorization

11.) The rise of presidential power relative to Congress was launched by the: A.) Civil War B.) New Deal C.) Great Society D.) Watergate scandal E.) Economic Panic of 1896

Who is in the president's cabinet? A.) Top White House staff B.) Top agency leaders and White House staff C.) Congressional leaders and the heads of national party organizations from the president's party D.) Heads of all the major executive departments E.) White House staff, top agency leaders, and leaders of the president's party

Which of the following is NOT one of the constitutionally specified purposes of the vice presidency? A.) Succeed the president in case of death B.) Succeed the president in case of resignation C.) Preside over the Senate D.) Cast tie-breaking votes in the Senate E.) Be present when the president makes significant decisions

Which choice best describes the practice of "going public?" A.) Introducing new legislative ideas to the president's cabinet B.) Revealing a newly proposed policy to the legislature C.) Leaking information about a potential policy to gauge public support D.) Revealing truths about a candidate's sexual orientation E.) Appealing to the citizenry to support a policy

The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Homeland Security are both examples of the ________ level of bureaucracy. A.) Bureau B.) Independent agency C.) Cabinet department D.) Government corporation E.) Committee

All of the following statements concerning the power of judicial review are true EXCEPT: A.) It was claimed for the Supreme Court in the case of Marbury v. Madison B.) The Supreme Court has used the power very infrequently against acts of Congress C.) It is not mentioned in the Constitution D.) It was used only once before 1857. E.) It includes the powers to declare acts of government unconstitutional and to interpret the meaning of all federal and state laws.

A writ of certiorari is: A.) A brief filed by interested parties to encourage the court to make a certain decision B.) An order that a defendant be brought into court to hear the charges against him or her C.) A petition by the losing side in a lower court for the Supreme Court to hear an appeal D.) An order by the Supreme Court to a lower court to rehear a case E.) Ruling in a criminal appeal that overturns a conviction

The American legal tradition can best be described as: A.) A strictly common-law tradition B.) A mixed system based on a civil law tradition but with a tendency to rely on precedent C.) A strictly civil law tradition D.) A mixed system based on common law practice but with a body of written, codified laws E.) A system that is moving rapidly from a common law tradition to a civil law tradition.

The Constitution says: A.) Nothing about the qualifications of federal judges B.) That federal judges shall be at least 30 years old C.) That federal judges shall be attorneys D.) That federal judges shall be natural-born citizens of the United States E.) That federal judges shall have judicial experience

Strict constructionists argue that there is no such thing as: A.) Constitutionally protected right to privacy B.) Constitutional basis for executive privilege C.) Power of judicial review. D.) Constitutionally protected right to free speech E.) Constitutionally protected individual right to bear arms

Bureaucracy is characterized by all of the following except: A.) Merit-based advancement B.) Hierarchy C.) Worker specialization D.) Explicit rules E.) Flexible goals

The value of explicit rules in bureaucratic institutions is that they: A.) Facilitate individually tailored treatment of citizens B.) Allow for flexibility C.) Encourage creativity D.) Create standardization and predictability E.) Reduce uniformity of behavior

The term "iron triangles" refers to the: A.) Practice of business, labor, and consumer groups maintaining a united front against burdensome bureaucratic regulations B.) Phenomenon of members of interest groups, congressional committees, and bureaucratic agencies cooperating for mutual benefit. C.) Alliances made by different parts of the bureaucracy to prevent a presidential reorganization D.) Control that presidents, members of Congress, and judges have over the bureaucracy E.) Long-standing relationships among senators, representatives, and their constituents

The goal of the Pendleton Act and the Hatch Act was to: A.) Increase presidential control over the executive branch of government B.) Increase political participation by federal government employees C.) Reduce political influence over federal government employees D.) Increase congressional control over federal government employees E.) Increase party influence over federal government employees

Because bureaucracies are so rule based, they: A.) Make decisions that satisfy only bureaucrats B.) Make decisions with accountability and fairness but also with a lot of red tape C.) Make poor decisions that satisfy only the rules D.) Bend rules to allow bureaucrats to expand their powers E.) Tend to leave too much discretion to civil servants

The bureaucracy engages in the lawmaking process: A.) Because Congress often passes very general laws that require clarification before they can be enforced B.) Because bureaucrats find it easy to overstep their authority as Congress ignores them C.) Because the Constitution makes provision for the bureaucracy to make laws as a check on Congress D.) During emergencies in which Congress does not have the time to act E.) Only when Congress is not in session

If there is a disagreement as to how whether the president is disabled and should turn his duties over to the vice president, the issue is resolved by: A.) Agreement between the president and vice president B.) The rules of succession as established by act of Congress C.) The Twenty-fifth Amendment to the Constitution D.) A ruling of the Supreme Court E.) A vote of the cabinet

The significance of the president's inherent powers is that they: A.) Allow the president to fulfill the office of president as the founders intended B.) Are unconstitutional according to the Supreme Court C.) Were commonly used by nineteenth-century presidents D.) Have been used to expand the powers of the presidency beyond what is explicitly stated in the Constitution E.) Were more often used in the nineteenth century by weak presidents

Divided government occurs when: A.) The presidency and the Supreme Court are controlled by different parties B.) The vice president must cast the deciding vote as president of the Senate C.) One party controls the presidency while the other party controls at least one house of Congress D.) The three branches of government are unable to work together to solve problems E.) The president and Congress are unable to agree on a joint political agenda

Presidents are limited to two full terms in office by: A.) An act of Congress B.) Constitutional amendment C.) Custom D.) A Supreme Court decision that interpreted Article II of the Constitution E.) An executive order issued by President Harry Truman

Any organization that is structured in a hierarchically: those at top-with responsibilities for the organization's success -give the orders and those on the bottom follow them. (Agencies and government that help implement policies.)

What are the four features of a bureaucracy?

A clear chain in command exists in which all employees know who their bosses or supervisors are, as well as whom in turn are responsible for

The effectiveness of the bureaucracy is accomplished by having expert and experienced full-time professional staffs

Bureaucratic jobs are governed by rules rather than by bureaucrats' own feelings or judgments about how they feel the job should be done. Thus Bureaucrats are limited in the discretion they have, and one person in a given' job is expected to make pretty much the same decision as another. This leads to standardization and predictability.

Hiring and promotions are often based on examinations but also on experience or other objective criteria. Politics, in the form of political loyalty, party affiliation, or dating the boss's son or daughters, is not supposed to play a part. (the quality of being particularly good or worthy, especially so as to deserve praise or reward.)

The principle that bureaucracy should be depoliticized by making it more professional (Take the politics out of administration, by having the work done expertly.)

19th century practice of firing government workers of a defeated party and replacing them with loyalists of the victorious party

A system in which a successful candidate rewards friends, contributors, and party loyalists for their support with jobs, contracts, and favors.

Elected pres, gov, and mayors hire friends, family and political supporters to work in their administration

All0wed elected exec to pay off political debts by using jobs as well as gaining cooperation from the officials who were hired this way, there by strengthens the base of its powers

1883 Civil Service reform that required the hiring and promoting of civil servants to be based on merit, not patronage. Prohibited parties from firing employees for failure to contribute to political parties or candidates.

movements for the improvement of the civil service in methods of appointment, rules of conduct, etc

the process of promoting and hiring government employees based on their ability to perform a job, rather than on their political connections

The complex procedures and regulations surrounding bureaucratic activity

Any process with seemingly unnecessary rules, regulations, constraints, forms, and hearing's...sometimes called bureaucratic hurdles.

The phenomenon of a clientele group, congressional committee, and bureaucratic agency cooperating to make mutually beneficial policy

Tight alliance among congressional committees, interest groups or representatives of regulated industries, and bureaucratic agencies, in which policy come to be made for the benefit of the shared interests of all three, not for the benefit of the greater public.

Complex systems of relationships among groups that influence policy, including elected leaders, interest groups, specialists, consultants, and research institutes.

Suggests that the relationships are more complex than the simple triangle. That they really are clusters of interest groups ,policy specialists...ect influential in policy areas.

Who is the Vice President of the United States?

Based on detail, comprehensive legal code usually generated by the legislature- Leave little to discretion of the judges in determining what the law is. Instead leave the judges to an active role in getting at the truth. Investigates facts, asks questions, and determines what happened.

relied on royal judges making decisions based 0n their own judgment and on previous legal decisions, which were applied uniformly , or commonly, across the land

Trial procedures designed to resolve conflict through the clash of opposing sides, moderated by a neutral, passive judge who applies the law.

Trial procedures designed to determine the truth through the intervention of an active judge who seeks evidence and questions witnesses

inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits

What are three types of Laws

Laws whose consent, or substance, define what we can or cannot do.

Laws that establish how laws are applied and enforced- how legal proceedings take place.

Laws prohibiting behavior the government has determined to be harmful to society.

Courts authority to hear certain cases

The authority of the court to hear the case first

The authority of a court to review decisions made by lower courts

What are two types of Jurisdiction?

The landmark case that established the U.S Supreme Court's power of judicial review.

The power of the courts to determine the constitutionality of laws

What are some powers and jobs of the congress in the constitution?

The efforts of elected officials to look out for the interests of those who elect him.

The creation of policy to address the problems and needs of the entire nation.

What are some congressional qualifications for Congress?

Loyalty to a party that help shape how members see the world, how they define problems, and how they determine appropriate solutions- has been important part of how members of congress identify and organize themselves.

When congress juggles a commitments to the party with the simultaneous need to represent voters and solve national problems

A committees investigation of the executive and of government agencies to ensure they're acting as congress intends

How long is a congressional term?

is the process[1] by which seats in the United States House of Representatives are distributed among the 50 states according to the most recent constitutionally mandated decennial census. Each state is apportioned a number of seats which approximately corresponds to its share of the aggregate population of the 50 states.[2] However, every state is constitutionally guaranteed at least one seat.

Redrawing of state lines with one or more representatives. (process of dividing states into legislative districts)

Process of drawing district lines to benefit one group or another, and it can result in some extremely strange shapes by time the states politicians are through (redistricting to benefit a particular group.)

(The electoral edge afforded to those already in office) Refers to the edge of visibility, experience, organization, and fundraising ability possessed by people who already hold the job.

Public works projects and grants for specific districts paid for by the general revenues. (Appear free but are distributed through tax payers... highway construction.)

The privilege of free mail surface provided for members of congress.

What are the leadership positions in congress?

Who is the current speaker in congress?

What leadership positions are in the senate?

What are four types of committees?

Permanent committee responsible for legislation in particular policy areas

A committee appointed to deal with an issue or a problem not suited to a standing committee.

Combine house-senate committees formed to coordinate activities and expedite legislation in a certain area.

Temporary committees formed to reconcile differences in house in senate versions of bills.

The committee that determines how and when debate on a bill will take place.

What are forms of representation?

Congressional work to advance the issues and ideology preferences of constituents

Congressional work to secure projects, services, and funds for the represented district.

Efforts of members of congress to stand for American ideals or identity with common constituency values

Legislative work on behalf of individual constituents to solve their problems with government agencies and programs

How does a bill become a law?

A practice of unlimited debate in the senate in order to prevent or delay a vote on a bill

A vote to end a senate filibuster; requires a three-fifths majority, or sixty votes

WHO can introduce bills?

Referral of bills to committee:

What are some differences between the house and senate constitutionally?

What are some differences between the house in senate organizationally?

A formal charge by the house that the president has committed acts of treason, bribery, or other higher crimes and misdemeanors which may or may not result in removal of office

Tries the impeached official

Impeaches the official

What are some constitutional powers of the president?

Collection of nine organizations that help the president with policy and political objectives

Org. Within the EOP that oversees the budget department and agencies

The approx.. four hundred employees with in the EOP who work most closely and directly with the president

head of state

Head of government

Head of federal agencies and the person responsible for the implementation of national policies.

Top officer of the countries military establishment

Presidential agreements with other countries that create foreign policies without the need for senate approval

Authority to reject a bill passed by congress

Clarifications of congressional policy issued by the preys and having the full force of law

A speech given annually by president to a joint session of congress and to the nation announcing the presidents agenda

Statements recorded along with signers legislation clarifying the presidents understanding of the constitutionality of the bill

Symbolic rep of the whole nation

pres powers implied but NOT stated explicitly in the constitution