PLS Test #2

Presidents are limited to serving 2 term limits after the adoption of the 22nd Amendment. However, in certain cases, Vice Presidents have assumed the role of President. How many years (total) can an individual be President?

10

*For the federal government, members of the senate are elected every ____ years with the terms being staggered. Members of the House of Representatives are elected every ____ years. Lastly, the President of the US is elected every ____ years

6, 2, 4

*What is a filibuster?

A tactic that supporters of a bill use in the Senate to encourage voting on a bill in the Senate

*_______ and _______ are two reasons why governments create budgets

Accountability and profitability

In the budgeting process, ______ refers to bills that permit government to do spending and identifies what government can do. ______ refers to bills that "cuts the check" and allocates money to government programs

Authorization, Appropriation

Why was 1992 called the "year of the women" for Congress?

Because a record number of women were elected in both chambers of Congress and increased the percentage of women congressional members

On what dates does the federal fiscal year begin and end

Begins October 1, Ends September 30 of the following calendar year

Missouri Senate is smaller in size and has larger districts. For Senate districts, the _____ districts make the biggest difference in representation in the Senate because these districts are _____, representing both urban populations and farm communities

Border, Heterogeneous

What type of federal organization is a major administrative unit that conducts a range of operations in a broad issue area?

Cabinet Departments

*Which case ruling prohibits governments from limiting how much money corporations and non-profit groups could spend via Super-PACs on political advertising, such as political films and television commercials

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission

Which type of entity has the most independence from the governor and political influence

Commissions/Board Agencies

Which of the following best describes a Congressional conference committee

Committees that seek to reconcile the differences between two versions of a bill where one passed on the House and the other in the Senate

Justices of the US Supreme Court can issue several types of opinions. Which type of opinion refers to following the majority opinion but for different reasons or bias that the majority cited

Concurring

Which of the following three categories of spending constitutes a majority of spending by the US federal government

Entitlement Programs, Defense, and Interest on National Debt

How often are Missouri Senate elections held?

Every 4 years with staggered terms

The President can issue _______, which carry the force of law and are used to implant statutes, treaties, and provisions of the Constitution. This is one method a President can use to control the bureaucracy and create policy independently from the legislature

Executive orders

________ refers to unpaid leave. This occurs when the federal government reaches the debt ceiling and can no longer afford to pay members of the bureaucracy

Furlough

What individuals are members of the Presidential Cabinet?

Heads of Executive Branch Agencies

Which component of Max Weber's ideal bureaucracy referred to the need to keep political and personal affairs separate from the work done by the bureaucracy

Impersonal relationships

In Missouri, the Governor has the power of the line-item veto. What does this mean

In any appropriation bill, the governor can strike out particular items founded in the bill

How are independent agencies different from cabinet departments?

Independent agencies have narrowly defined tasks and more autonomy form the President

Which of the following best describes civil servants

Individuals that are employed members of the bureaucracy that are hired by merit-based principles grounded in the adoption of the Pendleton Act

For the Supreme Court, why is the criteria of "question of rightness" important for selecting court cases to hear

It helps determine if the primary case issue is a subject that the courts should consider at the present moment

What is the War Powers Resolution

It increased Congressional power by requiring the President to consult Congress before moving troops into conflict zone and set time limits for withdrawing troops

In reference to budget discussions, what does sequester mean and what is the relationship with overall economic activity

It is an automatic spending cut that occurs when the congressionally approved debt ceiling is met. It is generally considered harmful to economic performance and health

Discretionary spending constitutes approximately 1/3 of the national budget. What does discretionary spending reference?

It is spending that can vary from budget to budget

*What are presidential coattails

It is the metaphorical reference to members of congress seeking to tag onto presidential popularity to win an election

Which historical US Supreme Court justice was responsible for shaping the courts as important agenda setter with the power of judicial review (as evident by the Marbury v. Madison)

John Marshall

*Which sort of judicial jurisdiction refers to where a case is first heard

Original Jurisdiction

Why is Congressional polarization a concern

Polarization means the parties are becoming ideologically different and more consistent internally, which leads to more policy gridlock and lack of moderate appeal

Which US President is the only president to resign from office amidst impeachment charges

Richard Nixon

*______ is the process through which the federal bureaucracy fills in critical details of a bill adopted by Congress and signed into law by the president

Rulemaking

A ______ system refers to the selection of employees for government agencies on the basis of party loyalty and electoral support

Spoils

In filing suit, ____ refers to the clear reason or sufficient evidence to support why a litigant is entering a suit

Standing

*What is gerrymandering

The changing of district boundaries that would favor one political party over the other

What does stare decisis mean or refer to

The doctrine of precedent

*How is the national debt created

The national debt is created when congress continues to adopt budgets in which there is a budget deficit

When discussing presidential policy tactics, what is a public mandate?

The power of the President to use public support or opinion to push for a particular policy platform or issue to be addressed

Which of the following best describes the purpose and the responsibilities of the President when serving as Head of the Government

The president acts as a policymaker by seeking legislation and pushing a key set of policy issues

Proponents of judicial restraint make which of the following arguments?

They argue that Supreme Court Justices should rarely overturn the actions of Congress or the President

*What is an incumbent?

Those individuals already holding office

*The first lady has an informally defined role in the executive branch

True

Noncriminal law is referred to as a civil law, which involves cases involving private rights and relationships between individuals and groups

True

The Council of Economic Advisors advises the President on economic concerns and policies, such as inflation and unemployment

True

The Missouri Constitution gives specific details about the structure and design of bureaucratic entities for the state

True

The US Congress is a bicameral legislative entity

True

The US budgeting system relies on revenue forecasting for determining how much money is available for spending

True

*A ______ is a constitutional power of the president to reject an adopted Congressional bill. A _____ is a derivative form where the President may decide neither to sign nor reject a bill. In either scenario, a Congressional bill does not become law

Veto, Pocket Veto

In the US senate, the ______ is the President of the Senate and the majority party leader is called the ______

Vice President, President Pro Tempore

*In the line for succession for the Presidency, what are the first three individuals (in order of succession from first to last) in the line for the Presidency, should "spare" Presidents be needed

Vice President, Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore of the Senate