Gov unit 2
A federal agency has been accused of not enforcing laws it is charged with enforcing. Which is the most likely action the relevant House committee will first take?
Call for an oversight hearing to understand the problem
What is an accurate comparison of judicial activism and judicial restraint?
Judicial activism: ls practiced when courts overrule legislative acts or shape policy Judicial restraint: ls exercised when courts refrain from interfering with policies created by elected bodies
With which statement would a Seventeenth Amendment supporter agree?
Legislatures should be representative bodies.
The powers of the Commander-in-Chief have been expanded by all of the following except
The War Powers Act.
A case that expanded the concept of symbolic speech to include wearing armbands in protest was
Tinker v. Des Moines
Much of the increase in federal expenditures since 1960 has been caused by
increases in entitlement programs
How are Cabinet secretaries chosen?
By the president and then confirmed by the Senate
We find that the licensees of the CBS Network Stations aired program material during the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVIII, that violates the federal restrictions regarding the broadcast of indecent material. Based upon our review of the facts and circumstances of this case, Viacom Inc. is liable for a monetary forfeiture in the aggregate amount of $550,000.00, which represents the statutory maximum of $27,500 for each Viacom Station that broadcast the material. --Federal Communications Commission, Notice of Liability, 2004 Which bureaucratic authority is illustrated with this allegation?
Enforcement
Which of the following is an example of the rally-round-the-flag effect?
George W. Bush's popularity was boosted following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
What is an accurate comparison of the House and Senate?
House of Representatives: The Speaker of the House is the most powerful position in the House. Senate: The majority leader is the most powerful position in the Senate
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the US. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate?
House: Has more rules of procedure toguide its lawmaking process Senate: Has authority over the ratification of treaties with other nations
Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding congressional leaders? HINT: This answer to this question is easy, but take notice of why the other answers are wrong.
In case of a tie vote in the Senate, the vice president breaks the tie.
Which of the following demonstrates why The House Rules Committee is considered one of the most powerful groups in the House of Representatives? HINT: The House Rules Committee is in charge, as you might expect from the name, of setting certain rules. The House Ethics Committee is in charge of investigating ethics charges against House members. The Senate, not the House, provides "advice and consent" to the president on judicial nominees. The number of subcommittees is limited by budget and staffing considerations. The Rules Committee controls the terms of debate and the scheduling of floor votes, which makes them quite powerful.
It determines the scheduling of votes and the conditions under which bills are debated and amended.
Which of the following statements is true about U.S. budget deficits?
Large budget deficits make the U.S. government more financially dependent on foreign investors.
In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court first claim the right of judicial review?
Marbury v. Madison
Which of the following presidential powers is shared with the Senate? HINT: This question is looking for powers that are shared with the Senate, which means that you can eliminate any answers that are exclusive to the executive or legislative branches. The correct answer, fits with Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution.
Negotiating treaties
Legislation that allows representatives to bring money and jobs to their districts is referred to as
Pork barrel
The Gideon and Miranda cases all concerned which of the following issues? (This is a shit question. Make sure you know the effect of both cases)
Rights of the accused
Which of the following best defines the term judicial activism?
Rulings based on the assumption that judges can make policy as well as interpret it
In Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, the Supreme Court established which of the following principles? Circle Answer
Separation of students by race, even in equally good schools, is unconstitutional
Which of the following amendments provides the basis for a challenge to the Constitutionality of sobriety checkpoints?
The Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure
Which of the following is true regarding the impeachment process?
The House can impeach a president and the Senate can remove a president on conviction of bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
International events, particularly crises, have which of the following impacts on support for the president?
The popularity of the president will temporarily increase
The Imperial Presidency refers to HINT: This idea of the imperial presidency is almost a sure thing when is comes to the AP test. It might be a free response question.
The power of the President beyond that which the framers intended
Which of the following may the president do to limit the power of Congress?
The president can veto a congressional bill that has passed the House and Senate.
The President will be elected to four years and is re-eligible as often as the people of the United States think him worthy of their confidence. We must conclude that the permanency of the President's four-year term is less dangerous than a three-year term for the top official in a single state. The president of the United States can be impeached, tried, and, on conviction of bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors, removed from office. Afterwards he would be liable to prosecution and punishment in the ordinary course of law. - Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 69, 1788 Which amendment to the Constitution has made some of the argument in the passage above moot?
Twenty-Second Amendment
Which of the following situations is an example of logrolling? HINT: Logrolling refers to two politicians exchanging political favors.
Two congressmen agreeing to vote on each other's bills
Who is the official head of the Senate? HINT: The president is the head of the Executive Branch and the checks-and-balances of the government would prevent him or her from also being the head of a Legislative branch. The president pro tempore is mentioned in teh Constitution but he is just below the official head of the Senate. The Majority leader is the functional head of the Senate, but not the official head. The VP is the official head of the Senate, also known as the president of the Senate.
Vice president of the United States
A Congress member and several other sponsors are ready to introduce a bill into the legislative process. The bill is designed to reduce tax rates on people with lower incomes. In which committee will these House members introduce their bill? HINT: This is a difficutl qyuestion but one that is commonly asked in the AP exam.
Ways and Means Committee
If legislation passes in the House and Senate but each version is different, the conflicting bills are sent to
a conference committee for review and compromise
In the House, a stalled bill can be extracted from a committee and brought to the floor by means of
a discharge petition.
A writ of certiorari by the Supreme Court orders
a lower court to send up the record of a case for review.
The biggest category of federal expenditures is spending for
aid to the elderly and the poor.
The Constitution says Congress has the power to coin money. This is an example of
an enumerated power
The Supreme Court is most likely to grant a hearing when a case involves
an issue that is being decided inconsistently by the lower appellate courts.
A pocket veto differs from a regular presidential veto in that the pocket veto
applies only when the Congress is not in session.
Select committees in the House and Senate
are temporary committees which investigate for the purpose of furthering legislation.
Presidents' constitutional authority in the area of domestic policy includes: HINT: Under the Constitution, the president has the authority to "faithfully executive the laws"—meaning, that the president is responsible for carrying out the laws enacted by Congress. On the hand, Congress has authority over how funds are allocated across the various federal programs and over the creation of federal programs such as social security.
authority to execute the laws
Iron triangles are made up of which of the following?
bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups
Congress, not the president, has the constitutional power to control the judicial branch by
determining the size of the Supreme Court
Presidential executive privilege
does not apply in a criminal investigation.
Since the passage of the War Powers Act, presidents have Hint: The War Powers Act is likely to be an important part of the AP test
ignored its requirements
The largest contribution to federal revenue comes from
individual income taxes.
A discharge petition is rarely used in the House of Representatives because HINT: In United States a discharge petition is a means of bringing a bill out of committee and to the floor for consideration without a report from the committee and usually without cooperation of the leadership by "discharging" the committee from further consideration of a bill.
it is a challenge to majority leadership and informal rules of behavior
Executive agreements (Hint: This will surely be a question on the AP test. The whole idea of executive agreements is becoming more controversial as it seems to fly in the face of the seperation of powers.)
omit Congress as a player in foreign policy decisions
After a presidential veto of a bill, Congress may HINT: Congress cannot sign a bill into law and neither house may override a veto by itself. Congress may override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote of both houses.
override the president's veto with a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress
Voting patterns of members of Congress correlate MOST strongly with
political party affiliation
A judicial decision that establishes a rule for settling subsequent cases of a similar nature sets a
precedent.
After a national census has been taken, changes in population distribution cause the changing of congressional seats among the states. This effect is called HINT: Gerrymandering is the drawing of congressional districts in order to give an advantage to a party.
reapportionment
An important tool Congress uses to influence the bureaucracy is
requiring agency heads to routinely appear before congressional committees.
In Schenck v. United States (1919), the Supreme Court ruled that
speech could be restricted when the nation's security is at stake.
An example of a discretionary item in the federal budget is
spending on national parks
The 2013 government shutdown that resulted from the inability of Congress to reach agreement on the federal budget was caused by: HINT: The 2013 government shutdown resulted from the starkly opposing views on the budget of Republicans and Democrats. Republicans were seeking deep cuts in federal spending, which Democrats opposed. For their part, Democrats were seeking a large tax increase on upper incomes, which Republicans opposed.
starkly opposing views of Republicans and Democrats on issues of taxing and spending.
The institution which declares war in the United States is
the Congress
What was intended to give Congress a greater voice in the introduction of American troops into hostilities?
the War Powers Resolution
All of the following are formal powers of the president EXCEPT
the line item veto.
In initiating broad legislative proposals, the president enjoys all of the following advantages over Congress EXCEPT
the president is granted more authority by the Constitution in the area of lawmaking.
Bureaucracies are often criticized as being undemocratic because
they are not directly accountable to the people.
When nominating a justice to the U.S. Supreme Court, presidents:
try to select a nominee who shares their political philosophy.
Which of the following is true regarding the public's perception of Congress?
A House member's individual approval rating is usually higher than Congress's approval rating.
How do House congressional districts gain their shapes? HINT: Congressional districts are determined by the states. It would be a violation of the Tenth Amendment for the federal government or even a commision to determine districts for the House. After a national census every ten years it is the state legislatures that draw congressional maps. It is also true that since the Civil Rigths Movement the Courts and the Justice department have exerted some authority over district boundaries in the name of equality and fairness.
A census and the various state legislatures
Which of the following is the best example of legislative oversight?
A hearing is held to investigate misuse of funds.
Which of the following would occur if Congress were to pass legislation and declare a recess, and the president took no action on the bill within ten days of its passage? HINT: There are specific rules regarding how a president may or may not approve of a bill passed by Congress. Line-item vetoes refer to a president vetoing only part of a bill; the Supreme Court ruled this practice unconstitutional in the mid-1990s. Adjournment, is a term used in a jury trial. A writ of certiorari is an appeal to the Supreme Court to take up a case. A pocket veto refers to how a president's inaction on a passed bill can have the same effect as a regular veto. In recent years, Congress never takes a recess within ten days of passing a bill to make it impossible for a president to use the pocket veto.
A pocket veto
Which of the following statements about Congress is true? HINT: Congress can override a presidential veto. The First Amendment prohibits the establishment of a national religion. When it comes to control of the bureaucracy, Congress often has more power than the president, given that it can affirm or reject presidential appointments, abolish agencies, determine the funding an agency receives, and change agency jurisdiction if unsatisfied with policy implementation.
A proposed constitutional amendment must be approved by two-thirds of the delegates in both houses of Congress.
The president's advantage over Congress when it comes to developing legislative initiatives on major policy issues includes all but which of the following? HINT: The veto doesn't come into play in the early (initiating) stage of developing a major legislative proposal. The veto comes into play at the end when a president disagrees with what Congress has done or intends to do. On the other hand, the other three factors are instrumental in giving the president an edge over Congress when it comes to major legislative initiatives. Such initiatives are often complex and require access to experts and information in their preparation. The president has literally hundreds of experts within the executive branch to call upon when drafting legislation. In contrast, members of Congress have relatively small staffs and less access to experts and information. In addition, the public looks to the president, more so than Congress, for leadership on major national issues as a result of the fact that the president is chosen by the electorate as a whole, whereas members of Congress are chosen by voters within a particular state or district. Finally, the president has sole final authority to make executive decisions, including the nature of legislative proposals. No member of Congress has the authority to make such decisions for the legislative branch. Decision-making authority is divided between the House and Senate and, within each chamber, among its members. When there is substantial disagreement within Congress over the best course of legislative action, it is difficult for Congress to take the lead on a major policy issue.
Ability to veto legislation.
How are cabinet members chosen? HINT: The Supreme Court has no say in cabinet members. All cabinet heads require confirmation. The House has no say in the appointment of cabinet members. The president nominates cabinet members. The Senate must confirm.
By the president and then confirmed by the Senate
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of cabinet-level departments and regulatory agencies?
Cabinet level departments: Fifteen Cabinet departments, each with a secretary or head that serves on the president's Cabinet Regulatory Agencies: Created and empowered by Congress to monitor particular industries and enforce unique laws
Over the course of U.S. history, power over war has shifted from Congress to the president. The main reason for this is HINT: Until the early twentieth century, threats to America's national security were remote. The nation was an ocean away from Europe and Asia and far stronger than its closest neighbors. That situation changed with advances in transportation, communication, and weaponry. It was not simply that the threats were more substantial. They were also more immediate, which worked to the president's advantage because the president, as a result of having sole final executive authority, is positioned to respond quickly to threats to American interests. Congress, on the other hand, is a slow acting institution where authority is divided. Fast action is not one of Congress's strengths. In addition, the United States has developed the military capacity to act quickly and decisively, which gives force to presidential decisions to engage in military action. The president's control over war is enhanced by other developments, including the media's tendency (initially at least) to defer to president's decision on the need for war and the Supreme Court's acceptance of executive action in modern warfare. Nevertheless, such factors are secondary to the fact that technological and global change have resulted in conditions—a need for the fast action and the capacity to take it—favorable to presidential control over war.
Changes in the world and in technology have changed the nature of threats to national security in a way that has favored presidential action.
Which statement is not true of congressional parties? HINT: Committee chair positions are not rotated among the parties. Instead, the majority party picks the chair of each standing committee and also holds a majority of seats on each committee. Regarding the other choices, all are true of congressional parties. A half century ago, both parties had a substantial conservative wing and a substantial progressive wing. Today, nearly all Republican lawmakers are conservatives and nearly all Democratic lawmakers are liberal. As a result, there is a high level of party unity in today's Congress, with Republicans typically lining up against Democrats on divisive policy issues.
Committee chair positions are rotated between the parties.
Some of those who have entered the United States through our immigration system have proven to be threats to our national security. Since 2001, hundreds of persons born abroad have been convicted of terrorism- related crimes in the United States. The unrestricted entry into the United States of nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen would be detrimental to the interests of the United States. I therefore direct that the entry into the United States of nationals of those six countries be suspended for 90 days from the effective date of this order, subject to the limitations, waivers, and exceptions set forth. --President Donald Trump, Executive Order, March 6, 2017 Which type of power did President Trump exert in issuing this executive order?
Constitutional
Which of the following statements about congressional reapportionment and redistricting is true?
Districts must be drawn so that, within a state, every person's vote is roughly equal to every other person's vote.
What is an accurate comparison of changes in the scope of the presidency?
Early Presidents: Times of national stability led to a contraction in presidential scope under James Buchanan. Later Presidents: Times of crisis such as the Great Depression led to the expansion of the president's powers under Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Which of the following programs is categorized as discretionary spending under the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990? HINT: Discretionary spending is something that doesn't have a fixed amount that needs to be spent. You don't need to remember the specifics of the Budget Enforcement Act to be able to identify the national debt, social security, and Medicare as mandatory, fixed payments. Education is a very small part of the federal budget anyway.
Education
Which of the following powers is shared by the House of Representatives and the Senate? HINT: This is hard because you might think it could be "Holding trials of impeachment". Its not "Holding trials of impeachment" becasue only the House impeaches. The Senate has a trial after the impeachment.
Establishing Federal courts
What is an accurate comparison of federal and state judiciaries?
Federal judiciaries may rule on constitutionality of state court decisions,while state judiciaries are largely autonomous.
Which of the following cases focused on the right to privacy for all American citizens? HINT: You don't need to recognize both cases in an answer choice; if one of them doesn't apply, then the whole choice can be eliminated. Near v. Minnesota and New York Times v. Sullivan focused on freedom of the press. Texas v. Johnson and Morse v. Frederick were rulings regarding freedom of speech. Thornhill v. Alabama and Cox v. New Hampshire were related to the freedom of assembly. While the right to privacy is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, in Griswold v. Connecticut the Warren Court ruled that the Bill of Rights contained an implied right to privacy. In Roe v. Wade, the Court established national abortion guidelines by extending the inferred right of privacy based on Griswold.
Griswold v. Connecticut and Roe v. Wade
Generally, when is a president more likely to get congressional approval of proposed policies?
In foreign affairs, rather than in domestic affairs
In what way did the Seventeenth Amendment broaden democracy?
It gave citizens greater impact on lawmaking in the us. Senate.
Which of the following is true about the officers of the House of Representatives? HINT: The minority and majority whips are responsible for keeping track of vote counts and pressuring members to support the party vote. The presiding officer is the Speaker of the House . The speaker directs floor debates and largely controls the assignment of bills to committee.
It is the responsibility of the party whip to keep track of vote counts and pressure members to vote with the party.
Why does a judge swear to discharge his duties agreeably to the Constitution of the United States, if that Constitution forms no rule for his government? If it is closed upon him, and cannot be inspected by him? If such be the real state of things, this is worse than solemn mockery. To prescribe, or take this oath, becomes equally a crime. It is also not entirely unworthy of observation that, in declaring what shall be the supreme law of the land, the Constitution itself is first mentioned; and not the laws of the United States generally, but those only which shall he made in in pursuance of the Constitution, have that rank. Thus, the particular phraseology of the Constitution of the United States confirms and strengthens the principle, supposed to be essential to all written constitutions, that a law repugnant to the Constitution is void; and that courts, as well as other departments, are bound by that instrument. -John Marshall, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (1801--1835) It can be inferred from this passage that Marshall was arguing for which legal doctrine? HINT: Ex post facto laws apply to an action that took place before the law was written. Judicial restraint refers to justices NOT injecting personal opinion or the national mood into their decisions. Amicus curiae briefs refer to letters written to the court by an interested party not directly involved with a case. The final paragraph, affirms the principle of judicial review, the Supreme Court's ability to strike down unconstitutional laws.
Judicial review
What is an accurate comparison between laissez-faire economics and supply-side economics? HINT: If a description doesn't directly apply to the option it's listed under, then that choice can and should be eliminated. "The government should influence wages and prices" refers to Keynesian economics, which isn't even being compared here. This is true also of "Massive deficit spending. Laissez-faire economics is based upon having little government interference in the economy and that supply-side economics revolves around using tax cuts to encourage economic growth.
Laissez-Faire Economics: No government interference Supply side economics: Tax cuts to encourage economic growth
What is an accurate comparison of how the legislative branch and the executive branch can influence the federal courts?
Legislative branch: Impeachment and removal of poor or improper judges Executive branch: Implementation of decisions through administrative bureaucracy
Which of the following is a fair criticism of the federal bureaucracy?
Overlapping bureaucratic authority can cause wasteful spending and duplication.
Which of the following actions may Congress take to limit the president's power?
Override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote
Some of those who have entered the United States through our immigration system have proven to be threats to our national security. Since 2001, hundreds of persons born abroad have been convicted of terrorism- related crimes in the United States. The unrestricted entry into the United States of nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen would be detrimental to the interests of the United States. I therefore direct that the entry into the United States of nationals of those six countries be suspended for 90 days from the effective date of this order, subject to the limitations, waivers, and exceptions set forth. --President Donald Trump, Executive Order, March 6, 2017 Which of the following describes President Trump's perspective in the executive order?
People who have already immigrated from the named countries may be untrustworthy.
The attorney general is the head of which of the following entities? HINT: The attorney general is the federal government's most powerful lawyer but he is not a member of Congress. The secretary of state leads the State Department. The JAG Corps are a branch of the military and not the civilian government.
The Department of Justice
Which of the following sequences accurately follows the impeachment and removal process as outlined in the Constitution?
The House accuses an official; the Senate judges and decides whether to remove the official.
We have before us one of the most important duties of Congress, and that is to decide whether or not we will be involved in war. I think it is inexcusable that the debate over whether we involve the country in another country's civil war, would be debated as part of a spending bill, and not as part of an independent, free-standing bill. It goes against the history of the country. -Senator Rand Paul Speech, September 18, 2014 Which of the following statements best summarizes this excerpt from Senator Paul's speech?
The US. Senate should decide on war-like action on its merits, not along with other legislation.
We have before us one of the most important duties of Congress, and that is to decide whether or not we will be involved in war. I think it is inexcusable that the debate over whether we involve the country in another country's civil war, would be debated as part of a spending bill, and not as part of an independent, free-standing bill. It goes against the history of the country. -Senator Rand Paul Speech, September 18, 2014 -Senator Rand Paul, Speech, September 18, 2014 Which foreign policy reality might limit what the Senate can do in this scenario?
The War Powers Act gives the president freedom to act with the military for a limited time.
What is the primary reason committees in the House are more influential than they are in the Senate? HINT: Confirmation powers are not relevant to committees,. In both the Senate and the House, members of committees are assigned by the majority party. Committees in both the Senate and the House consist of members from both parties, although the majority party generally has more members. The large size of the House means more work can and must be done in committees.
The difference in size between the two chambers means that more work is done on the floor in the Senate and more work is done in committees in the House.
A police officer searched a person's car on a slight suspicion, and happened to find the person possessed an illegal gun. The person never consented to a search, nor did the officer obtain a warrant. Which of the following might prevent the gun from being introduced as evidence in a trial?
The exclusionary rule
We have before us one of the most important duties of Congress, and that is to decide whether or not we will be involved in war. I think it is inexcusable that the debate over whether we involve the country in another country's civil war, would be debated as part of a spending bill, and not as part of an independent, free-standing bill. It goes against the history of the country. -Senator Rand Paul Speech, September 18, 2014 Which power of Congress is Senator Paul probably most concerned about based on this passage?
The expressed power to declare war
What does it mean to be the swing justice on the Supreme Court?
The justice who sits in the ideological middle of the Court
First, is the question of whether Congress has directly spoken to the question at issue. If the intent of Congress is clear that is the end of the matter. The court, as well as the agency, must serve the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress. If, however, the court determines Congress has not directly addressed the question at issue, the Court does not simply impose its own construction on the statute. Rather if the statute is silent or ambiguous with respect to the specific issue, the question for the Court is whether the agency's answer is based on a permissible construction of the statute. -Justice John Paul Stevens, Majority Opinion, Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council (1984) Those who disagree with the above Supreme Court's opinion would point to which facts?
The lawmaking process becomes less democratic when bureaucratic agencies can regulate beyond their defined jurisdiction.
Which of the following is specifically mentioned in the US. Constitution? HINT: Rule out answers that couldn't have been mentioned in the Constitution. Judicial review allows the Supreme Court to overturn laws on the basis of their constitutionality, but wasn't established until 1803, with Chief Justice John Marshall's decision in the 1803 Marbury v. Madison case. Recall elections and public education would be covered at the state level, and so are not mentioned in the Constitution. According to Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitutiotn a census, which must be taken every ten years.
The national census
Some of those who have entered the United States through our immigration system have proven to be threats to our national security. Since 2001, hundreds of persons born abroad have been convicted of terrorism- related crimes in the United States. The unrestricted entry into the United States of nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen would be detrimental to the interests of the United States. I therefore direct that the entry into the United States of nationals of those six countries be suspended for 90 days from the effective date of this order, subject to the limitations, waivers, and exceptions set forth. --President Donald Trump, Executive Order, March 6, 2017 With which statement would supporters of this executive order most likely agree?
The president should make protecting the nation from foreign terrorism a top priority.
A member of the president's cabinet disagrees strongly with the president on how executive branch policy should be carried out and has publicly expressed those views. Which of the following outcomes will likely happen?
The president will remove the official from his or her administration.
A Republican president has nominated a federal judge for an opening on a US. court. A number of senators have declared they are not supportive of the nominee, including many senators within the president's own party, which holds only a simple majority of the Senate seats. No Democrats support the candidate. Which of the following scenarios will likely occur?
The president will withdraw the nomination or the nominee will withdraw.
If there are such things as political axioms, the propriety of the judicial power of a government being coextensive with its legislative, may be ranked among the number. The mere necessity of uniformity in the interpretation of the national laws, decides the question. Thirteen independent courts of final jurisdiction over the same causes, arising upon the same laws, is a hydra in government, from which nothing but contradiction and confusion can proceed. -Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 80, 1788 Which of the following statements best summarizes Hamilton's argument?
The proposed federal courts and the Supreme Court will provide national consistency in law.
Which of the following generally results when the Senate and House of Representatives pass different versions of the same bill? HINT: The House and the Senate must pass the same version of a bill before the president may consider it. A bill may ultimately end up going back to the House and Senate or might get sent to the president in its original form, this is not the first thing that would happen. Legislative bodies would meet and first try to draft a compromise bill.
The two legislative bodies form a conference committee
Which statement about executive orders is not true? HINT: Although a president can instruct a cabinet member to take a particular action, such a directive is not what is meant by an executive order. Executive orders refer to orders that presidents issue pursuant to their constitutional authority to "execute the laws." As such, an executive order must be rooted in existing law—an order directed at how that law is to be carried out. A succeeding president can rescind an executive order, having the authority to do as a result of being constitutionally empowered to "execute the laws."
They refer to orders that presidents give to members of the Cabinet.
Which of the following statements best describes the purpose of gerrymandering? HINT: Gerrymandering is an attempt by one political party in a state legislature to redraw a state's congressional districts to their advantage. Gerrymandering reduces voters' influence in elections. Gerrymandered districts are not all the same size. The purpose of gerrymandering is to isolate members of the opposition party into a single district and so reduce their influence in elections. Gerrymandering can be legal, but not if it is done in such a way as to hinder the voting rights of racial minorities.
To divide like-minded voters into several districts to reduce their influence
When the House and Senate pass different versions of a bill, the differences are resolved by a
conference committee
In Mapp v. Ohio, the exclusionary rule was extended to include
criminal proceedings in the states.
All of the following are examples of entitlement programs EXCEPT
defense contracts.
A senator realizes a vote on an immigration bill is coming up. The senator examines public opinion polls on the issue and carefully reads his inbox for constituents' views on the issue. He votes accordingly. This senator is following which model of representation?
delegate
The House Rules Committee is an important part of the legislative process because it
determines the terms and conditions of debate when a bill goes to the House floor
Which of the following principles protects a citizen from imprisonment without the government taking certain prescribed steps?
due process
The ability of a President to keep national security conversations that take place in the Oval Office confidential is
executive privilege
Congressional oversight refers to the power of Congress to
exercise some control over executive agencies
Recess appointments can be used by Presidents to
fill federal judicial vacancies without Senate consent
In Texas v. Johnson, the Supreme Court ruled that Circle Answer
flag burning, although offensive, cannot be prohibited.
Gideon v. Wainwright required the states to
furnish attorneys for poor defendants in felony cases.
The War Powers Act
has never been tested in court because the issue is not justiciable.
Which of the following is not a consequence of the higher level of party polarization in the U.S. Congress? HINT; The higher level of party polarization has decreased the likelihood that members of Congress will support the president's legislative initiatives. In recent years, members of Congress from the opposite party have typically opposed presidential initiatives on controversial issues. On the other hand, the members have increasingly lined up behind the initiatives of their party's legislative leaders and increasingly have voted in line with other members of their party (a high level of party unity). Partisan differences have also been at the root of the legislative deadlock that has occurred with increasing frequency in recent years. Finally, as Republicans in Congress have become more uniformly conservative and Democrats have become more uniformly liberal, members of Congress who deviate from their party's dominant ideology have more often faced a primary challenger who espouses that ideology.
higher likelihood that members of Congress will support the president's policy initiatives
A Supreme Court judge expresses the desire to change public policy and alter judicial precedent. Which of the following terms describes this action? HINT: Consider whether each choice fits with the notion of changing public policy or altering precedent. The due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits the states from depriving citizens of life, liberty, or property without a fair and impartial hearing; this has nothing to do with changing policy. Judicial restraint suggests an unwillingness to break with precedent or to overturn legislative and executive acts. An ex postfacto law allows a government to prosecute citizens for acts that were legal at the time they occurred, but were later deemed illegal. This form of lawmaking is explicitly prohibited by the Constitution. Judicial activism refers to the actions of a court that frequently strikes down or alters the acts of the executive and/or legislative branches.
judicial activism
If a judge believes that she should ONLY strike down laws that clearly violate the Constitution, she likely believes in which of the following?
judicial restraint
Practice in Congress whereby Representative A promises to vote for Representative B's legislation, provided B supports A's legislation:
logrolling
Most U.S. military conflicts since World War II have taken place through HINT: The large majority of U.S. military conflicts since World War II—more than 80 percent of them—have been conducted solely on the basis of presidential authorization. Only a minority of such conflicts have been conducted through congressional authorization (e.g., the 2003 Iraq invasion), NATO authorization (e.g., the Balkans conflict in the 1990s), and UN authorization (e.g., the Korean War of the early 1950s).
presidential authorization
Impoundment was a technique used by presidents to
prevent the Congress from busting the budget by refusing to spend appropriated funds.
How might a presidential nominee to the Supreme Court have trouble being confirmed?
when a president's party affiliation is in the minority in the Senate
Which factor best explains a president's legislative success with Congress?
whether the president's party has a congressional majority
Which factor best explains the president's success with Congress? HINT: Although the other factors affect a president's success with Congress, no factor is as consistently and substantially related to that success as whether the president's party has a congressional majority. The reason is straightforward. Members of Congress from the president's party are more likely than those of the other party to share the president's policy goals. When faced with a Congress controlled by the other party, presidents have often found themselves in the situation where what they are seeking is different from what the congressional majority wants. In such situations, presidential initiatives are often ignored or rejected by Congress.
whether the president's party has a congressional majority
