Federal Gov. Chapter 11

______ typically benefit from gerrymandering because the majority party ensures that there are enough of the party's voters in the district to ensure reelection.

Incumbents

______ typically benefit from gerrymandering because the majority party ensures that there are enough of the party's votes in the incumbents district to ensure their reelection.

Incumbents

Which of the following is the most powerful leadership position in the Senate?

Majority leader

The president's top advisers on matters related to foreign policy make up part of the

National Security Council.

What shift brought the president to a more central role in the legislative process?

National and international forces combined to place greater policy demands on the federal government.

Which of the following describes the power of Congress relative to the other branches of government?

No executive agency or lower court can exist without congressional authorization

Who established the standard for the proper approach to Congress's representative function?

No one; it has been debated since the founding

What is it that holds party lawmakers together?

They have far more in common with each other than they do with lawmakers of the other party.

Which of the following statements about congressional committees are true?

They make it possible for Congress to consider a high volume of bills They each specialize in a certain area of legislation

The tread towards party unity in Congress can clearly be seen in voting records of members Congress when their voters are officially recorded during a _______ vote.

Roll-call

True or false: The winner in the November general election is nearly certain to be the Republican or the Democratic candidate.

True

Gerrymandering is

Usually legal

Why are incumbents at risk when elections are being waged in the context of disruptive issues?

Voters are more likely to believe those in power should be removed from office.

A procedural move in which a member or members of the Senate speak(s) for an unlimited amount of time on the Senate floor in order to prevent a vote on a bill is known as

a filibuster

The framers of the Constitution intended that lawmakers ______, something that has become increasingly difficult in today's partisan Congress.

act in the spirit of compromise

The framers of the constitution intended that lawmakers ________, something which has become increasingly difficult in today's partisan congress.

act in the spirit of compromise

Partisan divisions have become more ______ as a result of party polarization.

acute

Which of the following are activities that typically take place in a party caucus?

adopting a single policy message developing issues

In Congress, disagreement over national policy usually occurs

along partisan divisions

In Congress, disagreement over national policy usually occurs

along partisan divisions.

To win the presidency, presidential candidates now need

an electoral majority of votes in the Electoral College.

Why is the Rules Committee considered one of the most important committees in the House?

because it decides the length of debate that will occur on a bill and whether amendments will be allowed

Which of the following strongly and positively affects a congressional candidate's ability to raise money and win an election?

being an incumbent

The U.S. Congress is a(n) ____________ legislature with two chambers, the House and the Senate.

bicameral

Congress's structure makes it easier to

block legislation then enact it

Which of the following oversight tools help Congress to ensure that the executive branch is administering the laws properly?

budgetary appropriations congressional hearings

The leaders of the top executive departments are collectively known as the president's

cabinet.

Most members of Congress are

career politicians who want to stay in Congress and put themselves in position for reelection

Most members of Congress are

career politicians who want to stay in Congress and put themselves in position for reelection.

Most members of congress are

career politicians who want to stay in Congress and put themselves in position for reelection.

To plan strategy and resolve policy issues, party members in Congress typically meet behind closed doors in a session called a party _________.

caucus

The president shapes and administers the nation's foreign policy while acting in the role of

chief diplomat.

A constituency is comprised of

citizens from the incumbent's state or district.

To end a filibuster, sixty senators must agree to invoke ________ and end the debate.

cloture

Which institution has the greatest effect on presidential success?

congress

Members of congress usually serve on congressional committees that concentrates on policy areas that affect the members'

constituency.

Through the use of administrative powers, the president can

decide how laws will be implemented.

A key to understanding the power of the presidency is a recognition that presidential power

depends on the occupant of the office.

Members of Congress are attentive to the concerns of constituents because constituents

determine whether or not they stay in office

Members of Congress are attentive to the concerns of the constituents because constituents

determine whether or not they stay in office

Which of these presidential appointees are the most difficult for the president to control?

directors of federal departments and agencies

Most of the bills Congress passes are ____________ in nature, which means they provide benefits to a particular group in society while spreading the costs across the taxpaying public as a whole.

distributive

The scenario in which the president belongs to one political party while the opposition party has majority control of at least one chamber of Congress is known as

divided government.

Partisan voting is most apparent when members are voting on major ______ issues.

domestic policy

Since the Truman administration, the number of bureaucratic agencies has

doubled.

Ironically, when are most presidents most powerful?

during their first months in office

When public approval of a presidential administration is at high levels, it is usually

easier for a president to pursue initiatives.

True or False: The Senate majority leader's position is more powerful than that of the House Speaker.

false

True or false: Most congressional bills survive committee scrutiny and are voted upon by the House and Senate.

false

When members of the senate wish to halt or delay the passage of a bill, a ______ may take place.

filibuster

The privilege of incumbents sending mail to their constituencies at the government's expense is known as the ______ privilege.

franking

The privilege of incumbents sending mail to their constituencies at the government's expense is known as the ________ privilege

franking

The privilege of incumbents to send mail to their constituencies at the government's expose is known as the _______ privilege.

franking

The redrawing of congressional boundaries to benefit a political party is called

gerrymandering.

Which of the following problems is most likely to jeopardize an incumbent's chances of reelection?

getting caught in a scandal

If the majority of the members of the House of Representatives are Republican, then every committee and subcommittee in the House will

have a majority of Republican members

Which of the following makes a challenger to a Senate incumbent more likely to be successful?

having access to large sums of money to fund the campaign having an existing campaign organization having strong public recognition

One of the powers that presidents have is that they can appoint

heads of federal agencies.

When a committee or subcommittee holds a(n) _____ , they are trying to gather information about a proposed bill.

hearing

The beginning of a new presidential administration, which is often characterized by higher levels of public approval, is known as a

honeymoon period.

Every bill must be approved by both the House and the Senate in ________ form before it can be sent to the president.

identical

In the large majority of cases, the winner of a congressional campaign is the

incumbent

As a result of the increase level of party polarization in the United States, which candidates face greater risk of losing the primary election.

incumbent moderates

As a result of the increased level of party polarization in the United States, which candidates face greater risk of losing the primary election?

incumbent moderates

In the large majority of cases, the winner of a congressional campaign is the

incumbent.

Congressional elections usually favor

incumbents

Donors are more willing to make campaign contributions to

incumbents

Congressional elections usually favor

incumbents.

A committee that is composed of members of both chambers of Congress is known as a ______ committee.

joint

When a bill falls into the area in which a committee is authorized to act, that committee is said to have

jurisdiction

One reason why standing committees are powerful is that they have by law

jurisdiction over bills in their designated policy area.

Which function is the main responsibility of Congress, to which all other functions of Congress are related?

lawmaking

The increase in party polarization in congress has led to increase

legislative gridlock.

The practice in which members of Congress agree to vote for a bill in exchange for their colleague's vote on another bill is called

logrolling

The practice in which members of congress agree to vote for a bill in exchange for their colleague's vote on another bill is called

logrolling

The party that controls the rules and has the most powerful leadership position in the House is the

majority

Which of the following positions in the Senate schedules debates on legislation?

majority leader

The framers of the Constitution granted Congress the power to ______ ____, the greatest of all powers of government.

make laws

The framers of the constitution granted congress the power to______, the greatest of all power of government.

make laws

In the House, both the full committee and a subcommittee may ______, or propose changes to a bill.

mark up

In Insecure Majorities, Frances Lee noted that, in the currently closely matched parties, members of Congress are engaged in "______" rather than "governing."

messaging

Elections held in the years between presidential elections are called ______ elections.

midterm

Elections held in the years between presidential elections are called _______ elections.

midterm

A strong showing in early presidential election caucuses and primaries is known as

momentum.

When major disruptive issues occur incumbent's are

more likely to lose.

President Ronald Reagan was viewed as

more powerful than President Jimmy Carter

If the Rules Committee places a "closed rule" on a piece of legislation, ______ amendments are permitted.

no

If the rules committees places a "closed rule" on a piece of legislation, then _________ amendments are permitted.

no

Members of congress may experience conflict between their lawmaking responsibility and their responsibility to represent their constituency because

not all policies that are good for the nation as a whole coincide with the needs of their constituency.

A(n) _____ rule allows members to propose amendments that are relevant to any section of the bill.

open

An _______ rule allows members to propose amendments that are relevant to any section of the bill.

open

Ensuring that laws are being administered by the executive branch in the way intended by Congress is an important function of Congress and is known as

oversight

Which function describes the process by which the legislature checks on the executive branch to make sure it is carrying out the laws in the way Congress intended?

oversight

Which of the following are the functions of Congress?

oversight lawmaking representation

Ensuring that laws are being administered by the executive branch in the way intended by Congress is an important function of Congress and is known as

oversight function

A vote where most members of one political party vote one way while most members of the other party vote the other way is categorized as a ______ unity vote.

party

Multiple Choice Question A vote where most members of one political party vote one way while most members of the other party vote the other way is categorized as a ______ unity vote.

party

The house and the Senate each elect ________ to lead party's efforts in the chamber.

party leaders

The increase in party polarization in Congress has led to increased

policy deadlock

Going into the 2018 election, the Democratic Party was able to field an unusually strong set of candidates because

polls showed that voters were trending toward the Democrats.

n whose tangible benefits are targeted solely at a particular legislator's constituency is

pork-barrel legislation

Before any caucuses or primaries even occur, it is crucial for potential presidential candidates to

raise a lot of campaign money.

The sole purpose of a conference committee is to

reconcile differences in the House and Senate versions of a bill.

Political scientist John Hibbing advises that the "first thing to being reelected is to stay away from ______."

scandal

Choosing committee chairs based on which member has the longest continuous tenure on a standing committee is an example of the _________ system.

seniority

Choosing committee chairs based on which member has the longest continuous tenure on a standing committee is an example of the

seniority system

In the 2018 midterm elections, how many House and Senate races received money from super PACs?

several dozen

Today, Congress and the president

share legislative power

Today, Congress and the president

share legislative power.

Which of the following terms describes a permanent committee in Congress that has a defined legislative jurisdiction?

standing committee

Who is more likely to vote in a primary election?

strong partisans

The emergence of ____________, groups that can pour money into political campaign with few limits, has given challenges a better opportunity to unseat congressional incumbents.

super PACs

Campaigns primarily use which of the following media to persuade undecided voters?

television

What are conference committees?

temporary joint committees that are formed to work out differences

During which of these major events was there an enormous expansion of presidential authority?

the Great Depression

What occurs after a conference committee reconciles differences in the House and Senate versions of a bill?

the bill goes back to both chambers for a vote

Members of Congress are most indebted to which of the following?

the wealthy donors who fund their campaigns hardcore partisan voters in their state or district

After the presidential primaries and caucuses are finished, the political parties hold

their national party conventions.

The best opportunity presidents have to get Congress to pass policy initiatives is when

their party controls both houses of Congress.

Presidents are likely to be successful and powerful if

they face special circumstances that call for their leadership.

Which of the following is a right of the president pro tempore?

to preside over the senate in the absence of the vice president

True or false: Congress is an institution in which many interests are represented, which is a strength in a diverse nation; yet Congress is also a place in which narrow interests can block Congress from acting even when there's an important national need, which is a weakness.

true

Positive aspects of party polarization include the fact that

voters can more clearly see and understand party differences

When does a bill become a law?

when the president signs it when Congress overrides a presidential veto

Both political parties in the House have a ______, who acts as a go-between with the leadership and the party members in the House.

whip

A permanent committee in Congress is known as a(n) ___ committee.

Standing

Why is the president usually better suited than Congress to taking the lead on broad national issues?

The president has sole executive authority and thus can decide a course of action without needing the consent of other top executives.

Compared to the 1980's, the cost of running for the house of representatives has risen than _______ in 2010.

600%

When a bill falls into the area in which a committee is authorized to act, that committee is said to have

Jurisdiction

A vote where most members of one political vote one way while most members of the other party vote the other way is categorized as a _______ unity vote.

Party

Imagine that a major event such as the September 11, 2001, attacks again took place on American soil. What would likely happen to the power of the president?

The president's power would grow.

Congress's structure makes it easier to

block legislation than enact it.

How does the public generally feel about Congress?

dissatisfied

When major disruptive issues occur, incumbents are

more likely to lose

Which of the following are common threats to incumbency?

personal misconduct strong challengers disruptive issues

The increase in party polarization in Congress has led to increased

policy deadlock.

When foreign countries look to the United States for leadership, they direct their attention to the

president.

Incumbents have _________ over challengers.

substantial advantages

In the House of Representatives, debate is limited on the congressional floor by

the Rules Committee.

Which of the following methods is most often used to select committee chairs?

the seniority system

Why have modern presidents increasingly relied on the mass media?

to convey their message to the public in a favorable manner

Positive aspects of party polarization include the fact that

voters can more clearly see and understand party differences.

In order to member of the senate, a person must be ____ years of age and a citizen for at least ____ years.

- 30 -9

Put in order the following steps that a bill must pass through in order become law. (first to last)

- A member of the house of representatives or the senate formally proposes the bill - The bill is submitted to a committee for consideration. - A majority of members in the House and senate approve the bill. - The president signs the bill.

Which of the following are activities that typically take place in a party caucus?

- Adopting single party message - Developing issues

The speaker of the house has the right to

- Speak first during House debate on legislation - choose who may speak on the House floor. - select the chairperson of the House Rules Committee.

Which of the following oversight tools helps Congress to ensure that the executive branch is administering the laws properly?

- congress hearings - budgetary appropriations

Which of the following are true about joint committees?

- they perform advisory functions - they are composed of members of both houses

Members of the house of representatives typically serve on ___________ committees, while members of the senate serve on _______.

- two - four

One major bills, it is increasingly typical for the majority party leaders to?

-shape the bill's boards board content. -direct the floor debate after the bill leaves the committee.

In recent elections, the Internet has greatly increased the ability of presidential candidates to SATA

1. "get out the vote." 2. raise money for their campaigns.

The text uses the immigration issue as an example of a national issue on which Republican and Democratic lawmakers cannot agree. What is the sticking point?

The two parties have different solutions to the same problem.

In relation to congress, the president's power SATA

1. Is more effective in setting the national agenda 2. Is limited by the willingness of Congress to act on the president's agenda

What legislative powers does the president possess? SATA

1. the power of the veto 2. the power to propose legislation to Congress

At present, there are ______ standing committees in the House of Representatives.

20

The cost of running for Senate rose by more than _____ between 1990 and 2010

300%

In the 1980s, before partisan deadlock, congressional approval ratings were about ______ percent.

60

Members of the US House of Representatives are re-elected in _________ of races.

92%

What aspect of the system of presidential selection changed in 1972?

A majority of national convention delegates are chosen through primary elections.

By which name does the text describe past presidencies?

By which name does the text describe past presidencies? imperial, imperiled, and heroic presidency

Which institution has the power to formally declare war?

Congress

True of False: Most congressional bills survive committee scrutiny and are voted upon by the House of Senate.

False

True or False: It is more common for House incumbent's than Senate incumbent's to face challenges in the form of prominent local politicians.

False

True or false: Today, nearly every foreign policy initiative originates with Congress.

False

Which of the following is true of bills that emerge from committee with the full support of the committee members?

They are typically passed by an overwhelming majority.

Donors are more willing to make campaign contributions to

Incumbents

Among the reasons why congress has difficulty taking the lead on board issues are the facts that

- Congress has two chambers, and they are not always in agreement on policy issues. - members of congress came from different districts and often have conflicting views on national policy.

Which of the following best explain why a member of congress is chosen to a party leadership position?

- demonstrated leadership ability - ability to work with other party - ability to successfully promote the party's goals within congress

Which of the following statements about midterm elections are generally true? SATA

1. There is less media coverage of candidates and issues than in a presidential election. 2. The president's party usually loses seats. 3. Voter turnout is lower than for presidential elections.

Which of the following circumstances help to create a powerful president? SATA

1. a major national problem 2. a decisive election victory

In his role as chief diplomat, the president SATA

1. appoints ambassadors 2. negotiates treaties with other nations

Which of the following are activities that typically take place in a party caucus? SATA

1. developing issues 2. adopting a single policy message

In which of the four systems of presidential selection did/do Electoral College members cast their ballots for the popular-vote winner in their respective states? SATA

1. party primary, open caucus system 2. party convention system 3. party convention, primary system

______ is a proposed legislative act that if passed by both chambers of congress and signed by the president becomes law.

Bill

If the president chooses to veto a bill,

Congress can override the veto by a two-thirds vote in each chamber.

Under which of the following presidents did the greatest expansion of presidential authority take place?

Franklin Roosevelt

The redrawing of congressional boundaries to benefit a political party is called

Gerrymandering

Which of the following problems is most likely to jeopardize an incumbent's chances of reelection?

Getting caught in a scandal

As compared to previous presidents, how does Donald Trump use the bully pulpit?

He has taken it to unprecedented levels.

When a committee or subcommittee holds a _______, they are trying to gather information about a proposed bill.

Hearing

Which chamber of Congress can vote to impeach the president?

House

_____ typically benefit from gerrymandering because the majority party ensures that there are enough of the party's voters in the district to ensure reelection.

Incumbents

What is one reason that incumbents have a fundraising advantage over challengers?

Incumbents have a ready list of potential contributors from past campaigns

Which of the following is a major reason why incumbents are reelected?

Many congressional districts and some states are lopsidedly Democratic or Republican.

Which of the following describes the power of Congress relative to the other branches of government?

No executive agency or lower court can exist without congressional authorization.

When congressional district boundaries are redrawn within a state, it is known as

Redistricting

Who was the only U.S. president to resign from office?

Richard Nixon

Which of the following terms describes a permanent committee in Congress that has a defined legislative jurisdiction?

Standing committee

What occurs after a conference committee reconciles differences in the House and Senate versions of a bill?

The bill goes back to both chambers for a vote.

The text uses the immigration issue as an example of a national issue on which Republican and Democratic lawmakers cannot agree. What is the sticking point?

The two parties have different solutions to the same problem

Why do Republican and Democratic lawmakers generally have different perspectives on national issues?

Their parties differ politically Their parties differ philosophically

How do committees and subcommittees serve to decentralize power in Congress?

They allow more members to hold leadership positions.

Polls indicate that voters' opinions of Donald Trump's performance had what effect in the 2018 midterms?

Those who were discontented with Trump helped Democrats retake control of the House.

True or false: After clearing the committee stage, floor debate on a bill is usually led by the majority party's leadership in the House.

True

Why are incumbent's at risk when elections are being waged in the context of disruptive issues?

Voters are more likely to believe those in power should be removed from office.

Members of Congress may experience conflict between their lawmaking responsibility and their responsibility to represent their constituency when

a policy that is good for the nation as a whole does not coincide with the needs of their constituency.

If congressional representatives find themselves having to choose between angering voters and donors or angering party leadership by refusing to go along with a vote, which will they likely choose?

angering leadership by voting the way their donors and voters want them to

If congressional representatives finds themselves having to choose between angering voters and donors or angering party leadership by refusing to go along with a vote, which will they likely choose?

angering leadership by voting the way their donors and voters want them to

The percentage of survey respondents who say that they support the work the president is doing is known as the president's ______ rating.

approval

Why is the Rules Committee considered one of the most important committees in the House?

because it decided the length of debate that will occur on a bill and whether amendments will be allowed.

One reason why standing committees are powerful is that they have by law

jurisdiction over bills in their designated policy area

The party that controls the rules and has the most powerful leadership position in the House is the ___ party.

majority

If a "turf war" erupts as different committees vie for jurisdiction over a bill, who or what decides the committee assignment?

party leaders

The House and the Senate each elect ______ to lead their party's efforts in the chamber.

party leaders

The partisan divide in Congress has grown in recent years and each party engages in ______, which is when party members band together on legislation and oppose the other party.

party unity

By tradition, the choice of the vice presidential candidate has mostly been made by the

presidential nominee.

Redistricting consists of

redrawing congressional district boundaries within a state

Which of the following is the part of the Executive Office of the President that consists of the president's closest direct personal advisers?

the White House Office

Who helps the Speaker set the party's legislative agenda in the House?

the majority leader

Who helps the speaker set the party's legislative agenda in the House?

the majority leader

How many votes in the Electoral College does each state have based on its Senate representation?

two

Before 1900, service in Congress

was not usually a career for most of its members

When is congressional oversight exercised vigorously?

when members are intending to modify an agency program. when members are annoyed with an agency

When do potential presidential candidates often begin positioning themselves for presidential office?

years in advance of Election Day

Which of the following are common threats to incumbents?

- Disruptive issues - Strong challenges - Personal misconduct

Which of the following describe the irony of the presidency? SATA

1. Presidents get too much blame when things go poorly. 2. Presidents get too much credit when things go right.

A ________ rule allows members to propose amendments that are relevant to any section of the bill.

open

Compared with their percentage of the overall population of the United States, women and minorities are _______ in Congress.

underrepresented

The scenario in which the president belongs to the same political party that controls the House and Senate is called

unified government.

Who works together to achieve legislative goals? SATA

1. The President 2. Congress

Which of the following is not a direct power of the committee chair?

changes party affiliation at will

Incumbents have ______ over challengers.

substantial advantages

Whether or not Congress takes the lead in the making of laws usually depends on

the type of policy at issue

Gerrymandering is

usually legal.

Which of the following statements about congressional committees are true?

- They each specialize in a certain area of legislation. - They make it possible for congress to consider a high volume of bills.

Which of the following are the functions of congress?

- lawmaking - representation - oversight

To end a filibuster, sixty senators must agree to invoke _______ and end the debate.

cloture

Gerrymandering is

usually legal

Which of the following are the functions of Congress? SATA

1. representation 2. lawmaking 3. oversight

Reapportionment takes place every ______ years following a census.

10

Which of the following correctly describes protocol for committee membership?

Most newly elected members of Congress request committee assignments Most vacancies occur after elections, either from retirements or incumbent defeats

Which of the following are duties of the Speaker of the House?

Recognizing members who will be allowed to speak on the floor Choosing leadership of the House Rules Committee

To plan strategy and resolve policy issues, party members in congress typically must meet behind closed doors in a session called a party ________.

caucus

Not only is the size of a state's population important, but so too is its ______; candidates will spend more time campaigning in states that are considered "toss-ups" rather than solidly Democrat or Republican.

competitiveness

If the president chooses to veto a bill,

congress can override the veto by a two-thirds vote in each chamber.

In the original system of presidential selection, who or what chose party nominees?

congressional caucuses

Members of Congress are attentive to the concerns of constituents because constituents

determine whether or not they stay in office.

Most of the bills Congress passes are _______ in nature which means they provide benefits to a particular group in society while spreading the cost across that taxpaying public as a whole.

distributive

An example of Congress's ______ is when Congress passes legislation that creates incentives for the development of alternative energy sources.

lawmaking function

An example of congress ___________ is when congress passes legislation that creates incentives for the development of alternative energy sources.

lawmaking function

The party that controls the rules and has the most powerful leadership position in the House is the _______ party.

majority

What is the title of the person who heads an executive department?

secretary

To what does political scientist Hugh Heclo's term the illusion of presidential government refer?

the public's belief that the president actually runs the entire government in the United States

When an incumbent personally helps constituents solve problems with the federal bureaucracy, it is known as

the service strategy

Presidents have more power in foreign policy making in part because

they have close relationships with the intelligence, diplomatic, and military agencies.

True or false: After clearing the committee stage, floor debate on a bill is usually led by the majority party's leadership in the House.

true

Members of the House of Representatives typically serve on ______ committees, while members of the Senate serve on ______.

two, four

The 2014 North Carolina Senate race (Hagan vs. Tillis) was one of the most extensive campaigns in Senate history, with more than $75 million spent. What portion of that money came from super PACs?

two-thirds

What rough proportion of the nation's voters identify with either the Republican or Democratic party (and disregard third parties)?

two-thirds

Compared with their percentage of the overall population of the United States, women and minorities are ______ in Congress.

underrepresented

If a vote in the Senate is tied, the _______ breaks the tie.

vice president

Who is the next person to succeed the president if the president is unable to complete the term of office?

vice president

Before 1900, service in Congress

was not usually a career for most of its members.

Which of the following makes a Senate challenger more likely to be successful?

- Having an existing campaign organization - Having strong public recognition - Having access to large sums of money to fund the campaign

In terms of the budget to hire office staff,

- House members receive identical amounts of money - senators receive varying amounts of money, depending on the population of their senate.

Which of the following statements are true of bills that are killed in committee?

- Most are poorly conceived or of little interest to anyone. - Some bills are not supported by the members who introduced them. - They can be brought back to life by a vote of the full House or Senate.

Which of the following about midterm elections are true?

- The president's party usually loses seats. - Voter turnout is lower than for presidential elections. - There is less media coverage of candidates and issues than in a presidential election.

Which of the following statements are true of bills that are killed in committee? SATA

1. Most are poorly conceived or of little interest to anyone. 2. Some bills are not supported by the members who introduced them. 3. They can be brought back to life by a vote of the full House or Senate.

Which of the following are reasons why the president is better suited to oversee government activity and to develop comprehensive public policy? SATA

1. The president is able to direct the actions of federal agencies. 2. Final authority rests with a single individual.

What presidential control problems exist concerning low-level appointees? SATA

1. The president rarely, if ever, sees them. 2. Many of them are politically inexperienced.

Which of the following are true concerning women and minorities who run for congressional office? SATA

1. There are more women than there are minorities in Congress. 2. Women and minorities are less likely to run for Congress than white males.

The Speaker of the House has the right to? SATA

1. select the chairperson of the House Rules Committee. 2. speak first during House debate on legislation. 3. choose who may speak on the House floor.

Which of the following are common threats to incumbency? SATA

1. strong challengers 2. disruptive issues 3. personal misconduct

During the general election, presidential candidates focus most of their money and attention on which two of the following? SATA

1. the largest states, because they have the most voters 2. states that are competitive enough that either candidate has a chance of winning the state

Vice President of the United States SATA

1. typically forms part of the presidential team. 2. holds a separate elective office from that of the president. 3. is assigned different roles by the president.

Among the reasons that presidents are less powerful than many Americans assume is that they SATA

1. ultimately derive their power from the American public itself. 2. face uncontrollable circumstances that can hurt their ability to lead.

At present there are ______ standing committees in the House of Representatives.

20

In order to be a member of the House of Representatives, a person must be ______ years of age.

25

In order to become a member of the Senate, a person must be at least __ years of age and have been a citizen for at least __ years.

30, 9

In the House, both the full committee and a subcommittee may _________, or propose changes to, a bill.

mark up

As political scientist James Sundquist noted, "Congress [is] organized to deal with _____ problems but not with _____ ones."

narrow; broad

What term describes the situation in which Republican and Democratic lawmakers vote in the same way as their fellow partisans, regardless of constituency differences?

nationalization

In recent decades, how many presidential candidates have been able to stage a successful comeback from the back of the pack once the state caucuses and primaries are underway?

none

What is a distributive policy?

one that confers a benefit on a particular group while spreading the cost across the taxpaying public

When their is no incumbent running in the election it is called an ______ election and usually sparks heavier spending by the two political parties.

open-seat

The president is usually better suited to take the lead on national issues because

presidents tend to have a national perspective

Members of Congress give various interests a voice in the legislative process as part of Congress's ______ function.

representative

The trend toward party unity in Congress can clearly be seen in voting records of members of Congress when their votes are officially recorded during a _____ _____ vote.

roll call

In terms of the budget to hire office staff,

senators receive varying amounts of money, depending on the population of their state House members receive identical amounts of money

A limit of ______ exists for how long a Republican member can chair a particular committee.

six years

The emergence of _______ ____, groups that can pour money into a political campaign with few limits, has given challengers a better opportunity to unseat congressional incumbents.

super PAC

In the House of Representatives, debate is limited on the congressional floor by

the Rules Committee

The number of electoral voters a state has in the Electoral College is determined by what factor?

the number of members it has in the House and the Senate