AP Gov Unit 2 : Interaction among the Branches of Government
When it comes to the diversity of its members, the House of Representatives has
more non-white members than the U.S. Senate but less than 50% female members
In 1974, Congress passed the Budget Impoundment Act in order to restore balance in the federal budget process. Which legislative agency works to make sure the executive branch complies with the Budget Impoundment Act by appropriately notifying Congress of redirected funds or getting congressional approval for the withholding of funds?
Governmental Accountability Office (GAO)
Which is the correct matching of a U.S. governmental corporation and its primary jurisdiction?
Govt. Corporation -Amtrak Primary Jurisdiction -Interstate passenger rail travel
Which of the following best describes a common argument in US political science?
Has the American presidency grown too powerful
Which of the following best establishes an independent judicial branch?
Judges can serve for life
What is notable about common law legal systems?
Judges have powers to create legal precedents for other courts to follow.
Which issue best exemplifies the limited power of the Supreme Court?
Legalization of commercial sales of marijuana
Which is the most accurate matching of the role of governmental branches in the public policy process?
Legislative Branch -Writes Laws Executive Branch -Implements policies Judicial Branch -Interpret Laws and governmental actions
Before the Civil Service Act of 1883, how did most federal bureaucrats earn their positions in the executive branch?
Patronage and political connections
By which power can Congress enlarge or contract the role of the federal executive bureaucracy?
the power of the purse.
A Supreme Court majority looking to change a longstanding judicial precedent about a controversial issue would best consider:
whether public opinion will support enforcement of the new precedent.
Which of these headlines best matches the categories of presidential roles? pt.2
Chief of State -President hosts state dinner for Queen of England Chief Executive -President issues executive order expanding national park
Which example of judicial activism do Democratic politicians often promise to overturn?
Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
Term used to describe needing at least 60 supportive Senators to limit debate:
Cloture
If similar legislation passes each chamber but with different details, which type of committee reconciles differences between House and Senate bills before they are sent to the president for signing?
Conference committee
Which pairing matches the structures of the two chambers in Congress?
House -2-year terms; 100% of chamber elected every 2 years Senate -6-year terms; 33% of chamber elected every 2 years
Which pairing matches the structures of the two chambers in Congress? pt.2
House -435 members; 2-year terms; always directly elected100 members Senate -6-year terms; originally appointed by states
Which pairing matches the metaphors of the two chambers in Congress?
House -A cup of hot tea reflecting boiling public opinions about issues Senate -A cooling saucer to slow and moderate House legislation
Which pairing matches the responsibilities of the two chambers in Congress?
House -Initiates revenue bills and impeaches federal officials Senate -Confirms presidential appointments and ratifies treaties
Which pairing matches the debate rules of the two chambers in Congress?
House -Limited debate and restricted chances to change bills during debate Senate -Potentially unlimited debate and more chances to change bill during debate
Which pairing matches the debate process in each chamber?
House -Limited time for debate with closed rules that prevent floor amendments Senate -Unlimited time for debate with open rules that allow floor amendments.
To best serve their constituents, a representative from a farming community in Minnesota would likely want to serve on which committee?
House Agriculture Committee
With their advantages of setting stricter rules for debate with closed rules on amendments and limited time for debate, the advantage of the legislative process in the House goes to which group?
House majority party
What is the legislative process?
How Congress writes and passes bills
What impression do observers of presidential power make when comparing the president as described in the original U.S. Constitution with the president today?
How much stronger today's president is
Which is true about congressional oversight?
It is typically focused on holding the executive branch accountable to how policies are implemented.
Which is the correct matching of a component of the federal bureaucracy and its policy enforcement jurisdiction?
Federal Bureaucracy -Department of Defense Policy Enforcement Jurisdiction -Branches of the armed services
The majority of SCOTUS ruled what in Marbury v. Madison (1803)?
Federal courts have the authority to review laws for violating the Constitution.
Which of these contradicts Hamilton's description of desired characteristics of the presidency in Federalist 70?
22nd Amendment
Which is true about the House and the Senate?
A House member typically represents the interests of their local district while a Senator represents voters across the state.
Max Weber, a German sociologist who studied rational organizations in the 19th century, compared modern bureaucracies to
A well-oiled machine
Which of the following statements is true about the federal budget? pt. 2
Annual deficits are typical for the federal government.
Which committees approve spending bills?
Appropriation committees
How can earmarked pork-barrel spending be used in the legislative process?
As way of logrolling to build supportive votes from hesitant members
Which of the following gives Congress the most leverage in attempts to check federal agencies?
Budget authority
In which case did the Court majority reverse judicial precedent and rule that the Second Amendment protected an individual right to keep and bear arms?
DC v. Heller (2008)
According to the Constitution, Congress can:
Determine the number of SCOTUS justices and structure of the federal courts.
"This was an Obama judge, and I'll tell you what, it's not going to happen like this anymore," President Donald Trump, Nov. 20, 2018 What could be implied from this statement by President Trump?
Donald Trump views federal judges as being motivated by politics
Which pairing matches the process of scheduling bills for debate and establishing rules for debate?
House -Rules Committee Senate -Majority Leader
In which of the following scenarios is the impeachment of a president most likely to occur?
In periods of divided government
What two features of the federal courts help to protect the judicial branch's independence from the executive and legislative branches?
Life tenure of judges and judicial review
Which is an example of Congress passing a law to overturn a Supreme Court precedent to check the power of the court?
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (2009)
Which of these makes Congressional oversight of the Executive Branch difficult?
Numerous access points and millions of employees to track
Which pairing most accurately describes the differences between the following Supreme Court cases?
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) -Allowed legal segregation Brown v. Board of Ed (1954) -Prohibited racial segregation in public schools
Executive departments of the federal government have broad discretion to act. What does this mean?
Possess power to decide how to implement vague policies
In a common law system, reversing judicial precedent is supposed to be:
Rare
What enumerated power has been used more than any other to expand the authority of Congress and the Federal government?
Regulate interstate commerce
As would be expected, the Supreme Court has been asked to interpret the use of discretionary authority for rulemaking and implementation. Why did the Supreme Court invalidate the legislative veto in the case INS v. Chadha (1983)?
The legislative veto is not specifically stated or implied in the U.S. Constitution.
Why does the majority party in each chamber have an advantage?
The majority party has more members on each committee and sets the legislative agenda.
What is the greatest power of Congress called?
The power of the purse
Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies a presidents use of the bully pulpit?
The president across traveled the country giving speeches about raising the minimum wage
The Executive Branch is more than a president. It is made up of hundreds of agencies each employing thousands of agents doing the presidents bidding. Or do they? Why is it difficult for presidents to control their own administrations?
The size of the federal bureaucracy makes it difficult for a president to control.
A major component of the fiscal policy of Congress is mandatory budget spending (like Social Security and Medicaid) known as
entitlement spending
The balance of power for control over how the U.S. military is used internationally:
favors executive action over congressional approval
Executive bureaucracies of the federal government have broad discretion to act. Which of the following would be an example of the Department of Education using its discretionary authority?
interpreting evidence of Title IX gender discrimination
The Necessary and Proper Clause is so flexible that it has also been called:
the elastic clause
What happens in each committee in Congress?
the majority party sets the agenda because it controls a majority of seats in each committee
Which is the correct pairing of how the Constitution addressed the structure of the judicial branch of the Federal government?
-Congress creates the format of the Supreme Court and lower federal courts. -The president nominates judges for the federal courts and Supreme Court with Senate approval.
Which of the following pairs correctly matches congressional powers with the military?
-Declares war -Funds the armed forces
Which of these are institutions that serve to implement policies within the federal executive bureaucracy?
-Departments and agencies -Commissions and Government corporations
Which of the following identify workers in the federal bureaucracy?
-Bureaucrats -Civil servants
Which of the following distinguishes a civil service bureaucracy as compared to a bureaucracy staffed mostly by patronage appointees?
-Earn positions and promotions based on neutral criteria of merit -Career specialists -Professional qualifications
The president and a vast bureaucracy made up of hundreds executive agencies have been empowered to implement public policy. Which of the following can be used as synonyms for "implement"?
-Enforce -Administrate
Which pairing both have helped to expand a president's power over time?
-Growth of the national government -Direct communication with voters through different media
Which of the following play roles in holding the executive branch accountable to prevent corruption and abusive government?
-Investigative journalists -Congress -Courts
How do iron triangles make bureaucratic reforms more difficult?
-Policy changes are made quickly with few groups competing for influence -Policies changes are detailed and not controversial -Relatively few actors in changing policy
Which pairing reflects how federalism can check the Supreme Court's power?
-Proceeding with policies that ignore Supreme Court rulings -Ratifying amendments that reverse Supreme Court rulings.
Which pairing best describes the factors that changed between the Court's 1986 Bowers v. Hardwick ruling allowing states to criminalize consensual sex between same-sex partners and the Court's 2003 Lawrence v. Texas ruling invalidating these state laws as being unconstitutional?
-Public opinion about rights for homosexual couples -New justices on the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court's decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) was so disastrous that:
-That it provided a legal justification for the continued enslavement of humans -That it took a Civil War to reverse its precedent. -That it took three constitutional amendments to reverse its precedent.
Which of the following is an accurate pairing of how a president can use the presidential Bully Pulpit to shape public opinion?
-Through an annual State of the Union address -With rallies to announce new public policy changes
What are two ways a bill can become a law without the president's signed approval?
1. If the legislation goes unsigned after 10 days of arriving for approval. 2. If at least 2/3 majority of each chamber votes to override a president's veto.
The U.S. Supreme Court cannot whimsically decide which cases to hear. All cases before the federal judiciary must have standing. What does this mean?
A constitutional question is at stake
Which of these headlines best matches the categories of presidential roles? pt.4
Chief Diplomat -President joins Secretary of State for treaty negotiations Commander in chief -President order drone strike against strategic enemy
What did John Harris mean when he wrote, "There is no way to 'turn the sound off' on the modern presidency"?
A president can be the most powerful policy advocate in American politics.
What was Alexander Hamilton arguing for based on this passage of Federalist #70? Energy in the Executive is a leading character in the definition of good government. Every man the least conversant in Roman story, knows how often that republic was obliged to take refuge in the absolute power of a single man.
A strong president
In broadterms,the U.S. Congress has which of the following responsibilities?
Act as a check on the executive branch
Executive bureaucracies of the federal government have broad discretion to act. Which of the following would be an example of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) using its discretionary authority?
Administering new banking regulations to prevent brokerage abuse.
Which of these headlines best matches the categories of presidential roles?
Chief of Party -President's campaign fundraising breaks records Commander in chief -President order drone strike against strategic enemy
Which of these headlines best matches the categories of presidential roles? pt.3
Chief Legislator -President calls for Congress to pass healthcare reform Chief Administrator -President nominates justice for SCOTUS vacancy
Which pair matches the following definitions of authorization and appropriation?
Authorization -When Congress sets the spending limits and indicates how much can be spent on a project. Appropriation -When Congress approves the actual spending of money.
Which of the following would be an example of the court using judicial precedence (stare decisis)?
Because of the Brown, decision all schools must be integrated
Which of the following is true about the legislative process in the U.S. Congress?
Bills can only be introduced in Congress in either the House or the Senate by a member of that respective chamber.
Which of the following is common between iron triangle and issue network models of public policy making?
Both include bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, congressional committees
Which pairing most accurately describes the differences between the following Supreme Court cases? pt.2
Brown v. Board of Ed (1964) -Prohibited racial segregation in public schools Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc v. US (1964) -Allowed law that prohibited racial segregation in businesses of public accommodation
Teddy Roosevelt coined which term to describe a president who permanently campaigns to shape public opinion?
Bully Pulpit
Which informal power can a president best utilize to shape the legislative process?
Bully pulpit
How can judicial review help strengthen an independent judiciary?
By allowing judges to check the powers of states and the legislative and executive branches.
Foreign governments and their leaders can limit the president's power in a number of ways. What happens when foreign leaders make decisions that distract a president from focusing on his domestic agenda?
Change events forcing a change in the president's agenda
In Federalist 51 (1788) James Madison wrote: "If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions..." Which of the following best reflects how the original U.S. Constitution embodied Madison's argument?
Checks and balances
Which of the following best represents why Congress passed the War Powers Act of 1974?
Congress felt the need to limit the president's use of armed troops after Vietnam
Marbury v. Madison (1803) was a case about:
Congress passed a law allowing the Supreme Court to order the executive branch to enforce the law.
Some political coalitions of members of Congress with similar interests become organized to shape policies by working to advance or block legislative actions. Which of these is the name of a prominent coalition of lawmakers?
Congressional Black Caucus
What is the nonpartisan agency that assists Congress to study the potential costs of legislation?
Congressional Budget Office
Members of Congress have many different duties and responsibilities. When Rep. Johns takes time during his days in Congress to help someone back home who is struggling with their Passport application, Rep. Johns is performing which duty?
Constituent service
Pay-as-you-go provisions in Congress along with sequester agreements have been an attempt to do which of these?
Control the expansion of governmental spending
Which is the greatest power of Congress?
Control the federal government's budget
What is the historical danger of bureaucratic rulemaking without adequate checks?
Corruption and abuse
Presidents are empowered to faithfully execute the laws. This includes managing the vast federal bureaucracy. Recent presidents have all vowed to reinvent the government. How did President George W. Bush attempt to reinvent government?
Encouraged a business model including more privatization of some federal agency responsibilities.
Presidents possess both formal and informal powers. Many of the informal powers are based upon tradition. These powers are not found in the constitution but are routinely practiced without any reservations. What informal power is being exercised in the following scenario? "The president signs a pact with Syria regarding chemical weapons. Senate left out."
Executive Agreement
Presidents possess both formal and informal powers. Many of the informal powers are based upon tradition. These powers are not found in the constitution but are routinely practiced without any reservations. What informal power is being exercised by the president based on the following headline? "President demands Wildlife Service crackdown on poaching big game in National Parks"
Executive Order
Despite the ruling in U.S. v. Nixon (1974) that a president's power is not absolute, presidents of both parties continue to use which of these as a way of not cooperating with congressional investigations?
Executive Privilege
Presidents possess both formal and informal powers. Many of the informal powers are based upon tradition. These powers are not found in the constitution but are routinely practiced without any reservations. What informal power is being exercised based on the following headline? "Congress demands that President's advisors testify; President refuses"
Executive Privilege
Independent regulatory agencies like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Exist outside Cabinet authority and often act free of presidential influence
Which of the following statements is true about the federal budget?
Expenditures have been larger than revenues since 2001.
Executive bureaucracies of the federal government have broad discretion to act. Which of the following would be an example of the Department of Veteran Affairs using its discretionary authority?
Favoring new policies of doctor accountability at VA hospitals.
Which is the correct pairing of descriptions of lower federal courts created by Congress?
Federal District Courts -Site of criminal and civil federal trials Federal Circuit Courts -1st step of federal legal appeals
Which pairing correctly distinguishes a president's formal powers from informal powers? pt.2
Formal Powers -Make treaties Informal powers -Bully pulpit to shape public opinion
Which pairing correctly distinguishes a president's formal powers from informal powers?
Formal powers -Commander in Chief Informal powers -Party leader
Which pairing correctly distinguishes a president's formal powers from informal powers? pt.3
Formal powers -Communicate the State of the Union Informal powers -The power to persuade
The United States judiciary has boasted of its independence. What does this mean?
Free of being influenced by governmental leaders in other branches.
Executive bureaucracies of the federal government have broad discretion to act. Which of the following would be an example of the Department of Transportation using its discretionary authority?
Funding federal block grants for local mass transit projects
Which of the following pairing best exemplifies a litmus test used by a president in selecting SCOTUS nominees?
GOP presidents select -A nominee who is pro-life on abortion DEM presidents select -A nominee who is pro-choice on abortion
Which pairing reflects Supreme Court nominee confirmation battles that each party remembers with partisan resentment?
GOP remembers with resentment -Robert Bork DEM remembers with resentment -Merrick Garland
Executive bureaucracies of the federal government have broad discretion to act. Which of the following would be an example of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) using its discretionary authority?
Increasing fuel efficiency standards of motor vehicles.
Which is the correct matching of a component of the independent agency and its policy enforcement jurisdiction?
Independent Agency -EPA Policy Enforcement Jurisdiction -Clean Air Act
Presidents are empowered to faithfully execute the laws. This includes managing the vast federal bureaucracy. Recent presidents have all vowed to reinvent the government. How did President Bill Clinton attempt to reinvent government?
Initiated a National Performance Review - each federal agency had to reevaluate its mission.
Which of these correctly distinguishes Iron Triangles from Issue Networks?
Iron Triangles -Elitist democracy that can quickly make policies about less controversial details of governmental regulations Issue Networks -Pluralist democracy that slowly debates policies about more controversial governmental regulations
Which of the following roles of Congress most closely reflects the Framers' intentions to establish checks and balances on the executive branch?
Oversight of the executive
Presidents are empowered to faithfully execute the laws. This includes managing the vast federal bureaucracy. Recent presidents have all vowed to reinvent the government. How did President Barack Obama attempt to reinvent government?
Issued Executive Orders to encourage federal agencies to use "behavioral science" to remake themselves.
Which is an argument against giving federal courts the power of judicial review?
It gives appointed judges the power to overrule democratically elected representatives.
"We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them." Chief Justice John Roberts, Nov. 21, 2018 What is implied by this comment of John Roberts?
Judges should be viewed as having independence from the executive branch.
The growth of judicial power today can best be explained by:
Judges who interpret laws and can invalidate government actions with judicial review.
Which of the following pair best aligns with the difference between judicial activism and judicial restraint? pt.3
Judicial Activism -Last resort for the powerless Judicial Restraint -Less likely to overturn laws
Which of the following pair best aligns with the difference between judicial activism and judicial restraint?
Judicial Activism -Living Constitution Judicial Restraint -Strict constructionists
Which of the following pair best aligns with the difference between judicial activism and judicial restraint? pt.5
Judicial Activism -McDonald v. Chicago (2010) Judicial Restraint -Schenck v. U.S. (1919)
Which of the following pair best aligns with the difference between judicial activism and judicial restraint? pt.4
Judicial Activism -Roe v. Wade (1972) Judicial Restraint -McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Which of the following pair best aligns with the difference between judicial activism and judicial restraint? pt.2
Judicial Activism -Tend to be ideologically liberal Judicial Restraint -Tend to be ideologically conservative
Which concept has been described as a check against the tyranny of government?
Judicial Review
What is the definition of jurisprudence?
Judicial decision making process
Which of the following pair is the best description of the two general philosophies for judicial decision making?
Judicial restraint and Judicial activism
What is a judicial branch's inherent weakness?
Lack of power to coerce the public to follow its rulings.
Throughout our history, the Supreme Court has helped to define and clarify the statutory power given to federal agencies. At times the Court serves as a check and at other times it emboldens federal agencies. How did the Court decision in Department of Commerce v. New York (2019) affect the federal bureaucracy?
Limited the Commerce Department that had improperly tried to add a 2020 Census question about citizenship status
Throughout our history, the Supreme Court has helped to define and clarify the statutory power given to federal agencies. At times the Court serves as a check and at other times it emboldens federal agencies. How did the Court decision in Zubik v. Burwell (2016) affect the federal bureaucracy?
Limited the Department of Health and Human Services power due to violation of a religious groups liberties
Traditional political scientists like Edward Corwin say a president's greatest powers are formal which means these powers are:
Listed in the Constitution
Which of the following determines who holds the leadership positions in Congress?
Majority party
In broad terms the U.S. Congress has which of the following responsibilities?
Make laws
Judicial review was established in which case?
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
Which case was based on the new precedent in D.C. v. Heller (2008) where the Court majority rule that the Second Amendment invalidated strict hand-gun purchase laws in cities and states?
McDonald v. Chicago (2010)
Which of these has most expanded a president's powers of persuasion?
Media technology gives a wider population immediate access to news at any time
Which one the following federal budget line items would be considered a discretionary program?
Military Spending
As compared with the House, what does the Senate have?
More chance for a minority stance to delay or influence a legislative outcome.
What is true of all revenue bills in Congress?
Must be introduced in the House
Which of the following government principles is most evident in Justice Alito's opinion below? Two years ago, in District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U. S. ___ (2008), we held that Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms for the purpose of self-defense, and we struck down a District of Columbia law that banned the possession of handguns in the home. The city of Chicago (City) and the village of Oak Park, a Chicago suburb, have laws that are similar to the District of Columbia's, but Chicago and Oak Park argue that their laws are constitutional because the Second Amendment has no application to the States. We have previously held that most of the provisions of the Bill of Rights apply with full force to both the Federal Government and the States. Applying the standard that is well established in our case law, we hold that the Second Amendment right is fully applicable to the States. Excerpted from Justice Alito's Court opinion in McDonald v. Chicago (2010)
National supremacy of the Constitution
What constitutional clause has been used alongside the Commerce Clause to allow Congress to go beyond the original text of the Constitution?
Necessary and Proper Clause
Which of the following best characterizes what most people think about bureaucracies?
Negative connotation
Modern political scientists like Richard Neustadt say a president's greatest powers are informal which means these powers are:
Not listed in the Constitution but are used to persuade and bargain
Which of the following is an agency that is part of the executive branch and assists the president in proposing a budget for Congress to pass and helps direct appropriated funds to executive bureaucracies to assist the president in advancing the administration's policy agenda?
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
In what way did the Clinton administration change White House advocacy for congressional outcomes?
Organized campaigns to win battles in Congress like winning an election
Which of these is NOT an enumerated power given to Congress in the Constitution?
Override Supreme Court opinions
Members of Congress have many different duties and responsibilities. When Rep. Johns takes time during his days in Congress to investigate the president's use of an executive order, Rep. Johns is performing which duty?
Oversight
What formal power can be traced back to monarchs forgiving criminals?
Pardon power
Executive bureaucracies of the federal government have broad discretion to act. Which of the following would be an example of the Department of Homeland Security using its discretionary authority?
Separating children from their undocumented parents who enter the country seeking refuge
When a president approves a bill passed by Congress but disagrees with the intent of certain legal details, what is the most common tool a president can use to communicate this disagreement?
Signing statements
The Vesting Clause of the U.S. Constitution has given authority to the president to execute and enforce the laws passed by Congress. What do critics of expanded presidential power often point out?
Presidents act beyond "statutory authorization."
After the Civil Service Act of 1883, how did most federal bureaucrats earn their positions in the executive branch?
Professional qualifications
According to many political scientists, what is the most imposing constraint on U.S. presidents?
Public opinion and election results
Which example of judicial activism do Republican politicians often promise to overturn?
Roe v. Wade (1972)
By applying the Second Amendment to the States, what did the U.S. Supreme Court practice in the following ruling? Two years ago, in District of Columbia v. Heller , 554 U. S. ___ (2008), we held that Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms for the purpose of self-defense, and we struck down a District of Columbia law that banned the possession of handguns in the home. The city of Chicago (City) and the village of Oak Park, a Chicago suburb, have laws that are similar to the District of Columbia's, but Chicago and Oak Park argue that their laws are constitutional because the Second Amendment has no application to the States... We have previously held that most of the provisions of the Bill of Rights apply with full force to both the Federal Government and the States. Applying the standard that is well established in our case law, we hold that the Second Amendment right is fully applicable to the States." Excerpted from Justice Alito's Court opinion in McDonald v. Chicago (2010)
Selective incorporation
What is the title of the top legislative leader in the Senate who sets the agenda and establishes the calendar and debate rules in the Senate?
Senate Majority Leader
Because this chamber debates with open rules to allow time-consuming floor amendments and that it takes 60 votes to limit debate with a cloture vote, the advantage in the legislative process in the Senate goes to which group?
Senate minority party
Which one the following federal budget line items would be considered an entitlement program?
Social Security
What is the title of the top legislative leader in the House who sets the agenda and assigns representatives and bills to committees?
Speaker of the House
Which pair matches the most appropriate descriptions of congressional leaders?
Speaker of the House -Determines the calendar of legislative activity and sets the legislative agenda Senate Majority Leader -Schedules bill for debate and sets the legislative agenda
Where is most work in Congress (especially the House) done?
Standing committees that specialize on the different topics of legislation
In Latin our word for precedent literally means, Let the decision stand. What is the Latin word for precedent?
Stare decisis
What is a synonym for judicial review?
Stare decisis
Each year the U.S. Constitution requires the President of the United States to deliver a message to Congress. This formal requirement is called the
State of the Union
In 1974, Congress passed the Budget Impoundment Act in order to restore balance in the federal budget process. A critical piece of that legislation included forming the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). What is the CBO's primary purpose?
Study the cost of prospective policies
While a president can not declare war, which of the following has expanded a president's military powers in the last 70 years?
Technology of weaponry
An important pillar of our court system is the use of legal precedent. Which of the following scenarios provides an example?
The Court bases its decisions on previous court decisions
What was the intent of Justice Stevens for writing this in his dissent from the Court's majority holding in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)? The Second Amendment was adopted to protect the right of the people of each of the several States to maintain a well-regulated militia. It was a response to concerns raised during the ratification of the Constitution that the power of Congress to disarm the state militias and create a national standing army posed an intolerable threat to the sovereignty of the several States. Neither the text of the Amendment nor the arguments advanced by its proponents evidenced the slightest interest in limiting any legislature's authority to regulate private civilian uses of firearms. Specifically, there is no indication that the Framers of the Amendment intended to enshrine the common-law right of self-defense in the Constitution.
The Court had long interpreted the 2nd Amend as being primarily applied to the regulation of militias.
Which of the following scenarios provides the best example of the Court practicing judicial review?
The Court ruled the president's application of war powers unconstitutional
Which of these best describes the difference in the legislative process between the House and the Senate?
The House process provides less opportunity for members in the minority to shape legislation than in the Senate.
Best describes how the Court's decision in Gonzales v. Raich (2005) was undermined?
The Obama and Trump administrations declined to crackdown on states that continued to legalize the commercial sales of marijuana.
When the U.S. Congress is called bicameral what does this mean?
The U.S. Congress is a two-house legislature
In the case McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) the court extended the supremacy of the United States government by recognizing what authority of Congress?
The flexibility of the Constitution's expressed powers of Congress with the Necessary and proper clause
In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), how did SCOTUS interpret the following part of the Constitution? This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding. U.S. Constitution Article 6, Section 2
The national government is superior to state governments if their laws conflict.
Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies a presidents use of the bully pulpit? pt.2
The president traveled the country giving speeches about policies he endorses to enhance border security with a neighboring country.
What conclusion can be drawn from this speech given on the floor of the House of Representatives? So we have seen no oversight. The president is allowed more power than is healthy for a society. I am not charging authoritarianism. It is still a free country, and I encourage people to use that freedom and to be critical and to organize. But we are still talking about a very different mode of governance has one man making the decisions instead of the checks and balances and the collaboration and the input of a lot of people.
This representative thinks the presidency has assumed too much power.
Which of these statements best describes public approval of President Trump in his first term?
Trump was able to increase his approval immediately after being impeached in 2019.
Which Supreme Court case restricted Congress's broad use of the Commerce Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause to expand the power of the federal government?
U.S. v. Lopez (1995)
Which of these makes Congressional oversight of the Executive Branch difficult? pt.2
Vague legislative requirements + bureaucratic discretion
Which pairing correctly distinguishes a president's veto power from pocket veto power?
Veto powers -Rarely overturned by Congress Pocket Veto powers -Only used on bills passed at the end of a Congressional term
Federal agencies are empowered to write regulations, enforce existing law and adjudicate disputes. This has helped to make our federal bureaucracy more powerful than our Founders imagined. Critics of this powerful bureaucratic discretion would accuse it of which of these?
Violating the separation of powers
Which House committee helps shape tax laws?
Ways and Means Committee
What position/title counts the votes among party members and pressures hesitant members to vote the party line on legislation?
Whip
How did Congress give the president broad military powers after the 9/11 terrorist attacks?
With the Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF) 2001
What is federal aggrandizement also known as?
a growing national government and administrative state.
What happens to most bills that are introduced in Congress?
are introduced in Congress but never get majority support to pass either chamber
After introduction, what is the first step for a bill to pass Congress?
be studied and edited (marked up) in a committee in one of the chambers' committees.
By commenting about a President Trump comment, critics of John Roberts accused him of:
being a political actor engaging in partisan critiques.
In theory (but rarely in reality), a discharge petition can be used:
by a group without control of a committee to force a committee to allow a bill to advance in the legislative process
A smaller portion of budget spending for the federal government is made up of annual choices known as:
discretionary spending
The power of Congress to control the federal government's budget is also known as:
fiscal policy
Our common law system means that judges should make decisions that are consistent over time. To develop this consistency, judges are encouraged to pay close attention to which of these?
judicial precedent
What is the most direct way the chief executive can shape the federal courts?
nominate federal judges who share similar beliefs as the president.
What is it called when Congress allows bureaucratic organizations to establish policy details?
policy discretion
A local project that gets added to a budget bill as an earmark to win the support of a legislator can be labeled with this derogatory name:
pork-barrel project
Because the Supreme Court lacks enforcement power to coerce the public to follow its rulings, the Court must be aware of _________________ to secure its legitimacy that encourages the public to adhere to Court decisions.
public opinion
