Chapter 11: Congress

A Senate __ is a procedural tactic whereby a minority of senators can block a bill by talking until other senators give in and the bill is withdrawn from consideration or altered to fit opponents' demands. a. demurral b. filibuster c. respite d. debate

filibuster

The policy area in which a particular congressional committee is authorized to act is called the __ of a congressional committee. a. jurisdiction b. parliamentarian c. filibuster d. Pocket veto

jurisdiction

Political scientists say a legislative chamber is "__" to the extent that there are significant discrepancies in the voting power of citizens across the states or districts represented within that chamber. a. disparate b. unrepresentative c. misrepresented d. malapportioned

malapportioned

By the Samuels and Snyder measure of malapportionment, the U.S. Senate is __ malapportioned upper chambers in the world. a. the most b. one of the most c. one of the least d. the least

one of the most

Are college educated individuals under-represented or over-represented in Congress? a. under-represented b. over-represented

over-represented

Are higher income individuals under-represented or over-represented in Congress? a. over-represented b. under-represented

over-represented

What was Joel's first move for evaluating whether the TikTok was trustworthy? a. He watched the video to get a sense of the kind of content that was posted b. He evaluated the number of followers American Bridge 21st Century had to get a sense if they were well known and respected c. He searched for information about the group that posted the video d. He noticed that it was posted on TikTok and concluded that all information on TikTok is unreliable https://youtu.be/176XefJpYbc

He searched for information about the group that posted the video Explanation C is Correct: Joel searched for information about American Bridge 21st Century because he wanted to know who was behind the information before he engaged with its content. He ignored the number of likes, followers, and comments because the amount of engagement a post garners is a poor indicator of its trustworthiness. Like all social media sites, TikTok can be a place to find information. But like all sources of information, it's crucial to investigate who is behind information on TikTok to learn more about their authority and perspective.

Currently, each voting member of Congress represents a district with a population of about __. a. 100,000 b. 310,000 c. 470,00 d. 760,000

760,000

Which under-represented race/ethnicity is the closest to being descriptively represented? a. White (non-Hispanic) b. Black/African American c. Hispanic/Latino d. Asian American e. Other

Black/African American

Who can act as the Presiding Officer of the United States Senate? (select all answer choices that apply) a. The Senate minority leader b. President pro tempore c. The vice president of the United States d. The Senate majority leader

- President pro tempore - The vice president of the United States

Match the description to the correct type of Select Committee. Type of Committee: - Temporary select committees - Permanent select committees - Select committees Description: - Cover issues that cut across the jurisdiction of multiple standing committee - House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress - Also called "special committees"

- Temporary select committees --> House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress - Permanent select committees --> Cover issues that cut across the jurisdiction of multiple standing committee - Select committees --> Also called "special committees"

In which of the following cases does a bill become a law? (select all answer choices that apply) a. The president signs the bill. b. The president rejects the bill through use of a veto. c. Congress is in session and the president fails to sign or veto the bill within ten days.

- The president signs the bill. - Congress is in session and the president fails to sign or veto the bill within ten days.

Which of the following is true for the Speaker of the House? (select all answer choices that apply) a. They are always a member of the majority party b. Has certain formal powers that enhances their ability to influence legislative activity in the House c. Can require party members to support the party's program d. They are always a member of the minority party

- They are always a member of the majority party - Has certain formal powers that enhances their ability to influence legislative activity in the House

What are the two main reasons why the Founders designed the Congress to be a bicameral legislature? (select all answer choices that apply) a. To promote direct democracy b. To promote a mixed regime c. To make the legislative process simpler d. To make lawmaking more efficient e. To promote diversity equity and equality f. To represent states of different population sizes

- To promote a mixed regime - To represent states of different population sizes

What forces have influenced the decline in competitive congressional elections? (Select ALL answers that apply.) a. two-party system b. gerrymandering c. the "big sort" d. capping the number of of representatives

- gerrymandering - the "big sort"

How many Senators come from each state? a. Two b. Three c. Four d. It depends on the population size of each state

Two

How does the "big sort" impact representation and elections? (select all answer choices that apply) a. Districts have more close races . b. More counties are won by a higher margin. c. More counties are won by a competitive margin. d. Certain districts have very predictable outcomes.

- More counties are won by a higher margin. - Certain districts have very predictable outcomes.

The global average for lower legislative chambers is approximately __ persons per representative. a. 10,000 b. 50,000 c. 100,000 d. 500,000

100,000

Rank the following positions according to how much real power they have. Put the most powerful one at the top. ~ The Senate's president pro tempore ~ The Senate majority leader ~ The Speaker of the House

1st - The Speaker of the House 2nd - The Senate majority leader 3rd - The Senate's president pro tempore

John Green took several steps to evaluate a message from his cousin, which included a link to a news story that claimed a public park was being turned into a site for a monster truck rally. Sort the steps below in the order Green took them. The first step should be sorted to the top. The last step should be placed on the bottom. - Read laterally about the news organization that wrote the linked article - Look for other sources to see if the claim is true - Consider the authority of the person who posted the information

1st: Consider the authority of the person who posted the information 2nd: Read laterally about the news organization that wrote the linked article 3rd: Look for other sources to see if the claim is true

Joel consulted Wikipedia to learn more about American Bridge 21st Century. He checked a footnote on Wikipedia to see where key information about American Bridge came from, and he discovered that it was from FactCheck.org. Which of the following best describes FactCheck.org? a. A politically partisan organization that claims to check conspiracy theories b. A crowdsourced site that checks politicians' claims c. A fact-checking organization based at the University of Pennsylvania d. A news site based out of Washington, D.C., that reports extensively on politics

A fact-checking organization based at the University of Pennsylvania Explanation C is Correct: FactCheck.org is a fact-checking organization run by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. They aim to be nonpartisan and have a rigorous process for verifying information they post on their site, so Joel felt confident using information from their site in his evaluation.

How many representatives in the House does each state have? a. A number proportional to the number of people who voted in each state b. A number proportional to the number of citizens who are eligible to vote in each state c. A number based on the population size of the state d. Two from each state

A number based on the population size of the state

Which of the following best characterizes Joel's conclusion about the post from American Bridge 21st Century? a. American Bridge 21st Century is a political organization, so any information posted by them must be viewed with their perspective in mind b. American Bridge 21st Century is a highly reputable research organization c. American Bridge 21st Century has a TikTok account, so they are more likely to post information that is entertaining but unreliable d. American Bridge 21st Century is biased, so no information on their TikTok should be trusted

American Bridge 21st Century is a political organization, so any information posted by them must be viewed with their perspective in mind Explanation A is Correct: American Bridge 21st Century is a political organization that supports Democratic candidates and policies. Although their political perspective alone isn't a reason to reject them as a source, it is important to keep their political perspective in mind when evaluating information from them and to consider how their perspective and organizational mission might affect what they say (or leave out).

What is the ratio of Democrats to Republicans on each committee? a. Approximately the same as the ratio in the full House or Senate b. 40% Democrats, 40% Republicans, 10% Independent c. The party which has a majority in the House gets 60%, the other party - 40% d. The opposite ratio of the full House or Senate

Approximately the same as the ratio in the full House or Senate

Which generation is over-represented in the Senate? a. Millenial b. Gen-X c. Baby Boomer d. Silent

Baby Boomer

What role do committees play in Congress? a. They are mostly advisory bodies whose main role is to scrutinise the impacts of new legislation b. Committees are an essential part of the legislative process c. Committees are main compliance monitoring offices d. They are subsidiary bodies that facilitate cooperation and coordination between the two chambers

Committees are an essential part of the legislative process

Only members of which group can formally submit a bill for consideration by the chamber? a. The judicial branch b. Congress c. Executive agencies d. Interest groups

Congress

John Green discusses how people commonly engage in confirmation bias when they encounter information. Which of the following best defines confirmation bias? a. A tendency to doubt information unless it is confirmed by multiple sources b. A tendency to accept information that agrees with one's preexisting beliefs c. A tendency to accept information that is untrue or incorrect d. A tendency to think that other people are more biased than yourself

Correct Answer: b. A tendency to accept information that agrees with one's preexisting beliefs Explanation B is correct: Confirmation bias is a tendency for people to accept information that confirms or matches their preexisting beliefs and to reject or avoid information that challenges their beliefs. Extensive psychological research suggests that confirmation bias is widespread.

Which of the following best reflects how John Green thought about the blue checkmark when evaluating his cousin's tweet? a. Whether a user has a blue checkmark is the main thing to consider when evaluating a social media post b. Posts without a blue checkmark should not be trusted c. A blue checkmark is irrelevant because any account can have one d. A blue checkmark indicates that the person or organization is who they claim to be in their profile, but not whether they are a trustworthy source of information

Correct Answer: d. A blue checkmark indicates that the person or organization is who they claim to be in their profile, but not whether they are a trustworthy source of information Explanation D is correct: Social media platforms typically give a blue checkmark to profiles of high profile people and organizations to let users know that the account actually belongs to the person or group. Green noted that the account had a blue checkmark, and that this indicated that the user was who they claimed to be. The blue checkmark verifies that a person or group is not an imposter. However, it didn't factor heavily in his evaluation because a blue checkmark is not an indication that the user is trustworthy or authoritative. It also doesn't indicate whether the information in a post is likely to be true.

On a scale of 1 to 5, how unreliable or reliable do you think this information about Ketanji Brown Jackson and her confirmation is? Feel free to search for information online. a. 1 Completely unreliable b. 2 Mostly unreliable c. 3 Partly unreliable / Partly reliable d. 4 Mostly reliable e. 5 Completely reliable

Correct Answers: a. 1 Completely unreliable b. 2 Mostly unreliable c. 3 Partly unreliable / Partly reliable d. 4 Mostly reliable e. 5 Completely reliable

What do you think? Would it be better for the House to have more seats, or should it remain capped at the current 435? a. Increase the number of seats b. Leave it capped at 435 c. I don't know

Correct Answers: a. Increase the number of seats b. Leave it capped at 435 c. I don't know

Some argue malapportionment is nothing to worry about. One argument is that since low-population states like Wyoming have a predominantly rural population, the malapportionment in the Senate is a good thing because it makes sure that rural interests get represented in the Senate. What do you think? Is malapportionment a problem? Or is it actually beneficial? a. Yes, it's a problem. Voters should have roughly equal voting power regardless of the size of the state they live in. b. No, it's not a problem. Voters in small states should have greater voting power than voters in large states. c. I don't know

Correct Answers: a. Yes, it's a problem. Voters should have roughly equal voting power regardless of the size of the state they live in. b. No, it's not a problem. Voters in small states should have greater voting power than voters in large states. c. I don't know

John Green discussed the algorithms that social media platforms use to determine what posts and advertisements you see. Which of the following statements are true about the algorithms that social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube use to determine what information appears in your feed? (Select all that apply.) a. They are designed to prioritize information that is engaging¸ not information that is true b. They aim to maximize the amount of time users spend on their platform because they sell users' attention to advertisers c. They tend to show users information they will like and matches their beliefs more often than information they dislike or contradicts their beliefs d. Some platforms recommend content that is increasingly extreme based on a user's interests or beliefs e. They collect data based on users' browsing history¸ physical location¸ and identity to determine which advertisements they will be shown https://youtu.be/M5YKW6fhlss

Correct Answers: a. They are designed to prioritize information that is engaging¸ not information that is true b. They aim to maximize the amount of time users spend on their platform because they sell users' attention to advertisers c. They tend to show users information they will like and matches their beliefs more often than information they dislike or contradicts their beliefs d. Some platforms recommend content that is increasingly extreme based on a user's interests or beliefs e. They collect data based on users' browsing history¸ physical location¸ and identity to determine which advertisements they will be shown Explanation All options are correct A: Social media platforms make money by selling users' attention to advertisers, so they prioritize engaging content to increase the amount of time users spend on their platforms. They do not prioritize information that is more likely to be accurate. Some platforms monitor content and delete information that violates their terms of service, but the platforms do not ensure that all information shared on their platforms is true or accurate. B: Most social media platforms are free for users. They make more money from advertisers if you engage with the platform more, so the algorithms are built to show you content that will keep you on the platform. C: In order to maximize the amount of time users spend on their platform, social media companies tend to show users information they like and that matches their beliefs. This can create "filter bubbles," in which users mainly see information that reinforces their beliefs and world views. D: John Green discussed research that showed YouTube recommended videos that promoted increasingly extreme political content, increasing the likelihood that users who clicked on a video expressing conservative beliefs would be recommended videos that promoted conspiracy theories and racist content. E: Social media platforms make money from the information they collect about users, and they aim to maximize the amount of information they have about them. Social media platforms often track users' browsing activity, their activity on other apps, and their physical location (through geo tracking on their devices).

How does Congress determine how many seats each state gets? a. Equal proportions method b. Passing a bill after each census c. Reapportionment

Equal proportions method

What is referred to as the Great Compromise? a. The Residence Act of 1790 which settled Congress in Philadelphia until 1800, when the entire government would move to the District of Columbia b. Equal representation from each state in the Senate and proportional representation of the states in the House of Representatives c. The resolution approved on December 10, 1816, which introduced a system of standing committees and select committees

Equal representation from each state in the Senate and proportional representation of the states in the House of Representatives

Please explain your reasoning in your answer to the previous question and paste links to any sources you used to make your decision.

I typed - My reasoning is that it shows a actual video of famous political people and it tells biased detail. It is mostly reliable because it using an app TIkTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@american_bridge/video/7077931088353578282?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7077931088353578282

What does political scientist Lee Drutman advocate for? a. Decreasing the number of House seats from 435 to 250 b. Doubling the number of Senators c. Increasing the number of House seats from 435 to 700 d. Decreasing the number of Senators from 100 to 50

Increasing the number of House seats from 435 to 700

What kind of congressional committees are composed of members of both houses and perform advisory functions? a. Joint Committees b. Conference Committees c. Select Committees d. Standing Committees

Joint Committees

What does the House minority leader do? a. Speaks first during House debate on legislation b. Chooses the chairperson of the House Rules Committee c. Leads in developing the party's legislative strategies d. Assigns bills to committees e. Assigns members to conference committees

Leads in developing the party's legislative strategies

What does a three-fifths majority vote for cloture mean for Senate bills? a. Limits debate to a maximum of 30 more hours b. Debate gets an unlimited amount of time c. Eliminates the need for debate d. Extends debate for a minimum of 30 more hours

Limits debate to a maximum of 30 more hours

What is the name of the idea, traceable to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, that a good political system should mix democratic and aristocratic elements to gain the advantages, and avoid the disadvantages, of either a pure democracy or pure aristocracy? a. Representative government b. Balanced regime c. Ideal state d. Mixed regime

Mixed regime

Which group is the most under-represented? a. Protestant b. Catholic c. Other Christian d. Jewish e. Other Religions f. No Religious Affiliation

No Religious Affiliation

What is your view? Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job? a. Approve b. Disapprove c. Not sure

Not sure

The __ has the power in the House of Representatives to determine when the bill will be voted on, and how long the debate on it will last. a. Process Committee b. Church Committee c. Rules Committee

Rules Committee

What happens to a bill immediately after it is introduced in the House or Senate? a. Sent to the President for signing b. Assigned to a lobbyist for amendments c. Full chamber vote d. Sent to the relevant committee

Sent to the relevant committee

Who established the one-person, one-vote standard? a. The President b. The House c. The Senate d. The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court

Why didn't Joel visit the top result from Google's search engine results page (SERP)? a. The top result was from Wikipedia b. The top result was owned by the organization he was evaluating c. The top result of an Internet search is never the best d. The top result was a social media post

The top result was owned by the organization he was evaluating Explanation B is Correct: Using "click restraint," Joel noticed that the top result was American Bridge 21st Century's website. He avoided the top result because he was looking for independent information about the organization, not what American Bridge 21st Century said about itself on its own site.

Which chamber of the United States Congress has more authority? a. The Senate b. The House of Representatives c. They have nearly equal authority

They have nearly equal authority

In 2021, which legislative body is the closest to being descriptively representative of women? a. Lower House (World average) b. Upper House (World Average) c. US House of Representatives d. US Senate

US Senate

A __ resolves the differences between bills that pass both chambers. a. standing committee b. conference committee c. select committee d. joint committee

conference committee