POLS 100 Exam 3
congress's popularity has:
plummeted over time, including approval ratings. Dont regard congress highly as a whole
A decision of the Supreme Court in which a majority of the Court agrees on the decision, but there is no majority agreement on the decision is a
plurality opinion
Systematically monitoring bureaucracy to ensure that it is acting in accordance with democratically expressed preferences is
police patrol oversight
What is the most important consideration in the selection of Supreme Court justices?
Party affiliation and political philosophy
Legislative oversight tools include all of the following EXCEPT
Confirm or not confirm low level employees in the bureaucracy
The notion that the president should do anything and everything to address the needs of the nation except that which is specifically prohibited by the Constitution is
Consistent with the stewardship doctrine
The GS system
Establishes a meritocracy for government workers
Since 2000, the use of filibusters to block the confirmation of presidential nominees has remained relatively stable, neither increasing nor decreasing. "
False
The president is expected to take the lead in initiating policy proposals.
False
Political bias
Favor one ideological viewpoint over others.
What is framing? Priming? How do these relate to media and agenda setting?
Framing- emphasizing certain aspects of a story to make it seem more important. (i.e.. obamacare instead of Affordable Care Act.) Priming- making things more accessible in mind. (hear about it a lot, influences how you think about things.)
push polls
On ostensible opinion poll in which the true objective is to sway voters using loaded or manipulative questions.
One reason the presidency is harder to study than Congress or the judiciary is
The small N problem
Bureaucratic appointments made based on political connections rather than skills and qualifications exemplify which of the following?
The spoils system
The "new NAFTA" is called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
True
The only circumstance in which the President of the Senate is allowed to vote is
When there's a tie
Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) is the policy making approach most often used by public officials.
false
The Cabinet is more a product of ______ than a Constitutional design.
historical accident
"The way a member of Congress behaves, explains legislative actions, and presents himself or herself when visiting the district is known as"
home style
"According to the notion of neutral competence, what function does the bureaucracy perform?"
implement public policy
"When a president delays agency expenditures that have been approved by Congress, he is exercising a limited executive power known as "
impoundment
The Supreme Court formally exercises it discretionary power to hear a case by
issuing writ of certiorari
The problem with fire alarm oversight is
it is reactive instead of proactive.
Which entity is charged with resolving differences between House and Senate version of a proposal?
joint conference committee
A Supreme Court justice who believes that the Court has a responsibility to use its rulings to articulate new policy when other branches fail to do so is practicing
judicial activism
congress does
- have to pay loans -lose their salary after job
_____ require(s) that bureaucratic decisions be made in public meetings.
Sunshine laws
congress is a
corrupt partisan sandbox
Alternatives to the two-party system?
one party system and multiparty system
Where are the top or most powerful and prestigious committees in the House?
"Appropriations, Rules, and Ways & Means"
"Based on evidence presented in class, how does public approval of the president affect presidential success in Congress?"
"Based on evidence presented in class, how does public approval of the president affect presidential success in Congress?"
How frequently does the Constitution mandate that the president shall advise Congress on the state of the union?
"From "time to time""
Hard vs. Soft Money
"Hard money" refers to tightly regulated contributions to candidates, while "soft money" refers to unregulated, unlimited contributions to political parties for so-called "party-building" activities.
The benefits that support activities that members of Congress receive in order to help them perform their job are known as
"Perquisites (or "perks")"
The most important reason incumbents have an advantage over challengers in congressional elections is because incumbents
"Usually face under-financed, politically inexperienced challengers"
The principal-agent model is
"based on the notion that the primary role of the bureaucracy is to implement the mandates issued to it by its political principals (e.g., Congress, the president)."
the policy process and core democratic values
-majority rule, minority rights US has follows this pretty well. -political freedom -political equality most mixed record; some people still have more power than others (IE, the rich have more attention and a voice than a single low income parent)
why do current presidents have more power?
-rise of US as dominant world power -legally expanded by congress
How many Supreme Court justices have been impeached and removed from office?
0
presidents jobs:
1) chief executive: be head beurocrat. head of agencies and implementing laws 2)can fire officials/cabinet members 3) commander in chief: direct control of armed forces/military- only congress can declare war tho 4)chief diplomat: appoint embassadors in foreign affairs 5) miscellaneous: chief legislator(sign bill or veto, submit budgets) party leader: chief spokes person for political party public opinon leader: express ideas like "dont shoot up schools"
"Other things being equal, about what percentage more votes would the president win if his public approval rating goes up 12 percent?"
3%
The power of the presidency has grown for ______ main reasons
4
About what percentage of members of Congress are lawyers?
40%
Which of the following groups is most likely to successfully gain agenda access in the United States?
A coalition of investment banks pushing to lower the capital gains tax.
Judicial Activism vs. Judicial Restraint
Activism - A vigorous or active approach to reviewing the other branches of government. Restraint - Reluctance to interfere with elected branches, only doing so as a last resort
Public advocate; is the media meeting this goal?
Advocate for information to be more public. Giving air time to issues that people care about. Reporters will ask questions that Americans want to know.
Process of public policy
Agenda setting -> Policy Formulation and adoption -> Implementation Evaluation and termination
What function do parties serve in the US?
Aggregate interests, simplifying alternatives, stimulating interest in politics and government
Judicial Review
Allows the court to determine the constitutionality of laws
motivated reasoning
An emotion-biased decision-making phenomenon studied in cognitive science and social psychology
First Ladies
Are primarily arm candy for the President Are rarely effective advisors to the president Are expected to relinquish professional responsibilities --none of the above--
All of the following are part of the presidency as an institution EXCEPT
Armoire
Which of the following is a formal proof that no decision-making system can guarantee that the rank-ordered preferences of a group will reflect the rank-ordered preferences of the set of rational individuals who make up that group?
Arrows impossibility theorem
Supremacy Clause
Article VI of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.
franking privilege
Benefit allowing members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free
The best word to describe the daily life of a legislator is
Busy
A bill that comes the House floor with a closed rule
Cannot be amended
The Appelate courts hear...
Cases from circuit courts to see if things were done right
president
Chief Executive of the United States, Head of State and Commander and Chief of the US Armed Forces. The President of the United States is elected every 4 years, by the Electoral College. Signs or veto's bills passed to them by Congress.
In his symbolic role as the ceremonial leader of the American people, the president is regarded as the
Chief of State
A vote of at least 60 senators to end a filibuster is known as
Cloture
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission 2010
Corporations and labor unions have a 1st amendment right to spend unlimited amounts of money on candidates.
Rational Choice Model
Cost/ benefit analysis. assumes that people are rational. Utility maximizers.
writ of mandamus
Court order directing an official to perform an official duty.
Alexander Hamilton saw _________ as important qualities for a good executive.
Dispatch and decisiveness
Government expenditures and programs that concentrate benefits in specific geographical areas are known as
Distributive benefits
____ occurs when work is assigned according to a task specialization.
Division of labor
The president's most influential advisors and agencies comprise the
EOP - exec office of pres
"The principle of one person, one vote as used by the Supreme Court in the reapportionment decisions means that"
Each legislative district must contain approximately the same number of people
Evaluation and Termination
Evaluate results during each phase and after the plan is completed. Consolidate change at termination of service. helps generate next round of agenda setting example: impact of 18th amendment -> prohibition -> reverse it
"Sociological norms like apprenticeship, deference, and reciprocity remain the best explanations of congressional behavior even today. "
False
"The ""reciprocity norm"" is most closely associated with the ""informational model"" of congressional behavior. "
False
All forms of representational responsiveness provide tangible goods.
False
Passing a law is complex and the process favors those who want to pass the law.
False
How are female candidates represented?
Female candidates are made to look incompetent and too emotional.
"If a House committee refuses to report a bill, what is the procedure to bring the bill to the floor for a vote?"
Get 218 signatures on a discharge petition
What are some threats to a free press? (government vs. private/business)
Government threats- Prior restraint- restricting something to be published for security concerns. (Pentagon Papers, pictures of soldiers killed in Iraq)FCC monitors broadcasts.Private/business- 2011 90% of media outlets were owned by 6 conglomerates. Could be biased off owners political preferences.
Which of the following is NOT required in rulemaking by government bureaucracies?
Hold Congressional hearings on the rules
Fenno (1978) refers to the style of activities Members of Congress engage in while signaling that they are still representative of their community values as
Home Style
prefer their own rep and hate others
Ie., i'll reelect my senator but yours sucks
The advantages or organizing public agencies along bureaucratic lines include
Impartiality stability predictability ---its ALL OF THESE
According to the notion of neutral competence, what function does the bureaucracy perform?
Implement public policy
How does party polarization affect presidential success in winning roll call votes in Congress?
In the House, party polarization increases the success rates of majority party presidents and decreases the success rates of minority party presidents.-- In the Senate, party polarization decreases the success rates of both majority and minority party presidents.- Party polarization has made it more difficult to get votes from opposition party members. --All of the above---
What is the most common thing that happens after a bill is introduced and assigned to a committee?
Inaction
Which of the following statements correctly describes the success of incumbents in congressional elections?
Incumbents in the House are more likely to be reelected an incumbents in the Senate
Functions of the media? (info/education, agenda setting, watchdog, public advocate)
Information and Education. Agenda setting. Watchdog and public advocate.
Congressional representation is about
Informing the public about the major issues facing the country - Responding to constituents' needs - (both answers are correct)
Differences between interest groups and political parties
Interest groups- Don't run political candidates, narrow focus, private, can restrict membership.Political Parties- Run political candidates, broad focus, Quasi-public, cannot limit membership.
"According to your textbook, the proposal to limit the terms of members of Congress"
Is a bad idea because it would deprive Congress of experience and expertise
Judicial Activism vs. Judicial Restraint
Judicial activism is where judges make policy decisions and interpret the Constitution in new ways. Judicial restraint is where judges play minimal policy-making roles, leaving policy decisions to the other two branches.
What type of evidence should we look for when trying to decide if the media is biased?
Linguistic bias. Giving more air time to one political candidate than another. Who the owners of the company donate money to.
"The pejorative phrase ""red tape"" relates to which of the following characteristics of bureaucracy? "
Maintenance of files and records
The Supreme Court asserted its power of judicial review in which of the following court cases?
Marbury v. madison
Why do people join interest groups?
Material Benefits, Solidarity Benefits, Purposive Benefits
What are some examples of influential interest groups in the US?
NAACP, AARP, NRA
does bureaucracy deserve its reputation?
Nah, we just dont understand it and judge it too harshly
New judgeships are
Necessary because of growing caseloads
The qualifications set by the Constitution to serve as a Supreme Court justice include
None- there are none set by the constitution
Rational choice theory provides all the following models for understanding congressional behavior EXCEPT
Patriotic model
who are congressional members?
Pay, perks, privileges: base pay $174,000/yr + travel allowance, insurance, etc. (more like a million-dollar deal) 535 total between HOR and Senate most diverse congress current mostly male, white, dr's, lawyers, 60 y/o, most have masters degree or more
The active oversight of the bureaucracy by elected officials to make sure that agency performance is meeting public expectations is known as
Police patrol oversight.
How does party control of congress affect presidential success?
Presidents whose party holds a majority in Congress are more likely to get their policies enacted into law
How does party control of Congress affect presidential success?
Presidents whose party holds a majority in Congress are more likely to get their policies enacted into law.
One of the most important factors in highly rated presidencies is
Re-electability
The House Rules Committee
Regulates the flow of bills from other standing committees to the floor
"The relationship between elected officials and the people who elected them, and the extent to which officials are responsive to the people is known as "
Representation
What are the defining features of a two-party system? Or, how do we know the US has a two -party system?
Roughly equal division of major party victories over 150 years, close split of popular votes.
The division of labor characteristic in all bureaucracies helps to promote
Specialization and expertise
"Presidents who prefer their advisers to report directly to the president, without using a Chief-of-Staff as an intermediary, utilize which of the following organizational models?"
Spokes-of-the-wheel model
Which of the following perspectives on presidential power suggests that the president can take any action the nation needs as long as it is not explicitly prohibited by the Constitution?
Stewardship doctrine
Which of the following federal courts can hear appeals made from the state supreme courts?
Supreme court
Midnight Judges
The 16 judges that were added by the Judiciary Act of 1801 that were called this because Adams signed their appointments late on the last day of his administration.
_______ established the first merit system for the federal bureaucracy.
The Pendleton Act
Which of the following is true concerning the length of the time members of Congress have served?
The average length of service has remained at about 8-10 years throughout the period since 1953
the executive office of the president (presidents main job is manage this)
The cluster of presidential staff agencies that help the president carry out his responsibilities. Currently the office includes the Office of Management and Budget, the Council of Economic Advisers, and several other units. 1500 employees
"At the Constitutional Convention, supporters of the strong-executive model were helped by"
The examples of strong governors from New York and Massachusetts
positive government
The idea that government should play a major role in preventing or dealing with the crises that face the nation.
What does the bureaucracy do?
The means by which the government makes and administers public policy; puts public policy into action
"The argument that the oath of office requires a president to preserve the Constitution, even if it means taking unconstitutional actions to do so, is"
The prerogative view of presidential power
A bill may become a law without the president's signature in which of the following circumstances?
The president does not send the unsigned bill back to Congress with written objections.
Public and private bureaucracies differ mainly in
Their underlying goals
Marbury v. Madison
This case establishes the Supreme Court's power of Judicial Review
Congressional salaries are comparable to those of the average corporate CEO.
True
Although there are more minorities and women in Congress today than in earlier decades, membership does not reflect the diversity of today's American citizens.
True
The basic characteristics o the bureaucratic model of organization apply to
all of the above
Structure/Organization of court system
US supreme court - Us court of appeals --federal regulatory agencies --us district courts
The 1973 law that attempted to limit the power of the executive to send troops into combat without congressional approval is the
War Powers Act
In which Supreme Court case did the Supreme Court invalidate unequal legislative districts for the U.S. House?
Wesberry V. Sanders
What can we say about the party ratio on committees in the House?
What can we say about the party ratio on committees in the House?
quasi-legislative
a characteristic of independent regulatory agencies that gives them legislative powers to issue regulations
The attitudinal model suggest that judicial decision making is driven by
a judge's personal preference
A justice who interprets the Constitution by weighing the original concerns of the Founders is using
a legal realist view slot machine theory judicial restraint ---NONE OF THESE
Cases in U.S. Courts of Appeal are usually decided by
a panel of 3 judges
What is a bureaucracy?
a particular type of organization w particular traits characteristics: 1) division of labor 2) hierarchy: has clear chain of who's in charge and on top 3) organization opperating on formal rules (going by the book and procedures) 4) maintenance of files and records 5) professionalization: get job bc of what you know, not who you know
"In the senate, a hold is"
a threat to filibuster- a request by a Senator to be notified before a bill is scheduled for a floor vote.- a request by a Senator to be notified before a bill is scheduled for a floor vote.- --All of the above--
a Bureaucracy versus THE bureaucracy
a: type of organization the: general idea of government
ultimate source of presidential power
ability to bargain and persuade. using formal AND informal powers together. if youre good at it, youre more successful historically
Court-like proceedings in which agencies enforce laws and regulations are an example of
adjudication.
The process of determining whether a law or rule passed by the bureaucracy has been broken is called
adjudication.
"In Polisciland, Dr. Julius Feelgood, the chief lobbyist for the nation's pharmaceutical industry, is appointed to head the regulatory agency that oversees the pharmaceutical industry. Concern that Dr. Feelgood might advocate for the interests of the drug companies over the interests of consumers reflects the concept of "
agency capture
"In the Senate, a hold is"
all of the above
Which of the following is (are) true concerning Senate conformations of the President's appointments to executive departments?
all true
Representation that takes the form of members of Congress ensuring that their district gets a share of federal benefits is best described as
allocation representation
What is the history of the party system in the US? (Have we always had two parties? Have the parties always been the same?etc.)
always had 2 parties, just different names
a filibuster is
an attempt of one or a few senators to talk a bill to death
A person or a group that has administrative and supervisory responsibilities in an organization or government is called
an executive
Process evaluations are intended to assess whether a program or policy is
being implemented according to its stated guidelines
"The ""garbage can model"" of policy decision making suggests that "
both a and b
"If the vice presidency becomes vacant, who must approve the president's nominee to fill the vacancy?"
both houses of congress
"Herbert Simon's theory that humans are not ""utility maximizers"" is known as "
bounded rationality
"Herbert Simon's theory that humans are not ""utility maximizers"" is known as "
bounded rationality.
The type of policy making most closely associated with an incrementalist approach is
budgeting
"Through implementation decisions, _____, are active in the initiation of new policies and actively participate in the broader political process. "
bureaucracies
One source of bureaucratic power is
bureaucratic expertise
The Informational Model of congressional organization argues that committees are agents of
chamber floor
constraints of policy making from the bench from using judicial review
checks and balances prevent this judges own self restraint: often have their own law degree and limit themselves out of guilt
"In his symbolic role as the ceremonial leader of the American people, the president is regarded as the"
chief of state
are the individuals the problem?
citizens view congressional leaders as selfish etc
All of the following are things that can complicate policy implementation EXCEPT:
clear and realistic objectives
A rule that prohibits amending a bill when it is on the floor of Congress for consideration is called
closed rule
Courts in which groups of judges decide cases based on a review of the record of the lower-court trial are
collegial courts
"Herbert Simon's concept of ""bounded rationality"" asserts that decision making will never be perfectly rational because decision makers never have"
complete information
An opinion written by a Supreme Court justice who agrees with the ruling of the Court but not the reason behind it is a
concurring opinion
"Much of the time, the threat of a veto provides the president with _______ leverage in Congress."
considerable
The federal bureaucracy
consists of numerous departments, independent agencies, and advisory committees.
Trial courts that hear cases for the first time and determine issues of fact and law are
courts of original jurisdiction
Presidential approval ratings almost always __________ over time.
decrease
What sort of representative is more likely to vote for the pork-barrel project?
delegate
Public bureaucracies derive their policymaking authority from
delegated legislative authority.
Which of the following was the most recently created agency in the Executive Office of the President?
dept. of homeland security
The number of Supreme Court justices is:
determined by congress
A committee can be reluctantly forced to report a bill for consideration on the floor of the House through the use of a
discharge position
An opinion written by a Supreme Court justice who is in the minority that presents the logic and thinking of the justices who opposed the majority opinion is a
dissenting opinion
n opinion written by a Supreme Court justice who is in the minority that presents the logic and thinking of the justices who opposed the majority opinion is a
dissenting opinion
"Reciprocity, or logrolling, is the dominant behavioral norm under the _______ model of congressional organization"
distribution
90% of cases start and end in
district court
____ occurs when work is assigned according to a task specialization.
division of labor
"Based on evidence presented in class, which president was the most popular during his time in office?"
eisenhower
electoral connection
election/reelection is the behavioral motivation of officials: do what you need to get into office
Organizing public agencies along bureaucratic lines helps ensure
equal treatment.
"The success of the Behavior Insight Team (or ""Nudge Unit"") in the United Kingdom in increasing citizen compliance with government policies reflects the influence of _________________ on policy development. "
evolutionary framework
Agreements between the United States and other nations, negotiated by the president, that have the same weight as a treaty but do not require Senate approval are called
executive agreements
The Brownlow Committee recommendations best reflect the pursuit of which value?
executive leadership
Presidential directives that have the same weight as law but are not voted on by Congress are called
executive orders
Overhead democracy requires elected officials to
exercise their oversight responsibilities.
Congressional willingness to grant policy making authority to agencies stems partly from their
expertise
"""Legal realism"" is a model of judicial decision making that requires a rigid adherence to the letter of the law. "
false
"Americans tend to like Congress, even if they dislike their own representative."
false
"As a purely reactive branch of government, the courts play no role in agenda setting. "
false
"NASA is a federal agency under the authority of the Department of Defense, reflecting its mission of developing military superiority in space. "
false
"Of Burke's three representational styles, the ""trustee"" style most closely approximates the decisions we would make in a direct democracy. "
false
"Public policy should always be guided by majority preferences, even when it means denying a minority group a right to which they feel they are entitled. "
false
"Since 2000, the use of filibusters to block the confirmation of presidential nominees has remained relatively stable, neither increasing nor decreasing. "
false
"The "strong executive model" of the presidency was borrowed from parliamentary systems in which the president was of the same party as the legislative majority."
false
"The bureaucracy cannot reasonably be considered a ""fourth branch of government"" because it is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution. "
false
"The five characteristics of bureaucracy developed by Weber apply only to public (i.e., government) bureaucracies. "
false
"Unlike the elected branches of government, American bureaucracy is remarkable for its racial and gender diversity, which is an almost perfect reflection of the U.S. population"
false
All presidents since George Washington have followed the tradition of personally delivering a State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress.
false
By law, the Supreme Court must always include at least one woman, one African American, and one Jewish person.
false
Congress is primarily responsible for the policy implementation stage of public policymaking.
false
Executive orders are an unconstitutional abuse of presidential authority.
false
Frequent use of the veto is an indisputable sign of presidential strength.
false
Rational-comprehensive decision making is the most realistic approach to explaining public policy development.
false
Roughly 50% of district court verdicts end up being appealed to the circuit courts.
false
The Constitution prohibits elected politicians from being nominated as Supreme Court justices.
false
The psychological approach to studying the presidency is widely acknowledged as the most successful in enabling us to make predictions about future success.
false
There is no court in the federal courts system that possesses both original and appellate jurisdiction.
false
"When a single senator delay's the business of the chamber by making long speeches and refusing to yield the floor, that senator is engaging in "
filibuster
A Congressional hearing called in response to evidence of bureaucratic wrongdoing is an example of
fire alarm oversight
"Reactive oversight of the bureaucracy, in which elected officials only check up on agency performance when there is evidence of wrongdoing, is known as "
fire alarm oversight.
perogative view of power
first duty of president is to preserve constitution. Can make unconstitutional acts if its to end up preserving constitution
The failure of South Carolina to lower the Confederate Flag to half-mast after the mass shooting at the Emanual African Methodist Episcopal Church in 2015 is an example of
focusing event
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) exemplify which of the following characteristics of bureaucracy?
formal rules
formal vs informal power
formal: those given by constitution for office of presidency: IE, all can veto, negotiate treaties etc informal: associated w invidual, IE, public support. Those that are popular and have higher approval ratings tend to get more approval from congress to do things other sources: prestige/reputation (eisenhower and ww2 collab) also partisan support personal loyalty: his appointees help advocate for things to get done personality: charisma, attractiveness etc
"The theory of policy making that seeks to explain why decision making in large, complex institutions (such as universities) often seems irrational is known as
garbage can model
policy formulation and adoption
government considers various solutions and formally approves a particular one- figure out which option to choose
Federally established businesses that are at least partly self-supporting are known as
government corporations
The concept of positive government means that
government is expected to play a major role in dealing with the problems of society.
how the courts control the bureaucracy
have final say if something can be done lawfully can only rule if something is or isnt legal- cant disban, arrest etc
"According to evidence presented in the text, the average length of time it takes for the Senate to consider the presidential nominations to federal appellate courts"
increased to nearly a year during the presidencies of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
"The phrase ""the science of muddling through"" has been used to describe which approach to policy making?"
incrementalism
Which of the following non-governmental actors plays the most significant role in agenda setting?
interest groups
"The term used to refer to the interdependent relationship among the bureaucracy, interest groups, and congressional committees is"
iron triangles
The term used to refer to the interdependent relationship among the bureaucracy, interest groups, and congressional committees is
iron triangles.
The stereotype that the federal bureaucracy is ineffective and incompetent
is largely inaccurate.
The Supreme Court formally exercises it discretionary power to hear a case by
issuing a writ of certiorari.
understand power/influence of courts
judicial review: power to review lower courts decisions -power to determine what constitution means/would want Marbury v. madison: (1803) William Marbury appointed by John Adams Federalist party just lost control of presidency so Adams wanted to retain political power. Set judicial appointees (midnight judges) Marbury appointed so late he didnt get paid by the time adams left: thus, the new secretary of state (james madison) didnt pay him bc he was part of a different party/presidency. Marbury sues madison, writ of mandamus starts marbury didnt get paid lol
Institutional reasons/ features of congress:
leadership and committee system parties: control the chamber, most often must compromise to pass laws house/senate issues: each Senator can filibuster (pirate)
Models of Judicial Decision Making
legal (formalism) model: once lawmakers produce rules, judges apply them to the facts of a case without regard to social interests and public policy. legal realism model: A theory that all law derives from prevailing social interests and public policy.
Scholars who argue that the decision making of judges is influenced by personal values and ideology favor which of the following models?
legal realist model
A ___________________ is a measure that gives Congress the ability to reject an action or decision of the bureaucracy.
legislative veto
What is congress?
legislature. law makers. 2 groups: house of reps: (435 people based on pop size) 2 year terms (lower chamber, peoples chamber) Senate: upper chamber 2 from each state 6 yr terms
The pejorative phrase ""red tape"" relates to which of the following characteristics of bureaucracy? "
maintenance of files and records
A decision of the Supreme Court in which five or more justices agree on which party to the dispute should win the case and agree on the reason that party should win is a
majority opinion
The power of judicial review conflicts with which of the following basic democratic values?
majority rule and popular sovereignty
How are interest groups related to political freedom/1st amendment rights?
manifestation of 1st amendment rights
Cockroaches, brussel sprouts, and colonoscopys
more popular than congress
48 hrs/ 60 days for troops
need 48hr notice, remove them in 60 days
"When agencies base their hiring and promotion decisions on job-specific skills rather than political connections, they are promoting which of the following values? "
neutral competence
A public agency that makes decisions based solely on its technical expertise is an example of
neutral competence
Some research suggests that citizens can be manipulated into greater compliance with tax policy through
social pressure
The agency within the Executive Office of the President that is responsible for assisting the president in his budget recommendations is the
office of management and budget
Bills that may be amended when they are under consideration on the House floor have been brought to the floor under
open rule
Judicial Philosophies
originalism and living constitution: originalism: idea that judges should interpret constitution in terms of original founders living constitution: constitution was designed to be dynamic; flexible to adapt to the times
About how many people live in each of the 435 U.S. House districts?
over 600,000
"When elected officials, who are chosen by the people, conduct bureaucratic oversight, they are engaging in "
overhead democracy
What does congress do?
partisan sandbox: -- 1) makes laws. Most bills dont become laws (abt 5% do) 2) representation: who's needs do they respond to? their constituents 3) prosecute judges and juries 4) watcheye of executive agencies 5) select other nominees, such as secretary of state etc 6) hall monitor: decide who's a member in their own group 7) only congress can make and approve laws
Which of the following presidential responsibilities does NOT have an explicit foundation in the Constitution?
party leader
The Supreme Court's ruling in the Dred Scott case was reversed by
passage of the 13th and 14th Amendments.
"The final stage of the policymaking process, wherein government and nongovernment actors assess the successes and problems of public policies, is "
policy evaluation
"The second stage of the policymaking process, wherein government considers the various alternatives to the issue at hand and formally approves a particular alternative, is "
policy formulation and adoption
"The third stage of the policymaking process, in which the government translates approved policy alternatives into action, is "
policy implementation
"The role played by ""target populations"" in the formulation of public policy alternatives can often undermine the core democratic principle of "
political equality
The political influence of wealthy lobbying groups is most detrimental to which of the following core values of democracy?
political equality
A representative whose philosophy of representation combines elements of all of Edmund Burke's representational styles is best described as a
politico
Getting money added to the budget for a post office back home is an example of
pork barrell
"When Abraham Lincoln suspended the right of habeas corpus during the Civil War, he was following a _______________ view of presidential power. "
prerogative
why is selecting judges polarizing?
pressure to appoint specific ppl: affirmative action?
The surest way to ensure that a policy will not be adopted is to
prevent the issue from ever reaching the agenda of government.
The conflict pitting judicial restraint against judicial activism is
primarily a battle of political rather than judicial philosophy.
Implementation
process of taking optional solution and translating intent into action
The list of issues that government is actually paying attention to is
public agenda
How often are discharge petitions successful in the House?
rarely successful
The people living within a Congress member's House district who can be counted up for their votes are referred to by Fenno as the
re-election constituency
All of the following are forces that can move a policy problem onto the public agenda EXCEPT:
realignment
Congress may restrain the U.S. Supreme Court by
reducing the Court's appellate jurisdiction.
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
requires agencies to hold open meetings
Judges who believe that the making of public policy should be left to the more democratic branches of government exercise a(n) ______ approach to jurisprudence
restrained
The evaluations of policy analysts can never be truly objective.
true
Judges who believe that the making of public policy should be left to the more democratic branches of government exercise a(n) ______ approach to jurisprudence.
restrained
Which of the following perspectives on presidential power suggests that the president can only exercise powers that are explicitly listed in the Constitution?
restrictive view
why the courts are political institutions
ronald reagan: im gonna appoint more conservatives launched from here
"The single most important function performed by agencies of government" is
rule making.
The process by which regulatory agencies decide what the laws passed by Congress mean and how they should be carried out is called
rulemaking
Bureaucratic statements that carry the force of law are known as
rules
"If a bureaucratic agency decides to adopt a policy approach that is merely acceptable, rather than optimal, then it is "
satisficing
If a bureaucratic agency decides to adopt a policy approach that is merely acceptable, rather than optimal, then it is
satisficing.
Schemas/ function of schemas
schemas- mental structures that organize our knowledge about the social world. Function- what information we attend to, how we interpret the information, judgements we make, what we remember.
delegate:
sees job as voicing the wants of their people, even if they disagree
Presidential scholar George Edwards found that president's speeches ______ moved public opinion.
seldom
Probably the most effective restraint on the exercise of judicial review is
self-restraint
Presidential submission of a bill to Congress is a means of
setting the legislative agenda.
The person who presides over the House of Representatives is called the
speaker of the house
The division of labor characteristic in all bureaucracies helps to promote
specialization and expertise.
Expressions such as unelected representatives and member enterprises have been used to describe which of the following units of congressional organization?
staff organizations
Permanent committees in Congress that are responsible for legislation in a specific policy area are called
standing committees
A president whose power is significant and independent from the Congress reflects which of the following models of the presidency?
strong exec model
The Constitutional Convention created a
strong exec, strong checks and balances
marshall starts new idea:
supreme court has final say on interpreting constitution - new precedent starts> congress must defer to supreme court interpretation
material benefits
tangible rewards gained from membership in an interest group
Groups of people who either receive benefits or bear costs as a result of a policy decision are known as
target populations
Evidence that the attitudinal model accurately explains decision making on the Supreme Court is
that justices exhibit significant differences of opinion on highly controversial issues.
Executive branch agencies tasked with the responsibility of implementing public policy are collectively known as
the bureaucracy.
"Generally, members of Congress develop home styles that fit"
the constituency
What is public policy?
the course of action the government takes in response to an issue or problem translation of core democratic values into the performance of democracy (actions of govt) - a relatively stable course of action taken by government officials and agencies
At the Constitutional Convention, supporters of the strong-executive model were helped by
the examples of strong governors in New York and Massachusetts.
The benefit that allows members of Congress to use their signatures instead of buying stamps to sent mail to their constituents is know as
the franking privilege.
The view of judicial decision making in which judges set aside their own values and make decisions based solely on legal criteria is called
the legal model.
The theory that assumes the Constitution was meant to be a dynamic document that should be interpreted in its contemporary social and political context is
the living Constitution.
The practice of selecting congressional committee chairs based on seniority meant that the chair of a congressional committee was
the member of the majority party with the longest continuous service on the committee.
Bureaucratic appointments made based on technical expertise and skills rather than political allegiances are an example of
the merit system.
The rational-comprehensive decision-making approach involves considering all possible alternatives to a problem or issue and choosing the one with
the most benefits at the least cost
Elastic Clause
the part of the Constitution that permits Congress to make any laws "necessary and proper" to carrying out its powers
Pursuit of representativeness during the first major period of bureaucratic growth was reflected in
the patronage system
Richard Neustadt argued that in order to achieve their goals presidents need
the power to persuade
Which of the following is the most powerful agenda setter for government?
the president
president vs presidency
the president is the individual elected to office the presidency is the organziation that serves the president and helps them meet demands of the office
Bully Pulpit
the president's use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public
adjudication
the process of determining whether the defendant is guilty
agenda setting
the process of forming the list of issues to be addressed by government
"To keep members insulated from popular influence, longer terms in office were instituted for"
the senate
Presidential nominations to the federal courts must be approved by
the senate
"An approach to judicial decision making in which a judge sets a constitutional provision alongside a statute in order to ""decide whether the latter squares with the former"" is known as "
the slot machine theory.
The theory of judicial decision making that suggests judges sometimes vote against their own personal preferences in order to reach a compromise acceptable to other institutional actors is
the strategic model
A bicameral legislature serves two purposes:
to broaden representation and cause greater deliberation of legislative matters.
The goal of a policy analyst is
to decide which possible response to a policy problem is best.
All of the following are problems identified within the principal-agent model EXCEPT
transparency
Courts of original jurisdiction
trial courts that hear cases for the first time and determine issues of fact and law
"""Police Patrol"" oversight is an example of the policy evaluation stage of public policymaking. "
true
"A ""plurality opinion"" is written when there is majority agreement on the outcome of a case, but disagreement regarding the reasons for that outcome. "
true
"A member of Congress from Wisconsin who posts a picture of herself attending a Green Bay Packers playoff game is engaging in "symbolic responsiveness.""
true
"According to Richard Fenno, a member of Congress's behavior will change predictably depending on which constituency group he or she is interacting with. "
true
"Allocation responsiveness involves bringing "distributive benefits" back to the people of your congressional district."
true
"Like the elected branches of government, partisan polarization seems to have grown on the Supreme Court as well, with a marked increase in cases decided by one vote. "
true
"Public policy is a relatively stable, purposive course of action pursued by government officials or agencies."
true
"The ""legal model"" of judicial decision making is based on sociological theories of the different professional roles played by lawyers and judges. "
true
"The assassination of President Garfield was a major political factor in the passage of the Pendleton Act, which formally ended the ""spoils system."" "
true
"The empirical study of the presidency has been hindered in part by the ""small n problem.""
true
"The framers' desire to avoid having a powerful, kinglike figure administering policy is partly reflected in their choice of the word ""president,"" which literally means ""one who presides, as over a meeting, to ensure orderly debate."" "
true
"The political and ideological preferences of judges are of primary importance in the ""attitudinal model"" of judicial decision making."
true
"The president can be convicted of ""high crimes and misdemeanors"" and removed from office through an impeachment vote by the House of Representatives. "
true
"The term ""street level bureaucrat"" reflects the power of lower-level bureaucrats to informally define policy through their enforcement decisions. "
true
Federal bureaucracies are political institutions.
true
In general, the bureaucracy does a good job at a relatively low cost to the American taxpayer.
true
Public policy making frequently brings our core principles of democracy into conflict with one another.
true
The Supreme Court is the only federal court that can hear appeals from state courts.
true
The framers' desire to avoid having a powerful, kinglike figure administering policy is partly reflected in their choice of the word ""president,"" which literally means ""one who presides, as over a meeting, to ensure orderly debate."" "
true
The threat of a veto is an important tool for presidential persuasion.
true
Unelected bureaucrats working in regulatory agencies have the power to issue rules that carry the force of law and to enforce those rules in court-like proceedings that determine guilt and impose punishments.
true
senate is slower to work than legislator
true
Expulsion of a member of Congress requires
two-thirds vote
objective journalism
unbiased, report facts, both sides of issue
The Supreme Court's exercise of judicial review is
very infrequent
To invoke cloture requires
votes from 60 Senators.
The power of judicial review
was established by the supreme court in Marbury v Madison (1803).
"Which of the following would be considered a "prestige" committee?"
ways and means
why is congress a mess?
we as a people want different levels of involvement which causes issue. we cant all agree. Too much polarization
trustee
what do I think? make judgements based on their own opinions even if its against citizens views
"The assistants to the majority and minority leaders of both the House and Senate, who seeks to encourage party unity and cohesion, are referred to as"
whips
A court order requiring a public official to perform an official duty over which he or she has no discretion is a
writ of mandamus.
"The decision making approach in which policy makers ignore last year's spending levels and begin current year budgeting from scratch, justifying every single dollar of proposed spending is called"
zero-based budgeting
