Chapters: “Elections and Campaigns”, “Political Parties”, “Interest Groups” and “Mass Media”

All of the following make it difficult for Congress to make policy EXCEPT A) Congress must worry about voters’ preferences, so it engages in arguments on important issues B) Congress does not choose the President, so there is no guarantee a bill will become a law C) Congress operates through coalitions of several political parties, each of which represents different interests D) Congress is bicameral, and a bill must pass both houses E) Each member of Congress faces reelection, and the interests of the members of his or her district must be considered.

A congressional committee was created to investigate any intelligence failures that might have occurred prior to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. What kind of committee does this represent? A) Standing B) Joint C) Select D) Conference E) Oversight

How does the majority party influence committees in Congress? (Pick all that apply) I. Committee Chairs come from the majority party II. The majority in each committee will come from the majority party in Congress III. The majority party often occupies all of the seats on important committees IV. The majority party tries to take extra seats on key committees

A filibuster in the Senate can be used to talk a bill to death. A cloture vote can end a filibuster. Taken together, what is the impact of these practices? A) Neither political party can control the Senate unless it has at least sixty votes B) A party with fifty one votes can get most of its legislative agenda passed C) The Senate rarely passes legislation on controversial issues D) Most important decisions are made in committees because it is difficult to pass a bill in the Senate as a whole E) The president’s party has a significant advantage because the vice president of the United States can vote to break a tie in the Senate

Which of the following statements best describes the impact of divided government on Congress? A) Divided government occurs when the President and Congress disagree about an issue. Therefore, it is more likely that the president will veto legislation B) Divided government occurs when the majority of one or both houses of Congress are from a party different from the president’s. This slows the passage of the most far-reaching and costly legislation C) Divided government has little effect on the ability of Congress to pass legislation D) Divided government occurs when the majority of one or both houses of Congress are from a party different from the president’s. This makes it very difficult for any legislation to pass E) Divided government rarely occurs. Therefore, it is easy for Congress to pass a wide variety of new laws, expanding government programs

All of the following are powers of the Senate EXCEPT A) Approving the appointment of cabinet heads B) Initiating all revenue bills C) Approving treaties with foreign nations D) Holding impeachment trials E) Approving appointments to the federal judiciary

All of the following are features of the electoral college system EXCEPT A) There is a winner-take-all system in 48 states B) If no one wins a majority of electoral college votes, the election is decided in the House of Representatives C) When the House of Representatives decides an election, each member has one vote D) State electoral ballots are opened and counted before of joint session of Congress E) On rare occasions an elector will vote for a Presidential candidate other than the one who carried his or her state

Which of the following statements most accurately describes the president’s power to get his programs enacted? A) Presidents often rule by decree and executive order; as a result, much of their program becomes law B) President often have a majority of both houses of Congress; as a result, many of their proposals are adopted C) The president must rely heavily on persuasion to get things done D) Because the president can always call a press conference, he often uses the media to his advantage to get his program passed E) The president has more power to get things done in the second half of his term because by then he has established himself in office.

What happens to a bill that is not signed or vetoed within ten days while Congress is still in session? A) It becomes law automatically, without the President’s approval B) It is “pocket vetoed” and does not become law C) It becomes law as soon as Congress adjourns; until then, the President may veto it D) It is held over to the next session of Congress E) It becomes law if 60% of both houses of Congress approve it

All of the following are formal powers of the President EXCEPT A) Serve as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces B) Declare war C) Make treaties D) Grant pardons E) Appoint cabinet heads

Why are signing statements controversial? A) Because it allows the president to express his attitudes about the law B) Because it is normally the duty of the Supreme Court to issue signing statements C) Because these statements gave advice about how the executive branch should enforce the law D) Because most are written in unclear language E) Because signing statements block the enforcement of law, accounting to a line- item veto

Using the power of judicial review, the Supreme Court can do all of the following EXCEPT A) Declare a law passed by Congress unconstitutional B) Declare a law passes by a state unconstitutional C) Declare acts of the Executive Branch unconstitutional D) Determine the meaning and application of the Constitution E) Overturn a Constitutional amendment as a violation of civil rights

Justice Antonin Scalia believes that the Constitution should be interpreted according to its clear language. This judicial philosophy can be best described as A) Strict Construction B) Judicial Activism C) Conservatism D) Liberalism E) Constitutionalism

The federal courts have jurisdiction over the following cases EXCEPT A) Civil suits between citizens of different states in which the amount exceeds $50,000 B) Criminal cases involving violations of laws passed by Congress C) Bankruptcy cases D) State appeals cases in which the defendant alleges his or her constitutional rights were violated E) Prosecutions under state law

The Supreme Court will often grant certiorari when (PICK ALL THAT APPLY) I. There is a circuit court conflict over the same issue II. The highest court in a state has held a federal law to be in violation of the Constitution III. The highest court in a state has held a state law to be in violation of the Constitution IV. It is a case between citizens of different states and the amount at issues exceeds $50,000

Congress has all of the following checks on the judicial branch EXCEPT A) It can alter the number of judges and courts B) It can impeach judges C) It can propose a constitutional amendment D) It can change the courts’ jurisdiction E) It can change the length of judges’ terms

Which of the following statements best describes how the bureaucracy is controlled? A) There is very little control over the bureaucracy because agencies make regulations that have the force of law B) The executive branch controls the bureaucracy by appointing all federal employees C) Congress controls the bureaucracy because it has the power to fire agency heads after oversight hearings and for cause D) The judicial branch controls the bureaucracy by reviewing regulations before they go into effect E) Both Congress and the Executive branch have controls over the bureacracy

From the standpoint of a federal agency, what is the advantage of an iron triangle A) It gives the agency allies in Congress, as well as in the private sector B) It allows federal agencies to receive funding directly from interest groups C) It provides agency heads with access to the media, so they can publicize their programs D) It gives the federal agency a direct link to the White House staff E) It prevents Congress from using oversight hearings as a means of cutting agency budgets

How can Congress check the activities of the bureaucracy? (PICK ALL THAT APPLY) I. Through appropriations II. By appointing new agency heads III. Through oversight hearings IV. Through annual authorization legislation

 Bicameral  Caucus  Closed rule  Cloture  Committee system  Conference committees  Congressional Budget Office  Discharge Petitions  Filibuster

 Franking privileges  General Accounting Office  House Rules Committee  Incumbency  Joint Committees  Majority Leader  Minority Leader  Open Rules  Pork

 Presidential Veto  President Pro Temp  Safe District  Select Committees  Seniority System  Seventeenth Amendment  Speaker of the House  Standing Committees  Subcommittees

 Term Limits  Whip  Ad Hoc structure  Cabinet  Circular structure  Divided government  Electoral college  Executive Privilege  impeachment

 Impoundment of funds  Independent Agencies  Pocket Veto  Presidential Coattails  Presidential Succession  Pyramid structure  Unified Government  White House Office  Civil Service

 Competitive Service  Congressional Oversight  Discretionary Authority  Iron Triangle  Issue Networks  Merit System  Patronage  Pendleton Act  Red Tape

 Amicus Curiae  Briefs  Concurring Opinion  Courts of Appeals  Dissenting Opinion  District Courts  Judicial Activism  Judicial Review  “Litmus” Test

 Marbury v. Madison  McCulloch v. Maryland  Opinion of the Court  Senatorial Courtesy  Stare Decisis  Strict Construction  Writ of Certiorari