American Politics- Test 3- Lesjak

Front 1

Congress makes use of __________ to increase its independence from the executive branch of government.

Back 1

The Government Accountability Office

Front 2

The legislative agenda is influenced strongly by all of the following EXCEPT:

Back 2

Lobbyist demands

Front 3

The major differences between the House and the Senate include all of the following EXCEPT:

Back 3

Their power in the legislative process

Front 4

According to the textbook, President Bush's use of signing statements:

Back 4

Threatened the system of separation of powers

Front 5

If Americans wanted Congress to quit creating pork barrel projects (also known as earmarks), they would have to:

Back 5

Reward their representatives more for engaging in national lawmaking and less for acts of representation

Front 6

Congress can influence the judiciary through all of the following EXCEPT:

Back 6

Reducing the salaries of judges

Front 7

The president's cabinet is composed of the:

Back 7

Appointees heading each of the 15 major departments in the executive branch

Front 8

The Supreme Court has ruled that the president has:

Back 8

More inherent powers in foreign policy than in domestic policy

Front 9

The job of confirming presidential appointments belongs to the:

Back 9

Senate

Front 10

Most of the hard work of considering legislative alternatives and drafting legislation occurs:

Back 10

Within congressional standing committees

Front 11

The primary responsibility for gathering information, taking testimony, and revising legislation in Congress falls to:

Back 11

Standing committees

Front 12

According to the textbook, which of the following has become increasingly likely to motivate someone to run for Congress in recent years?

Back 12

Ideology

Front 13

Based on our class discussions, which of the following explains many of the differences between the House and the Senate on procedures, culture, and structure?

Back 13

The number of members in each chamber (435 House members vs. 100 Senators).

Front 14

All of the following conclusions concerning the effects of descriptive representation are true EXCEPT:

Back 14

African Americans and women have clearly gained substantively from greater representation in Congress.

Front 15

It is hard to get rid of the filibuster because:

Back 15

Both Republicans and Democrats want the opportunity to use it when they are in the minority.

Front 16

The text authors classify Obama as a(n) _______ type of president.

Back 16

active-positive

Front 17

Policy entrepreneurship is defined as the:

Back 17

Practice among legislators of becoming expert leaders in specific policy areas

Front 18

Congress finds it difficult to make policy that solves national problems because:

Back 18

Constituents reward them for taking care of their individual interests.

Front 19

The job of the presidency was seen as a primarily administrative office during what time period?

Back 19

Nineteenth and early twentieth centuries

Front 20

Which of the following is the extremely powerful congressional committee that determines when debate on a bill will take place?

Back 20

The House Rules Committee

Front 21

During the constitutional process of removing a president from office:

Back 21

The House impeaches and the Senate removes the president from office.

Front 22

According to the Trustee theory of representation, which of the following is true?

Back 22

The representative is selected to employ his or her own judgment about what is the best policy course, even if that judgment goes against the wishes of his or her constituents.

Front 23

Pacts made by the president with another head of state that do not require Senate approval are called:

Back 23

Executive agreements

Front 24

Divided government occurs when:

Back 24

One party controls the presidency while the other party controls at least one house of Congress

Front 25

Historically, approximately what percentage of Presidential vetoes have been overturned by Congress?

Back 25

< 5%

Front 26

The _________ dates from the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Back 26

Rise of public expectations of the president

Front 27

Coordinates the president's commander-in-chief duties

Back 27

Oversees operations of all White House staff and controls access to the president

Front 28

When different versions of the same bill pass in the House and the Senate:

Back 28

A conference committee is formed to bridge the gap between the bills.

Front 29

The Senate shares with the president the power to:

Back 29

Approve members of the Supreme Court

Front 30

According to the textbook, presidents have difficulty surviving two terms in office and maintaining their popularity because:

Back 30

Presidents have too little power to meet public expectations.

Front 31

What is the effect of polarization on the executive appointment process?

Back 31

Significant; high polarization usually ends up in many appointments being blocked

Front 32

Partisan gerrymandering is the process in a particular state legislature whereby the majority party:

Back 32

Draws districts to maximize the number of House seats the party can win

Front 33

It is so difficult for Congress to pass laws because:

Back 33

A bill can be defeated at many points in the process

Front 34

Most bills introduced in Congress:

Back 34

Die by inaction at the committee stage

Front 35

In recent years the filibuster has:

Back 35

Become a tactic regularly used by the minority party to block proposals of the majority party

Front 36

The Executive Office of the President was formed to:

Back 36

Provide expert advice, serve the interests of the president, and supply information

Front 37

A representative who sought power within the House would likely want a seat on:

Back 37

The Rules Committee

Front 38

In general, what has the greatest effect on the midterm losses suffered by the president's party?

Back 38

The president's standing with the public and the state of the economy

Front 39

Presidents have been able to ignore the restrictions on their ability to go to war contained in the War Powers Act because:

Back 39

Public opinion tends to rally around presidents when they deem military action necessary abroad, and Congress has declined to challenge such presidents.

Front 40

The Senate has always been more of which of the following relative to the House of Representatives?

Back 40

The Senate is more deliberative.