Chapter 7: Legislatures

Question 1

Apportionment

Answer 1

The allotting of districts according to population shifts. The number of congressional districts that a state has may be reapportioned every 10 years, following the national census.

Question 2

Casework

Answer 2

The work undertaken by legislators and their staffs in response to requests for help from constituents.

Question 3

Caucus

Answer 3

All the members of a party—Republican or Democrat—within a legislative chamber; also refers to meetings of members of a political party in a chamber.

Question 4

Coalition building

Answer 4

The assembly of an alliance of groups to pursue a common goal or interest.

Question 5

Committee

Answer 5

A group of legislators who have the formal task of considering and writing bills in a particular issue area.

Question 6

Compromise

Answer 6

The result when there is no consensus on a policy change or spending amount but legislators find a central point on which a majority can agree.

Question 7

Constituent service

Answer 7

The work done by legislators to help residents in their voting districts.

Question 8

Delegates

Answer 8

Legislators who primarily see their role as voting according to their constituents’ beliefs as they understand them.

Question 9

Districts

Answer 9

The geographical areas represented by members of a legislature.

Question 10

Filibuster

Answer 10

A debate that under U.S. Senate rules can drag on, blocking final action on the bill under consideration and preventing other bills from being debated.

Question 11

Gerrymanders

Answer 11

Districts clearly drawn with the intent of pressing partisan advantage at the expense of other considerations.

Question 12

Logrolling

Answer 12

A practice in which a legislator gives a colleague a vote on a particular bill in return for that colleague’s vote on another bill.

Question 13

Majority rule

Answer 13

The process in which the decision of a numerical majority is made binding on a group.

Question 14

Majority–minority districts

Answer 14

Districts in which members of a minority group, such as African Americans or Hispanics, make up a majority of the population or electorate.

Question 15

Malapportionment

Answer 15

A situation in which the principle of equal representation is violated

Question 16

Oversight

Answer 16

The legislature’s role in making sure that the governor and executive branch agencies are properly implementing the laws.

Question 17

Professionalized legislatures

Answer 17

The process of providing legislators with the resources they need to make politics their main career, such as making their positions full-time or providing them with full-time staff.

Question 18

Rank-and-file members

Answer 18

Legislators who do not hold leadership positions or senior committee posts.

Question 19

Representation

Answer 19

Individual legislators acting as the voices of their constituencies within the house or senate.

Question 20

Riders

Answer 20

Amendments to a bill that are not central to the bill’s intent.

Question 21

Trustees

Answer 21

Legislators who believe they were elected to exercise their own judgment and to approach issues accordingly.

Question 22

Veto

Answer 22

The ability to reject a bill or proposal from a lawmaking body.