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Unit 4: Governing the USA > Distribution of Power in Congress > Flashcards

Distribution of Power in Congress Flashcards

1
Q

What is the main distribution distinction?

A

Between the committee chairs and the party positions

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2
Q

What are the main part leadership positions in congress?

A

Speaker of the HoR and the Majority and Minority leaders of both houses

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3
Q

Compare the speaker of the HoC and the HoR

A

Unlike the speaker of the HoC the speaker of the HoR is a party political player

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4
Q

In essence, what is the speaker of the House?

A

the leader of the majority party in the house

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5
Q

What can, if a different party to the president, the speaker of the House act as?

A

A major spokesperson for the party, a quasi ‘leader of the opposition’

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6
Q

What must the speaker of the house use their power for?

A

To try and advance and pass legislation that their party wants them to

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7
Q

What power of the Speaker of the House means that they chair house debates?

A

they are the ‘Presiding officer of the house’

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8
Q

How does the Speaker’s power as ‘presiding officer of the house’ manifest itself?

A

Interprets and enforces the rules of the house, declining on points of order

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9
Q

To what can the speaker refer bills to?

A

Committees

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10
Q

What does the seal select and appoint?

A

1) Selects and appoints conference committee chairs

2) Appoint major party members of the House Rules Committee

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11
Q

over what does the Speaker of the House exercise considerable influence?

A

the flow of legislation through the house

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12
Q

What does the Speaker of the House chair within their party?

A

the party’s steering committee to decide what to advance through the house

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13
Q

How is the speaker of the house selected and by what majority?

A

They are voted on by congressmen on the first day of each new congress, with an overall majority needed

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14
Q

How far is the speaker of the house away from the President?

A

3rd in Line to the presidency

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15
Q

If a member of the house does not vote for ‘their guy’ for the Speaker elections, what punishment may they face?

A

Loss of seniority

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16
Q

What is it common that the Speaker will have been before they became speaker? (3)

A

The minority leader before a switch of control in the house or the majority leader under a previous speaker. They could also have been chair of an important committee

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17
Q

Who was Speaker of the house in 1980, between which dates did he serve and what is notable about him?

A

Tip O’Niel 1977-87 was the focus of the 1980 and 82 GOP campaigns

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18
Q

Who was the first female speaker?

A

Nancy Pelosi

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19
Q

What is the similarity between Pelosi and O’Niel?

A

Both the focus of GOP campaigns against them

20
Q

How did the GOP campaign against pelosi?

A

2010 “fire pelosi” bus tour

21
Q

How was Pelosi a key ally of Obama?

A

Helped him pass Obamacare

22
Q

When and under who did the GOP regain control of the House?

A

2010 under John Boehner

23
Q

What did John Boehner do?

A

Decentralise power within the House by empowering standing committees

24
Q

What was Boehner’s relationship with Obama?

A

Though he himself was less keen to pitch fights with the Presidency, his Tea Party Association often forced him to

25
Q

What will Boehner’s legacy be?

A

The 2013 budget impasse that led to a government shutdown

26
Q

What are the majority and minority leaders?

A

The leaders of the two largest parties in each house

27
Q

In which house are the majority and minority leaders more important?

A

Senate

28
Q

Why are the majority and minority leader more important in the house than they are in the Senate?

A

The Senate doesn’t have a separate, important speaker

29
Q

How are the majority and minority leaders of each house selected?

A

Elected by their congressional party every two years at the start of every congress

30
Q

What latin phrase describes the Majority leader of the Senate?

A

President Pro Tempore

31
Q

What is President Pro Tempore?

A

The person acting as chair of the Senate in the absence of VP

32
Q

What are the three roles of the President Pro Tempore?

A

1) Manage and schedule the business of the Senate
2) Spokesperson for the party of that House
3) Act as a liaison between the house/senate and white house

33
Q

What is the special power of the President Pro Tempore?

A

They have priority speaking on the house floor

34
Q

How does the President Pro Tempore act as the spokesperson for that part of the House?

A

They can hold press briefings about their party’s political agenda

35
Q

What are the President Pro Tempore’s assistants called?

A

Majority and minority whip

36
Q

In what two ways do the majority and minority whips work?

A

Deputy and in organising and securing party loyalty

37
Q

Who is the current minority leader of the house?

A

Nancy Pelosi

38
Q

Who is the current majority leader of the house?

A

Kevin McCarthy

39
Q

Who is the current majority whip of the house?

A

Steve Scales

40
Q

Who is the current minority whip of the house?

A

Steny Hoyer

41
Q

Which minority House leader orchestrated the contract with America and when was this?

A

Newt Gingrich 1994

42
Q

What is the 1994 Contract with America?

A

An unusual attempt at national party unity

43
Q

What did the 1994 Contract with America’s success do to Newt?

A

Got him elected as speaker of the house

44
Q

Newt’s battle with Clinton resulted in government shutdowns when?

A

1995 and 1996

45
Q

What happened as a result of the government shutdowns in 1995 and 1996

A

Clinton emerged as Victor, Newt was weakened and he faced a revolt from his party. He did not run again after the 1998 mid terms

Unit 4: Governing the USA (23 decks)

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