final exam Flashcards
- What is meant by apportionment? How has legally mandated reapportionment impacted this process?
of seats that you have in the house. The number of people you have to the number of seats you have. Everyone starts with one, and you can add from there. Census is done frequently to avoid malapportionment. Legally mandated re-apportionment is when you redraw district lines so the population in each district is approximately the same. Before this, when your seats didn’t change, they wouldn’t change the districts even though the population moved throughout the state.
- What is gerrymandering? When and why does it take place?
Forming odd-shaped districts for political purposes. Typically done on a partisan basis, republicans do it to benefit republicans and vice versa. Technology has made it much more possible because there are programs that you can test it on instead of having to do it manually.
What are the key advantages of Congressional incumbency? Is incumbency important in predicting elections? Why?
If you are the incumbent, it is easier to be sponsored and re-elected. Yes, the incumbency is important because it is easier to be re-elected.
- What are the major leadership positions in the U.S. House of Representatives? Who is the most important leader? What tasks are performed by the party leaders?
Speaker of the House - The most important leader, Mike Johnson, calls the votes, makes sure everything is running smoothly
Majority leader - Key assistant speaker and leader of the majority party
Minority Leader - The most important leader of the minority party
Whips - Communication link for the leadership. In the house is very important because so many people in the house
- What are the major ceremonial and leadership positions in the U.S. Senate? Who is the most important leader? What tasks are performed by the ceremonial and party leaders?
Ceremonial leaders
President of the Senate (Only constitutionally assigned task) -VP of the U.S.. Only gets to cast a vote if there is a tie, otherwise no voting power
President Pro tempore - most senior member of the political party. 4th in line to be president- It goes president, VP, speaker of the house, and the president pro
Leadership positions
Majority leader - Most important leader in the senate, Chuck Schumer
Minority leader
Whips - Not as important because less people you need to communicate to. Majority and minority leader can usually handle it
- What are the major bipartisan committees in Congress? What are the distinctive features of these committees?
Standing committees
permanent committee that desls with specific areas of legislstion in both H and S
ex) senate has its own judicary committee and vice versa
Select committees
· Not permanent
· Called for a specific purpose
o Once they achieve that purpose they go away
Joint committees
· Not chamber exclusive
· Permanent
· Based on subject matters where they believe there needs to be constant consultation
o Ex. The economy
Conference
· Mix of joint and select
· Always called for the same reason
o Not called until a bill has passed both chambers of the house and senate but in slightly different forms
Special committee
- What are the major partisan committees in Congress? What roles do they play in Congress?
Republicans
Committee on committees - the committee that determines what the standing committee assignments will go to senator
2. Policy committee - proposes policy and guidelines that they want
3. Party conference
Same Parties in house and senate
Democrat
1. Steering and policy committee - combination of committee on committees and policy committee
2. Party conference
Democrat House
1. Steering committee
2. Policy Commitee
- How is a member selected to be the Chair of a Congressional standing committee? How has this process changed over the last forty years?
Every chair will be a member of the majority party, usually a more senior member, and be popular among members of your party. Used to be a strict seniority principal where you have to be the most senior member of the majority party and have the longest continuous service on that committee.
- What are the major powers of Congress? How have they changed over time?
War powers Act - President can send troops but needs to be removed within 30 days unless congress supports
Lawmaking - only lawmaking body
Enumerated powers - more than any other branch
Implied powers - Power that help them carry out their enumerated powers
Interstate commerce example of change - change of what interstate commerce means. Ex. Growing own grain and feeding it back to cattle without paying taxes on it. Ollie’s BBQ, buying meat out of state
Fiscal Policy – taxing, budgets
Impeachment
Regulatory commissions
- What are the types of Congressional oversight? What factors impact the type of oversight provided by Congress?
Active - reviewing, calling people in who are implementing whatever it is. A routine review is also known as a police patrol; proactive to concerns
Reactive - When something is called to their attention. Congress prefers this, also known as the fire alarm; a response to concerns
- What are the basic representational roles that can be utilized by Congressional members? Which role do you think is the most appropriate? Why?
Delegate - move in tandem with constituent
Trustee - Vote their own conscience
Politico - Behave like a delegate when given clear direction. If not, then act like a trustee
- What is the difference between demographic(descriptive) and substantive(policy) representation?
Demographic representation - Belief that representation in the government should mirror the demographics of America. Ex. 3% of the population = 3% representation. Also, believe that only your demographic can understand your problems. In recent years there has been a growing acceptance and encouragement of this view.
Substantive representation - what we usually do
- Why does the structure of the legislative process slow change down? Explain.
The whole system is designed to slow things down. Have to get through both chambers to pass, if s
- What are the Constitutional powers of the President?
He is the administrative head of the government
· Commander in chief
· Has the power to call congress into a special session
· Veto legislation
· Appointment power
· Message (speech) giving power
· Negotiate treaties
· Grant pardons
- What amendments are linked to the Presidency? How do they effect the Presidency?
· Electoral College (12th Amendment)
o Used to be that each elector got two votes, one for VP and one for president, but there wasn’t a different ballot for each so resulted in a tie. Now a ballot for VP and president
· Inauguration 20th Amendment
o Shortens the period between the election and the president being sworn in. (Used to be March, now January)
· 2 Term limit for president (22nd amendment)
o 2 terms and 10 years of presidency
§ The 10 years only applies to the VP
· Presidential Disability and vice president vacancies (25th Amendment)
o What happens if president is disabled
§ Doesn’t clarify what a disability is
§ Presidents can be declared disabled in two ways
· President can declare themselves disabled
o Vice president becomes the acting president
· The presidents cabinet can declare the president disabled
o What happens when Presidents ready to return but the cabinet says they aren’t?
§ Goes to an immediate vote in congress.
· Takes a 2/3 vote in both chambers of the legislative branch to keep the president from coming back
o Makes provision for filling in vacancies in the vice presidency when they occur
