political science exam #3 review Flashcards
Which aspect of the government did the Framers of the Constitution consider the “first branch”?
Congress
True or False:
In the Senate, a whip helps party leaders stay informed about what the party members are thinking and rounds up members when important votes are being taken.
True
Who is the most important person in the House of Representatives?
The Speaker
True or False:
The term bicameral, used to describe the U.S. legislature, means that the legislature has two chambers, or parts.
True
How many senator votes does it take to cut off debates?
60 votes
True or False:
A filibuster is a political district in which candidates elected to the Senate win in close elections.
False
The text suggests that the real work of Congress occurs
a. in committees
b. on the campaign trail
c. in lobbying organizations
d. during a filibuster
In committees
The franking privilege allows members of Congress to
mail letters to their constituents free of charge
A cloture rule would be used in the Senate as a way to
end or limit debate
True or False:
Once the president vetoes a bill, it cannot be amended.
False
The president’s persuasive powers are aimed at three audiences. Which of the following is NOT one of those audiences?
the media
A process whereby electors, no citizens, from each state vote for the next president and vice president is
The electoral college
The text lists three rules of thumb that the president uses when dealing with political problems. Which of the following is NOT one of those rules?
a. move it or lose it
b. Cabinets don’t get much accomplished; people do
c. If you can hear it, you are too close
d. Avoid details
If you can hear it, you are too close
In the United States, a unified government occurs when
the same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress
Under whose presidency were the relations between the president and Congress and the nature of presidential leadership altered?
Andrew Jackson
All of the following are powers of the president alone EXCEPT the power to
a. take care that the laws be faithfully executed
b. serve as commander-in-chief of the armed forces
c. grant reprieves and pardons for federal offenses (except impeachment)
d. appoint ambassadors, judges, and high officials
appoint ambassadors, judges, and high officials
Which of the following is the greatest source of presidential power?
politics and public opinion
True or False:
Today, senior White House staff members are drawn from the ranks of the Congress
False
True or False:
The Clinton administration made use of ad hoc staff organization when First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and White House adviser Ira Magaziner spearheaded a new health care policy.
True
An impeachment charge must be approved by a majority of
the House of Representatives
By definition, a bureaucracy must have each of the following EXCEPT.
a. divided authority
b. a large size
c. a complex structure
d. elected officials
elected officials
Which of the following is an example of a bureaucracy?
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
When an agency such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) makes an important decision, it is quite likely to be taken to court. This is an example of what is meant by
adversary culture
Before the Hatch Act, appointments to the civil service were based primarily on
patronage
The number of civilians working for the federal bureaucracy has not increased much since 1960. This observation fails, however, to account for the
growing number of people who work indirectly for the government
The discretionary authority of appointed officials is their authority to
make policies that are not spelled out in advance by laws
One major constraint under which government agencies operate is the
large number of regulations to which they must adhere
The Freedom of Information Act and the Administrative Procedure Act are examples of
constraints on bureaucracy
Under the Privacy Act of 1974, what must be kept confidential?
Social Security and tax records
An “iron triangle” is a strong coalition, comprised of
an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group
In Federalist No. 78, Alexander Hamilton described the Supreme Court as
the least dangerous branch
Judicial review is the power if the Supreme Court to
declare laws unconstitutional
When judges believe that they must confine themselves to applying rules stated in or clearly implied by the language of the Constitution, they are following what approach?
judicial restraint
The first chief justice of the Supreme Court was
John Marshall
The current chief justice of the Supreme Court is
John G. Roberts
What case in the Supreme Court, in a decision authored by Chief Justice John Marshall, held that the Court could declare an act of Congress unconstitutional?
Marbury v. Madison
Legislative courts are created by
Congress
In recent years, the percentage of nominees to federal court who have been confirmed by the Senate
has decreased significantly
Federal courts can hear all cases
arising under the Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties
True or False:
Today, most cases make their way to the Supreme Court when at least four justices agree to hear a case and issue a writ of certiorari.
True
