Types of Government Unit 3

Question 1

What does Bureaucracy mean?

Answer 1

Non-elected public servants who administer government departments (e.g. Transportation, foreign relations, finance)

Question 2

What is Congress?

Answer 2

Congress is Americas national legislative branch

Question 3

What is a constitution?

Answer 3

A set of rules that govern the political institutions of the state, every democracy needs a constitution,

Question 4

What is Parliament?

Answer 4

Parliament is Canadas federal legislative branch

Question 5

What is party discipline?

Answer 5

When MPs should be voting alone party lines; if they feel that they must vote against party policy they can quit the party and sit in the house as an independent

Question 6

What is Patronage?

Answer 6

The granting of political favours; the practice of appointing political supporters to public office or to desirable positions on public boards, commissions, or committees

Question 7

What is Royal assent?

Answer 7

Approval by the monarch or monarchs representative that turns a bill passed by a legislature into law.

Question 8

What is Cabinet solidarity?

Answer 8

A principle that members of the cabinet do not disagree publicly with government policy

Question 9

What does impeach mean?

Answer 9

It is to charge with misconduct to any elected official if needed

Question 10

What is a filibuster?

Answer 10

The use of irregular or obstructive tactics by members of a legislature, specifically the US senate, to prevent the passage of a bill

Question 11

What is Judicial restraint?

Answer 11

Is interpretation of the law literally and are hesitant to apply new interpretations

Question 12

What is Judicial Activism?

Answer 12

A willingness to interpret the law I’m such a way that it can be adapted to changing circumstances

Question 13

What is Judicial Review?

Answer 13

Judges have the power to strike down legislation that disregards the constitution

Question 14

What is devolution?

Answer 14

The transfer of power from a central government to regional or local governments

Question 15

What is gerrymandering?

Answer 15

The manipulation of constituency boundaries to maximize popular support for one party

Question 16

What is recall?

Answer 16

A voting mechanism that allows citizens to recall from office a politician who has been unresponsive to the needs of constituents

Question 17

What does initiative mean?

Answer 17

A petition submitted by citizens to force a vote on particular issue

Question 18

What is the role of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of democratic governments?

Answer 18

Legislative: -debates, proposes, Amends, and vote on bills
-represents the interests and concerns of their constituents
-holds government
-divided into two chambers
Judicial:-interprets and apply laws through court cases and decisions
-can strike down laws that are unconstitutional
Executive:-Implements and enforces laws
-Manages the administration of government policies and programs

Question 19

Why is Beron de Montesquieu significant?

Answer 19

-French political thinker
-his ideas influenced the creation of the US constitution

Question 20

What is the difference between the British parliamentary system compared to the American presidential system?

Answer 20

British parliament:-the executive and legislative branches of government are fused
-prime minister is a chief member of the House of Commons
American system:-executive and legislative branches of government are separate
-president is not involved with activities of congress

Question 21

What is the difference between a written constitution and an unwritten one?

Answer 21

Written constitution: single formal document that clearly outlines the laws and principles by which a country is governed (e.g US constitution)
Unwritten constitution: not contained in a single, formal document. Instead, it is based on customs, traditions, judicial decisions, and various written laws (e.g British constitution)

Question 22

Describe Canadas constitution

Answer 22

Written component is made up of two acts: -British North America act, describe the structure of Canadas government and the power of federal and provincial governments
-constitution act 1982, contains the constitution, the Canadian charter of rights and freedoms and an amending formula

Question 23

Are Canadas and the US’ legislative branch unicameral or bicameral?

Answer 23

Both are bicameral as they both have two legislative chambers

Question 24

How are MPs selected and how many are there?

Answer 24

MPs are selected based on representation by selection, each MP represents a geographic area with a certain number of voters, there are 338 members of prliament

Question 25

What happens to MPs that break discipline? How often does this happen?

Answer 25

They are denied promotions, demoted, and can be ejected from the party, it is rare for MPs to break disipline

Question 26

Whats the purpose of the senate?How many senators are in both the US and canadian senates?

Answer 26

The Senate is responsible for drafting, debating,and voting on bills, can propose and vote on amendments to bills. In the US system there is 100 senators and 105 senators in the Canadian senate.

Question 27

What is the Triple-E senate?

Answer 27

Stood for “Elected,Equal, and Effective” it is described as asystem where senators are elected by the populatiob not appointed. All provinces should have an equal member of senators finally it was believed that the senate should be stronger to be more effective.

Question 28

difference between formal and political executive

Answer 28

Formal executive: responsibilities are mostly ceremonial, usually does whatever the elected government recomends
Political executive: Made up of Prime minister, cabinet and the bureaucracy, create by yhe party with the most seats in the legislature

Question 29

What is the role of the Governor General?

Answer 29

-Head of state
-Appointed for 5 years
-performs ceremonial duties
-Signs bills passed by Parliament - royal assent

Question 30

What is the Electoral college? How does it work?

Answer 30

The Electoral college is the selection of electors, the meeting of electors (where they vote for President and VP), The counting of electoral votes by congress

Question 31

What is the purpose of the cabinet? How many cabinet ministers do we have?

Answer 31

We have 30 Ministers. The purpose of the cabinet is to spread responsibility of the government through the party and to make the PMs job easeier

Question 32

What does it mean to shuffle the cabinet?

Answer 32

Process in which the Prime Minister reassigns or changes the positions of cabinet ministers

Question 33

What are the purposes of standing commities?

Answer 33

-Permanent subgroups within a legislative body
-When a bill is introduced in the House or Senate it is usually refered to the relevant standing committie for review,amendment,and debate

Question 34

How many U.S. presidents have been impeached? How many have been convicted?

Answer 34

4 presidents have been impeached, none have been convicted

Question 35

What is the highest court in Canada and the U.S.?

Answer 35

The Supreme Court is the highest in both countries

Question 36

What is the difference between a unitary system and a federal system?

Answer 36

UNitary system is a democratic system in which one central authority makes decisions for all regions of the country while in a federal system constitutional power is shared amongst a national government, and or local or regional government

Question 37

Why is a unitary system not posible in canada?

Answer 37

Not posible in canada due to the countrys history, its diverse population, and the strong desire for provincial autonomy

Question 38

What is the proper order of how a bill becomes a law?

Answer 38

1. Problem
2. Minister Solution
3. Cabinet discussion
4. First Reading
5. Second Reading
6. Committie Discussion
7. Third Reading
8. The Senate
   9.The Governor General