UNIT 2

Question 1

Advantages of incumbency

Answer 1

More well known, prominent name in the media already

Question 2

What are earmarks?

Answer 2

Funds by Congress for local projects

Question 3

What is pork barrel spending?

Answer 3

Governmental spending on local projects on a broader scale (mostly for political gain)

Question 4

Fed. 78 what is it

Answer 4

Describes the Supreme Court, lifetime tenure, limitations on Judicial branch (checks and balances), the purse, JUDICIAL REVIEW–

Question 5

Majoritarianism in Congress

Answer 5

Growing partisanship in Congress represents majoritarianism

Question 6

Pluralism in Congress

Answer 6

Members of congress trying to win projects and programs that will benefits their constituents and willing to vote for other legislators for a favor in return promotes pluralism.

Question 7

Leadership structure in Congress

Answer 7

Speaker of the House- LEADER. Majority leader- WHIPS. Helps speaker.

Question 8

White House Staff

Answer 8

Appointed by the President. Can be fired. No oversight. No approval by senate. Meets with President daily.

Question 9

Cabinet

Answer 9

Appointed by President, approved by Senate (2/3). Can be impeached. Doesn’t meet with Pres. often, Congress can abolish and create depts.

Question 10

Judicial Activism

Answer 10

Promotes judges preferred social and political goals. More flexible when interpreting law, legislation, and the constitution.

Question 11

Judicial Restraint

Answer 11

Resistance to overturning previous precedents. Not flexible.

Question 12

Polarization

Answer 12

Political disagreements bc of party ideologies

Question 13

Gerrymandering

Answer 13

Redrawing a Congressional district to intentionally benefit one political party.

Question 14

Electoral mandate

Answer 14

An endorsement by voters Presidents may argue they have been given a mandate to carry out policy proposals. This is important to presidents because it reflects what policies they want to pass/enact.

Question 15

Trustee

Answer 15

Obligated to consider the views of their constituents but may not vote according to those views if believed misguided.

Question 16

Delegate

Answer 16

Must be prepared to vote against their own preferences.

Question 17

Does the public like Congress

Answer 17

No, nothing gets done

Question 18

25th amendment

Answer 18

Presidential succession. If the President is believed to be mentally incapacitated, VP has power until a solution is confirmed (must be approved by majority of cabinet and VP).

Question 19

Discharge petition

Answer 19

Majority of the house (248 members) can force a bill out of a committee

Question 20

Iron Triangles

Answer 20

Alliances among bureaucratic/interests groups and Congressional committee members promote their common causes.

Question 21

Fed. 70

Answer 21

ONE president and why. MORE CHECKS ON ONE PERSON, LESS bias, less competition if there were multiple leaders, discusses the Cabinet.

Question 22

War Powers Resolution

Answer 22

1. President can send troops in combat as needed.
2. Pres. must make Cong. aware on what they’re doing within 48 hours.
3. After 60 days, if Cong. believes troops are no longer needed, they can send them home or NOTHING– “legislative veto”

Question 23

Role of oral arguments

Answer 23

Question and answer sessions. Both sides get 30 minutes

Question 24

Presidential Signing Statements

Answer 24

Presidents written comments on the bill (opinion), form of informal power, explains/dislikes of the bill

Question 25

Implementation of policy

Answer 25

Executing plan of action by appropriate agency(s)
1. make sure the general public knows abt it
2. enforcement of policy
3. violators punished appropriately

Question 26

Federal Bureaucracy

Answer 26

A large, complex organization consisting of employees (bureaucrats) with job specifications and a hierarchy.

Question 27

4 Bureaucratic Structures

Answer 27

1. Writing and enforcing regulations
2. Issuing fines when there’s violations of laws.
3. Testifying before congress.
4. Work within the system (IRON TRIANGLES) to push their agenda forward

Question 28

Bureaucratic discretions/rule making

Answer 28

1. Congress gives agencies ability to make policies in the spirit of their legislative mandate.
2. Broadest discretion is in domestic and global security.

Question 29

Oversight of Bureaucracy

Answer 29

1. Congress rewrites legislation that authorizes what agencies can/can’t do.
2. Conducting hearings to oversee the enforcement of laws
3. Approving funds for bureaucratic programs
4. Redistricting agency responsibilities

Question 30

Amicus curiae briefs

Answer 30

Interest groups outside of the two sides of the supreme court case

Question 31

Stare decisis

Answer 31

let the decision stand