Deck 12: Congress a Vehicle for Popular Democracy

Question 1

Explain oversight.

Answer 1

Students' answers may vary.
Oversight consists of Congressional attempts to exercise control over the activities of executive branch agencies through a variety of techniques, including hearings and investigations.

Question 2

Conflict between the executive and legislative branches has been one of the constants in American political life.Explain how this conflict has played out over the past two decades in the following policy areas: foreign affairs, the budget, and oversight.

Answer 2

Students' answers may vary.

Question 3

Explain the lengthy process for a bill to become a law.How does this process illuminate the importance of committees? Make sure to explain the president's interaction on the legislation.

Answer 3

Students' answers may vary.

Question 4

The Anti-federalists

A)worried that members of Congress would become corrupt or arrogant.
B)worried that members of Congress would become too close to their constituents.
C)hoped that members of Congress would come from the upper class.
D)were pleased that members of Congress would serve longer terms than state legislators.

Question 5

Which of the following is true regarding seniority?

A)Until the revolution of 1995, it was the basis for choosing committee chairs.
B)It is the basis for choosing the party's top leaders.
C)It is based on years of service in the House as a whole.
D)It benefits representatives who come from highly competitive electoral districts.

Question 6

Explain what the Speaker of the House of Representatives is.

Question 7

What is seniority as it relates to congressional assignments?

Question 8

In an era of party decline, candidates for Congress

A)were chosen by grassroots groups.
B)still had to win support from party bosses.
C)were self-selected.
D)were mostly amateurs in politics.

Question 9

In depicting relations between members of Congress and their constituents, scholars showed that members

A)courted their constituents through a permanent campaign.
B)tended to act aloof after they first won office.
C)treated constituents as thoughtful participants in the democratic debate.
D)were too busy with their work in Washington to spend much time in their districts.

Question 10

Explain the franking privilege.

Question 11

What is an incumbent?

Question 12

Explain the relationship between a filibuster and cloture.

Question 13

Before 1995, the factor that was most important in shaping the work of Congress was _____.

A)parties
B)leadership
C)individual members and their districts
D)committees

Question 14

All of the following can help explain the incumbency advantage EXCEPT

A)incumbents' advantages in fundraising.
B)higher name recognition.
C)the benefits of casework.
D)the public's high regard for Congress as an institution.

Question 15

Explain the difference between the Majority leader and the Minority leader.

Question 16

What is the importance of casework?

Question 17

Which committees do the bulk of the work in Congress and have the responsibility of drafting legislation?

A)Select
B)Standing
C)Conference
D)Joint

Question 18

What was the significance of the Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974?

Question 19

Explain the importance of the committee system to Congress.

Question 20

In the original democratic debate between Federalists and Anti-federalists, each side developed a distinctive view of representation.How does Congress today measure up to the hopes or reflect the fears of each?

Question 21

Critics of the committee system argue that it creates several of Congress's most difficult problems.These include which of the following?

A)Too much expertise for its dealings with the executive branch
B)A centralized and slow decision-making process
C)The development of iron triangles, or issue networks
D)A legislative process that sacrifices special interests for the common good

Question 22

How did Republicans in Congress react once the White House was back in their own party's hands?

A)With vigorous oversight of the presidency
B)With little oversight activity in either the House or the Senate
C)With considerable Senate oversight activity, but with little oversight in the House
D)With a balanced budget amendment

Question 23

During the 1980s, party unity in Congress

A)began to decline.
B)was unchanged from the previous two decades.
C)was abandoned altogether by individualistic members.
D)showed a significant increase.

Question 24

Congressional oversight

A)has become negligible.
B)smoothes out relationships between Congress and the executive.
C)gives Congress control over the bureaucracy.
D)prevents the bureaucracy from becoming a closed world of inaccessible experts.

Question 25

In Congress after the revolution, individualistic behavior

A)was squelched by powerful leaders.
B)was held in check by continuing party unity.
C)was as dominant as before the revolution.
D)reemerged as an important force.

Question 26

Which of the following has been dubbed "unelected representatives" because of their expertise and influence in Congress?

A)Well-organized and wealthy interest groups
B)Committee staffers
C)Congressional Budget Office
D)Members of executive agencies who testify before Congress

Question 27

In what era did Congress largely accept presidential dominance over foreign policy?

A)The War on Terror
B)Multilateralism
C)The Cold War consensus
D)Isolationism

Question 28

When he took over as Speaker, Newt Gingrich

A)abolished half of the committees in the House.
B)made himself chair of the Ways and Means Committee.
C)left the committee system unchanged.
D)chose all committee chairs.

Question 29

The Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974

A)cemented executive authority in budget making.
B)confirmed legislative authority in budget making.
C)placed budget-making power in the hands of the courts.
D)was roundly criticized by both parties.

Question 30

Iron triangles refer to alliances between

A)a Congressional committee, an executive agency, and an interest group.
B)political parties, the president, and the courts.
C)the President, Speaker, and the Majority Leader.
D)standing committees, conference committees, and joint committees.

Question 31

Which of the following is used to end floor debate in the Senate?

A)A filibuster
B)A majority vote in the Rules Committee
C)Cloture
D)A ruling by the majority leader

Question 32

Critics argue that Congress should not interfere with presidential conduct of foreign policy because

A)Congress has no constitutional authority in this area.
B)Congress is too slow-moving, indecisive, and politically motivated to handle foreign policy problems.
C)Congress is too much inclined to use the armed forces.
D)the president keeps the public better informed about foreign developments.

Question 33

The United States lags behind most other democracies in the number of women legislators because

A)voters prefer male candidates.
B)women cannot raise as much money as men.
C)political parties refuse to support women candidates.
D)high incumbency rates leave few opportunities.

Question 34

What is the most prestigious and visible congressional leadership position?

A)House Majority Leader
B)President Pro Tempore of the Senate
C)Party whip
D)Speaker of the House

Question 35

Which of the following did NOT contribute to the Republican decline?

A)Loss of Republican seats in the 2006 election
B)Newt Gingrich's revolution in the House
C)Attempt to remove Clinton from office
D)The Contract with America