Deck 8: Congress: the Legislative Elite

Question 1

Constituent service, or casework, is a form of "retail" politics where politicians

A) hold press conferences to announce campaign plans.
B) solicit campaign funds through the mail.
C) help people on a personal level.
D) have "town hall" meetings to reach out to constituents.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The purpose of committee hearings is to

A) influence interest groups.
B) make major decisions on policy.
C) influence public opinion.
D) hear all available information on an issue.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Prior to taking office, the majority of Senators hailed from which of the following professional background?

A) Business
B) Education
C) Law
D) Physician or scientist

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Applying the Theory of Democracy, the masses should ___________________.

A) vote out all incumbents
B) insist on a balanced budget amendment
C) re-elect the incumbents
D) invoke term-limits

Question 5

In a typical two-year congressional session, about 10,000 bills are introduced, but the 111ᵗʰ Congress passed fewer than _____________ bills.

A) 1,200
B) 4,000
C) 800
D) 2,000

Question 6

Republicans in the House of Representatives assign committee memberships through

A) the Speaker of the House.
B) the Majority leader.
C) seniority.
D) a Committee on Committees.

Question 7

Homestyle representation includes ___________________.

A) personal appearances in home districts
B) using staff to focus on constituents services
C) bringing "pork" to their district
D) all of the above

Question 8

"Smart money" backs a winner, so most campaign donations go to

A) challengers.
B) incumbents.
C) Democrats.
D) Republicans.

Question 9

In recent decades, party control of the House and Senate

A) has remained stable.
B) has seen both houses change party leadership.
C) has seen the House become nearly completely republican.
D) has seen the Senate overwhelmingly controlled by the democratic party.

Question 10

The efforts of Senators and Representatives to bring federal money home to their districts in the form of extra spending on various projects are called

A) beef.
B) pork.
C) cream.
D) tofu.

Question 11

Which of the following is not one of the three most powerful committees of the House of Representatives?

A) Rules
B) Ways and Means
C) Foreign Affairs
D) Appropriations

Question 12

According to the text, Congressmen

A) spend most weekends in DC raising money from interests groups.
B) spend minimal time in DC and long weekends in their home district or state.
C) spend most weekends in caucus meetings in DC.
D) spend most weekends on junkets paid for by lobbyists.

Question 13

Overall, the number of African-American congressmen has ______________________.

A) increased
B) decreased
C) remained the same
D) become stagnant

Question 14

Approximately what percent of Senators have previously served as a member of the House of Representatives?

A) 25%
B) 50%
C) 60%
D) 40%

Question 15

Which of the following is seen as a benefit for enacting term limits?

A) More professional legislators
B) More competitive open-seat elections
C) Less influence by special interests
D) Lower election costs

Question 16

Which of the following is not an advantage incumbents have in seeking reelection?

A) Name recognition
B) Franking privilege
C) A great voting record
D) A "War Chest" with political donors

Question 17

For the first time in the House of Representative, the 113ᵗʰ Congress saw

A) women outnumber men.
B) business people outnumber lawyers.
C) most incumbents lose their seats.
D) preachers outnumber business people.

Question 18

Which of the following is not one of the three most prestigious committees of the Senate?

A) Armed Forces
B) Foreign Relations
C) Finance
D) Appropriations

Question 19

The second largest ethnic group in America (after whites) is

A) African America.
B) Hispanic or Latino/a.
C) Asian America.
D) none of the above.

Question 20

A legislator's most relevant constituents are

A) the major donors within their districts.
B) the people in their district who voted for them.
C) active and resourceful elites in their district.
D) all of the above.

Question 21

The difference between a legal campaign donation and a bribe is

A) bribes specifically require official actions in return.
B) campaign donations do not depend on getting influence.
C) bribes are for larger amounts of money.
D) negligible.

Question 22

Members of Congress who maintain their own personal Political Action Committees

A) are violating the new campaign finance reform law.
B) can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on any election.
C) can cause fellow Congressmen to lose their seats due to campaign contributions.
D) none of the above.

Question 23

The role of a Conference Committee is to

A) rewrite bills to ensure passage.
B) reconcile House and Senate versions of a bill.
C) introduce legislation .
D) debate amendments to a bill.

Question 24

Political party whips

A) ensures congressional members are present for all votes.
B) play an important role in legislation.
C) solicit support for the leadership.
D) all of the above.

Question 25

The ability and desire to sell oneself as a candidate, raise money, and organize others to work on one's campaign is called ____________________.

Question 26

Which of the following is a power of the Speaker of the House of Representatives?

A) Referring bills to committee
B) Appointing conference committees
C) Recognizing those who wish to speak on the floor
D) All of the above are powers of the Speaker.

Question 27

The biggest divide in American politics remains

A) the size and role of the military.
B) the size and role of corporations.
C) the size and role of the budget and spending.
D) the size and role of the government.

Question 28

Rules Committee membership is dominated by

A) powerful campaign fundraisers.
B) senior members from noncompetitive districts.
C) party leaders' favorites.
D) popular colleagues with party support.

Question 29

The most common professional background in Congress has consistently been ________________.

Question 30

Most amendments to a bill come during the part of the legislative process known as the

A) committee meeting.
B) subcommittee meeting.
C) floor vote.
D) conference committee.

Question 31

Experienced legislators are more likely to vote for unpopular bills because

A) they know their constituents aren't likely to respond.
B) will maintain party support and funding.
C) they have sufficient support amongst their colleagues.
D) they represent "safe" districts and will not lose re-election.

Question 32

Polarization on Capitol Hill

A) has produced more conflict between political parties.
B) has brought about less bipartisan cooperation.
C) caused legislative gridlock causing fewer bills to be passed during session.
D) all of the above

Question 33

The __________ presides over the Senate in the absence of the vice president.

A) Speaker of the House
B) majority leader
C) president pro tempore
D) majority whip

Question 34

This is likely the most important power that Congress can use: _______________.

A) the power to declare war
B) the power to increase taxes
C) the power of the purse
D) all of the above

Question 35

Congress members principally represent ____________________ in order to ensure their own re-election.

Question 36

Most Congressmen and Senators are worth over ___________________.

A) $1.2 million
B) $500,000
C) $900,000
D) $2 million

Question 37

Most Congressmen sacrifice local ties and succumb to the attractions of Washington's _________________________ social lifestyle.

Question 38

The Republican "revolution" under Newt Gingrich brought control of Congress to the GOP in ____________________.

Question 39

The role of committee and subcommittee chairpersons is to

A) select which bills are considered.
B) select which issues will receive public hearings.
C) establish the agenda.
D) All of the above are true.

Question 40

A Senate filibuster can only be ended by

A) a quorum call.
B) a cloture vote.
C) motion for formal debate.
D) nothing, as it is final.

Question 41

The most recent election saw more members of the 113th Congress being from the business profession.

Question 42

The President of the Senate is also the ____________________ and serves as the tie-breaker for votes

Question 43

Senators talking for hours about a bill to block further action is known as the ____________________.

Question 44

Most "pork" or additional federal money brought to a Congressmen's district is done by ____________ on bills.

Question 45

Former President Clinton is seen as one of the most successful presidents working with Congress under divided government.

Question 46

The ultimate congressional power over the president is ____________________.

Question 47

The 112th Congress has been the least productive in the history of the United States.

Question 48

President ____________________ twice vetoed budget resolutions, causing the federal government to temporarily shut down.

Question 49

The assistant floor leader, or ____________________, has the function of keeping members informed and seeing that they are present for important floor votes.

Question 50

Members of Congress are disproportionately better educated compared to the masses.

Question 51

Due to the mass distrust of politicians, there is popular support to implement ______________.

Question 52

Based on recent polls, Congressional approval rating typically range between ______________.

Question 53

_____________________ are alliances of leaders from executive agencies, congressional committees, and private business and industry.

Question 54

Democrats lost ____________ seats in the House of Representatives in the 2010 mid-term election.

Question 55

A ____________________ is a type of fundraising organization used by members of Congress to increase their influence.

Question 56

The 2001 PATRIOT Act was classified as __________________to get it passed quickly.

Question 57

The theory of representative democracy implies that dissatisfied voters will defeat incumbents and do what they call ____________________.

Question 58

The single most powerful person in the entire Congress is the ____________________.

Question 59

A roll-call vote in which a majority of voting Democrats oppose a majority of voting Republicans is called a ____________________.

Question 60

The Founding Fathers intended that Congress be the most powerful branch of government.

Question 61

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is the wealthiest woman in the House of Representatives.

Question 62

Congress is the most popular branch of government.

Question 63

Personal financial information must be made public by members of Congress.

Question 64

In general, the President receives greater support from his own party than from the opposition party in Congress.

Question 65

The paradox of Congress is that most voters disapprove of Congress as a whole but like their own representatives.

Question 66

Members of Congress are well-educated compared to the general population and this is used as an example of their elite nature. Why would having leaders who are more educated be a problem in American politics?

Question 67

Roughly 60% of Americans can name a Senator from their state.

Question 68

The elaborate procedures of Congress ensure that few of the bills introduced are ever passed.

Question 69

Explain how Congress can restrain the power of the President. Does Congress exercise their powers against the President?

Question 70

The House of Representatives has about 150 subcommittees.

Question 71

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid changed the voting rules for confirmations, making only a simple majority necessary for all confirmations.

Question 72

Reconciled versions of bills that emerge from Conference Committees must represent the views of both houses of Congress.

Question 73

The Constitution grants greater formal power to Senators than House members.

Question 74

Most Americans prefer control of government to be split between the parties.

Question 75

The Rule Committee can "kill" a bill by shelving it indefinitely.

Question 76

Two out of the top three wealthiest members of Congress live in New York.

Question 77

Congress has a low approval ratings - historically, never getting over 50% approval. Why do you think Congress people disapprove of Congress?

Question 78

Describe how a bill becomes a law. What functions do committees play in this process?

Question 79

How has the membership of Congress changed in the recent decades in terms of demographics?

Question 80

Tom Delay (R-TX) was just one congressman forced to resign as a result of a congressional investigation.