Question 1

In the British system, the party of the Prime Minister is generally the major party in Parliament.

Accepted Answer

In the British parliamentary system, the Prime Minister is usually the leader of the party that has the most seats in the House of Commons, making it the major party in Parliament.

Question 2

In the United States, as outlined in the U.S.Constitution, executive authority includes

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Constitution grants the President the authority to make a State of the Union address to Congress, outlining the condition of the country and recommending to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient. Declaring war is a power vested in Congress, not the executive branch. Filibusters are a legislative tactic used in the Senate to delay or block votes and are not a tool of executive authority.

Question 3

In country X, if the legislature disapproves of the executive, early elections may be called.Country X possesses a

Accepted Answer

In a parliamentary system, the executive is typically dependent on the legislature's confidence to govern, meaning if the legislature disapproves of the executive, it can lead to a vote of no confidence and potentially trigger early elections.

Question 4

A vote of no confidence is a political procedure associated with

Accepted Answer

A vote of no confidence is primarily associated with parliamentary systems, where it is used to indicate that a majority of the members of the parliament no longer have confidence in the current government or its leader, potentially leading to the government's resignation or a call for new elections.

Question 5

Democratic systems in which executives and legislatures are elected in separate elections for fixed terms of office are known as

Accepted Answer

Presidential systems are characterized by the separation of powers between the executive and the legislature, with both branches being elected independently for fixed terms. This contrasts with parliamentary systems, where the executive is typically drawn from the legislature and can be dismissed by it. Collective responsibility systems and electoral college systems refer to different aspects of governance and election methods, not to the fundamental structure of separating executive and legislative powers with independent elections.

Question 6

In the United States, presidential signing statements are, in actuality, an old practice and were used as early as the nineteenth century.

Accepted Answer

Presidential signing statements have been used by U.S. Presidents since the early 19th century, with James Monroe being one of the first documented cases in 1822, to express their interpretation or concerns about new legislation.

Question 7

In the U.S.Congress,

Accepted Answer

Most bills introduced in the U.S. Congress do not become law due to the extensive process of committee reviews, amendments, and votes required in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The other options describe practices not found in the U.S. system.

Question 8

The constructive vote of no confidence is a feature of politics in

Accepted Answer

The constructive vote of no confidence is a feature of the political system in Germany, where a chancellor can only be removed from office if there is a majority in the Bundestag for a new chancellor. This system is designed to ensure stability by preventing a government from being toppled without a clear alternative.

Question 9

In parliamentary systems such as that found in Great Britain,

Accepted Answer

In parliamentary systems like Great Britain's, the executive leader (usually the Prime Minister) is selected by the parliament, not directly by voters. This contrasts with systems where voters directly elect the executive leader.

Question 10

In the United States, tax bills

Accepted Answer

In the United States, the Constitution requires that all bills for raising revenue (tax bills) originate in the House of Representatives. This is outlined in Article I, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution.

Question 11

In the U.S.Congress committees exist, but in the British parliament committees are viewed as obstructionist and are not used.

Accepted Answer

In the British Parliament, committees play a crucial role in reviewing legislation, examining government work, and investigating specific issues, similar to their function in the U.S. Congress.

Question 12

In Britain, no member of parliament is ever excused from supporting his or her party's position on an issue.

Accepted Answer

Members of Parliament in Britain can sometimes vote against their party's position, especially during votes that are considered "free votes" where they are not obliged to follow a party line.

Question 13

In the U.S.system, overriding a president's veto is done by means of

Accepted Answer

A presidential veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Question 14

The British parliamentary system is unique among European parliaments in that it prohibits the formation of coalition governments; specifically, if no political party wins a majority of legislative seats, new elections must be called, for political parties are prohibited from forming partnerships/coalitions with other parties in order to form a government.

Accepted Answer

The British parliamentary system does allow for the formation of coalition governments. If no single party wins an outright majority, parties can form coalitions or agreements to create a majority government, as happened in 2010 with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

Question 15

In, __________, the legislature consists of two chambers/houses.

Accepted Answer

Both the United States and Great Britain have a bicameral legislature, meaning their legislatures consist of two chambers or houses. In the United States, these are the Senate and the House of Representatives. In Great Britain, these are the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Question 16

As of 2013, all of President Obama's vetoes had been overridden by Congress.

Accepted Answer

As of 2013, not all of President Obama's vetoes had been overridden by Congress; in fact, during his presidency, only a few of his vetoes were overridden.

Question 17

In the United States, the Twenty Second Amendment

Accepted Answer

The Twenty Second Amendment limits the president to two terms in office, not allowing unlimited tenure, prohibiting pocket vetoes, or preventing presidents from becoming lawmakers, which makes all the provided options incorrect.

Question 18

__________ is a mechanism for ending a filibuster.

Accepted Answer

Cloture is a procedure used in legislative bodies to end a filibuster, requiring a specific number of votes to proceed to a final vote on the matter being debated.

Question 19

In Great Britain, which of the following is more powerful?

Accepted Answer

The House of Commons is more powerful in the UK's parliamentary system, holding the primary legislative authority, including financial matters and the ability to form a government. The House of Lords acts as a revising chamber with limited powers, and the House of Representatives and the Senate do not exist in the British political system.

Question 20

In the United States, a committee consisting of Representatives and Senators and having the task of resolving disputes over the wording of a bill is known as a

Accepted Answer

A conference committee is formed when the House of Representatives and the Senate have passed different versions of a bill. Members from both chambers come together in this committee to reconcile the differences and agree on a final version of the bill.

Quiz 10: Comparative Politics III