Question 1

According to the trustee view of representation, ___ .

Accepted Answer

The trustee view of representation emphasizes that representatives are elected to use their own judgment and expertise to make decisions about public issues, while also taking into account the views of their constituents. The representative is seen as a "trustee" of the people, entrusted with making decisions on their behalf that reflect their best interests, even if those decisions do not always align with popular opinion.

Question 2

According to the delegate view of representation, ___ .

Accepted Answer

The delegate view of representation holds that the representative's main responsibility is to accurately represent the views and interests of their constituents. This means that the representative should prioritize reflecting the opinions of their constituents over their own personal views or political interests.

Question 3

According to the politico view of representation, ___ .

Accepted Answer

The politico view of representation suggests that representatives should balance between following constituent opinion when it is clear and using their own judgment when constituent opinion is unclear or divided.

Question 4

In the 2016 elections, fully 97 percent of House incumbents and 90 percent of Senate incumbents __________their seats.

Accepted Answer

The sentence tells us that a high percentage of incumbents kept their seats, which means they were "retained." The other options (B and C) are opposite actions (losing or resigning) and are not supported by the sentence. Option D is incorrect because these percentages are accurate according to election data.

Question 5

Since political parties span the separation of powers, it is the responsibility of the __________to organize both chambers of Congress and assign committee responsibilities according to party affiliation.

Accepted Answer

Political parties do not have the formal responsibility to organize both chambers of Congress or assign committee responsibilities according to party affiliation. These tasks are generally handled internally by each chamber through their own leadership and rules.

Question 6

In each chamber of Congress, the position of whip serves as an assistant to the ___ .

Accepted Answer

The whip serves as an assistant to the leader of the party in each chamber of Congress. They are responsible for ensuring that party members vote along party lines and for counting votes to help the leader understand the level of support for a particular bill or issue.

Question 7

The leaders in both houses of Congress derive their formal powers from ___ .

Accepted Answer

The leaders in both houses of Congress derive their formal powers from the rules of each house, which outline the roles and responsibilities of leadership positions.

Question 8

The leaders in both houses of Congress derive their informal powers from ___ .

Accepted Answer

The answer of The leaders in both houses of Congress...

Question 9

The House Speaker's principal deputy is the ___ .

Accepted Answer

The majority leader serves as the principal deputy to the Speaker of the House, assisting in the planning of the party's legislative program and organizing other party members to support party goals and legislation.

Question 10

One of the majority whip's jobs is to ___ .

Accepted Answer

The main job of the majority whip is to encourage support among members of the majority party for the positions of the party. While the other choices may also be responsibilities of the majority whip, they are typically handled by other positions within the legislative process.

Question 11

One of the minority whip's jobs is to ___ .

Accepted Answer

One of the minority whip's primary responsibilities is to mobilize and hold together opposition to the majority's agenda. Their role is to ensure that members of their party vote together on important bills and issues, and to encourage support for the positions of their party. They work closely with the minority leader to strategize and plan how to block or modify the majority's legislative initiatives.

Question 12

The modern Speaker presides over the __________and sets its agenda.

Accepted Answer

The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives and sets the legislative agenda.

Question 13

The legislative device of "unanimous consent" suggests that the Senate's ability to proceed to a particular piece of business can be denied by ___ .

Accepted Answer

Unanimous consent means that all senators present agree to a particular action, such as proceeding to a particular piece of business. Therefore, if just one senator objects, the Senate cannot proceed to that business without going through a different process. This gives individual senators a significant amount of power and influence over the legislative process. The other options (a presidential veto, the Speaker of the House, and a court order) do not relate to the Senate's ability to proceed to a particular piece of business.

Question 14

Most of Congress' work is done in ___ .

Accepted Answer

Congress has many committees that are specialized for various issues and topics. These committees are where most of the work of Congress is done, including the drafting of legislation and holding hearings. While representatives and senators do spend time in their districts and participate in caucuses and campaigns, the committees are the primary location for the day-to-day work of Congress.

Question 15

The division of labor in Congress refers to the ___ .

Accepted Answer

The division of labor in Congress refers to the system of permanent standing committees with fixed committee jurisdictions, which allows for the efficient and specialized handling of different policy areas and legislative tasks by different groups of legislators. This system divides the legislative workload and enhances the expertise and accountability of the legislative branch. The other choices refer to different aspects of the structure or organization of Congress, but do not directly address the division of labor within it.

Question 16

Which one of the following statements is true regarding the legislative work of Congress?

Accepted Answer

Legislative work of Congress involves both enacting legislation and oversight, which includes investigating executive branch activities. This is a crucial function of Congress to ensure that the executive branch is carrying out its duties in a responsible and lawful manner.

Question 17

Which one of the following norms is not an expectation of members of the House and the Senate?

Accepted Answer

The collaboration norm is not an expectation of members of the House and the Senate. The other norms, such as specialization (focusing on specific policy areas), reciprocity (supporting each other's proposals), and seniority (privileges based on length of service), are well-established expectations in both chambers. Collaboration, while it may occur, is not formalized as an expectation in the same way as the others.

Question 18

In Congress, the specialization norm refers to the expectation that members will ___ .

Accepted Answer

The specialization norm refers to the expectation that members will develop subject matter expertise upon which their committee members may depend. This expertise can be developed over time through experience and is seen as essential for effective lawmaking.

Question 19

In Congress, reciprocity norm refers to the expectation that members will ___ .

Accepted Answer

The reciprocity norm in Congress refers to the expectation that members will defer to the expertise of other members, with the understanding that such deference will be reciprocated. This norm facilitates the functioning of Congress by allowing members to rely on each other's expertise in various subject matters.

Question 20

In Congress, seniority norm refers to the expectation that members will ___ .

Accepted Answer

Seniority norm in Congress means that the member who has served on a committee for the longest time is given the opportunity to chair that committee. This is considered a key factor in determining committee leadership positions.

Quiz 8: Congress: Partisanship, Polarization, and Gridlock