Question 1

What is the difference between responsibility and responsiveness? How is the tension between these built into the U.S.Congress? Support your answer with specific examples from the textbook.

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Question 2

The textbook introduces the idea of the electoral connection,in which the behavior of members of Congress is understood relative to their desire to be reelected.Explain the three types of behavior we observe in Congress because of the electoral connection,providing examples of each one.

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Question 3

Congress is charged with the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of federal laws and ensuring that the laws are implemented properly.How does Congress go about handling this responsibility? What can it do to ensure that the federal bureaucracy is doing its job? What can it do to ensure that the president,members of the executive branch,and federal judges are doing their jobs properly? What complaints are sometimes issued against Congress's use of its oversight powers? Are these complaints valid?

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Question 4

Compare and contrast the lawmaking process in the House and the Senate.Is the lawmaking process in need of reform? Why or why not?

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Question 5

Why are norms so important to lawmaking in Congress? Which norms are most important? How do these norms help the lawmaking process,and how do they also cause some problems? What would happen to Congress if these norms and informal structures gradually eroded and ultimately disappeared?

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Question 6

The authors of the text conclude that Congress's image problem is the result of:

Accepted Answer

The text indicates that one of the main reasons for Congress's image problem is the difficulty in balancing constituents' interests and the country's best interests, which often leads to contradictory policies. This issue is highlighted as a significant challenge for Congress to overcome.

Question 7

What are apportionment and redistricting? What factors influence the outcome of the processes,particularly with respect to redistricting? What impact does this have on elections to the House of Representatives and,therefore,on the politics of lawmaking?

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Question 8

According to the text,the ultimate form of congressional oversight is:

Accepted Answer

Impeachment is the ultimate form of congressional oversight as it is the process of formally charging a federal official, including the President, with wrongdoing and potentially removing them from office. This is a serious and rare action that can only be taken with a majority vote in the House of Representatives and a two-thirds vote in the Senate. The power of impeachment is a crucial tool for Congress to hold executive branch officials accountable for any violations of the law or the Constitution.

Question 9

Describe the ways that parties and party leaders help structure Congress,while defining each of the following terms as clearly as possible: speaker,majority leader,minority leader,and party conference.What effect does this party structure have on the legislature?

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Question 10

How do Americans feel about Congress as an institution? What explains those feelings? Be as specific as possible in answering both questions.

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Question 11

Why is Congress no longer viewed as the "first branch"? What developments explain this? Should Congress be given more power to check and balance the powers of the president? Why or why not?

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Question 12

A legislative veto occurs when:

Accepted Answer

A legislative veto occurs when Congress overturns a bureaucratic decision, typically made by a federal agency or department. The legislative branch uses this power to check the authority of the executive branch and its bureaucracy. However, legislative vetoes were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1983.

Question 13

Roughly how many incumbents win reelection in the House and Senate during a given election year? What explains their rate of success?

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Quiz 9: Congress