T/F
Appropriations committee help determine the programs that will be funded. while authorizations committees determine the amount of monies to be distributed.
False
T/F
The Framers made Congress a bicameral body because they were concerned that too strong a legislative branch would lead to tyranny.
True
T/F
Legislators typically eschew casework, as it is burdensome to the staff and emphasized benefits for individuals over the good of the whole district.
False
T/F
A bill goes through markup in a full committee after a subcommittee votes in favor of it.
True
T/F
Studies show that legislators vote in conformity with the prevailing opinion of their district constituents about two-thirds of the time.
True
T/F
The House currently has 435 members, but this number increases every ten years with the taking of the census, as mandated by the Constitution.
False.
T/F
The CBO was created in 1974 to evaluate the economic effects of different spending programs, and to provide information on the cost of proposed policies. Refer to Table 6.7,
True
T/F
Especially since the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Congress has ceded to the president a major role in the legislative process.
True
T/F
Logrolling, or vote trading, was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court following the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
False
T/F
A conference committee is comprised of members from the House and Senate committee that originally considered the bill.
True
T/F
In the face of inaction by House membership, a discharge petition signed by a majority can force a bill out of a committee and to the floor.
True
T/F
The vast majority of bills receive a subcommittee hearing, but not full passage.
False
T/F
The increasing partisanship and unproductivity of Congress have contributed to lower approval ratings of congressional members in recent years.
True
T/F
Although the Constitution allows states to create their own legislative boundaries, gerrymandering in favor of any partisan or racial group is expressly forbidden by law.
True
T/F
The necessary and proper clause allows Congress to increase the scope of its authority.
True
Which one of the powers listed below is a constitutional power that the president shares with the Senate?
Making treaties
Which institutional resource is closest to the president?
White House Staff
In which institutional resource are leaders both appointed by the president and approved by the Senate?
The Cabinet
Which of these became an official presidential qualification in 1951?
A maximum of two tersm
What is executive privilege?
The right to keep communications confidential to the presidency.
Who has the role of breaking a tie in the Senate?
Vice President
Historically, vice-presidential candidates are chosen to _______.
Politically balance the ticket
What does the Twenty-Second Amendment do?
Requires the presidents serve only two terms
Which first lady acted as a surrogate for her partially paralyzed husband?
Edith Bolling Galt Wilson
Which presidential power is balanced by required approval of the Senate with a two-thirds vote?
Negotiating treaties with other nations
Congress can remove a president through ________.
Impeachment
Whom did the Framers expect to be the first president of the United States?
George Washington
What has to happen in Congress before the president can be impeached?
The House can impeach the president by a simple majority; the Senate needs a two-thirds majority.
Which of these presidents is arguably the first modern president?
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Throughout most of its history, which was considered an insignificant office?
Vice President
Which presidential oversight includes the State of the Union address?
The president must inform and convene Congress.
Which executive power was intended as a "qualified negative" by the Framers?
The power to veto
According to the Constitution, how is the president supposed to be elected?
Election through the Electoral College
Which of the following is an example of the rally-round-the-flag effect?
George W. Bush's popularity was boosted following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The use of ______ in foreign matters is an example of the president acting as a global leader.
Executive agreements
What is the purpose of the Council of Economic Adviser?
To advise the president on economic policy
What best describes the president's constitutional duty to Congress?
The president must give Congress an occasional update on the state of the union.
Which is one of the reasons that power and responsibility of the presidency has grown?
The President's role increased, so the role of government could decrease.
What role was Thomas Jefferson performing as president when he made the Louisiana Purchase?
Chief executive
Which examines the cost implications of a proposed bill?
Office of Management and Budget
Why is there the potential for conflict over virtually all aspects of government?
All constitutional powers are shared.
In order to prevent tyranny, what did Benjamin Franklin think had to be included in the Constitution?
A process of impeachment
Which presidential power gives the president the ability to control what happens inside departments and agencies during their terms and to shape the federal judiciary (including the Supreme Court) far into the future?
Appointment
Bill Clinton launching his health care reform proposals on Nightline is an example of what type of strategy?
Going public
Presidents with high levels of ____ have an easier time influencing Congress, while those with low levels find influencing Congress more difficult.
Public Approval
Which group's major function is to help presidents execute laws and make decisions?
The Cabinet
Which is a group of presidential advisers? This group is too large and too diverse to serve as a collective board.
the White House staff
What is the role of the National Security Council?
To advise the president on national security
Which president set the precedent of the chief executive's prominent role in foreign affairs?
George Washington
How did Lincoln defend his decision to order a blockade of southern ports without the approval of Congress?
He claimed that the inherent powers of his office allowed him to circumvent the Constitution in a time of war or national crisis.
In which way do modern presidents differ from the original intentions of the Framers of the Constitution?
Modern presidents are much more influential in the legislative process than the Framers originally intended.
How might presidents use their powers of persuasion in the legislative process?
In leading the public opinion to support their policy agendas.
Why does the perception of a mandate matter in presidential politics?
Because modern presidents are more dependent on the people for election and more involved in policy making than early presidents, they are prone to claim the mandate of the people when governing.
How is the vice president vacancy filled?
The president appoints a new vice president, to be approved by Congress.
Which of the following statement best characterizes the nature of the conflict between Presidents and Congress?
The conflict is a by-product of the weakening of American political parties.
Which of the following statements best describes contemporary relationships between President and Congress?
They are generally antagonistic.
How was the office of vice president changed over the years?
The vice president has been more involved in the policy-making process in recent years than in the past.
Which of the following leadership abilities is critical to presidential success?
The ability to persuade members of Congress and the American public
How might rallying events affect presidential politics?
Rallying events tend to temporarily increase presidential approval ratings, providing windows of opportunity to press for action on their agendas.
When might citizens be particularly concerned about an expansion of presidential power?
When they oppose the president's agenda
What would be different, with respect to the institution of the presidency, if Franklin D. Roosevelt had not won the 1932 election?
The institution of the presidency would be less connected to the people.
Refer to Table 7.3. Which statement best describes Bill Clinton's veto history?
Clinton had fewer vetoes overturned than Theodore Roosevelt.
Based on what you know about election history, what is the most likely reason Senator John McCain chose Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008?
Palin was more conservative than McCain.
What distinguishes the modern presidency from the institution originally envisioned by the Framers of the Constitution?
The modern presidency has become the central focus of American politics since the 1930s. supplanting Congress as the "first branch" of government.
Which word best describes the language used by the Framers to describe the office of the president?
vague
What was the turning point that gave rise to the modern institutional presidency?
The economic and social turmoil of the Great Depression
Why was it significant that George Washington was the first person elected to the presidency?
His early actions served to establish important precedents that greatly increased the political legitimacy of the office.
What distinguishes modern presidents from early presidents?
Modern presidents are much more active in the formation of policy than early presidents.
How does the White House staff differ from the president's Cabinet?
The White House staff has greater access to and more influence on the president than the Cabinet.
Which of the following statements provides the best characterization of the members of the White House staff?
The White House staff is composed of individuals personally and politically close to the president chosen specifically to serve the president's needs.
Why was the 25th Amendment to the Constitution adopted?
To clear up ambiguities over the constitutional provisions surroundin the role of the vice president should the president die or become incapacitated.
The number of presidential vetoes _______.
Has risen with increased bipartisanship in Congress
Why was the War Powers Resolution (1973) adopted by Congress?
To empower the president to act unilaterally when American troops are in harm's way
What did the presidencies of Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln have in common?
They were both examples of activist presidencies.
