Federal Government and Elections essay and short answer questions

Explain the difference in the eligibility requirements for election to the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the presidency/ vice presidency as stated in the U.S. Constitution.

• House of Representatives—Must be at least 25 years old, U.S. citizen for at least 7 years, must live in state he/she represents

• Senate—Must be at least 30, U.S. citizen for at least 9 years, must live in state he/she represents

• Pres./ VP—Must be natural born citizen of U.S., Must be at least 35, must live in the U.S. for at least 14 years

How many electors are there in the Electoral College?  Explain how the number of electors in the Electoral College is determined.  How many electoral votes is a candidate required to receive in order to be elected President of the United States (number AND portion).

There are a total of 538 electors in the Electoral College.  Each state has the number of electors equal to the number senators and representatives it has in the U.S. Congress.  Washington, D.C. does not have representation in Congress, but has three electoral votes.  The candidate who receives a majority of the electoral votes (270 or more) is elected the next president.

Explain the differences of the general party beliefs of Democrats and Republicans (a one word answer for either WILL NOT DO—explain).

Democrats are generally more liberal in their beliefs

• Support an active role for the government in society.  Democrats believe an active government role can improve the quality of people’s lives and help achieve opportunity and equality.

• Support civil rights (pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, etc.)

• Tolerance for political and social chance

Republicans are generally more onservative in their beliefs

• Support a limited role for government in society.  Republicans believe that relying on the private sector (businesses and individuals) can improve economic productivity and support freedom and self-reliance.

• Support “traditional” values and lifestyles (pro-life, anti-gay marriage, etc.)

• Cautious response to change.

Explain why a majority in Congress is so important to the two major political parties and how majorities influence the actions of Congress.

The majority party in each house of Congress holds the most significant leadership positions in that house (Speaker of the House & Senate Majority Leader).  The majority party in each house also controls the make-up of the committees and subcommittees within their house.  To control the make-up of the congressional committees is to directly impact on the type of Bills and actions each house will take and not take.  In today’s political climate, the ideas and concerns of the minority party are given much less attention and action in Congress by the majority party (Democrat or Republican).

How is the presidency determined if no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes in the Electoral College?

If there is no majority in the Electoral College, the president is chosen by the House of Representatives from the three leading candidates.

LIST at least three (3) powers given to the president by the U.S. Constitution.

1. Carry out/ execute laws

2. Make treaties with foreign nations

3. Commander-in-chief of armed forces

4. Can veto laws passed by Congress

5. Can appoint certain important government officials

Identify the length of one term for the president/ vice president, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and a member of the U.S. Senate.

• President/ VP—4 years

• U.S. House of Representatives—2 years

• U.S. Senate—6 years

How many terms is a president allowed to serve (limit)?  Are there any exceptions to this rule (if so, explain the exception)?

A president is allowed to serve two terms.  A president may serve 10 years maximum if he/she succeeds another president mid-term.

What is the difference between “voting a straight ticket” and “voting a split ticket”?

• “Straight ticket”—vote for all candidates of one political party

• “Split ticket”—vote for candidates of more than one political party

List three (3) examples of presidential authority assumed over time (not given by the Constitution).

• Run the executive branch (federal bureaucracy)

• Direct actions of Cabinet members

• Approve/ disapprove department or agency regulations

• Hire and fire key administrators

• Make decisions during times of war, rebellion, crisis, or threat of terrorism

• Create budget for federal government (presented to Congress for approval, revision, or rejection)

• Power to add details to general laws passed by Congress

• Power to set goals for the nation and to decide how to carry them out