Interactions w/ Government

Which of the following explains how the bureaucracy can address a problem shown in the infographic?

The Department of Transportation can write stronger regulations on freight volume.

An advantage that bureaucrats in federal government have over the President in the policymaking process is that bureaucrats

usually have a continuity of service in the executive branch that the President lacks

The Constitution states that all revenue bills must originate in

the United States House of Representatives

On July 9, 2018, after the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, President Trump, a Republican, nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Many Democrats in the Senate feared that the appointment of Kavanaugh would swing the Court in a more ideologically conservative direction and attempted to block his nomination. After a heated Senate confirmation hearing, Kavanaugh was eventually confirmed by a 50-48 vote in the Senate. The scenario best highlights which of the following statements about court appointees?

Life tenure for appointed justices alongside the power of judicial review increases the stakes in the confirmation process for nominees to the Supreme Court.

Which of the following best reflects a function of the Supreme Court in Article III of the Constitution?

To serve as the highest court of appeals

Which of the following statements accurately summarizes the reasoning for the decision in *Baker* v. *Carr* (1962)

Because rural districts had fewer people, representation was unevenly distributed; thus, Baker was denied equal protection under the law.

The term “bicameralism” refers to the

establishment of two legislative chambers that have different structures and rules

When a bill passes the House and the Senate in different versions, the bill is resolved by which of the following types of committee?

Conference

The boundary lines of congressional districts are drawn by

state legislatures

On February 9, 2016, President Barack Obama released his budget proposal for the 2017 fiscal year. Facing a Republican Congress, many declared the plan "dead on arrival." Among the cited issues was Obama's request for $582.7 billion in discretionary spending for defense, which many Republicans believed was not enough. Which of the following most accurately explains the interaction between the president and the Congress regarding the defense budget?

Congress passes a budget for the entire federal government, including defense, but it must consider the president's proposal because the president may veto the bill

Which of the following situations is an example of the president using the bully pulpit as a tool for agenda setting?

President Reagan delivering a televised address urging a reduction in federal taxes

Which of the following is an example of bureaucratic rule making?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) writing a regulation to support a clean water bill

Which of the following best explains why cabinet secretaries might not aggressively pursue the president’s policy agenda?

Cabinet secretaries may develop strong loyalty to their departments.

Which of the following best illustrates the point being made in the cartoon above?

Presidents can have an influence on public policy far beyond their terms of office.

Which of the following is true according to the diagram?

Both chambers make use of a system of majority and minority whips.

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of checks on the legislative branch and checks on the executive branch?

Check on Legislative Branch Check on Executive Branch The president may veto bills passed by Congress. The Senate must confirm judicial nominees.

A committee chair in the House of Representatives is always

a member of the majority party in the chamber

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate?

House of Representatives Senate Debate on bills is limited Debate on bills can be unlimited

Which of the following accurately compares the formal and informal powers of the president?

__Formal Power Informal Power__ Acting as commander in chief of the military Signing executive agreements with foreign nations

The committee system is more important in the House than in the Senate because

the House is so large that more work can be accomplished in committees than on the floor

Congress has exerted the greats influence on the operation of a federal agency by doing which of the following?

Reviewing the annual budget appropriations for the agency

One of the formal tools used by Congress for oversight of the bureaucracy is

authorization of spending

In 1998, Goodyear employee Lilly Ledbetter filed suit against her employer for pay discrimination based on her gender. Though Ledbetter was initially successful, Goodyear appealed the decision and the case went to the Supreme Court. In *Ledbetter* v. *Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.* (2007), the Supreme Court ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires that sex discrimination complaints must be made within 180 days “after the alleged unlawful employment practice occurred,” which Ledbetter had failed to do. Which of the following actions could be taken to reverse the impact of the decision?

Congress could enact legislation to amend Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Which of the following is true of independent regulatory agencies?

They tend to be freer from presidential control than are cabinet departments.

The framers of the Constitution designed which of the following to be LEAST responsive to public opinion?

The courts

Members of Congress who have adopted the delegate role of representation normally cast their votes based on which of the following?

The preferences of the majority of their constituents

Define motion for cloture

They are used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote.

Which of the following is true of nominees for federal judgeships?

They are appointed for life by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.

All of the following statements pertaining to the presidential veto are true EXCEPT:

A President may veto part of a bill.

In the case *Wickard* v. *Filburn* (1942), Roscoe Filburn was penalized for producing 12 acres of wheat above his allotment under the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. The law, justified under Congress’ power to regulate interstate commerce, limited the amount of wheat an individual could grow. This regulation would keep prices from dropping and prevent farmers from going bankrupt. Filburn claimed that the excess wheat was for his own use, and challenged that no interstate commerce was involved. The Supreme Court ruled that the commerce clause allowed the government to regulate Filburn's personal wheat production, even though it was only indirectly related to interstate commerce.

The expansive interpretation of the commerce clause by the Supreme Court which greatly extended the power of Congress drew criticism that eventually led to a more narrow interpretation.

Which of the following is the most likely consequence of divided government?

\n Delays in confirmation of federal court nominees

The doctrine of original intent holds that

the meaning of the Constitution depends on the intention of the framers

Enumerated powers of the federal government include all of the following EXCEPT the power to

regulate intrastate commerce

Which of the following scenarios is an example of the trustee model of representation?

A member of Congress votes to close a popular tax loophole based on the belief that the money would be better spent paying down the national debt.

Which of the following explains why the author believes presidential power has expanded?

The United States has emerged as a global power, which has enhanced the power of the president in foreign affairs.

In *Worcester* v. *Georgia* (1832), the United States Supreme Court ruled that a Georgia law violated the U.S. Constitution. In response to Chief Justice John Marshall's majority opinion, President Andrew Jackson said, "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it." Which of the following ideas regarding government does President Jackson’s statement exhibit?

Since the Supreme Court has no enforcement mechanism, the executive and legislative branches can restrict its decisions.

In the process and structure of public policymaking, “iron triangles” refer to the

networks of congressional committees, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups that strongly influence the policy process

Which of the following best defines the term “judicial activism”?

The tendency of judges to interpret the Constitution according to their own views

The House Rules Committee is an important part of the legislative process because it

determines the terms and conditions of debate when a bill goes to the House floor

Which of the following did the Supreme Court establish in *Marbury* v. *Madison* ?

The Supreme Court can declare federal legislation invalid if the legislation violates the Constitution.

Which of the following is an example of how the innovation of social media can influence presidential behavior?

The president announces the nomination of a cabinet secretary on the Internet.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between the Supreme Court and public opinion?

The existence of a public consensus on an issue limits the extent to which the Court will render decisions contrary to that consensus.

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a formal check on the power of the bureaucracy?

The secretary of defense being called to testify before a congressional committee

The doctrine of stare decisis is significant for which of the following reasons?

It is the principle that affirms that courts are bound by prior decisions.

Which of the following types of committee deals with broad areas of public policy and can be found in both houses of Congress?

Standing

In *Baker* v. *Carr* (1962), the Supreme Court ruled that a state legislature would have to redraw their representative districts in order to comply with the Constitution. Which of the following potential difficulties could have resulted from this decision?

The state legislature could have refused to implement the decision, leading to a crisis in the legitimacy of the Supreme Court’s authority.

The government depicted above is best described by which of the following terms?

Divided government

The War Powers Resolution (1973) was designed to

assure congressional involvement in decisions committing military forces in hostile situations overseas

A major difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate is that

there is unlimited debate in the Senate but not in the House

In the United States judicial system, when a judge decides a case based on decisions rendered in similar cases in the past, the judge is following the principle of

stare decisis