US Government Exam Review: Legislative and Executive Branches

What is the term length for members of the House of Representatives?

2 years

How many members are in the House of Representatives?

435 members

What are the titles used for members of the House of Representatives?

Representatives or Congressmen and Congresswomen

How is representation in the House of Representatives determined?

Based on population

What is the term length for Senators?

6 years

How many Senators are there in total?

100 members

What is the role of a Delegate in Congress?

They represent the people from state districts.

Who are the Constituents in the context of Congress?

The people that a member of Congress represents.

What does it mean for a member of Congress to act as a Trustee?

They listen to their constituents and use their own judgment to decide what is best.

What is the role of Partisans in Congress?

They are affiliated with parties and are expected to be loyal to their party members.

What are Politicos in the context of Congress?

Members who navigate political pressures to pass bills, often through compromise and deals.

What is a Bill in legislative terms?

A proposed law that must be passed by Congress.

What is Floor Consideration in Congress?

The process of deciding if a bill should go to the full chamber.

What is Oversight in the context of Congress?

Congress investigates matters within its purview.

What are Earmarks or Pork Barrel Spending?

Funds allocated to specific projects to gain favor from constituents.

What does the term 'Session' refer to in Congress?

The period during which Congress meets to conduct its business.

What is the Congressional salary as mentioned in the notes?

$174,000 a year.

What benefits do members of Congress receive besides salary?

Special tax deductions, travel allowances, health care insurance, retirement plans, free parking, and free postage.

What is the racial makeup of Congress?

Mostly white and Protestant.

What is the gender makeup of Congress?

Almost all males.

What are Delegated Powers in the context of Congress?

Powers given to the Federal government by the states, including the Commerce Clause.

What are Implied Powers?

Powers not explicitly stated but necessary to implement expressed powers, such as setting up the IRS.

What are Inherent Powers?

Powers that a government has simply by being a government, such as controlling borders and setting citizenship requirements.

What is the Commerce Clause?

It gives Congress the power to regulate trade and includes both expressed and implied powers.

What borrowing power does Congress have?

The power to borrow money.

What is a deficit in government terms?

The amount by which the government spends more money than it brings in during a year.

What does debt refer to in the context of government finance?

All the money that the government owes.

What is the debt ceiling?

The maximum amount that the U.S. government can borrow.

Who has control over the currency of the U.S.?

Congress.

What are some powers granted to Congress besides currency control?

Congress has the power to grant copyrights and patents, operate the postal service, establish weights and measures, and define federal crimes and punishments.

What is the Elastic Clause?

Also known as the Necessary and Proper Clause, it grants Congress the power to do whatever it needs to run the government.

What do strict constructionists believe regarding the powers of the federal government?

They believe that primary power should rest with the states and that the federal government has very little power, limited to only expressed powers.

Who led the strict constructionist movement?

Thomas Jefferson.

What is the belief of loose constructionists regarding federal power?

They believe that the federal government should drive the nation and have broad powers, allowing anything not explicitly prohibited by the Constitution.

Who led the loose constructionist movement?

Alexander Hamilton.

What was the significance of McCullogh v. Maryland?

It was a Supreme Court case that determined federal control over banks, siding with the federal government and supporting liberal constructionist views.

What are some of the executive powers of the legislature?

The legislature can approve or reject judges, federal positions, ambassadorial positions, cabinet members, and treaties.

What is the process of impeachment in the U.S. government?

Impeachment begins in the House of Representatives, and if the person is impeached, they are then tried in the Senate.

Who negotiates treaties in the U.S. government?

The president negotiates treaties, which must then be approved by the Senate.

What role does the Senate play in the treaty process?

The Senate must approve treaties before the U.S. becomes an official party to them.

What is required for a president to be removed from office?

A 2/3 vote is needed for removal from office.

Who was impeached in 1868?

Andrew Johnson

Which president was impeached in 1998?

Bill Clinton

What years was Donald Trump impeached?

Donald Trump was impeached in 2019 and 2021.

What is the role of the White House Staff and Presidential Cabinet?

They are appointed by the president to help make decisions and are confirmed by the Senate.

What does the National Security Council do?

It advises the president on domestic, foreign, and military security issues.

What is the function of the Office of Management and Budget?

It oversees the president's preparation for the federal budget.

What is the Department of State responsible for?

It manages relationships with other countries.

What does the Department of the Treasury handle?

It is responsible for the production of currency and dispensing social security payments.

What is the role of the Department of Justice?

It manages crime and civil rights within federal law.

What does the Department of Homeland Security deal with?

It manages borders, immigration, and emergency responses to diseases.

What is the Central Intelligence Agency's primary function?

It coordinates government intelligence activities outside of the U.S.

What does the Environmental Protection Agency do?

It protects human and environmental health.

What are the qualifications to be president?

Must be born on U.S. soil, at least 35 years old, and have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.

What does the 22nd Amendment state about presidential terms?

It limits a president to two terms (8 years) in office.

What are the reasons a president might be replaced?

A president may be replaced if they die, resign, or are incapacitated.

What is the order of presidential succession?

Vice President, Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Defense, Attorney General.

What are the domestic powers of the president?

Enforce laws, issue executive orders, appoint federal judges, oversee executive offices, grant pardons, and veto bills.

What is a pardon?

A legal forgiveness of a crime.

What is a veto?

A president can veto a bill passed by Congress, sending it back for re-vote.

What is the president's role in diplomacy?

The president is the chief representative of the U.S. to other nations.

What is the significance of the Invisible Hand in capitalism?

It suggests that individual self-interest in a free market leads to economic prosperity.

What are the strengths of capitalism?

Encourages creativity and ingenuity, promotes hard work, and operates independently.

What are the weaknesses of capitalism?

Wealth inequality, lack of transparency, social good issues, boom and bust cycles, and short-term thinking.

What is communism as explained by Karl Marx?

A system with communal ownership, no private property, and equality as the defining trait.

What is a mixed economy?

A compromise that incorporates both capitalist and socialist elements through government intervention.

What is the role of the Federal Reserve?

It manages loans, mortgage rates, and balances economic growth and inflation.

What happens when interest rates are lowered?

Lower interest rates encourage economic growth.

What is the effect of raising interest rates?

Raising interest rates is intended to stabilize the economy.