Unit 2: 4.3 & 4.4 FRQS - AP U.S Government

FRQ 4.3:

Congressional leadership and the committee system play a large role in how Congress functions. Use the scenario and your knowledge of U.S. Government and Politics to answer parts A,B, and C

A. Describe one way in which the committee system impacts legislation

B. Describe one difference between the role played by party leaders in the House and the role played by party leaders in the Senate

C. Explain one reason why it is difficult for party leaders to control the way the members of their party vote on legislation

A. The committee serves as gatekeeper (means yes or no), if the committee says no: the bill can never become a law. They can prevent a bill from ever getting voted on. The committee chair, alone, and the committee itself decides whether or not a bill has a chance of getting voted on. Most bills die in committee because of this.

B. The House of Representatives has a centralization of power. The speaker of the house has more power than any other members. Controls the rules committee; the speaker has more power than any committee in the House of Representatives. In the Senate, there is no centralization of power. Every senator has equal power, with the exception of majority leader by design in order for debate.

C. In both the house and senate, there is weak party discipline because senators and representatives will not vote against their constituency (voters) just to support the party.

FRQ 4.4:

One of the most cherished safeguards of liberty in our government [is] -- the right of a political minority to have a voice. Until now, this has always been the defining characteristic of the Senate. That’s why all senators have traditionally defended the Senate as an institution, because they knew that the Senate was the last legislative check for political minorities and small states against the kind of raw exercise of power large states and majority parties have always been tempted to wield.

A. Describe the viewpoint expressed in the quote

B. Describe one advantage of the filibuster in the lawmaking process

C. Explain two reasons why the filibuster has been criticized

A. Senator McConnell is concerned about the strength of the Senate in protecting the rights of the minority party from the will of the majority. It appears that McConnell is talking about the importance of the filibuster.

B. The benefit of the filibuster is that it empowers the minority party to protect against the majority will. Senators are supposed to protect inalienable rights against majoritarian rule.

C. Senators can’t pass legislation that is supported by the majority of the chamber due to a filibuster. Filibusters are also criticized because the minority should not be able to stop the majority's will (overuse of power). Yet, that’s by design from the Framers.

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