Gov Final Exam

What is an exception to the purposes of the committee system in Congress?

Providing direct constituent representation.

Which article of the Constitution allows each House to determine its own procedural rules?

Article I, Section 5.

Why do congressional leaders schedule bills strategically?

Bills not on the schedule cannot pass.

In the current congressional structure, what role do party leaders have?

Can be replaced by party members.

What does the 'Party in the Electorate' primarily consist of?

Ordinary citizens who identify with the party.

Committee system in Congress

Serves multiple purposes except for providing direct constituent representation.

Article I, Section 5

Provides the basis for each House determining its own procedural rules.

Strategic scheduling of bills

Done to maximize the chances of passing bills, as bills not on the schedule cannot pass.

Party leaders in Congress

Can be replaced by party members and are not absolute dictators.

Party in the Electorate

Comprises ordinary citizens who identify with the party.

Congressional lawmaking process

Does NOT include executive review as a step.

Bill introduction prohibition

Senators are prohibited from submitting bills.

Cloture

Requires a supermajority of 3/5 (60%) to end a filibuster.

Descriptive representation

Focuses on demographic matching.

House Rules Committee

Cannot introduce legislation directly.

Bicameral differences resolution

Typically resolved through one chamber passing the other's version.

Constituents influence on votes

Most strongly influence members' votes on newsworthy votes.

Partisan polarization

Most evident in scenarios lacking 60 Senate votes.

Executive Order

A presidential directive implementing policy.

Executive Agreement

Differs from a treaty as it does not require congressional approval.

Constraining factors of Executive Orders

Most constrained by judicial review.

Presidential appointment powers

Require Senate majority confirmation.

Factors reducing presidential approval

Economic recession is a typical factor.

Key characteristic of Executive Agreement

Ability to be made without full congressional ratification.

Honeymoon period

Typically lasts during the first 100 days of a presidency.

Head of each department in federal bureaucracy

Typically a Secretary.

Regulatory agencies

Responsible for restricting a type of economic activity.

Congress control of bureaucracy tools

Does NOT include executive orders.

Replacing government workers with political supporters

Referred to as the spoils system.

Maintenance function agency

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is part of this function.

Number of departments in executive branch

There are 15 departments.

Agency responsible for national security

The National Security Agency (NSA).

Agency restricting insider trading of stocks

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).