Unit 2 - Interactions of Branches of Government

Question 1

Senate / House

Answer 1

Two chambers of Congress; Senate has 100 members (2 per state), House has 435 (based on population).

Question 2

Chamber Sizes

Answer 2

House (435 members), Senate (100 members).

Question 3

Constituencies

Answer 3

The people politicians represent; Senators represent entire states, House members represent districts.

Question 4

Term-Lengths

Answer 4

Senate: 6 years; House: 2 years.

Question 5

Enumerated Powers

Answer 5

Powers explicitly listed in the Constitution (e.g., declaring war, coining money).

Question 6

Implied Powers

Answer 6

Powers not explicitly stated but inferred (e.g., establishing a national bank).

Question 7

Necessary and Proper Clause

Answer 7

Allows Congress to make laws needed to carry out its enumerated powers (Elastic Clause).

Question 8

Policy-Making Process

Answer 8

Steps to create laws, including drafting, debating, amending, and voting.

Question 9

Congressional Standing Committees

Answer 9

Permanent committees that review and shape proposed laws.

Question 10

Speaker of the House

Answer 10

Leader of the House; controls agenda and legislative process.

Question 11

President of the Senate

Answer 11

Vice President of the U.S.; breaks tie votes in Senate.

Question 12

Party Leadership in Congress

Answer 12

Leaders in each party (e.g., majority/minority leaders) who coordinate legislative strategy.

Question 13

Committee Leadership

Answer 13

Chairs lead congressional committees.

Question 14

Filibuster and Cloture

Answer 14

Filibuster—Senate tactic to delay voting; Cloture—vote to end debate (requires 60 votes).

Question 15

Holds

Answer 15

A senator’s ability to delay a bill or nomination.

Question 16

Unanimous Consent

Answer 16

Senate agreement to expedite proceedings without objection.

Question 17

Rules Committee

Answer 17

Powerful House committee that sets debate rules for bills.

Question 18

Committee of the Whole

Answer 18

A House procedure to consider bills with less formality.

Question 19

Discharge Petitions

Answer 19

Forces a bill out of committee and onto the House floor.

Question 20

Treaty Ratification

Answer 20

Senate must approve treaties with a 2/3 vote.

Question 21

Confirmation

Answer 21

Senate approval of presidential appointments.

Question 22

Federal Budget

Answer 22

Annual plan for federal spending and revenue.

Question 23

Discretionary Spending

Answer 23

Spending that Congress can adjust annually.

Question 24

Mandatory Spending

Answer 24

Required by law (e.g., Social Security, Medicare).

Question 25

Entitlement Spending

Answer 25

Spending on programs individuals qualify for by law.

Question 26

Tax Revenues

Answer 26

Money the government collects from taxes.

Question 27

Budget Deficit

Answer 27

Spending more than revenue.

Question 28

Pork Barrel

Answer 28

Government spending for localized projects to win support.

Question 29

Logrolling

Answer 29

Legislators exchanging votes for mutual benefit.

Question 30

Party Polarization

Answer 30

Increasing ideological differences between parties.

Question 31

Gerrymandering

Answer 31

Drawing district lines to favor one party.

Question 32

Redistricting

Answer 32

Redrawing district boundaries after each census.

Question 33

"One Person, One Vote"

Answer 33

Principle that voting districts must have roughly equal populations.

Question 34

Divided Government

Answer 34

When different parties control the presidency and Congress.

Question 35

Lame-Duck

Answer 35

Elected official with limited influence after losing reelection or nearing term end.

Question 36

Trustee

Answer 36

Representative uses their judgment to make decisions.

Question 37

Delegate

Answer 37

Representative votes based on constituents’ preferences.

Question 38

Politico

Answer 38

Hybrid approach—balances trustee and delegate models.

Question 39

Formal Powers

Answer 39

Powers explicitly given by the Constitution (e.g., veto, treaty-making).

Question 40

Informal Powers

Answer 40

Powers not listed but used (e.g., executive agreements).

Question 41

Vetoes and Pocket Vetoes

Answer 41

Veto—president rejects a bill; Pocket veto—president takes no action and Congress adjourns.

Question 42

Commander-in-Chief

Answer 42

President leads the military.

Question 43

Treaties

Answer 43

Formal agreements with foreign nations (require Senate ratification).

Question 44

Executive Agreements

Answer 44

International agreements made without Senate approval.

Question 45

Executive Orders

Answer 45

Directives from the president that have the force of law.

Question 46

Signing Statements

Answer 46

Presidential comments on how laws should be interpreted.

Question 47

Appointments

Answer 47

President nominates officials (e.g., ambassadors, federal judges).

Question 48

Executive Orders

Answer 48

Checked by courts and Congress.

Question 49

Twenty-Second Amendment

Answer 49

Limits president to two terms.

Question 50

Implied Powers

Answer 50

Powers inferred from the Constitution that increase presidential authority.

Question 51

State of the Union

Answer 51

Annual presidential address to Congress.

Question 52

Bully Pulpit

Answer 52

President’s use of media to influence public opinion and policy.

Question 53

Judicial Review

Answer 53

Power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional.

Question 54

Life Tenure

Answer 54

Federal judges serve for life unless impeached.

Question 55

Precedent

Answer 55

Past judicial decisions guide future cases.

Question 56

Stare Decisis

Answer 56

"Let the decision stand"; courts follow precedent.

Question 57

Appointment and Confirmation

Answer 57

President nominates, Senate confirms judges.

Question 58

Judicial Activism

Answer 58

Judges make bold policy decisions, possibly creating new constitutional ground.

Question 59

Judicial Restraint

Answer 59

Judges avoid policy-making and stick to precedent.

Question 60

Checks: Appointment and Confirmation

Answer 60

Congress checks judicial power

Question 61

Checks: Constitutional Amendments

Answer 61

Can override Supreme Court decisions.

Question 62

Checks: Court Jurisdiction

Answer 62

Limits what cases a court can hear.

Question 63

Implementation of Court Rulings

Answer 63

Courts rely on other branches to enforce decisions.

Question 64

Regulations

Answer 64

Rules created by agencies to implement laws.

Question 65

Fines

Answer 65

Penalties imposed by bureaucracies for rule violations.

Question 66

Congressional Testimony

Answer 66

Bureaucrats report to Congress in hearings.

Question 67

Issue Network

Answer 67

Loosely connected groups pushing policy (interest groups, media, etc.).

Question 68

Iron Triangles

Answer 68

Strong alliance between Congress, bureaucrats, and interest groups.

Question 69

Political Patronage

Answer 69

Giving government jobs to supporters.

Question 70

Civil Service

Answer 70

Nonpolitical government employees.

Question 71

Merit System

Answer 71

Hiring/promoting based on qualifications, not politics.

Question 72

Bureaucratic Discretion

Answer 72

Bureaucrats choose how to implement policies.

Question 73

Rule-Making Agencies

Answer 73

create detailed regulations under congressional laws.

Question 74

Policy Implementation

Answer 74

Putting laws into practice.

Question 75

Oversight

Answer 75

Congressional monitoring of the bureaucracy.

Question 76

Committee Hearings

Answer 76

Meetings where Congress questions bureaucrats.

Question 77

Power of the Purse

Answer 77

Congress’s control over funding