PLSC 103 CHAPTER 11 STUDY GUIDE
QUESTIONS WITH 100% CORRECT
ANSWERS
What occurs after a conference committee reconciles differences in the House and
Senate versions of a bill? - Answer- The bill goes back to both chambers for a vote
Partisan divisions have become more ______ as a result of party polarization. - Answer-
acute
What is a distributive policy? - Answer- one that confers a benefit on a particular group
while spreading the cost across the taxpaying public
In Insecure Majorities, Frances Lee noted that, in the currently closely matched parties,
members of Congress are engaged in "______" rather than "governing." - Answer-
messaging
Members of Congress may experience conflict between their lawmaking responsibility
and their responsibility to represent their constituency when ______. - Answer- a policy
that is good for the nation as a whole does not coincide with the needs of their
constituency
How does the public generally feel about Congress? - Answer- dissatisfied
Members of Congress are attentive to the concerns of constituents because
constituents ______. - Answer- determine whether or not they stay in office
When is congressional oversight exercised vigorously? - Answer- - when members are
annoyed with an agency
- when members are intending to modify an agency program.
The text uses the immigration issue as an example of a national issue on which
Republican and Democratic lawmakers cannot agree. What is the sticking point? -
Answer- The two parties have different solutions to the same problem.
The framers of the Constitution intended that lawmakers ______, something that has
become increasingly difficult in today's partisan Congress. - Answer- act in the spirit of
compromise
, What term describes the situation in which Republican and Democratic lawmakers vote
in the same way as their fellow partisans, regardless of constituency differences? -
Answer- nationalization
Positive aspects of party polarization include the fact that ______. - Answer- voters can
more clearly see and understand party differences
Today, in the grip of partisan deadlock, congressional approval ratings are about
______ percent. - Answer- 20
Which of the following oversight tools help Congress to ensure that the executive
branch is administering the laws properly? (Choose every correct answer.) - Answer- -
congressional hearings
- funding review
True or false: Congress is an institution in which many interests are represented, which
is a strength in a diverse nation; yet Congress is also a place in which narrow interests
can block Congress from acting even when there's an important national need, which is
a weakness. - Answer- true
Which of the following describes the power of Congress relative to the other branches of
government? - Answer- No executive agency or lower court can exist without
congressional authorization.
Most members of Congress are - Answer- career politicians who want to stay in
Congress and put themselves in position for reelection.
Which of the following is a major reason why incumbents are reelected? - Answer-
Many congressional districts and some states are lopsidedly Democratic or Republican.
The privilege of incumbents sending mail to their constituencies at the government's
expense is known as the ____ privilege. - Answer- Franking
When there is no incumbent running in an election it is called a(n) ___ - ____ election
and usually sparks heavier spending by the two political parties. - Answer- open-seat
Congressional elections usually favor - Answer- incumbents
Redistricting consists of ______. - Answer- redrawing congressional district boundaries
within a state
In the large majority of cases, the winner of a congressional campaign is the - Answer-
incumbent
The redrawing of congressional boundaries to benefit a political party is called ______. -
Answer- gerrymandering
QUESTIONS WITH 100% CORRECT
ANSWERS
What occurs after a conference committee reconciles differences in the House and
Senate versions of a bill? - Answer- The bill goes back to both chambers for a vote
Partisan divisions have become more ______ as a result of party polarization. - Answer-
acute
What is a distributive policy? - Answer- one that confers a benefit on a particular group
while spreading the cost across the taxpaying public
In Insecure Majorities, Frances Lee noted that, in the currently closely matched parties,
members of Congress are engaged in "______" rather than "governing." - Answer-
messaging
Members of Congress may experience conflict between their lawmaking responsibility
and their responsibility to represent their constituency when ______. - Answer- a policy
that is good for the nation as a whole does not coincide with the needs of their
constituency
How does the public generally feel about Congress? - Answer- dissatisfied
Members of Congress are attentive to the concerns of constituents because
constituents ______. - Answer- determine whether or not they stay in office
When is congressional oversight exercised vigorously? - Answer- - when members are
annoyed with an agency
- when members are intending to modify an agency program.
The text uses the immigration issue as an example of a national issue on which
Republican and Democratic lawmakers cannot agree. What is the sticking point? -
Answer- The two parties have different solutions to the same problem.
The framers of the Constitution intended that lawmakers ______, something that has
become increasingly difficult in today's partisan Congress. - Answer- act in the spirit of
compromise
, What term describes the situation in which Republican and Democratic lawmakers vote
in the same way as their fellow partisans, regardless of constituency differences? -
Answer- nationalization
Positive aspects of party polarization include the fact that ______. - Answer- voters can
more clearly see and understand party differences
Today, in the grip of partisan deadlock, congressional approval ratings are about
______ percent. - Answer- 20
Which of the following oversight tools help Congress to ensure that the executive
branch is administering the laws properly? (Choose every correct answer.) - Answer- -
congressional hearings
- funding review
True or false: Congress is an institution in which many interests are represented, which
is a strength in a diverse nation; yet Congress is also a place in which narrow interests
can block Congress from acting even when there's an important national need, which is
a weakness. - Answer- true
Which of the following describes the power of Congress relative to the other branches of
government? - Answer- No executive agency or lower court can exist without
congressional authorization.
Most members of Congress are - Answer- career politicians who want to stay in
Congress and put themselves in position for reelection.
Which of the following is a major reason why incumbents are reelected? - Answer-
Many congressional districts and some states are lopsidedly Democratic or Republican.
The privilege of incumbents sending mail to their constituencies at the government's
expense is known as the ____ privilege. - Answer- Franking
When there is no incumbent running in an election it is called a(n) ___ - ____ election
and usually sparks heavier spending by the two political parties. - Answer- open-seat
Congressional elections usually favor - Answer- incumbents
Redistricting consists of ______. - Answer- redrawing congressional district boundaries
within a state
In the large majority of cases, the winner of a congressional campaign is the - Answer-
incumbent
The redrawing of congressional boundaries to benefit a political party is called ______. -
Answer- gerrymandering
