Master Unit 2 Review

Front

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of Congress and the Presidency? Options: Congress has greater control over Judicial Appointments, Congress has greater control over Budgetary Policy, Congress has greater control over the Bureaucracy, Congress has greater control over military leadership

Back

Congress has greater control over Budgetary Policy

Answer explanation

Congress has the power of the purse, meaning it controls budgetary policy, including taxation and spending. This gives Congress greater influence over financial matters compared to the Presidency, which has limited budgetary authority.

Front

The practice in Congress whereby Representative A promises to vote for Representative B’s legislation, provided that Representative B will support Representative A’s legislation, is referred to as...

Back

logrolling

Answer explanation

The practice described is known as logrolling, where legislators agree to support each other's proposals to secure votes for their own legislation.

Front

Which of the following is a unique power held by members of the Senate?
Control of the veto,
The ability to filibuster,
Control of the appropriations process,
The ability to impeach the president

Back

The ability to filibuster

Answer explanation

The ability to filibuster is unique to the Senate, allowing members to extend debate and delay or block legislation. Other powers listed, like veto control and impeachment, involve both chambers or are not exclusive to the Senate.

Front

Nominations to the Supreme Court must be approved by a...

Back

simple majority vote in the Senate only

Answer explanation

Nominations to the Supreme Court require a simple majority vote in the Senate only. The House of Representatives does not play a role in this process, making the first answer choice correct.

Front

Which of the following is generally true of the gerrymandering of congressional districts?
Options:
It results in more Democrats being elected to the House.
It guarantees that all minority parties will be equally represented.
It creates districts that favor one political party over another.
It illegally violates the principle of one-person, one-vote.

Back

It creates districts that favor one political party over another.

Answer explanation

Gerrymandering involves drawing district lines to favor one political party, often resulting in skewed representation. This practice can dilute the voting power of opposing parties, making the correct choice that it creates districts favoring one party.

Front

Which of the following describes the ruling in Shaw v. Reno (1993)?
Options:
The Voting Rights Act was ruled unconstitutional.
The poll tax was eliminated.
It was decided that congressional districts needed to be equal in size.

Back

Racial gerrymandering was ruled unconstitutional.

Answer explanation

In Shaw v. Reno (1993), the Supreme Court ruled that racial gerrymandering, which involves drawing district lines based on race to dilute minority voting power, is unconstitutional, thus making the correct choice about racial gerrymandering.

Front

Executive agreements have been cited as evidence that

Back

modern presidents often try to avoid legislative checks and balances on their authority

Answer explanation

Executive agreements allow modern presidents to bypass Congress, demonstrating their tendency to avoid legislative checks and balances on their authority, which supports the correct choice.

Front

The primary function of the White House staff is to...

Back

advise the president

Answer explanation

The primary function of the White House staff is to advise the president, providing essential support and guidance on various issues, rather than initiating policy or representing agencies.

Front

In The Federalist 78, Alexander Hamilton states, “A constitution is, in fact, and must be regarded by the judges, as a fundamental law. It therefore belongs to them to ascertain its meaning.” Which Supreme Court case is most relevant to this statement? Options: Baker v. Carr (1962), Marbury v. Madison (1803), Shaw v. Reno (1993), McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Back

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Answer explanation

Marbury v. Madison (1803) is relevant as it established the principle of judicial review, affirming that it is the role of the judiciary to interpret the Constitution, aligning with Hamilton's assertion in The Federalist 78.

Front

Supreme Court justices were given life terms subject to good behavior by the Framers of the Constitution in order to ensure that...

Back

justices are free from direct political pressures

Answer explanation

The Framers intended for justices to serve life terms to protect them from direct political pressures, allowing them to make impartial decisions based on the law rather than political influence.