AP Government and Politics › Political Role of Congress
The voting patterns of Members of Congress are most likely to be affected by __________.
the political party with which they are affiliated.
their level of education
their economic background
their business interests
their religious background
Members of Congress are most likely to vote in line with their political parties. Very rarely does a Member of Congress not vote in line with the political party with which he or she is affiliated, so much so that when it does happen it usually cause for a major news story.
Gerrymandering is __________.
the process of redrawing electoral districts to offer an advantage to one party
the act of appropriating Federal funds for a broad use within a state
the act of withholding campaign funding from a party that has breached campaign regulations
the process of establishing a new lower court for the prescribed purpose of mediating a specific issue
the act of removing a politician from office, without an election, after he or she has been found guilty of corruption
Gerrymandering is the process of establishing or redesigning electoral districts in order to offer some electoral advantage to the group or party that is doing the restructuring. It has at times also been used to hinder specific social or ethnic groups from attaining equal representation in Congress.
The Commerce Power of Congress states that __________.
Congress has the power to regulate foreign and interstate trade
Congress cannot intervene in the regulation of interstate trade
Congress has the sole power to levy taxes on corporations
Congress is tasked with ensuring the prohibition of monopolies and cartels
Congress can make no laws concerning trade within a state
The Commerce Power, or Commerce Clause, is an enumerated power given to Congress in the United States Constitution. It states that Congress has the power to regulate foreign and interstate trade.
All of the following are trends currently at work exerting strong influence upon Congress except ____________.
Congress men and women are making policy decisions in strict accordance with their constituents’ opinions at historically unparalleled rates
Congressional political parties – and parties in general – are growing ever farther apart in terms of ideology, thereby increasing the occurrences of gridlock in both the House and Senate.
the President faces ever more insurmountable obstacles when it comes to earning support for the executive agenda from Congress’s opposition party members.
Congress has increasingly engaged in gerrymandering, so that districts are now more politically homogenous than ever before.
While Congress men and women naturally seek to authentically represent their constituents’ interests, they do not seem to be allowing these opinions to guide their policy votes any more than is historically usual. Every single Senator and representative comes face to face with this most classic of Congressional dilemmas: how best to balance their own political beliefs against the urgings of the voters to whom they owe their position. Most times, members make their choices on an issue-by-issue basis, weighing the virulence (or lack thereof) of the voters against party leaders’ pressures and their own leanings. Often, representatives and Senators hold many beliefs in common with the people in their districts, of which they themselves of course are a product, but this is not always the case. Strict adherence to constituents’ desires most often results when an issue is easily understood and highly visible, whereas those policies that are poorly comprehended by the public, require specialized and/or insider information, or are otherwise quite complicated are usually ultimately decided by the Congress person’s own opinions.
Imagine that you are a Democrat. Which of the following is the most accurate representation of your constituency?
None of the answers are correct
Those voters in your district who voted to place you in office on election day
All Democrats in your district
All Republicans in your district
Those voters in your district who voted to place your opponent in office
This is a rather tricky question. The correct answer is that your constituency is everyone in your district—you are the representative of that district (or, if you’re a Senator, of that state). Although you might have been tempted to select the answers that had to do with your party, or those who voted for you, that’s only half of the correct answer.
Which of the following statements about the current makeup of Congress is false?
The most prominent occupations of both Senators and Representatives are those in the financial, medical, and legal realms.
African Americans are very much underrepresented in Congress, especially in the Senate, which only has two currently serving African American Senators.
Women are arguably the most underrepresented Congressional group, making up a mere seventeen percent of each chamber’s population despite making up more than half of the nation’s wider population.
Members overwhelmingly are ranked among the country’s wealthiest citizens, especially in the Senate (which has earned the nickname “The Millionaire’s Club”).
Most Senators and Representatives hold law degrees, with a great many having practiced as lawyers. Other highly common professions include business and academia, but it would certainly be fair to term Congress a “lawyer’s club.” This prevalence can best be explained by the complimentary natures of politics and legal affairs, subjects whose contents often reinforce and give credence to each other. The flexible schedule and high salary which lawyers typically enjoy also come in handy for aspiring Congress men and women, as does the monetary support often provided to political candidates by law firms.
An indirect democracy differs from a direct democracy in which of the following ways?
Two of these answers are correct
An indirect democracy involves the election of representatives who then make all requisite laws
An indirect democracy involves citizens directly voting on laws themselves
None of these answers are correct
An indirect, or representative democracy, is the system of government used in the US. As a representative democracy, we the citizens do not (generally, but there are a few exceptions) vote on laws directly; rather, we vote on representatives to make laws for us. In other words, in a direct democracy (or classic democracy) citizens vote directly on laws, but in an indirect democracy, citizens vote ONLY on representatives who then vote on laws.
Who has the power to declare war in the United States?
The Congress of the United States
The Senate of the United States
The President of the United States
The Secretary of Defense
The House of Representatives
It is often believed that the President of the United States declares war. While the President may announce that war has been declared, because the President acts with the consent of Congress in the matter of war, s/he must first go to the Congress of the United States in a joint session and ask for the declaration of war.
The primary responsibility of a Party Whip is to __________.
ensure that party members in the legislature vote according to the party’s political policy
assist the President directly as a representative of the political party
raise campaign funds during federal elections for their political party
analyze voting patterns around the country to determine which seats are most likely to be competitive in the next House or Senate elections
regulate the personal behavior of party members and try and prevent controversy
A Party Whip is tasked with assisting the party leader and identifying the voting patterns of the members of the political party in the legislature. The primary goal is to ensure that party members vote in accordance with the official party policy and do not go rogue.
Which of the following is not one of the crucial advantages enjoyed by incumbent Congress men and women when running for reelection?
Opponent candidates are usually rather weak (in both strength and qualifications), especially when it comes to those campaigning for Senate seats.
Incumbents typically enjoy a much higher level of visibility among voters than do their opponents.
Incumbents are able to point to specific political achievements and recent accomplishments as proof of their suitability.
Incumbents are able to draw on the goodwill of their constituents earned through their securing of pork barrel funds.
While opponent candidates are usually weak, especially in terms of adequate qualifications, they are actually most vulnerable when aspiring to the House of Representatives. Incumbent House members are even more likely to be successful in their reelection bids than are their counterparts in the Senate, most likely due to the strong party ties and two year terms that govern the House. Opponents who are seeking to steal away a seat from underneath a sitting House representative face a very arduous task. Challengers do not enjoy much voter visibility, free media coverage, or already earned goodwill among their constituent base and so must battle against an incumbent who is significantly better equipped from the very beginning.