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Monday, January 24, 2011

Help With Your Homework Tonight

AP® UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
2008 SCORING GUIDELINES

Question 1
7 points

Part (a): 2 points

One point is earned for a correct definition of congressional reapportionment. One point is earned for a correct explanation of why reapportionment is important to states.

An acceptable definition of congressional reapportionment is:

• The reallocation of the number of representatives each state has in the House of Representatives.
Acceptable explanations of why congressional reapportionment is important to states are:
• Reapportionment increases or decreases the number of seats a state has in the House/Congress
(not the Senate).
• More representatives mean that a state has more influence.
• Reapportionment increases or decreases a state’s number of electoral votes.

NOTE: The explanation point must be tied to an appropriate definition of reapportionment.

Part (b): 1 point

One point is earned for a correct definition of congressional redistricting. An acceptable definition is:

• The drawing/redrawing of House/congressional (not Senate) district lines.

Part (c): 2 points

One point is earned for each of two explanations of the goals of politicians when they gerrymander during
redistricting. Acceptable explanations may include:

• To enhance political party strength/to minimize the strength of the opposition party.
• To protect incumbents/to discourage challengers.
• To increase minority representation/to decrease minority representation.
• To punish foes/to reward friends.

NOTE: “Cracking” or “packing” must be tied to one of the above in order to earn the explanation point.


Gerrymandering
2008 “Model” Student Response

A1. Congressional reapportionment is when a states’ population is re-totaled, and based on growth or loss of state citizens, the number of representatives in the House could change.

A2. This is important to the states because they don’t want to lose seats in the House of Representatives.
B1. Redistricting is the act of redrawing the lines of congressional districts to give one party a better chance of winning over another.
C. Gerrymandering can occur when politicians want to: give the minority the majority in a district or creating a district that favors their party. C1. Giving minority the majority would help congressional leaders make legislation to help minorities.
C2. Creating a district that is more populated with one party over another can ensure a politician’s chance of winning.
D1. The Supreme Court has outlawed racial gerrymandering which was found to happen often in the South to prevent African-Americans from voting or having a majority.
D2. The Supreme Court also shot down majority-minority districts. Reapportionment and congressional redistricting is watched closely by today’s courts.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

For Tuesday: The Congress Quiz #4; pages 254-66

The Congress Quiz #4; pages 254-66

1) What are members of Congress most likely to do when they leave Congress?

A) run for local office
B) run for state office
C) work in the executive branch
D) work in the judicial branch
E) become lobbyists

2) When Congress is in session, a memberʹs day can best be describes as

A) chaotic. B) leisurely. C) short. D) boring. E) simple.

3) All of the following are advantages of incumbency EXCEPT

A) name recognition.
B) access to the media.
C) easier fund raising.
D) the frank.
E) publicly funded campaigns.

4) When is a member of Congress least likely to be reelected?

A) when the economy is doing poorly
B) when the economy is doing well
C) when he or she is from the presidentʹs party
D) when he or she is involved in a scandal
E) when there is a budget deficit

5) From 1980 to 1990, about ________ percent of incumbents who sought reelection were
successful.

A) 25 B) 55 C) 70 D) 80 E) 95

6) Which demographic group is the least well represented in Congress?
A) men
B) millionaires
C) those with advanced degrees
D) Hispanics
E) veterans

7) Elected representatives who listen to their constituentsʹ opinions and then use their best
judgment to make decisions are

A) incommunicados.
B) politicos.
C) simpaticos.
D) delegates.
E) trustees.

8) A senator may agree to vote for a bill that will bring money to a colleagueʹs district. In
exchange, the colleague will agree to vote for a future bill that the initial senator supports.
This is called

A) using the frank.
B) discharging the petition.
C) fishmongering.
D) logrolling.
E) casework.


9) Most bills introduced in Congress
A) are passed quickly.
B) are passed eventually.
C) are passed but not enacted because they are unconstitutional.
D) are vetoed by the president.
E) die.

10) What happens to a House bill after it is reported by the full committee?
A) It is introduced in the corresponding committee in the Senate.
B) It is debated on the House floor.
C) It is sent to a conference committee.
D) It is sent to the Rules Committee.
E) It is sent to the Committee on Committees.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Wednesday's Sabato Reading

The Congress Quiz #3: pages 250-54

1) The constitutional officer who presides over the Senate is the

A) Speaker of the Senate.
B) House majority leader.
C) majority caucus.
D) president of the United States.
E) vice president of the United States.

2) How is a tie broken in the Senate?

A) A tie is broken by drawing lots.
B) The president pro tempore breaks the tie.
C) The president of the United States breaks the tie.
D) The vice president of the United States breaks the tie.
E) There is no way to break a tie. If there is a tie vote, the measure does not pass.

3) Who is the true leader of the Senate by virtue of having the most power and influence in the
chamber?

A) the Vice President of the United States
B) the President of the Senate
C) the president pro tempore
D) the presiding officer of the Senate
E) the Senate majority leader

4) Woodrow Wilson wrote that ʺCongress in session is Congress on exhibition, whilst Congress
in its ________ is Congress at work.ʺ

A) cloakrooms
B) pubs and smoking lounges
C) districts
D) reelection offices
E) committee rooms

5) Committees allow for

A) socialization.
B) emancipation.
C) specialization.
D) fraternization.
E) temptation.

6) What is the role of conference committees?

A) to set the congressional agenda
B) to ensure ethical behavior by members of Congress
C) to hear testimony from citizens and interest groups
D) to reach compromises on bills after both chambers have passed similar bills
E) to reach compromises on a bill after they have been referred from standing committees
and before they are referred to select committees

7) Which committees are most numerous?

A) standing committees
B) subcommittees
C) joint committees
D) select committees
E) special committees


8) Why do members of Congress pass pork and earmarks?

A) because each project benefits the country as a whole
B) because agricultural subsidies are necessary to ensure that the United States has enough
domestic food sources in case an armed conflict cuts off supplies of imported food
C) because Congress prefers to pass bills that are in the long-term best interests of the
country
D) because they help members of Congress get reelected
E) because it is important for the United States to be a good global citizen

9) What is the composition of committees in the House of Representatives?
A) The majority party has all of the seats on a majority of committees; the minority party has
all of the seats on a minority of committees.
B) The majority party has a majority of seats on all committees; the minority party has a
minority of seats on all committees.
C) The majority party has a majority of seats on a majority of committees; the minority party
has a majority of seats on a minority of committees.
D) Each committee has an equal number of Democrats and Republicans.
E) Partisanship does not affect committee composition.

10) How are committee chairs selected in the House?

A) by lot
B) by seniority
C) by party loyalty
D) by margin of electoral victory
E) according to the size of Representativesʹ constituencies

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

No Donahue Tomorrow!!! Again....

‎5th period: No Mayor Donahue tomorrow, Thursday (again!). We are going to reschedule for Friday....

Current Events

Hey 5th Period Students:

For our current event exercise, if you need some events to draw upon I have posted 15 below. You may go with your own, or choose from one of the events listed below.



Current Events

Officer stopped suspect on day of Ariz. Shooting : http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110112/ap_on_re_us/us_congresswoman_shot
Haiti falls silent to remember earthquake victims:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110112/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_haiti_earthquake
Floods turn major Australian city into ghost town:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_australia_flooding;_ylt=Ahyi.kQqdEKAVLt58yKzYWS9IxIF;_ylu=X3oDMTMzNjlzN25yBGFzc2V0Ay9zL2FwL2FzX2F1c3RyYWxpYV9mbG9vZGluZwRjY29kZQNtcF9lY184XzEwBGNwb3MDMgRwb3MDMgRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA2Zsb29kc3R1cm5tYQ--
Palin charges critics with 'blood libel':
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/47477;_ylt=Au9dwlnUwb9gU0h8wPYXsEZv24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTJwdHJnbWEwBGFzc2V0Ay9zL3BvbGl0aWNvLzQ3NDc3BGNjb2RlA21wX2VjXzhfMTAEY3BvcwM0BHBvcwM0BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDcGFsaW5jaGFyZ2Vz
Biden reasures Pakistan in speech as bomb kills 18:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_pakistan;_ylt=Aohb02TMrhUNY9u_ZAendGHCw5R4;_ylu=X3oDMTJwNTVnZmQ2BGFzc2V0Ay9zL2FwL2FzX3Bha2lzdGFuBGNjb2RlA21wX2VjXzhfMTAEY3BvcwM1BHBvcwM1BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDYmlkZW5yZWFzdXJl
North Korea's military: a bad hand played well:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_koreas_tale_of_two_militaries;_ylt=AhCrO.Pt9JePFbiHCN4pYL39xg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTNlb2NnZzJ0BGFzc2V0Ay9zL2FwL2FzX2tvcmVhc190YWxlX29mX3R3b19taWxpdGFyaWVzBGNjb2RlA21wX2VjXzhfMTAEY3BvcwM2BHBvcwM2BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDbm9ydGhrb3JlYXNt
Hezbollah and its allies topple Lebanon government:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/lebanon_hariri_tribunal;_ylt=AgbJve6n3p2cS_NBg7ByqgH9xg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTM1N2E4ZzFoBGFzc2V0Ay9zL2FwL2xlYmFub25faGFyaXJpX3RyaWJ1bmFsBGNjb2RlA21wX2VjXzhfMTAEY3BvcwM2BHBvcwM2BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDaGV6Ym9sbGFoYW5k
WikiLeaks' Assange: China is our real enemy:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_britain_assange;_ylt=Au2QO4UudFJrsEVN..BZWckUewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTMwNmdzODVrBGFzc2V0Ay9zL25tL3VzX2JyaXRhaW5fYXNzYW5nZQRjY29kZQNtcF9lY184XzEwBGNwb3MDNwRwb3MDNwRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA3dpa2lsZWFrc2Fzcw--
Breakfast products recalled over labeling:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_recalls_msg;_ylt=As_D5tYwwbxxKO7yf01b49Zg.3QA;_ylu=X3oDMTJzZnFkNDFnBGFzc2V0Ay9zL25tL3VzX3JlY2FsbHNfbXNnBGNjb2RlA21wX2VjXzhfMTAEY3BvcwM1BHBvcwM1BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDYnJlYWtmYXN0cHJv
Cancer costs to rise to $158 billion in 2020:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_cancer_costs;_ylt=ArpX0OGCM.kAljnBDGtzgKEXIr0F;_ylu=X3oDMTJ0MmIybDNzBGFzc2V0Ay9zL25tL3VzX2NhbmNlcl9jb3N0cwRjY29kZQNtcF9lY184XzEwBGNwb3MDNgRwb3MDNgRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA2NhbmNlcmNvc3RzdA--
ACORN leader avoids prison for voter fraud conspiracy:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/dailycaller/acornleaderavoidsprisonforvoterfraudconspiracy;_ylt=Aog0PywTWFCeuezA84bGBwAp_aF4;_ylu=X3oDMTQ3MWIyM28wBGFzc2V0Ay9zL2RhaWx5Y2FsbGVyL2Fjb3JubGVhZGVyYXZvaWRzcHJpc29uZm9ydm90ZXJmcmF1ZGNvbnNwaXJhY3kEY2NvZGUDbXBfZWNfOF8xMARjcG9zAzEwBHBvcwMxMARzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA2Fjb3JubGVhZGVyYQ--
Prosecutor: Ex-CIA agent lied about militant past
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_cuban_militant;_ylt=AmipuiWtBtfug6L9EWvBX9l1EcF_;_ylu=X3oDMTJ2Mjk4anVxBGFzc2V0Ay9zL2FwL3VzX2N1YmFuX21pbGl0YW50BGNjb2RlA21wX2VjXzhfMTAEY3BvcwM3BHBvcwM3BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDcHJvc2VjdXRvcmV4
U.S. survey shows "pervasive" bedbug problem
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_bedbugs_poll;_ylt=AjqoIE6WDziQgK5jCWgy3rFH2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTJ0aXJvODRsBGFzc2V0Ay9zL25tL3VzX2JlZGJ1Z3NfcG9sbARjY29kZQNtcF9lY184XzEwBGNwb3MDNwRwb3MDNwRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA3Vzc3VydmV5c2hvdw--
Attacks in Afghanistan kill 5 NATO troops
http://content.usatoday.com/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=freep&sParam=42490376.story
Geithner: China must speed currency reform, address intellectual property issues
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/12/AR2011011201439.html
Sarah Palin as provocateur
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/eye-on-2012/palin-as-provocateur.html

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Sabato Quiz #2

Class,

Here is tomorrow's Sabato quiz related to pages: 242 to 250
Don't forget to finish the questions related to the article I gave to you today. It will be turned in, first thing.

Congress Quiz #2

1) How does the Constitution define impeachable offenses?
A) ʺthose acts which by their very Nature breach the public trust.ʺ
B) ʺa felony of any class.ʺ
C) ʺabuse of power or reckless disregard for the Principles of Democracy.ʺ
D) ʺTreason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.ʺ
E) ʺactions contrary to the Interests of the Union, or those actions which Appear contrary.ʺ

2) Who conducts impeachment trials?
A) the House of Representatives
B) the Senate
C) a joint session of Congress
D) the Supreme Court
E) the presidentʹs cabinet

3) The House of Representatives has the sole power to
A) try impeached officials.
B) approve treaties.
C) make agreements with the executive.
D) initiate revenue bills.
E) declare war.

4) The Senate has the sole power to
A) declare war.
B) approve major presidential appointments.
C) regulate the District of Columbia.
D) issue patents and copyrights.
E) establish post offices and post roads.

5) Which of the following accurately characterizes a difference in the way the House and Senate
operate?
A) The House is more formal than the Senate.
B) The Senate leadership is more powerful than the House leadership.
C) Authority in the Senate is concentrated while authority in the house is diffuse.
D) House rules permit a filibuster but Senate rules do not.
E) It is easier to pass legislation in the Senate than in the House.

6) The leader of the House of Representatives is called the
A) majority leader.
B) President of the House.
C) Speaker of the House.
D) ombudsman.
E) president pro tempore.

7) What kind of Speaker was Newt Gingrich?
A) a powerful Speaker who had considerable control over the House
B) a weak Speaker who had very little control over the House
C) a behind-the-scenes Speaker who stayed out of the limelight
D) a corrupt Speaker who resigned after he was indicted by a Texas grand jury
E) a go-along-to-get-along Speaker

8) What was J. Dennis Hastertʹs style as Speaker?
A) aggressive
B) flamboyant
C) pragmatic and cautious
D) extravagant and overzealous
E) knee-jerk and hot-headed

9) Which of the following best summarized the outcome of the 2006 elections?
A) Republicans retained control of both chambers.
B) Democrats retained control of both chambers.
C) Republicans regained control of both chambers.
D) Democrats regained control of both chambers.
E) Democrats regained control of the House, while Republicans retained control of the
Senate.

10) The congressional leaders who line up members on partisan issues and serve as a link between
the rank-and-file members and the leadership are called
A) whips.
B) majority leaders.
C) minority leaders.
D) parliamentarians.
E) sergeants at arms.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Sabato Quiz #1 on the Congress

Hello Class,

Welcome back. Here is Tuesday's Sabato quiz. The readings to which it pertains can be found on pages: 239 to 242. Have fun!!!

The Congress Quiz #1

1) Nancy Pelosi is the first woman

A) to serve in Congress.
B) elected to Congress from California.
C) selected as the Democratic whip in the House of Representatives.
D) to serve as Speaker of the House.
E) to serve as President of the Senate.

2) The U.S. Congress is

A) the only democratically elected legislature in the world.
B) prohibited from passing laws that might conflict with state laws.
C) required to reapportion every year.
D) nonpartisan.
E) bicameral.

3) The structure of the legislative branch of government is described by ________ of the
Constitution.

A) Article I B) Article II C) Article III D) Article IV E) Article V

4) Members of the House of Representatives must

A) be at least thirty years old.
B) have lived in the United States for at least seven years.
C) pass a religious test.
D) take an oath to uphold socialist principles.
E) all of the above

5) There are ________ members of the House of Representatives and ________ members of the
Senate.

A) 376; 50 B) 435; 50 C) 435; 100 D) 527; 50 E) 527; 100

6) Senators are elected for ________-year terms.

A) two B) four C) six D) seven E) eight

7) Apportionment and redistricting typically occur every
A) two years.
B) four years.
C) six years.
D) 10 years.
E) 20 years.

8) According to Article I, section 8 of the Constitution, Congress has the power to

A) lay and collect taxes.
B) grant titles of nobility.
C) pass ex post facto laws.
D) revoke natural laws.
E) impeach state governors.

9) The Seventeenth Amendment

A) requires the direct election of senators.
B) limits the sale or importation of alcoholic beverages.
C) limits the president to two consecutive terms.
D) limits congressional salaries.
E) establishes an income tax.

10) The Constitution gives formal law-making powers to

A) Congress.
B) the House of Representatives but not the Senate.
C) the Senate but not the House of Representatives.
D) the bureaucracy.
E) the executive branch.