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Saturday, January 21, 2012

War Powers Article

Hi Class. Hope you are having a nice weekend. I have added some questions to the reading that is due on Monday. Your written completion of additional questions (6-10) will be due on Tuesday, but may be incorporated orally on Monday when I quiz you out loud. You might as well complete them for Monday as I may call on you to answer 6-10. Also note, that page numbers correspond to where you will find the answers to the reading. Go Niners!

Study Questions for “War Powers, International Alliances, the President, and Congress



1. Describe the constitutional ambiguity regarding war. (p. 14).
2. Explain how the size of the American military in the 19th and early 20th centuries limited presidential war making power. (p. 16)
3. Explain how the decision in INS v. Chadha could conceivably affect the War Powers Resolution. (p. 16)
4. Explain how the scale of military conflicts affects the degree to which presidents have obtained permission from Congress when committing troops to overseas conflicts. (p. 17)
5. How does American Exceptionalism factor in America’s relations with its international partners? (p. 20)
6. Describe the role of Congress in the decision to go to use military force against Iraq in both 1991 and 2002. (p. 17)
7. Explain how the existence of international organizations such as the UN has affected the use of unilateralism by the US. (p. 18)
8. Describe how Bush 41 used a multilateral strategy in dealing with Iraq in 1990-91, and how Bush 43 used more of a unilateral strategy in dealing with Iraq in 2002. (p. 19)
9. What are two major provisions of the War Powers Act? (p. 16.)
10. After reading the article, where do you think war powers should reside?
Should the power of war reside more with the president or with congress?
Should the current system (as defined in the Constitution) change or stay the
same and why?

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Chapter 7.5 Pages 266 to 273

1) What is a hold?
A) a failed filibuster
B) a type of constituency service
C) an illegal perk from a lobbyist
D) a way for a member of the House to delay legislation by refusing to support a
unanimous consent agreement
E) a Senate tactic that signals the leadership to consult the senator before further action is
taken on a bill

2) How can a filibuster be stopped?
A) with a three-fifths vote of all House members
B) with a discharge petition
C) with a cloture motion
D) through senatorial courtesy
E) A filibuster can not be stopped. That is why they are so powerful.

3) What did the Gang of Fourteen prevent?
A) Social Security reform
B) changes to the filibuster rules
C) the China Trade Act of 2000
D) ghost voting
E) extending George W. Bushʹs tax cuts

4) Which of the following best describes George W. Bushʹs beliefs about Congress?
A) Congress should take the lead in domestic policymaking.
B) Congress should take the lead in foreign policy issues.
C) A strong Congress is the best way to keep America safe from terrorists.
D) Congress has limited oversight over the executive branch, especially in times of war.
E) Congress should lead and the president should follow.

5) The War Powers Act
A) was an unsuccessful attempt to reassert Congressional authority over the executive
branch.
B) was declared unconstitutional in Bowers v. Hardwick.
C) hinders the ability of Congress to declare war.
D) was nullified by Richard Nixonʹs signing statement.
E) has been precisely followed by all sitting presidents since the law was enacted.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Chapter 7.4 Pages 255 to 266

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.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Chapter 7.3 Pages 250 to 254

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