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.

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.

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

7.2 Pages 242 to 250

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.

Chapter 7.1 Pages 239 to 242

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.

FRQ on Elections and the Media

In the 1990's presidential election campaigns have become more candidate centered and less focusedon issues and party labels. This change has been attributed both to how the media cover presidential campaigns and to how candidates use the media.

A. Identify and explain two ways in which the media have contributed to candidate-centered presidential campaigns.

B. Identify and explain two ways in which presidential candidates' use of the media has contributed to candidate centered campaigns.

Your answer should NOT include a discussion of presidential primary elections.


It's fair to say that both the media and presidential candidates have benefited symbiotically from one another during presidential campaigns. Both stand to gain significantly under this relationship with media recording profits from their coverage while candidates stand to potentially win an election with the appropriate amount of media exposure.

A1. One way in which the MEDIA contributes to candidate-centered campaigns is through the coverage of background on a perspective presidential candidate. During the 2008 election profiles of all of the major candidates were covered on most of the major networks. Many Americans tune in with fascination to learn about a candidates' early beginnings.

A2. Another way in which the MEDIA contributes to candidate-centered campaigns is through feeding frenzy coverage of a candidate's potential wrong-doing. In the case of John McCain during the 2008 election, allegations of an alleged affair with a staff member while unsubstantiated played to a huge spike in audience attention-undoubtedly boosting ratings and revenue for the media.

B1. One way in which CANDIDATES use of the media contributes to candidate-centered campaigns centers around the use of negative commercials and mudslinging to defame their competitor during election time. Millions of dollars are spent by campaigns to buy advertising time during elections and attempt manipulate public opinion usually through attack and smear campaigns that are viewed during prime time.

B2. Another way in which CANDIDATES use of the media contributes to candidate-centered campaigns is through attention-gathering public appearances to enhance public attention to individual qualities. One public attention appearance that backfired against George W. Bush was his entry onto the flight deck of an aircraft carrier with the emblem "Mission Accomplished" emblazoned on the ship. The war in Iraq could hardly have been characterized as completed during this publicity stunt. This public appearance actually had the opposite effect and led to a precipitous decline in Bush's popularity.

15.4 Pages 569 to 575

1) What position did Tony Snow have before becoming George W. Bushʹs press secretary?
A) He was the chair of George W. Bushʹs 2006 reelection committee.
B) He was the White House chief of staff.
C) He was a member of the House of Representatives from Virginia.
D) He was a Fox News commentator.
E) He was a Texas oil tycoon and a major contributor to George W. Bushʹs 2006 reelection.

2) Which of the following best describes George W. Bushʹs relationship with the press?
A) He is exceedingly accessible to the press.
B) He is frequently available to answer journalistsʹ questions in both formal and informal
settings.
C) He is very tight-lipped.
D) He has a jovial relationship with the press.
E) He has an open-door policy for journalists.

3) Which of the following best describes media coverage of the George W. Bush presidency?
A) Journalists frequently praise George W. Bushʹs leadership.
B) Journalists frequently praise George W. Bushʹs prowess for public policies.
C) Journalists cover the Bush presidency in an overwhelmingly negative light.
D) Journalists cover the Bush presidency as exceedingly honest and forthright.
E) Journalists cover the Bush presidency with awe and admiration for the presidentʹs
successes.

4) Media coverage of Congress by network affiliates tends to concentrates on
A) Newt Gingrich and Strom Thurmond.
B) local members of Congress.
C) foreign policy.
D) freshmen representatives.
E) economic issues.

5) Why did the ʺmission accomplishedʺ banner backfire on George W. Bush?
A) because ordinary voters did not understand the banner
B) because the banner seemed to contradict what he said in his speech
C) because the banner cost over $100,000
D) because it fell down while he was giving his speech, making the military look inept
E) because it later underscored Bushʹs unrealistic expectations for the war in Iraq

6) Which political institution receives the least media coverage?
A) the House of Representatives
B) the Senate
C) the president
D) Congress
E) the Supreme Court

7) The media have the greatest influence on
A) hardcore liberals.
B) hardcore conservatives.
C) strong Democrats.
D) strong Republicans.
E) independents.

8) The media have the greatest influence on public opinion about
A) neighborhood crime.
B) childrearing.
C) inflation.
D) domestic policies.
E) events in foreign countries.

9) What is agenda setting?
A) the ability of the media to tell the public what issues the public should be thinking about
B) the tendency to remember only those news stories that are consistent with oneʹs
predispositions
C) the ability of the media to influence the publicʹs opinions on issues
D) the mediaʹs focus on scandal and corruption
E) the publicʹs ability to determine what issues the media covers.

10) Which of the following accurately describes American journalists?
A) They tend to be libertarian.
B) They tend to be socially conservative.
C) They tend to be anti-establishment.
D) They tend to be economically conservative.
E) They are just as likely to be registered Democrats as registered Republicans.

11) The mediaʹs coverage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 suggests that the media may
have a
A) liberal bias.
B) anti-incumbent bias.
C) corporate bias.
D) Democratic bias.
E) status quo bias.

12) Those who claim that the media has a conservative bias point to
A) FOX News.
B) a corporate mentality that is hesitant to criticize possible sponsors.
C) fiscally conservative corporate interests of companies that own the media.
D) the lack of media skepticism given to the Bush administrationʹs arguments for waging
war in Iraq.
E) All of the above.

13) Which of the following best summarizes ideological bias in the media?
A) The media have a strong liberal bias.
B) The media have a strong conservative bias.
C) The media have a liberal bias on social issues and a conservative bias on economic issues.
D) The media have a conservative bias on social issues and a liberal bias on economic issues.
E) Liberals think the media has a conservative bias and conservatives think the media has a
liberal bias.