Political Science 161

Questions for Bardes, et al., Chapter 10

1. What do the authors feel would be the effect of having nonpartisan panels draw congressional districts?

2. According to the authors, what are the six major functions of Congress? What is a trustee? What is a delegate? What is a politico? What is casework? What is log rolling?

3. According to the authors, what are the most important domestic powers and foreign policy power of Congress?

4. Discuss the major differences between the House and the Senate? Why is the House Rules Committee important? What is a filibuster? How like or unlike is the typical Congressperson to the average person?

5. Discuss the power of incumbency? What happened in the election of 2006?

6. What is reapportionment? What is redistricting? What is a justiciable question? Discuss what the major reapportionment cases have decided about this issue. What is gerrymandering? What is its present status? What is the present status of minority-majority districts? What are the arguments concerning nonpartisan commissions taking charge of redistricting?

7. What are some of the special benefits a member of Congress has? What is the franking privilege? How many staff members does the average Senator employ? How many staff members does the average Representative employ? What privileges and immunities does a Congressperson have under the Constitution?

8. What are the various types of committees? How are committee members chosen? What is the seniority system?

9. Who are the major leaders of the House? Who are the major leaders of the Senate?

10. What is the single best predictor of how a member of Congress will vote on an issue? What is the Conservative Coalition?

11. Discuss the most typical way that a bill becomes a law, referring to Figure 10-3.

12. What is the executive budget? What is the federal government’s fiscal year? What is the spring review of the OMB? What is the fall review? Discuss the budget cycle, referring to Figure 10-4. What is a continuing resolution? Be sure to read the box on Page 366 that deals with learning about your representatives in congress.