American Government 100 Part III Woll, pgs. 325-331 Woll, pgs. 332-336, AG17-15 Rise of the Washington Establishment (Fiorina)
Multiple Choice Questions
1. According to Fiorina, what is the fundamental axiom (a universal truth without proof) that motivates people to behave in a particular way? a) ego, b) self-interest, c) kindness, d) altruism (selfless devotion to the welfare of others)
2. According to Fiorina, what is the primary goal of the typical congressman? a) getting reelected, b) procuring money from PACs, c) providing casework, d) passing laws
3. According to Fiorina, what is the primary goal of the bureaucrat in Washington? a) serve the public good, b) establish good relations with his staff, c) protect and nurture his agency, d) run a cost-efficient operation.
4. According to Fiorina, the primary goal of the voter is to: a) maximize benefits from government at a minimum cost, b) elect candidates who support their ideology, c) restrict the size of government so that liberty is not threatened, d) elect the best candidate who supports the public good.
5. Based on the arguments presented by Fiorina, of the three activities that a member of congress assumes, which is the most potentially costly from the member's standpoint? a) lawmaking, b) oversight, c) investigations, d) fund-raising.
Fill-In Questions
1. For most of the twentieth century, congressmen have engaged in a mix of what three kinds of activities? a) ______, which is the primary responsibility of a congressman, b) "______," which is what a congressman must bring home to his/her district or state. c) ______, which takes up most of a congressman's time.
CONGRESS & THE QUEST FOR POWER Lawrence C. Dodd, pgs. 332-336
True/False Questions
1. In an effort to sustain electoral success, Congressmen will make the necessary hard choices and take on controversial issues. True or False
17-1 2. Dodd argues that newly elected members of Congress should try to quickly serve on the most powerful committees. True or False
Multiple Choice Questions
1. According to Dodd, members of Congress enter politics in a quest for: a) self-interest, b) personal power, c) money, d) to help constituents.
2. Why can members of Congress be judged more on personal qualities than on partisan or executive affiliations? a) Members receive tremendous support from parties and feel obligated, b) Members often disagree with the party leadership, but understand that to get along one must go along, c) Members are independent of parties and are independent of selecting the chief executive, d) Members believe in the cause and platform of their party and will do whatever is necessary to garner the necessary support.
3. Committees that create policies and programs, specify their duties and powers, and establish absolute funding levels: a) Authorization committees, b) Revenue-raising committees, c) Housekeeping committees, d) Internal Regulation committees.
4. Committees that specify the actual funding level for a particular fiscal year: a) Authorization committees, b) Appropriations committees, c) Revenue-raising committees, d) Ad-hoc committees.
5. In Congress, what is the primary criterion for a member to get selected to any leadership position or committee assignment? a) loyalty to party, b) size of campaign contributions, c) seniority, d) leadership status to the nation.
6. What are the liabilities of the committee system? a) It has strong, centralized leadership, b) The decisions by authorization, appropriations, and revenue-raising committees are coordinated to limit public scrutiny, c) There is a lack of accountability and responsibility, d) There is too much openness in the process.
7. Why does the committee system undermine Congress’s oversight responsibilities? a) Committee members tend to interact with the media to assure favors, b) Committee members tend to be the very people who may have a vested interest in protecting the program, c) Oversight is an unrewarding activity that attracts little attention, d) The committee system was never created to assume the role of investigating wrong doing among federal agencies.
Fill-In Questions
1. What factors have contributed to weak coalitions between the two parties? a) The ______system, b) ______laws, and c) the ______system
17-2 Answers
Woll,pgs. 325-331
Multiple Choice Questions
1. b 3. c 5. a
Fill-In Questions
1. a) Lawmaking, b) Pork barrel, c) Casework
Woll, pgs. 332-336
True/False Questions
1. False
Multiple Choice Questions
1. b 3. a 5. c 7. b
Fill-In Questions
1. a) constitutional, b) electoral, c) social
A:AG17-15
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