GOV 113 – Exam 2 (Study Guide)

Your exam will consist of 15 identifications (30 points), 20 multiple choice questions (40 points), and 2 essays
(50 points). You will receive 5 points for taking your exam on time.

Identifications

For the identification section, I will present you with a list of descriptions, and you will provide the
corresponding term from a list provided. For example, “veto” would be the proper term for:

_______________________ Presidential rejection of a bill passed by Congress.

The best way to prepare for the identification section is to study the ID items below.

Multiple Choice

Multiple choice questions will be based upon main points from course lectures. It will also be particularly
helpful to know how the ID terms connect with main points from lectures. However, be aware that there are
additional main points from my lectures that include no proper names or specialized terms, which you will
nonetheless be expected to know. The terms are listed in the order that they appear in notes.
1 – unitary system committee action public funding
confederation floor action Citizens United v. Federal
enumerated powers House Rules Committee Election Commission
“necessary and proper” clause filibuster 5 – Commander-in-Chief
Tenth Amendment cloture War Powers Act
Supremacy clause conference committee action diplomatic leader
McCulloch v. Maryland sign (bill) treaties
Nullification Crisis veto executive agreements
Civil War Speaker of the House chief executive
dual federalism Leader federal bureaucracy
cooperative federalism Whip executive orders
fiscal federalism standing committees executive privilege
devolution committee chairs pardon
nationalization delegate legislative leader
2 – House trustee signing statements
Senate oversight 6 - vice-president
incumbent 4 – primaries Executive Office of the President
name recognition Electoral College White House Office
constituent service plurality rule, winner-takes-all Office of Management and
“safe” seats “invisible primary” Budget
disruptive issues party conventions National Security Council
scandal party platform Cabinet Secretaries
turnout variation convention “bump” “Political time”
challengers swing states Foreign policy
“pork” barrel spending hard money Domestic policy
concentrated benefits/diffuse cost soft money Public support
gerrymandering Super PAC impeachment
3– introducing a bill 501(c)4
Essays (50 points):

Two of the following essay questions will appear on your exam, and you need to respond to both of them. Your
essays should include the main points from class presentations relevant to the response indicated in brackets
(including portions discussed in class based on textbook reading). Your essays will be graded based upon their
thoroughness and accuracy.

1. Discuss the advantages of incumbency, the dangers of incumbency, and strategies incumbents use to promote re-
election. [“Congress”, Part 2 b-d]

2) Election to Congress
b) Advantages of incumbents
c) Dangers of incumbency
d) Strategies to promote re-election
Your essay should address (but should not be limited to) the following specific items: name recognition,
constituent service, “safe” seats, disruptive issues, scandal, turnout variation, challengers, “pork” barrel spending,
concentrated benefits/diffuse cost

2. Discuss the process by which a bill becomes a law. [“Congress, Part 3]

3) How a Bill Becomes Law

a) Introduction
b) Committee Action
c) Floor Action
d) Conference Committee Action
e) Presidential Action
Your essay should address (but should not be limited to) the following specific items: introducing a bill,
committee action, floor action, House Rules Committee, filibuster, cloture, conference committee action, sign
(bill),veto

3. Discuss the major roles of the President. [“The Presidency”, Part 2 a-d]

2) The Roles of President – described in broad terms in the Constitution

a) Commander-in-Chief
b) Diplomatic leader
c) Chief executive
d) Legislative leader

Your essay should address (but should not be limited to) the following specific items: Commander-in-Chief, War
Powers Act, diplomatic leader, treaties, executive agreements, chief executive, federal bureaucracy, executive
orders, executive privilege, pardon, legislative leader, signing statements

4. Discuss the factors that determine whether a President is successful. [“The Presidency”, Part 4 a-e]
4) Factors in Presidential Leadership – what determines if a President is successful
a) “Political Time”
b) Timing
c) The Nature of the Issue
d) Relations with Congress
e) Public Support

Your essay should address (but should not be limited to) the following specific items: “Political time”, Foreign
policy, Domestic policy, Public support