Political Science Chapter on Incumbency and Reapportionment

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Questions and Answers

What principle was established by the landmark case Carr (1962)?

  • One person, one vote (correct)
  • Redistricting is unjustifiable
  • Equal representation for all citizens
  • Racial segregation in voting

Shaw v. Reno (1993) ruled that redistricting based on race must meet strict scrutiny standards under the Equal Protection Clause.

True (A)

What term refers to Congress monitoring and supervising federal agencies to ensure compliance with laws?

Oversight

The __________ allows Senators to extend debate on a bill to delay or block its passage.

<p>filibuster</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following terms with their definitions:

<p>Hearing = Gathering information from officials Credit Claiming = Highlighting achievements to constituents Casework = Helping constituents with personal government issues Pork Barrel Legislation = Funding local projects for political gain</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which committee in the House of Representatives is responsible for setting the terms of debate on bills?

<p>Rules Committee (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Oversight can be performed through either funding decisions or by amending laws.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of constituency service in Congress?

<p>Assisting constituents in navigating government bureaucracy</p> Signup and view all the answers

Redistricting issues are considered __________able by the courts according to Carr (1962).

<p>justiciable</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which lawmaking tactic requires a supermajority to overcome?

<p>Filibuster (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant factor contributing to the incumbency advantage?

<p>Experience in governance (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Reapportionment occurs every five years.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What process involves the redrawing of district boundaries to reflect population changes?

<p>Redistricting</p> Signup and view all the answers

The manipulation of district boundaries to favor a particular political party is known as ______.

<p>gerrymandering</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the legislative powers with the correct chamber of Congress:

<p>Initiate Revenue Bills = House of Representatives Trial of Impeachment = Senate Advice and Consent = Senate Impeachment = House of Representatives</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main effect of incumbency advantage on elections?

<p>High reelection rates for incumbents (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Senate cannot conduct trials for officials that the House impeaches.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does redistricting influence political power among states?

<p>It reallocates representatives based on population changes, affecting political representation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Following the census, states may ______ or ______ seats in the House of Representatives based on population changes.

Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the main causes of incumbency advantage?

<p>Name recognition (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does gerrymandering refer to?

<p>The manipulation of district boundaries to favor a particular political party or group.</p> Signup and view all the answers

The House of Representatives has the exclusive right to __________ federal officials.

<p>impeach</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary impact of incumbency advantage on elections?

<p>Higher reelection rates (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Redistricting occurs every five years.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the process of reallocating representatives based on the census called?

<p>Reapportionment</p> Signup and view all the answers

Following the census, states may gain or __________ seats in the House of Representatives.

<p>lose</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which power is unique to the Senate?

<p>Conduct trials for impeached officials (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Incumbency Advantage

The tendency for incumbent members of Congress to win reelection at higher rates than challengers.

Reapportionment

The process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives based on changes in population from the decennial census.

Bicameralism

The system of having two legislative chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate, with distinct powers.

Origination Clause

The power of the House of Representatives to initiate all bills that raise revenue for the federal government.

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Impeachment

The process of removing a federal official from office, initiated by the House and tried by the Senate.

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Advice and Consent

The Senate's power to approve or reject presidential appointments and treaties.

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Redistricting

The redrawing of district boundaries to reflect population changes after a census.

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Gerrymandering

The manipulation of district boundaries to favor a particular political party or group, often resulting in oddly shaped districts.

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Baker v. Carr

The Supreme Court's ruling on redistricting, which established criteria for determining if a district is unconstitutional.

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Shaw v. Reno

The Supreme Court case that ruled against racial gerrymandering.

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Carr v. (1962)

A landmark case that established the "one person, one vote" principle, ensuring equal representation in state legislative districts based on population.

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Shaw v. Reno (1993)

This case addressed racial gerrymandering, prohibiting redistricting practices that solely segregate voters based on race.

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Congressional Oversight

The process by which Congress oversees the actions of the executive branch and federal agencies, ensuring compliance with laws and effective implementation.

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Hearings and Investigations

Committees in Congress hold hearings to gather information from officials and experts, investigating agency operations.

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Reports and Accountability

Congress requires reports from agencies and conducts investigations to assess their performance and hold them accountable.

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Legislative Tools

Congress uses its power to allocate funds and amend legislation to influence and shape agency actions.

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House Rules Committee

A powerful committee in the House of Representatives that sets the rules for debating bills, including time limits and amendment options.

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Senate Filibuster

A procedural tactic used in the Senate that allows a Senator to prolong debate, effectively delaying or blocking a bill's passage. It requires a supermajority (typically 60 votes) to end the filibuster.

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Constituency Service

Assisting constituents with navigating government bureaucracy, building connections and demonstrating responsiveness.

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Credit Claiming

Legislators use opportunities to highlight their work in constituents' districts, often through local projects funded by federal money, to enhance their image.

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Study Notes

Incumbency Advantage

  • Causes:
    • Name recognition: Incumbents are known due to media exposure and prior service.
    • Access to resources: Access to campaign funds, networks, and governmental resources (staff, office) is unavailable to challengers.
    • Constituent services: Incumbents provide services fostering loyalty and votes.
    • Experience: Incumbents' experience in governance and campaigning leads to effective strategies.
  • Impact: High reelection rates; significant winning margins; stifled competition; reduced voter choice.

Reapportionment

  • Process of reallocating House seats based on the decennial census.
  • Seats are added or removed from states based on population changes.
  • Shifts in political power result, with growing states gaining representation, and declining states losing it.

Bicameralism - Unique Powers

  • House of Representatives:
    • Origination of revenue bills: All revenue-related bills must originate in the House.
    • Impeachment power: Solely responsible for impeaching federal officials.
  • Senate:
    • Advice and consent: Confirms presidential appointments (judges, cabinet) and ratifies treaties.
    • Trial of impeachment: Conducts trials for impeached officials.

Redistricting/Gerrymandering

  • Redistricting: Redrawing district boundaries to reflect population changes every 10 years after the census.
  • Gerrymandering: Manipulation of district boundaries to favor a political party or group. Results in irregular shapes, diluting opposing votes, entrenching power, skewing representation, and undermining electoral competition.

Supreme Court Opinions on Redistricting

  • Baker v. Carr (1962): Established "one person, one vote"; redistricting issues are justiciable, requiring roughly equal populations in state legislative districts.
  • Shaw v. Reno (1993): Addressed racial gerrymandering; ruled that redistricting plans based solely on race must meet strict scrutiny, emphasizing that gerrymandered districts can violate voter rights.

Oversight

  • Process of monitoring and supervising federal agencies, programs, and the executive branch to ensure compliance with laws and effective implementation.
  • Methods: Hearings and investigations, reports and accountability, and legislative tools like funding decisions or amending laws.

The Lawmaking Process

  • House of Representatives - Rules Committee: Sets terms for debate on bills (duration, amendments allowed).
  • Senate - Filibuster: Procedural tactic to delay or block bill passage; requires a supermajority (typically 60 votes) for cloture to overcome.

Constituency Service/Credit Claiming

  • Constituency Service: Providing assistance to constituents in navigating government bureaucracy, building connections, and showing responsiveness.
  • Credit Claiming:
    • Casework: Helping constituents with personal governmental service issues, like social security.
    • Pork Barrel Legislation: Provisions within bills funding local projects, highlighting tangible benefits for legislators.

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