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96 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
The provision that gives Congress broad powers to legislate beyond its enumerated powers is called the
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elastic clause.
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The Constitution's Article I, Section 9 prohibits all of these EXCEPT
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the use of enumerated powers
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The Supreme Court ruling United States v. Lopez (1995) overturned a law banning firearms in and around schools because
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Congress had overstepped its authority in a matter that should be decided by the states.
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Which of these powers is unique to the House of Representatives?
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the origination of revenue bills
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Because members of the Senate and the House come to Washington as representatives of states and districts, the federal system infuses ________ into congressional affairs.
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localism
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How often does reapportionment of House seats occur?
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every ten years
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Who is largely responsible for redrawing congressional district lines?
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state legislatures
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What is one of the results of the Supreme Court decisions allowing districts to be redrawn along racial lines as long as it is not the only criteria used?
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Policies favored by a majority of African Americans are less likely to be enacted because of the decreased strength of Democrats in the House.
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Which is NOT a reason why Republicans have been historically able to raise more money than Democrats?
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The Republicans have made major inroads with Hispanics and African Americans.
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What is the best predictor of voting behaviors of members of Congress?
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party affiliation
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Partisanship has ______ since the 1970s
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been on the rise
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What are David and Oleszek measuring when they track the way a member of a Congress votes in terms of his or her party?
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partisanship
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How has it been possible for Republicans to control the congressional agenda virtually unopposed from 1995 to 2006?
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Despite their small majority, the GOP had enjoyed unprecedented unity, which enabled them to pass nearly all of their bills during this period
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What type of committee, specified in the House and Senate rules, is relatively permanent?
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a standing committee
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What is the only way a bill that has been killed in committee can reach the floor?
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through a discharge petition
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In the Great Compromise, the framers decided to apportion the House of Representatives on the basis of population and the Senate on the basis of equal representation.
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true
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By all accounts, the U.S. Congress is highly representative of the population it serves.
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false
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African-American representation in the Congress reached its peak during the post-Civil War Reconstruction period.
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true
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Today, all congressional districts are roughly equal in population.
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true
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Incumbents have a harder time raising money and so tend to spend less than their challengers.
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false
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Open seat elections are those in which the incumbent does not run for reelection.
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true
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Due to the short Congressional term, there are very few "safe" seats and most are contested at each election.
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false
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Because of the candidate-centered nature of our parties, senators and representatives can and do stray from the party line, something that is exceedingly rare in parliamentary systems.
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true
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The path by which a bill becomes a law is so strewn with obstacles that few bills survive.
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true
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Although Americans generally approve of Congress as an institution, they tend to have low opinions of their own senators and representatives.
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false
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Congressional districts are redrawn by _________ every _________ years.
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state governments; ten
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When compared with the Senate, the organizational structure of the House is more
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hierarchial
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How is the Speaker of the House selected?
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By election of the members of the House .
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Those who act as intermediaries between the leaders and the rank-and-file members and who keep track of support for various proposals are known as
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whips
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Legislation that spends federal money in specific districts at the bequest of that district's representative is known as
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pork
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Which of the following best describes public opinion toward Congress?
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Americans dislike Congress, but like their own representatives.
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The trustee view of representation states that members of Congress
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should do what they think is best, after listening to the public.
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Logrolling occurs when
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members of Congress vote for each other’s projects.
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What happens after a bill is reported out of the full committee in the House?
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It goes to the Rules Committee.
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A pocket veto occurs when a bill
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sits on the president's desk for ten days, while Congress is no longer in session.
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Which of the following is a delay tactic used in the Senate?
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the hold
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A presidential veto can be overridden by
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a two-thirds majority in both the House and the Senate.
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A filibuster can be stopped
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by invoking cloture
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The most common profession for members of Congress is
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law
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Congressional review of agency decisions is known as
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oversight
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The U.S. Congress is
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bicameral
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Congress has the power to
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declare war
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Who is the presiding officer of the Senate?
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the vicepresident of the US
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Who is overrepresented in the U.S. Senate?
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caucasians
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What is the job of a conference committee?
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To reach a compromise between House and Senate versions of a bill.
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All revenue bills originate in the House
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true
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The Senate majority leader has about the same amount of power as the Speaker of the House.
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false
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Over time, the number of female members of Congress has declined.
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false
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Filibusters occur only in the Senate.
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true
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The Speaker of the House is appointed by the president.
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false
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Which of these offices was NOT a part of George Washington's cabinet?
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the chief of staff
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Which of the following was a result of the administration of George Washington, who set the stage for the presidency?
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The prestige of the presidency was solidified at a time when executive leadership was mistrusted.
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Which of these was NOT an example of the use of emergency powers by Abraham Lincoln?
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the passage of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments
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Which of the following presidents presided over the most significant expansion of presidential functions and activities in American history?
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Franklin Roosevelt
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How did Woodrow Wilson change the constitutionally required "state of the union?"
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He began the practice of delivering the "state of the union" as an address to a joint session of the House and Senate.
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Modern presidents typically use their annual State of the Union address to
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outline their legislative agenda.
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What changed the president's role by requiring him to submit an annual budget to Congress accompanied by rationales and justifications?
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The Budget Act of 1921
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What powers gave the president the main responsibility for fashioning American foreign policy?
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the power to receive and appoint ambassadors and to make treaties
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The organization in the executive office that is made up of a small group of economists who advise on economic policy is known as
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the Council of Economic Advisors.
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Why is direct command by the president over the executive branch seldom feasible?
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There is so much going on that presidents can't keep personal track of each one of the millions of government officials and employees.
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What was the reason for George W. Bush's success in Congress in 2003 and 2004?
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His party stuck together even though they had a slim majority.
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The term describing how the public influences the president through its judgments on presidential performance is known as
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presidential popularity
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In the analytical framework discussing George W. Bush's inability to pass Social Security reform legislation, which one of these statements would fall under the political linkage category?
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Opinion among the elderly about proposed changes becomes particularly negative.
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Over time, most presidents in office have tended to
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lose popularity
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Military actions tend to
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increase the public's support for the president only if they are successful.
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Which statement supports the argument that the presidency has evolved into a highly democratic institution that is responsive to the American people?
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It is the only nationally elected office.
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American presidents enjoy considerable freedom of action in waging war.
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true
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Presidential responsibilities, burdens, power, and impact have changed very little over the last 200 years.
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false
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Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution clearly delineates the specific powers and duties of the president as commander-in-chief.
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false
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President Nixon required congressional approval to recognize communist China.
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false
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he president is the foreign policy leader, while Congress is the domestic policy leader.
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false
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The president's cabinet is outlined in the Constitution.
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false
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Presidential vetoes are seldom overridden.
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true
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The election of 1888 was the last election where the president won the Electoral College but lost the popular vote.
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false
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The power to lead the public also implies the power to manipulate public opinion.
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true
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When creating the role of chief executive, the framers never intended it to be a democratic office.
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true
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How many vetoes did George W. Bush use?
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ten or fewer
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The congressional attempt to limit the president's authority to wage war is called
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the war powers act
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According to the Constitution, the president
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is commander-in-chief of the armed forces
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Under whose tenure did the power of the presidency expand the most?
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Franklin Roosevelt
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Who prepares economic forecasts and budget analyses for the president?
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The Office of Management and Budget.
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Which of the following is an example of an executive order?
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Integration of the military.
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Presidential approval tends to increase during
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international crises
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Presidents can be impeached by
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the House of Representatives
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Who had longest tenure as president?
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Roosevelt
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Which of the following presidents was impeached?
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Bill Clinton
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The president has the most formal power in what domain?
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foreign policy
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What is the constitutional role of the vice president?
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to preside over the Senate
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What do presidents do when they "go public"?
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They drum up support for their proposals by making appeals directly to the electorate.
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When are presidents most likely to have success with their policy proposals?
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During the first 100 days.
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U.S. presidents serve as
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all of the above
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Which of the following is a constitutional qualification to be president of the United States?
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national born citizenship
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What was Watergate?
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The events surrounding a break-in of the Democratic Party's headquarters.
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If the president resigns and the vice-president assumes the presidency, who becomes the new vice-president?
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A person appointed by the new president and confirmed by Congress.
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The formal body of presidential advisors comprised of the fifteen executive department heads is known as the
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cabinet
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Which president addressed the nation through his "fireside chats"?
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Roosevelt
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