Explain why the dual roles of members of Congress encourage citizens’ love–hate relationship with Congress.

What will be an ideal response?


The dual functions of Congress, to represent constituents but also to pass legislation in the nation’s interest, put stress on the representatives. Often, representatives and senators will concentrate on pleasing their constituency through a host of representative functions at the expense of attention to national lawmaking. We reward our particular representatives and senators because they represent us, yet we deplore Congress as a whole because the rest of the body concentrates on representing others. We create the very institution we dislike by rewarding our own representatives and senators for doing what we dislike other representatives or senators for doing. Furthermore, the increasing role of partisanship deepens this love–hate relationship. American citizens approve of situations where a representative votes to pass a bill favored by the citizen’s political party. Yet Americans dislike it when representatives let partisanship escalate to the point where Congress is unable to function.

Political Science

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Answer the following statement(s) true (T) or false (F)

1. The range is calculated by subtracting a variable’s lowest value from its highest value. 2. The standard deviation can only be calculated for interval level data. 3. About two-thirds of most cases range between one standard deviation above and below the mean. 4. Population size is not relevant when calculating the standard deviation for a proportion. 5. The closer the proportions of two groups, the lower the standard deviation.

Political Science

Greenhouse gas emissions represent a classic example of ______.

A. transaction costs B. free riding C. agenda setting D. tragedy of the commons

Political Science

The United States presidential election of 2000 was an example of a case in which

A. the Court was able to avoid being involved in a contentious political issue. B. the Court was able to pass the buck to the legislature to make a difficult decision. C. the Court had to play a highly visible and politically significant role in social issues. D. the Court overturned the Constitution and seized political power.

Political Science

Which of the following best describes policy articulation?

a. the stage in the foreign policy process in which the rationale for a policy is stated in an effort to gain domestic and foreign support for it b. the stage at which resources are allocated to a foreign policy so that its objectives can be achieved, and in which the policy is put into effect c. the first post-implementation stage in the foreign policy process, in which efforts are expended to stay abreast of a foreign policy and its effects as it is implemented d. the stage in the foreign policy process in which the intended and unintended effects that a foreign policy is having are assessed

Political Science