No More Learning

10. Point out the functions and importance of each of the
following in the House of Representatives.
a. Speaker c. Chairman of important
b. Rules committee committees
d. Floor leader
11. How does leadership in the Senate compare with that in
the House?
19
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-08-20 21:09 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uc1. $b179792 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 20 PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
12. What reforms do new members of the Senate usually in-
sist on? Why?
13. Of what importance are committees in Congress?
14. How are the members of committees selected and of whom
are they composed?
15. What is the "seniority rule"? Is there ever any opposi-
tion to its use? Explain.
16. Have there been any serious criticisms of the committee
system? What remedies, if any, have been proposed for these
shortcomings?
17. Trace a bill through Congress from the time that it is
first considered until it becomes a law, noting all irregularities
which might occur.
18. What rules governing procedure in Congress have become
rather definitely fixed? Explain the rule of "closure" in the
Senate.
19. How is it possible for Congress to secure the necessary
information to pass with a reasonable degree of intelligence
upon the great mass of legislation which comes before it?
20. What is meant by lobbying? What influence does it have
upon legislation? Is the permission of lobbying desirable or
undesirable? Explain.
Questions and Problems for Further Study and
Discussion
1. How might expert bill drafting be secured?
2. May an individual secure the adjustment of a claim
against the Federal Government through his representative in
Congress?
3. Are there occupational groups who are under-represented
in Congress? Discuss.
4. Explain why bills for raising revenue should originate in
the House of Representatives.
5. What is the Committee of the Whole?
6. Make a list of the principal subjects of federal legislation.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-08-20 21:09 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uc1. $b179792 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CONGRESS AT WORK
21
7. Define: filibustering; rider.
8. For what purpose does the Constitution require that
each house keep a journal of its proceedings?
9. Why should Senators and Representatives be privileged
from arrest for any but serious offenses?
10. Who is your representative? Of what committee is he a
member? Is he a chairman of any committee?
11. Does the Senate or the House exert the greater influence
in National legislation?
12. Is it true that the United States Senate is the strongest
"Upper Chamber" in the world?
13. How does the Senate compare in importance with the
English House of Lords?
14. Is it possible to defeat a bill in the House by filibustering,
as it is in the Senate? Explain.
15. Prepare a bill on some subject you are interested in.
16. Make a list of the principal committees in each of the
two houses of Congress.
References ,
Beard's Readings in American Government and Politics, New and Re-
vised Edition, Chap. XIV.
Munro's The Government of the United States, Third Edition, Chaps.
XIV-XVII.
Ogg and Ray's Introduction to American Government, Fourth Edition,
Chap. XXII.
Mathews and Berdahl's Documents and Readings in American Govern-
ment (1928), Chap. X.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-08-20 21:09 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uc1. $b179792 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAPTER VIII
(pp. 152-171)
THE NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF THE
PRESIDENT
1. What provision does the Constitution make for the nom-
ination and election of the President?
2. How did the constitutional framers think this plan would
work? Explain.
3. How is the membership of each of the two major party
conventions determined? Which plan do you prefer and why?
4. How are delegates to the National Conventions chosen?
What plan do you prefer? Explain.
5. What is the presidential primary? With what success
has it met? Have the people lost interest in it?
6. When and where does the National Convention of a major
political party meet?
7. What is the purpose of the National Nominating Con-
vention? Discuss briefly the formal procedure in the convention.
8. Name the important committees of the National Con-
vention. What is the importance and work of each?
9. How many votes are necessary to secure a nomination
in the Republican Convention? In the Democratic Convention?
10. What is the "unit rule"? Is there any limit in this
practice?
11. What type of men are usually selected as candidates for
the presidency?
12. How much consideration is given to the selection of can-
didates for the vice-presidency?
13. Of whom is the National Committee composed? How are
its members chosen?
22
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-08-20 21:09 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uc1. $b179792 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF PRESIDENT 23
14. Give the main steps in the conduct of the presidential
campaign.
15. How are presidential electors selected?
16. What is the purpose of the Electoral College, and how
does it function?
17. Does the voter actually vote for the presidential nominee
on election day?
18. Does the candidate receiving the highest number of pop-
ular votes always secure the election? Explain and give illus-
trations.
19. If the Electoral College fails to elect, how are the President
and the Vice-President selected?
20. Should inauguration day be changed? Explain.
21. Is there any legal or extra-legal limitation on the right of
a president to be a candidate to succeed himself at the end of
his term?
Questions and Problems for Further Study and
Discussion
1. What are the qualities of men that make them available
candidates for the presidency? What factors, geographical,
historical, religious, and so on, enter into consideration?
2. What Vice-Presidents have succeeded to the presidency?
3. If both the House and the Senate fail to elect by March 4th
after the Electoral College has failed, who becomes the Presi-
dent? If March 4th falls on Sunday, who is President on that
day?
4. What is the order of presidential succession in the event
that a vacancy occurs in this office?
5. Does the present method of selecting the President secure
a man who is the choice of the people?
6. Should the presidential term of office be increased or de-
creased? Explain.
7. How was John Quincy Adams elected in 1824?
8. How many electors are there in your State?
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-08-20 21:09 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uc1. $b179792 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 24 PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
9. What number of electoral votes must a presidential candi-
date secure to be elected?
10. How do you account for the fact that although the Elec-
toral College does not cast its vote until the first Wednesday in
January, and the votes are not counted until the second Wednes-
day in February, the public are informed as to who has been
elected President soon after the popular election in November?
11. In your opinion should the President be elected by popular
vote?
12.
Pick out of Amendment XII all provisions not found in
the original section of the Constitution.
13. Would a person born and reared in the United States who
lost his citizenship through naturalization in a foreign state and
later regained it through the naturalization process, be eligible
to hold the office of President?
14. How many presidents have there been who have not had
experience as governors before being elected to the presidency?
References
Beard's Readings in American Government and Politics, New and Re-
vised Edition, Chap. IX.
Bryce's The American Commonwealth (1924), Chap. VIII.
Munro's The Government of the United States, Third Edition, Chap. XI.
Ogg and Ray's Introduction to American Government, Fourth Edition,
Chap. XIII.
Mathews and Berdahl's Documents and Readings in American Govern-
ment, Chap. V.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-08-20 21:09 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uc1. $b179792 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAPTER IX
(pp. 172-202)
THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT
1. Characterize in general the powers of the President.
2. By what right does the President's Cabinet exist? How
did the Cabinet develop?
3. Of whom is the Cabinet composed, when does it meet,
and what are its functions?
4. Discuss briefly the power of the President as head of the
administration.
5. What are the powers of the President in regard to the
following?
a. Appointment and removal c. War
b. Foreign affairs d. Pardon
6. Explain the expression "Senatorial Courtesy. " Why is
this important?
7. Distinguish between executive agreements and treaties.
What do you think of the use of the former?
8. What part does the President play in the enactment of
legislation?
9. Should the veto power of the President be curbed?
Explain.
10. What are the special rights and privileges of the Presi-
dent?
11. What are some points of relationship between the execu-
tive and legislative departments of government?
12. List the suggested reforms for improving the relation
between the legislative and executive departments of govern-
ment.
*5
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-08-20 21:09 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uc1. $b179792 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 26 PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
Questions and Problems for Further Study and
Discussion
1. What constitutes an office?
2. Distinguish between an office and an employment.
3. May the President be sued on account of an official action?
May he be compelled to attend court to act as witness?
4. Name the Executive Departments.
5. Does the pardoning power of the President overlap with
that of the State Governors?
6. Explain the following.
a. Amnesty b. Commutation c. Reprieve
7. Why does the President never call the House in session
without the Senate?
8. Is it true that the executive department of the National
Government has grown in power and importance at the expense
of the other departments? Explain.
9. Distinguish between executive powers and administrative
powers.
10. Compare the powers of the President with those of the
Governor of your State?
11. For what causes may the President be removed from
office by impeachment?
References
Beard's Readings in American Government and Politics, New and Re-
vised Edition, Chap. X.
Munro's The Government of the United States, Third Edition, Chaps.
XI-XII.
Ogg and Ray's Introduction to American Government, Fourth Edition,
Chaps. XIV-XVI.
Fairlie's National Administration of the United States (1905), Chaps.
I-H.
Goodnow's Principles of the Administrative Law of the United States
(1905), pp. 64-93.
Mathews and Berdahl's Documents and Readings in American Govern-
ment (1928), Chaps. VI-VII.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-08-20 21:09 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uc1. $b179792 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAPTER X
(pp. 203-226)
ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION AND CP7IL
SERVICE
1. To whom is entrusted the business of law enforcement
in the United States?
2. Does the Federal Constitution provide for Executive De-
partments of government? If so, where?
3. Where does Congress get the power to create Executive
Departments?
4. What is the relation of the President to the Heads of the
Executive Departments?
5. Point out some factors that are commonly taken into
consideration in the appointment of Executive Department
Heads.
6. How may Congress exercise control over the Executive
Departments?
7. What are some of the functions that the Head of an
Executive Department must perform?
8. Describe the internal organization of the Federal Execu-
tive Departments.
9. What functions do independent boards and commissions
perform?
10. Characterize in general the powers and duties of inde-
pendent boards and commissions.
11. What recent attempts at reform have been made in Na-
tional administration?
12. Is it possible to entirely avoid overlapping in any rigid
classification of the functions of the Federal Government?
21
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-08-20 21:09 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uc1. $b179792 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 28 PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
13. What is the business of the chief coordinator in the
Bureau of the Budget?
14. Into what different classes do the positions coming under
the civil service acts fall?
15. What is the nature of the work of the Civil Service Com-
mission?
16. How does the Civil Service Commission proceed to select
competent administrative officials?
17. Who is eligible for examination for federal civil service?
Is preference shown to any class of applicants?
18. What provisions, if any, has the government made in
regard to tenure?
19. Give the chief provisions of the Classification Act of 1923
and as amended in 1930. Why is this act important?
20. To what extent, if any, should federal employees be lim-
ited in their political activities?
Questions and Problems for Further Study and
Discussion
1. Is centralization in government a desirable thing?
2. What after all is the chief concern of the budget, to save
dollars or guarantee the highest standards of public service?
3. Is the budget an instrument of democracy?
4. Can it truthfully be said that the "history of the develop-
ment of representative government is the record of a struggle
for popular control of the purse'?
5. How are the following forms of control over administra-
tion secured?
a. Popular d. Judicial
b. Political e. Administrative
c. Legislative
6. Explain the expression, "a government of men and not
of laws. "
7. Prepare two charts, one showing a system of effective
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-08-20 21:09 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uc1. $b179792 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? ADMINISTRATION AND CP7IL SERVICE 29
and responsible administrative organization and the other a
system of ineffective and irresponsible administrative organiza-
tion.
8. Compare the above charts with the type of administrative
organization to be found in the National Government; the
State Government; the County Government; the City Govern-
ment.
9. Make a list of rules that will be helpful to one concerned
with the selection of competent administrative officials.
10. To what extent should the competitive examination be
extended over federal officers and employees?
11. How, other than by examination, may responsibility and
efficiency be introduced in national administration?
12. About how many employees and officers in the United
States secure their positions through the taking of competitive
examinations?
13.