POLITICAL SCIENCE 102 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
(GRADED A+) | NEW UPDATE 2025
What are the roles of the legislatures? - ANSWER 1. Make laws or bring
forward and pass the laws the chief executive brings them
2. Serve as investigative and judicial bodies
3. Work to answer constituent concerns
4. Serve as ombudsmen to clear up discrepancies in laws and regulations
What is an ombudsman? - ANSWER A person who attempts (or an office that
attempts) to resolve the problems that individual citizens have with administrative
agencies and programs
What are some examples of when legislatures have served as investigative and
judicial bodies? - ANSWER Iran-Contra, Impeachment, Benghazi, Solvency of
Social Security, Medicare
Parliamentary and Presidential Systems: how is power divided in each system? -
ANSWER Parliamentary System (UK): No divided government: Parliament is
the most powerful brnach
Presidential System: (US): Divided government; Power is equally divided or at least
seperated
How is each chief executive elected? - ANSWER Parliamentary System (UK)- By
Parliament. The Prime Minister is the leader of the Majority Party
Presidential System (US)- The people by the Electoral College vote for a president
,What is different between a vote of no confidence and impeachment? -
ANSWER Vote of no confidence- Very easy; a vote showing that a majority
does not support the policy of a leader or governing body
Impeachment- Takes a long time; a formal process in which an official is accused
of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include
the removal of that official from office as well as criminal or civil punishment
What percent of time does the American president have to deal with the House or
Senate run by an opposing party? - ANSWER 75%
What are the roles and responsibilities of each chief executive (difference being in
charge and directing the legislative process)? - ANSWER a.Parliamentary
System-
i.The Head of the Government
ii.The Queen is the Head of the State
iii.As Leader of the Majority Party, in charge of creating (writing) and passing
legislation, making government policy
b.Presidential System
i. The Head of the Government, Head of State, and the Symbolic Leader
ii.Directs government policy, but must work with Congress to pass legislation
iii.The President submits his budget to Congress, Congress debates his and its
budget, and passes a budget
How does each system pass legislation? - ANSWER a.Parliamentary System
i.Easy, because one party controls the legislature
, ii.The Prime Minister can count on the legislature to pass his signature pieces of
legislation
iii.Rare rebuke of David Cameron on a vote to go into Syria
iv.Based on Efficiency
b.Presidential System
i.Hard, because the president has to compromise
ii.The Congress serves as a check on the President and the President's veto is a
check on Congress
iii.Based on Consensus
iv.Lame ducks sessions can be dysfunctional, but some presidents have passed big
legislation with a divided congress (e.g., Reagan and Clinton)
Which system is it easier (efficiency versus consensus)? - ANSWER
Parliamentary = Efficiency
Presidential = Consensus
How do political Parties act in each system? - ANSWER Parliamentary System
- High party discipline
- Prime Ministers vote with and follow their party leaders; no mavericks
- Need party discipline so the prime ministers will not lose his majority support in
parliament
-Parties have much more control over which people become candidates and party
leaders
Presidential System
AND ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
(GRADED A+) | NEW UPDATE 2025
What are the roles of the legislatures? - ANSWER 1. Make laws or bring
forward and pass the laws the chief executive brings them
2. Serve as investigative and judicial bodies
3. Work to answer constituent concerns
4. Serve as ombudsmen to clear up discrepancies in laws and regulations
What is an ombudsman? - ANSWER A person who attempts (or an office that
attempts) to resolve the problems that individual citizens have with administrative
agencies and programs
What are some examples of when legislatures have served as investigative and
judicial bodies? - ANSWER Iran-Contra, Impeachment, Benghazi, Solvency of
Social Security, Medicare
Parliamentary and Presidential Systems: how is power divided in each system? -
ANSWER Parliamentary System (UK): No divided government: Parliament is
the most powerful brnach
Presidential System: (US): Divided government; Power is equally divided or at least
seperated
How is each chief executive elected? - ANSWER Parliamentary System (UK)- By
Parliament. The Prime Minister is the leader of the Majority Party
Presidential System (US)- The people by the Electoral College vote for a president
,What is different between a vote of no confidence and impeachment? -
ANSWER Vote of no confidence- Very easy; a vote showing that a majority
does not support the policy of a leader or governing body
Impeachment- Takes a long time; a formal process in which an official is accused
of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include
the removal of that official from office as well as criminal or civil punishment
What percent of time does the American president have to deal with the House or
Senate run by an opposing party? - ANSWER 75%
What are the roles and responsibilities of each chief executive (difference being in
charge and directing the legislative process)? - ANSWER a.Parliamentary
System-
i.The Head of the Government
ii.The Queen is the Head of the State
iii.As Leader of the Majority Party, in charge of creating (writing) and passing
legislation, making government policy
b.Presidential System
i. The Head of the Government, Head of State, and the Symbolic Leader
ii.Directs government policy, but must work with Congress to pass legislation
iii.The President submits his budget to Congress, Congress debates his and its
budget, and passes a budget
How does each system pass legislation? - ANSWER a.Parliamentary System
i.Easy, because one party controls the legislature
, ii.The Prime Minister can count on the legislature to pass his signature pieces of
legislation
iii.Rare rebuke of David Cameron on a vote to go into Syria
iv.Based on Efficiency
b.Presidential System
i.Hard, because the president has to compromise
ii.The Congress serves as a check on the President and the President's veto is a
check on Congress
iii.Based on Consensus
iv.Lame ducks sessions can be dysfunctional, but some presidents have passed big
legislation with a divided congress (e.g., Reagan and Clinton)
Which system is it easier (efficiency versus consensus)? - ANSWER
Parliamentary = Efficiency
Presidential = Consensus
How do political Parties act in each system? - ANSWER Parliamentary System
- High party discipline
- Prime Ministers vote with and follow their party leaders; no mavericks
- Need party discipline so the prime ministers will not lose his majority support in
parliament
-Parties have much more control over which people become candidates and party
leaders
Presidential System
