1. The Congress of the United States has been called the more powerful of the th ree branches of government.

In your essay show whether this assessment is true b y 1) looking at and comparing the powers of the legislative, executive and judic iary, and by 2) showing how they influence each other (checks and balances). (NO TE: In answering the question you must list and describe the relevant articles a nd sections of the Constitution as well as key concepts describing the powers of each branch.) 2. First describe the Legislative Process from the introduction of a bill to its becoming a law by listing and discussing the relevant Article(s) and sections o f the Constitution and by describing the various steps the bill goes through. Th en, by looking at the diagram describing the American political process (Almond and Powell model), show how and where the legislative process fits in and what r ole the legislative process plays in the overall political process (i.e., what f orces have come to play before the introduction of a bill and what happens after a bill becomes law with regard to the political process). 3. Discuss the notion of Leadership in Congress. 1) What does the constitution s ay about congressional leadership and where does it say so? 2) How did the notio n of leadership in Congress emerge? 3) What are the components of leadership in either house and what are their functions? 4) Do you know any of the names of th ese leaders? 5) What other function(s) does the leadership of Congress serve bes ides its congressional function? Are you aware of any recent news event that has direct bearing on the leadership of Congress (explain and relate)? 4. Discuss in complete detail (citing relevant article(s) and sections), the for mal, constitutional powers of the President of the United States. Which powers a re unrestricted? Which are conditional? Which are explicit? Which are implicit? How did the President manage to gather so much more power than the Constitution allotted to him? In addition to the above, what informal powers does the Preside nt have according to your textbook? What are the sources of the President's powe r according to your textbook (formal and informal)? 5. Elections are more than an exercise in choosing the next representative. They are a manifestation of the political reality of the system in which they occur. In your essay relate electoral systems in America to electoral politics in Amer ica from the census all the way to the Electoral College. Lastly list and descri be the various elections these systems and politics result in at the federal lev el. 6. Discuss why and how interest groups and political parties influence the polic y-making process by pointing to their impact on the legislative, executive and j udicial branches of government. (This question requires you to address the Almon d and Powell model and the functions and roles of the institutions within the po litical system. It also requires you to reflect on the various models of democra tic decision-making and the impact and meaning of those models on the policy pro cess. Finally, requires you to reflect on the way policy is made by the governme nt by taking examples of policies and following them through the three branches and beyond.) 7. Discuss the process of political socialization as it relates to political opi nion building and political participation. In your discussion be sure to address the agents of socialization, the spectrum of opinions, the kinds of participati on and the factors affecting electoral choice and outcomes. Be sure to also make reference to the relevant chapters in your textbook.