AP United States Government and Politics · One branch of government exercises power in order to prevent another branch from becoming too powerful. Part (b): 2 points. One point is

2018

AP United States Government and PoliticsSample Student Responses and Scoring Commentary

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Free Response Question 3

R Scoring Guideline

R Student Samples

R Scoring Commentary

AP® UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 2018 SCORING GUIDELINES

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Question 3

5 Points

Part (a): 1 point

One point is earned for describing the constitutional principle of checks and balances.

One branch of government exercises power in order to prevent another branch from becoming too powerful.

Part (b): 2 points

One point is earned for describing the veto in the legislative process.

The veto allows the president to refuse to approve a bill passed by Congress.

One point is earned for describing the role of the State of the Union in the legislative process.

The State of the Union is given by the president to Congress to outline the president’s legislative agenda/agenda setting, or to influence legislation.

Part (c): 1 point

One point is earned for using the data in the chart to describe a relationship between the number of presidential vetoes and the number of congressional overrides.

• Veto overrides are rare compared to presidential vetoes. • Generally the more presidential vetoes, the more veto overrides.

Part (d): 1 point

One point is earned for explaining how Congress can reduce the likelihood of a presidential veto.

• Withdraw the legislation. • Make concessions to the president. • Negotiate with the president. • Rally the public to influence the president.

A score of zero (0) is assigned to an answer that is off-task or is attempted but earns no points.

A score of dash (—) is assigned to an answer that is blank.

Barack Obama (2009-2017)

Bill Clinton (1993-2001)

George H.W. Bush (1989-1993)

George W. Bush (2001-2009)

Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977)

Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

JohnF. Kennedy (1961-1963)

Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-l969)

Richard M. Nixon (1969-1974)

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

-Vetoesw�:,�:j Vetoes Overridden

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Source: United States House of Representatives

3A

3. The United States Constitution gave Congress and the president specific legislative powers. As a result, theinteractions between the two are dynamic and complex.

(a) Describ� t.he constitutional principle of checks and balances.

(b) Describe EACH of the following presidential powers in the legislative process:

• Veto

• State of the Union address

(c) Using the data in the chart, describe the relationship between the number of presidential vetoes and thenumber of congressional overrides.

(d) Explain how Congress can reduce the likelihood of a presidential veto.

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John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)

Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)


Ronald Reagan (198i-1989)

Source: United States House of Representatives

3.B

-Vetoes� Vetoes Overridden

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(a) Describe the constitutional principle of checks and balances.

(b) Describe EACH of the following presidential powers in the legislative process:

• Veto

• State of the Union address


(d) Explain how Congress can reduce the likelihood of a presidential veto.

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John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)

Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)


Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

-Vetoes� Vetoes Overridden

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Source: United States House ofReprese�tatives

3. The United States Constitution gave Congress and the president specific legislative powers. As a result, theinteractions between the two are dynamic and complex.(a) Describe the constitutional principle of checks and balances.

(b) Describe EACH of the foll?wing presidential powers in the legislative process:• V eto• State of the Union address


(d) Ex lain how Congress can reduce the likelihood of a presidential veto.

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AP® UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 2018 SCORING COMMENTARY


Question 3

Overview

This question examined the relationship between Congress and the president, and the legislative powers of each. Part (a) asked students to describe the constitutional principle of checks and balances. Part (b) asked students to describe two presidential powers in the legislative process: the veto and the State of the Union address. Part (c) asked students to describe the relationship between the number of presidential vetoes and the number of congressional overrides based on the data presented in a chart. Finally, part (d) asked students to explain how Congress can reduce the likelihood of a presidential veto.

Sample: 3A Score: 5 Part (a) – (1 point): The response earned 1 point for describing the constitutional principle of checks and balances, by stating that “checks and balances is to ensure that one branch does not have alot [sic] more power than another branch.” Part (b) – (2 points): The response earned 1 point for describing the veto power in the legislative process by stating, “The veto allows the president to reject legislation that he/she does not approve of.” The response earned the second point for describing the State of the Union in the legislative process by stating, “Here, he/she announces their plan for what legislation they hope to pass during that year.” Part (c) – (1 point): The response earned 1 point for describing the relationship between the number of presidential vetoes and the number of congressional overrides by stating, “There are very few times that a presidential veto is overridden by Congress.” Part (d) (1 point): The response earned 1 point for explaining how Congress can reduce the likelihood of a presidential veto by stating, “Therefore, if Congress attempts to write legislation that follows the presidents [sic] agenda, they can avoid the likelihood of a presidential veto.”

Sample: 3B Score: 3 Part (a) – (1 point): The response earned 1 point for describing the constitutional principle of checks and balances by stating, “Checks and balances were incorporated in the Constitution in order to prevent one branch of government from becoming too powerful.” Part (b) – (2 points): The response earned 1 point for describing the veto power in the legislative process by stating, “The president can veto a bill proposed by Congress, and thus the bill will not become a law.” The response did not earn the second point for describing the State of the Union in the legislative process. The response needed to connect the State of the Union speech to Congress and the legislative process. Part (c) – (1 point): The response earned 1 point for describing the relationship between the number of presidential vetoes and the number of congressional overrides by stating that “the more bills the president vetoes, the more congressional overrides tend to happen.”

AP® UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 2018 SCORING COMMENTARY


Question 3 (continued) Part (d) – (1 point): The response did not earn a point for explaining how Congress can reduce the likelihood of a presidential veto. “Congress should not stress out the president by proposing bills while he’s busy” is incorrect. To have earned the point, the response should have demonstrated a specific way Congress can reduce the likelihood of a presidential veto.

Sample: 3C Score: 1 Part (a) – (1 point): The response did not earn a point in part (a) for describing the constitutional principle of checks and balances; “checks and balances allow the President to veto Congress bills” is incorrect. To have earned this point, the response should have described how checks and balances prevent another branch from becoming too powerful.

Part (b) – (2 points): The response did not earn a point for describing the veto power in the legislative process by stating, “The Presidential veto power only goes so far because it can be overruled” because that is incorrect. To have earned this point, the response should have stated that the veto allows the president to refuse a bill passed by Congress. The response did not earn the second point for describing the State of the Union in the legislative process. “The Presidents [sic] State of the Union address power allows him or her to say what they please” is insufficient. To have earned this point, the response should have connected the State of the Union speech to Congress and the legislative process. Part (c) – (1 point): The response earned 1 point for describing the relationship between the number of presidential vetoes and the number of congressional overrides by stating that “congressional veto overrides haven’t happened as much as presidents have vetoed congressional bills.” Part (d) – (1 point): The response did not earn a point for explaining how Congress can reduce the likelihood of a presidential veto. “Congress can reduce the amount of presidential vetos [sic] by knowing what the President excepts [sic]” is insufficient. To have earned the point, the response should have demonstrated a specific way that Congress can reduce the likelihood of a presidential veto.

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AP United States Government and Politics · One branch of government exercises power in order to prevent another branch from becoming too powerful. Part (b): 2 points. One point is