AP Government Ch 2/3
The reserved powers of the state governments can best be described as those powers A) not specifically granted to the national government or denied to the states B) implied in the Fifth Amendment C) listed specifically in the Tenth Amendment D) exercised by both national and state governments E) granted to states as part of the implied powers doctrine
A
One of the formal tools used by Congress for oversight of the bureaucracy is (A) the line-item veto (B) authorization of appropriations (i.e. spending) (C) impoundment bills (D) private bills (E) senatorial courtesy
B
Which of the following is an example of checks and balances, as established by the Constitution? A) a requirement that states lower their drinking age to eighteen as a condition of receiving funds through federal highway grant programs B) media criticism of public officials during an election campaign period C) the Supreme Court's ability to overturn a lower court decision D) the requirement that presidential appointments to the Supreme Court be approved by the Senate E) the election of the President by the electoral college rather than by direct
D
Which of the following is an accurate statement about committees in Congress?
Standing committees oversee the bureaucracy's implementation of legislation.
In McCulloch v Maryland, the Supreme Court established which of the following principles? a. States cannot interfere with or tax the legitimate activities of the federal government b. The judicial branch cannot intervene in political disputes between the president and Congress c. The federal Bill of Rights places no limitations on the states d. The federal government has the power to regulate commerce e. It is within the judiciary's authority to interpret the constitution
a
In which of the following did Congress move to regain powers previously lost tot he executive branch? a. Budget and Impound Control Act b. Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act c. Presidential Disability Act d. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution e. Persian Gulf War Resolution
a
Supreme Court justices were given tenure subject to good behavior by the framers of the Constitution in order to ensure that a. justices are free from direct political pressures b. justices remain accountable to the public c. justices are encouraged to make politically popular decisions d. cooperation between the judicial and legislative branches is assured e. Presidents are encouraged to seek younger nominees for the Supreme Court
a
Which of the following is true about the right of free speech, as currently interpreted by the Supreme Court? a. It protects the right to express opinions even without the actual use of words b. It protects the use of language deemed obscene by the Court c. It allows citizens to disobey laws that they believe to be unjust d. It is protected from infringement by the federal government but not from infringement by state governments e. It cannot be limited in any manner
a
A fundamental source of peer for the federal bureaucracy lies in its
ability to set specific guidelines after receiving a general mandate from Congress
The boundaries of United States congressional districts are usually determined by a. the Federal Election Commission (FEC) b. the state legislatures c. the House Rules Committee d. a conference committee of the House and Senate e. the director of the United States Census Bureau
b
The most important source of the Supreme Court's caseload is a. its original jurisdiction b. its appellate jurisdiction c. instruction from the solicitor general d. the special master's certification of cases for review e. Congress' certification of cases for review
b
When selecting a vice-presidential candidate, a presidential nominees is usually concerned primarily with choosing a running mate who a. has significant personal wealth b. adds balance and appeal to the national ticket c. comes from the same ideological wing of the party as the President d. can serve as the most important domestic policy advisor to the President e. can effectively preside over the Senate
b
A President attempting to influence Congress to pass a legislative program might employ all of the following strategies EXCEPT a. using the media to draw attention to the legislative program b. assigning legislative liaisons in the Executive Office of the President to lobby legislators c. denying campaign reelection funds to legislators who oppose the President's policy stand d. exploiting a partisan majority for the President's party in both the House and Senate e. reminding legislators of high popularity ratings for the President in public opinion polls
c
A primary election in which voters are required to identify a party preference before the election and are not allowed to split their ticket is called a. an open primary b. a blanket primary c. a closed primary d. a runoff primary e. a presidential preference primary
c
The importance of Shay's Rebellion to the development of the United States Constitution was that it a. revealed the necessity of both adding the Bill of Rights to the Constitution and creating a new system of checks and balance b. demonstrated the intensity of antiratification sentiment within the thirteen states c. indicated that a strong, constitutionally designed national government was needed to protect property and maintain order d. convinced the delegates attending the Constitutional Convention to accept the Connecticut Plan e. reinforced the idea that slavery should be outlawed in the new Constitution
c
17. In a federal system of government, political power is primarily a. vested in local governments b. vested in regional governments c. vested in the central government d. divided between the central government and the regional governments e. divided between regional governments and local governments
d
Congressional standing committees are best describes as a. specially appointed investigative bodies b. joint committees of the two Houses of Congress c. committees created for each session d. permanent subject-matter committees e. advisory staff agencies
d
The committee system is more important in the House than in the Senate because a. the seniority system plays no role in the House and therefore committees must play a larger role b. the Constitution mandates the type of committee structure in the House c. committee members are appointed by the President d. the House is so large that more work can be accomplished in committees than on the floor e. the majority party in the House prefers to give priority to the work of the committees
d
Which of the following statements accurately describes the selection of the caseload for the United States Supreme Court? a. The United States Constitution spells out all of the categories of cases that the Supreme court must hear b. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has the authority to select the cases that the Court will hear c. The Solicitor General in the Department of Justice determines the Supreme Court's agenda d. The Supreme Court is free to choose the cases it hears with only a few limitations e. The Attorney General screens cases for consideration by the Court
d
35. Which of the following statements about rules of procedure in the House and Senatte is correct? a. Debate by a determined minority in either chamber cannot be halted b. The rules in each chamber bare determined by the majority whip c. The rules are specified in Article I of the Constitution d. The rules can be changed by the President during a national emergency e. The House operates more by formal rules, while the Senate operates more on informal understandings
e
All of the following powers are granted to the President by the Constitution EXCEPT a. commissioning officers in the armed forces b. addressing the Congress on the state of the union c. receiving ambassadors d. granting pardons for federal offenses e. forming new cabinet-level departments
e
Most of the individual protections of the Bill of Rights now apply to the states because of the Supreme Court's interpretation of the Constitution's a. Preamble b. Necessary and proper clause c. Supremacy clause d. Tenth Amendment e. Fourteenth Amendment
e
Which of the following generalizations about group voting tendencies is true? a. Jewish voters tend to vote Republican b. Protestant voters tend to be more liberal than Roman Catholics on economic issues c. More women than men identify themselves as Republicans d. Rural voters are morel likely to support Democratic candidates than are urban voters e. African American Democrats tend to support the more liberal candidates within their party
e
The congressional power that has been contested most frequently in the federal courts is the power to
regular interstate commerce
the request of recent Presidents for the line item veto is a challenge to which I the following principles?
separation of powers