POLS1101 Final Exam Blankert
Signing statement
Announcements made by the president when signing bills into law, often presenting the president's interpretation of the law
Epic Games filed a lawsuit after Apple removed a version of its battle royale game Fortnite from the App Store. Epic Games is seeking injunctive relief to "allow fair competition" in mobile app distribution. What is the basis of their lawsuit?
Antitrust policy (is designed to promote competition in the marketplace and prevent the concentration of economic power)
Before the Civil Service Act of 1883, how were government appointments handled?
Appointments were made to political supporters as a part of a spoils system
Presidential emergency power
Empowers the president to activate special powers during a crisis but imposes certain procedural formalities
Broadly speaking, Congress has successfully opposed the use of executive orders by presidents.
False
Presidential authority for executive orders derives solely from the Constitution.
False
Presidents prefer using executive orders to legislation even when Congress is smoothly processing new legislation.
False
American foreign ambassadors have become increasingly powerful in providing information and advice to presidents.
False (American ambassadors have complained that they have been relegated to secondary status as the White House las looked to military commanders for information, advice, and policy implementation)
How did the Supreme Court gain the power of judicial review?
Judicial review was established in the decision of Mabury v. Madison.
A pocket veto is a _____
a presidential veto that is automatically triggered if the president does not act on a given piece of legislation passed during the final 10 days of a legislative session
The process of allocating congressional seats among the 50 states is called
apportionment
The main political value of the vice president is to
bring the president votes in the election from a group or region that would not otherwise be a likely source of support
In cases, the losers cannot be fined or incarcerated by the state.
civil law
Programs in which people pay now for some potential future benefits are known as _________, whereas programs in which recipients are not expected to pay for the program and instead are awarded based on need are called _________.
contributory noncontributory
In what type of law is the government always the plaintiff?
criminal
Under President George W. Bush, and in response to the terrorist attack of September 11, and related concerns, America's security policy changed from one of _________ to a policy of ________.
deterrence preventative war (by attacking first to prevent a war or terrorist attack from occurring, Bush's policy of preventative war changed the way the U.S. thought about security policy)
Match each group or organization with its correct category.
nation-state: - Canada international organization: - World Trade Organization non-state actor: - terrorist
A way to reduce the disparities in wealth between the rich and poor is called a(n)
policy of redistribution
Negative campaign ads are more likely to address ________, whereas positive campaign ads tend to focus on _________.
policy positions personal characteristics
Prior cases whose principles are used by judges to decide current cases are called
precedents
The policy of striking a nation that might be contemplating hostile actions is called
preventative war
The _______ or caucus votes determine the allocation of _________ at the party's convention. In addition to selecting the party's nominee, delegates also vote on the ________ at the convention.
primary delegates party platform
Winners of ________ elections go on to face each other in the ________ election.
primary general
Using ________ to control rule-making agencies and increasing the size of the _______ staff have allowed presidents to use the administrative strategy to increase their power and authority.
regulatory review Executive Office of the President
Which of the following is the best example of stare decisis?
An attorney uses a previous state court ruling to argue his client's case.
There are ________ circuits in the U.S. Court of Appeals.
12
What is required for Congress to override a presidential veto?
2/3 of both houses of Congress
A member of Congress learns about an ambassador's infraction and immediately decides to investigate. What kind of oversight best characterizes this investigation?
"Fire alarm" oversight (episodic, usually prompted by media attention)
Place in order, from first to last, the process by which the Supreme Court accepts and reviews a case. Note that this list represents only a few of the overall sequence of steps in this process.
1. A petition for a writ of certiorari is filed. 2. The Court grants a writ of certiorari. 3. Oral arguments commence. 4. The justices convene a conference.
Place these major moments in the history of American foreign relations in chronological order from earliest to most recent.
1. George Washington gives his Farewell Address 2. President Monroe issues Monroe Doctrine 3. The United States enters World War II 4. The United States and the Soviet Union engage in the Cold War 5. The September 11 terrorist attacks occur
Imagine that the nation of Bermuda was trying to develop the ability to manufacture nuclear weapons, and the United States did not want them to do so. Order the following possible responses the United States could use, from the one that is likely to be tried first to the one that is likely to be used only as a last resort.
1. diplomacy (usually the first thing that nations will try when the have a disagreement) 2. sanctions (nations do not always use sanctions, as they require cooperation from many other nations to be effective, but they do cost less in terms of lives and money than other alternatives) 3. military force (usually a method of last resort for a nation) **things do not always proceed in this order, but generally nations will try actions that cost less monetarily and in terms of the lives of their citizens before they try more drastic approaches***
Put these groups in the order in which they gained the right to vote from earliest to most recent.
1. white men with property (earliest) 2. black men 3. women 4. people aged 18-20 (most recent)
Match each feature to the committee it describes: 527 committees (Super PACs), 501(c)(4) committees, or both.
527 committee/Super PAC: - are required to disclose donors 501(c)(4): - cannot spend more than half its revenue for political purposes Both: - can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money - cannot coordinate with a campaign or candidate
A U.S. senator has a ________-year term.
6
In recent years, about ________ percent of U.S. House incumbents won reelection.
95
Representative democracy
A system of government in which the populace selects representatives, who play a significant role in government decision-making
Direct democracy
A system of rule that permits citizens to vote directly on laws and policies
In which way can presidential succession be handled?
A vice president can temporarily take over as president if the president is incapacitated.
Which of the following aspects of bureaucratic rule-making are accurate? Which aspects are inaccurate?
Accurate: - Bureaucratic rule-making can have the same impact on policy as legislation - Congress tends to delegate the responsibilities of lawmaking to the administrative agency Inaccurate: - Before being implemented, bureaucratic rules must be approved by Congress - The longer rule-making process demonstrates how inefficient the bureaucracy is
The 2010 Supreme Court decision in "Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission" had what effect on campaign financing?
Allowed Super PACs to spend unlimited money in independent support of candidates
Match the U.S. Supreme Court case to the effect it had on campaign spending.
Buckley v. Valeo (1974): - introduced idea that campaign contributions count as speech Citizens United v. FEC (2010): - gave rise to Super PACs - government could not restrict independent expenditures by corporations or union
In 1883, the ______ was passed in order to create the merit system for staffing the bureaucracy. It required appointees to be qualified based on ________.
Civil Service Act competitive examinations
Delegated power
Constitutional powers that are assigned to one governmental agency but are exercised by another agency with the express permission of the first
Which of the following agencies were created by Congress to give them information independent of the information it gets from the executive branch?
Correct: - Congressional Budget Office - General Accounting Office - Congressional Research Service Incorrect: - Office of Management and Budget - Federal Reserve
Unless subsequently heard by the Supreme Court, the decisions made by federal appeals courts are final. How does the system attempt to mitigate the danger of such a provision?
Correct: - Each circuit has a Supreme Court justice assigned to it to handle special requests for action by the Supreme Court - Multiple judges serve on every appeals case Incorrect: - Appeals court decisions must be validated by a circuit court judge who did not actively serve on the case - Each circuit must have a percentage of its decisions reviewed by another circuit annually
Which of the following are sources of political independence for the Federal Reserve Board?
Correct: - Fed members serve 14-year terms - The Fed is an independent agency Incorrect: - Members of the Fed do not need to testify before Congress - The Fed's power comes from an explicit clause of the Constitution
Which of the following are limitations on the power of the federal courts?
Correct: - Judges must wait for cases to come to them - Courts lack enforcement powers - Courts can only offer limited forms of relief Incorrect: - Courts lack appellate jurisdiction
Which programs are part of the American welfare state?
Correct: - Medicare - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - Medicaid - Social Security Incorrect: n/a
Which of the following statements about political action committees (PACs) are accurate?
Correct: - PACs are private groups that raise and distribute funds for use in election campaigns - PACs are allowed to make larger contributions than an individual can make to a campaign Incorrect: - PACs are mostly unregulated and do not have contribution limits - PACs are mostly set up by labor groups and neighborhood associations
Which of the following criteria are used by the Supreme Court to determine whether it will hear a case?
Correct: - Parties have standing, or a stake, in the outcome - The issue represents a controversy - The case is timely; the issue is not moot Incorrect: - Parties to the issue have an interest in the outcome
Identify the correct and incorrect statements.
Correct: - Privatization downsizes government - The reliance on contractors raises a variety of challenges with oversight and accountability Incorrect: - Contracting always leads to lower costs - Contractors are generally more skilled and have greater expertise than career bureaucrats
Which of the following statements about tax expenditures are accurate?
Correct: - Tax expenditures are often used to incentivize particular activity - Tax expenditures are foregone federal income rather than spending Incorrect: - Tax expenditures have a small overall impact on the budget - Tax expenditures tend to be progressive in nature
Why are oral arguments an important part of the Supreme Court's decision-making process?
Correct: - They allow justices to better understand the heart of the case - Justices can ask questions of attorneys that might not have been addressed in the briefs Incorrect: - They offer an opportunity to discuss the case with other justices - They allow justices a chance to gauge public opinion on the topic
Which of the following organizations or agreements are primarily related to free trade?
Correct: - World Trade Organization (international community's primary means of dealing with trade disputes) - United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (formerly called NAFTA, this agreement seeks to lower and eliminate trade barriers among the 3 countries) Incorrect: - World Health Organization (focused on addressing international public health concerns) - North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO is primarily a security organization and does not focus extensively on trade)
Select all of the voter eligibility requirements put into place by states during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Correct: - ability to pay poll taxes - gender restrictions - property ownership - racial restrictions -literacy tests Incorrect: - n/a
Which of the following has caused an increase in the executive branch's delegated powers?
Correct: - an inability for Congress to administer the programs it creates - the expansion of the federal government's responsibilities Incorrect: - a series of Supreme Court decisions that have reinterpreted Article II of the Constitution - recent constitutional amendments broadening the president's powers - the shift toward a more bipartisan political environment in Congress
Which of the following programs are tax expenditures?
Correct: - child tax credit - mortgage interest deduction - tax-exempt employer-sponsored health insurance Incorrect: - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Every year, Martha's Social Security payment goes up by a small amount. That amount is based on the rate of inflation in the past year. This kind of adjustment is an example of which of the following?
Correct: - cost-of-living adjustment Incorrect: - a noncontributory program - means testing
What kinds of foreign policy issues might interest groups get involved in?
Correct: - environmental activists seeking to promote climate agreements - a business lobby objecting to China's piracy of intellectual property rights - concerned citizens attempting to get the United States to oppose human rights abuses by foreign governments - Jewish Americans lobbying against a foreign deal that they believe hurts Israel Incorrect: n/a
Identify the correct and incorrect statements about executive orders.
Correct: - executive orders have been behind major government policies Incorrect: - executive orders are only derived from the president's commander-in-chief powers - executive orders have only been issued in the modern era - the courts have no authority to void executive orders
Which of these factors contribute to the gender gap in elections?
Correct: - female voters are generally increasing in their support of democratic candidates - white male voters are generally increasing in their support of republican candidates Incorrect: - women register to vote at a lower rate and have lower turnout in elections - a majority of white female voters (53 percent) supported Donald Trump in 2016 - female voters nearly always support female candidates, and male voters nearly always support male candidates over female candidates
Which of the following groups or organizations can initiate oversight of executive branch bureaucracy?
Correct: - individual members of Congress - congressional committees - private citizens - Congressional Budget Office (CBO constantly oversees financial aspects of the executive branch and reports back to Congress) Incorrect: - Supreme Court
Which of the following are examples of a member of Congress performing "police patrol" oversight?
Correct: - interviewing senior bureaucratic personnel - initiating a bureaucratic audit Incorrect: - responding to calls from lobbyists and concerned citizens - responding to reports by journalists about bureaucratic actions
Why might digital media be more effective than television ads?
Correct: - it is cheaper - it offers more possibilities for free advertisement - it may be more effective with viewers because internet users seek out information Incorrect: - the online audience is more susceptible to persuasive messages
Which of the following statements about the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) are accurate?
Correct: - it prepares the national budget for the president - it is located within the Executive Office of the President (EOP) Incorrect: - heading the OMB is a lifetime appointment - it is a Cabinet level position
What goals does the International Monetary Fund serve today?
Correct: - it promotes the structural readjustment of some economies - it facilitates international monetary exchange Incorrect: - it offers cash transfers to assist nations in humanitarian crises - it finances long-term loans for development in poor countries
What factors influence the Supreme Court's decision-making practices?
Correct: - law and precedent on relevant cases - political ideology - concern over protecting the Court's reputation Incorrect: - deference to lower court rulings
The first spouse's role in the government has changed over time. Which of the following statements accurately describe the role they play today?
Correct: - most first spouses adopt a policy area to focus on - they often serve the head-of-state function of the presidency Incorrect: - first spouses typically manage the day-to-day affairs of the white house staff - they often serve the head-of-government function of the presidency
Which of the following statements regarding digital participation are correct?
Correct: - political participation digitally is likely to increase offline participation - digital participation has made political participation easier - young voters are more likely to use social media for political participation Incorrect: - digital participation is less common than most forms of traditional participation
What does the logic of the supremacy clause, which makes the Constitution the supreme law of the land, allow the Supreme Court to do?
Correct: - review state court decisions - review state laws Incorrect: - send the army to enforce previous decisions - make amendments to the Constitution
In which of the following ways can a vice president help a president?
Correct: - strengthen a presidential candidate in an area where they lack experience - provide gender, ideological, or ethnic balance to a ticket - provide electoral support in regions of the country where a presidential candidate is weak Incorrect: - vote for presidential legislation as it moves to the floor of the House of Representatives (V.P. can only vote in the Senate)
Identify the correct statements about the 2020 Democratic Party.
Correct: - the democratic primary featured the most diverse field of candidates to date - there were more than 20 candidates vying (competing) for the democratic nomination Incorrect: - Joe Biden showed a strong advantage from the very beginning of the democratic primaries, preventing other candidates from gaining their footing to win delegates - the democrats has brokered convention that nearly led to Pete Buttigieg winning the nomination
Which of the following statements about the size and growth of the federal bureaucracy are accurate?
Correct: - the federal civilian workforce has decreased over the last 60 years - several recent presidents have made a point of campaigning against the size of the federal workforce Incorrect: - the federal workforce has nearly doubled because of programs like health care and education reform - although the federal workforce has stayed relatively the same in numbers, it has grown as a percentage of the population
Which statements describe limits to presidential power?
Correct: - the president does not control foreign leaders' actions - the president might face Congress being controlled by the opposition party - the Senate must confirm many of the most important presidential appointments - Congress has the power of the purse Incorrect: - the public pays attention to the president (presidents have the ability to go public and can hold public attention in ways that no other public officials in America can manage)
How do 527s and 501(c)(4)s differ from more traditional campaign finance groups such as political action committees?
Correct: - these groups cannot coordinate directly with campaigns - these groups are not subject to the spending limits of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act Incorrect: - these groups do not have to disclose there they get their money (this is true for 501(c)(4) groups but not for 527s) - these groups have been ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court
In which ways can bureaucracies pose a challenge to democratic governance?
Correct: - they can become entrenched in organizations that serve their own interests - they can interpret laws and create rules in ways that a majority might oppose - they are not elected by the people Incorrect: - they hold expertise that is valuable in making good policy
How do military emergencies influence the executive branch's powers?
Correct: - they increase the president's foreign powers - they increase the president's domestic powers Incorrect: - they increase congressional scrutiny on executive action - they increase the supreme court's scrutiny on executive action
Which of these statements about elections are true?
Correct: - turnout in midterm elections is lower than in presidential elections - elections are administered by state and local governments Incorrect: - state election laws have attempted to make voting much easier and more convenient - primary elections have the same rules across the states because the parties implement their own primaries
During the Trump administration, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos came into the position with strong support for which of the following?
Correct: - vouchers - charter schools Incorrect: - increased funding for public education - strengthening teachers unions
When does the Supreme Court have original jurisdiction over a case?
Correct: - when a state government brings a case against citizens of another state - in cases in which a foreign ambassador is involved - in a case between two or more states - in a case between the federal government and a state government Incorrect: - in a case in which a member of Congress is involved - in cases brought by the federal government against a citizen
When is a party identification most likely to influence a person's vote choice?
Correct: - when that person is unfamiliar with the issues - when that person knows little about the candidates - when that person is voting on state legislative candidates Incorrect: - when that person is voting on presidential candidates
Identify the correct and incorrect statements about the 2020 presidential election.
Correct: - ideological moderates and independents supported Joe Biden over Donald Trump - there was a sizable gender gap among voters Incorrect: - suburban voters supported Donald Trump over Joe Biden, similar to the 2016 election - Trump carried non-college-educated voters by 10 percentage points
Which of the following about the president's Cabinet are correct?
Correct: - the cabinet makes no formal group decisions - the cabinet consists of the secretaries of the major departments of the federal government - each cabinet member appointed by the president must be approved by the senate Incorrect: - the constitution calls for a cabinet but does not make specific requirements for its procedure - the cabinet is partially responsible to the senate
What is the difference between the inherent and delegated powers of the presidency?
Delegated powers are given by Congress, whereas inherent powers are inferred from the Constitution as being a necessary part of the office.
Although _______ will continue to have control of the U.S. House of Representatives, ________ gained over a dozen seats. Most Republicans ________ their re-election bids in the Senate, and partisan control of the Senate will be determined after the Georgia ________ election in January 2021.
Democrats Republicans won runoff
Match each type of agency or bureau to its correct example.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS): - cabinet department U.S. Postal Service (USPS): - government corporation National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): - independent agency Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): - independent regulatory commission
Which federal department is responsible for diplomacy?
Department of State (The State Department conducts foreign affairs through its ambassadors to other nations and the professional diplomats in the U.S. Foreign Service; first executive department to be created; established in 1789)
Identify the forms of political participation as traditional or digital.
Digital political participation: - writing a blog post Traditional political participation: - attending a campaign event - participating in a protest - voting in an election
Label the following descriptions as applying to the Executive Office of the President (EOP), the Cabinet, or both.
EOP: - perform defined management tasks for the president Cabinet: - composed of the heads of all major federal government departments Both: - is a part of the executive branch
In recent elections, which of the following four factors is the single most important factor in predicting whether an individual will vote?
Education
Also known as the Cabinet, this is the name given to the 15 major organizations, such as the Department of Defense or Housing and Urban Development.
Executive departments
In which way does the use of signing statements by presidents differ from the use of executive orders?
Executive orders usually create new policies, whereas signing statements altar a policy already passed by Congress.
A group of individuals who have a general interest in the environment have sufficient standing to file a class-action lawsuit against a company polluting a waterway.
False (for individuals in a class-action lawsuit to have standing, they must each demonstrate that they have been specifically injured)
The trend in congressional oversight has been toward more "police patrol" oversight, and less "fire alarm" oversight.
False (recently, Congress has been more likely to respond to public outcry to a problem than investigate and address an issue before the problem emerges)
The threat of massive retaliation is more useful in combating terrorism than in fighting traditional nation-states.
False (terrorists are less susceptible to massive retaliation because they can blend with civil populations and are more geographically dispersed)
The Supreme Court is an active participant in the legislative process, as seen by how they often rule acts of Congress unconstitutional.
False (the Court has struck down less than 160 acts of Congress in over 200 years)
The government drew on the lessons from supply-side economics in its stimulus payments to the public during the COVID-19 crisis.
False (the stimulus payment represented a move back toward Keynesian economics rather than supply-side economics)
Which department has the poorest overall performance rating?
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The trend in campaign finance law over time has been toward which of the following?
Fewer restrictions on campaign donations
What is the difference between the implied and inherent powers of the presidency?
Implied powers are needed to carry out a president's expressed powers, whereas inherent powers go beyond implied ones.
Programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are examples of what kind of benefits?
In-kind (in-kind benefits are noncash goods and services, such as food stamps)
As the costs of goods and services go up over time, the government raises the benefit levels for Social Security recipients to account for so-called cost-of-living adjustments. This is an example of what concept?
Indexing (means something is tied to an increase or decrease in something else; indexing benefits to inflation means benefits and costs for programs rise hand-in-hand with the rise in cost of goods in general; this prevents the value of benefits from shrinking over time)
Match each example of presidential power to the type of power it demonstrates.
Inherent power: - use U.S. troops to initiate military conflicts Expressed power: - veto acts of Congress - appoint executive officers and federal judges (with Senate approval) Delegated power: - remove officers of the United States from their position - reduce "unreasonable" risks of injury from household products
In the history of American foreign policy in the twentieth century, which came first: American isolationism or American engagement?
Isolationism (was a feature of early foreign policy and was particularly strong in the 1920s and 1930s)
How did the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Nixon (1974) affect office of the president?
It affirmed the power of executive privilege, but with limits.
Why might Congress prefer to exercise "fire alarm" oversight rather than "police patrol" oversight?
It is more efficient and less time consuming to engage in "fire alarm" oversight.
Why do interest groups try to develop a "pattern of cases"?
It makes it more likely that the Supreme Court will hear their case.
During the New Deal, ________ theory that a government could boost employment by stimulating demand became quite influential.
John Maynard Keynes's
Match each type of power to the relevant example.
Judicial power: - President Ford pardons former president Nixon for his Watergate-related crimes Executive privilege: - President Obama denies a congressional request for records concerning Operation Fast and Furious Presidential emergency power: - President Eisenhower sends federal troops into Little Rock, Arkansas, against the wishes of the governor
Match each economic philosophy with the statement that best represents it.
Keynesianism: - the government can control the business cycle by strategically spending or changing the tax rate (this was the dominant economic framework from the 1940s-1970s, and it is still popular today) Supply-side economics: - lower taxes lead people to work harder, which increases overall revenue for the government (supply-side economics is still popular in certain corners of the conservative movement, although the broader laissez-faire approach is more popular among mainstream Republicans) Laissez-faire capitalism: - the best thing the government can do for the economy is stay out of it as much as possible (the oldest concept on this list; first gained political prominence with Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations," the other big thing that was published in 1776)
An informal group of advisers to the president is often called the
Kitchen Cabinet
Which area of state policy does the Supreme Court monitor the most?
Law enforcement
The Freedom of Information Act is designed to
Make more national security documents available to the public
Match the type of campaign with the campaign characteristics that describe it.
Mass media campaign: - money intensive - statewide campaign Grassroots campaign: - organizationally driven - local campaign
The two most generous and politically popular social programs are ________ for health care and ________ for cash benefits, which primarily benefit ___________.
Medicare Social Security senior citizens
Match each foreign policy tool with the correct example of its use.
Military force: - The United States sends a carrier battle group to conduct flight operations during a crisis with Iran over access to the Strait of Hormuz Arbitration: - Nigeria asks the International Court of Justice to resolve a long-standing dispute it has with a neighboring country (arbitration is only binding by the consent of the parties involved) Economic aid: - Australia gives Indonesia money to help the Indonesian government provide basic services to its citizens after a typhoon Collective security: - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization specifies that an attack on one country is an attack against all member countries
Identify the methods more likely to make judges more accountable to voters and those likely to make judges more accountable to elected officials.
More accountable to elected officials: - gubernatorial appointment through nominating commission - gubernatorial appointment - legislative selection More accountable to voters: - nonpartisan election - partisan election
527 committee (Super PAC)
Nonprofit independent action committees that may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but are NOT permitted to contribute or coordinate directly with parties or candidates
Match each group with the president they were more supportive of prior to Election Day.
Obama: - democrats - black Americans - women Trump: - republicans - white Americans - men
Match each Supreme Court document to its definition.
Opinion: - document laying out the legal belief of the Supreme Court justices about the case in question Dissenting opinion: - document laying out the legal belief of a minority of the Supreme Court justices about the case in question Amicus curiae brief: - interest-group-written brief that advises the Court on how to rule on a case Brief: - attorney-written document arguing why the Court should agree with their client
Match the groups of Americans to whether they are overrepresented or underrepresented in the military relative to their proportion of the U.S. population.
Overrepresented: - black Americans - males - southerners Underrepresented: - females - north-easterners
The effort by Congress, through hearings, investigations, and other techniques, to exercise control over the activities of executive agencies is known as the following?
Oversight (make sure Congress approves of the way the bureaucracy is operating)
Indexing
Periodic process of adjusting social benefits or wages to account for increases in the cost of living
501(c)(4) committees (dark money)
Politically active nonprofits; under federal law, these nonprofits can spend unlimited amounts on political campaigns and not disclose their donors as their activities are not coordinated with the candidate campaigns and political activities are NOT their primary purpose
Judicial review
Power of the courts to review actions of the legislative branches and, if necessary, declare them invalid or unconstitutional; the Supreme Court asserted this power in Marbury v. Madison
Inherent power
Powers claimed by a president that are not expressed in the Constitution but are inferred from it - often used by the president in times of war or national emergencies - derives from national sovereignty
Implied powers
Powers derived from the necessary and proper clause of Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution; such powers are not specifically expressed but are implied through the expansive interpretation of delegated powers
Suppose that a unit of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for subsidizing pharmaceutical companies to develop new drugs for treating certain difficult cancers. Because of the expense, most drug companies are reluctant to take on this work, and the few that do complain that it is more expensive than they anticipated given all the safety regulations they must follow. In response, the FDA decides to waive certain safety trials so that the remaining companies do not drop out of the initiative. The FDA's decision has the desired effect: most of the companies stay in the program. However, six months after the new drugs are released, they are found to have serious side effects, side effects that typically would have been noticed during some of the safety trials. What term describes the FDA's behavior in this situation?
Regulatory capture (occurs when regulator is more concerned with interests of the businesses it must regulate rather than the public's wider needs)
Match the description of the presidential action to its example.
Regulatory review: President Obama orders agencies to delete rules that he believes to be obsolete Executive order: President Trump issues a decree stopping immigration from several countries Signing statement: President Reagan announces his interpretation of a law as he is approving it
The ______ is the top presidentially appointed management rank for civil servants. These individuals ________ civil service protections.
Senior Executive Service lack
What is the name of the government program that provides cash benefits to senior citizens?
Social Security
Some Americans believe that America's human rights and humanitarian policies serve American interests by winning friends and demonstrating our concern for the oppressed and less fortunate. They believe that human rights and humanitarian policies are a form of what?
Soft power (those who view human rights and humanitarian policies as another way to grow American influence in the world have traditionally been influential in the American foreign policy community)
Which economic theory adopts the idea that cutting the marginal tax rate can actually increase government revenue?
Supply-side economics (the idea that cutting taxes will provide a stronger incentive to work, thus raising overall tax revenues)
Which of the following specifically gave the Supreme Court the authority to reverse state laws and constitutions?
The Judiciary Act of 1789 (this act bolstered the Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction by granting it the ability to overturn state laws and constitutions when in conflict with federal ones)
President Trump expressed which of the following concerns when he removed the United States from the Paris Agreement?
The agreement's effect on the economy
Executive privilege
The claim that confidential communications between a president and close advisors should not be revealed without the consent of the president
Bureaucracy
The complex structure of offices, tasks, rules, and principles of organization that is employed by all large-scale institutions to coordinate the work of their personnel
Referendum
The practice of referring a proposed law by a legislature to the vote of the electorate for approval / rejection
Once a bureaucratic agency has drafted new rules, what is the next step in the rule-making process?
The rules go through a period of public comment.
Which of the following is the best description of an iron triangle?
The stable relationship between a bureaucratic agency, a clientele group, and a legislative committee
According to the graphic, what is the most likely cause for the pattern of U.S. defense spending since 2000?
The war against terrorism prompted an increase in defense spending.
Expressed power
Those granted to the president by the Constitution; fall into the categories of: - military - judicial - diplomatic - executive - legislative
The Whistleblower Protection Act protects ...
Those reporting mismanagement or corruption from punishment by their colleagues or superiors.
What best describes the implementation role served by bureaucracies?
To translate often-vague laws passed by Congress into action.
Another way presidents may gain a desired policy outcome is by refusing to enforce a law they disagree with.
True
Rules made by the bureaucracy of one administration can easily be reversed by the next administration.
True
Properly order the steps a case typically goes through in the federal court system.
U.S. district courts U.S. court of appeals U.S. Supreme Court
Rank each court based on the number of cases it hears, from the court that hears the most cases to the court that hears the fewest.
U.S. district courts U.S. court of appeals U.S. Supreme Court
Grassroots campaign
Uses the people in a given district, region, or community as the basis for a political or economic movement
Mass media campaign
Widely used to expose large populations through routine uses of existing media (tv, radio, and newspapers); exposure is generally passive
The power to raise or lower the tax rate is part of
fiscal policy
An economic "carrot," or incentive, is _______. An economic "stick," or punishment, is _______.
foreign aid sanctions foreign aid: a way to reward other countries engaging in behavior you want to encourage; The U.S. provides substantial foreign aid to both Egypt and Israel to help maintain peace between those two countries) sanctions: way to punish other countries for engaging in behavior you want to discourage; The U.S. has maintained sanctions against North Korea in an attempt to curb that nation's nuclear weapons development
Match the frequency of the election cycle to the corresponding election type.
four years: - presidential elections two years: - congressional elections - midterm elections
Since the 1950s, compared with the entire workforce, the number of federal employees has
gradually declined
Presidential power has _______ in the last hundred years, often ________ of Congress and the federal judiciary.
grown with the acceptance
Which of the following goals has traditionally been of lowest priority in U.S. foreign policy?
human rights
A senator or representative running for reelection is called the
incumbent
The federal funds rate refers to the
interest rate on loans between banks
The nineteenth-century policy of ________ was based on the geographic distance of the United States from other countries.
isolationism
The merit system made hiring decisions _______ political and made it _________ to fire civil servants without cause.
less harder
A policy of deterrence may fail against terrorist groups because
terrorist groups are non-state actors who may believe their lack of a fixed geographic location prevents their targets from retaliating militarily
