Fed Gov Test #2

Which system awards government programs and benefits based on political loyalty to a party? a. Socialist b. Patronage c. Merit d. Nonpartisan

Patronage

Which piece of legislation was passed to reform the civil service by requiring that government jobs be filled based on qualifications rather than political connections? a. McCain/Feingold Act b. Stamp Act c. Emancipation Proclamation d. Pendleton Act

Pendleton Act

Around what age does voter turnout peak in the United States? a. 25 b. 60 c. 45 d. 30

60

U.S. senators serve a staggered term of a. one year. b. six years. c. two years. d. four years.

six years.

Which amendment allowed for the direct election of U.S. senators? a. Seventeenth b. Twelfth c. Sixteenth d. Tenth

Seventeenth

What does a candidate need to win the presidency? a. A plurality of the national popular vote b. A majority of the national popular vote c. A majority of electoral votes d. A plurality of electoral votes

A majority of electoral votes

Who was the first president to have impeachment charges brought against him?

Andrew Johnson

Which historical protest involved the dumping of tea in opposition to the British government-backed monopoly? a. Shays's Rebellion b. Watts Riots c. Boston Tea Party d. Tea Party Rally

Boston Tea Party

Which state has the most electoral votes? a. Texas b. Oklahoma c. Florida d. California

California

In which case did the Supreme Court rule that blanket primaries were unconstitutional? a. Buckley v. Valeo b. California Democratic Party v. Jones c. Marbury v. Madison d. Griswold v. Connecticut

California Democratic Party v. Jones

Who controls the flow of staff and paperwork, focuses the president's attention on key issues, monitors the coherence of presidential policies across cabinet departments, serves as a referee for disagreements among senior staff members, and forms bridges between the president and Congress?

Chief of staff

What type of primary is restricted to voters affiliated with a particular party? a. Unopposed b. Closed c. Blanket d. Open

Closed

Nearly three-fourths of which group of people vote in elections? a. College-educated b. The 1 percent c. Latinos d. Grade-school educated

College-educated

Which form of political participation continues to rise dramatically, especially in the last decade? a. Recruiting for a political party b. Communicating directly with members of Congress c. Working for a political candidate d. Attending political meetings

Communicating directly with members of Congress

In which type of voting system (like Australia's) are citizens required by law to vote? a. Proxy voting b. Compulsory voting c. Plurality voting d. Preferential voting

Compulsory voting

What determines the presidential order of succession?

Constitution

Which party established itself as the party for civil rights for African Americans in the 1960s? a. Republicans b. Democrats c. Federalists d. Whigs

Democrats

Which president appointed the first chief of staff?

Dwight D. Eisenhower

In which model do citizens consider the costs and benefits of voting—i.e., when the benefits exceed the costs, they turn out to vote? a. Psychological b. Economic c. Genetic d. Institutional

Economic

Which first lady showed her support for civil rights by arranging for the first African American opera singer to perform on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial?

Eleanor Roosevelt

What did the Framers who favored ratification of the Constitution call themselves? a. Antifederalists b. Federalists c. Republicans d. Democrats

Federalists

Which amendment extended voting rights to African American males? a. Twelfth b. Eleventh c. Nineteenth d. Fifteenth

Fifteenth

How many times in history has an individual NOT gained the popular vote and still become president? a. Five b. Ten c. Fifteen d. One

Five

The president's tenure was limited to two terms following which president's election to a fourth term?

Franklin Roosevelt

Which president's program, known as the New Deal, was designed to address problems associated with the Great Depression?

Franklin Roosevelt

In 1991, a redistricting in North Carolina was designed to create a district with African Americans in the majority. Later, federal courts ruled that the state had to revise those district lines so that the congressional district was more compact. What is this politicization of drawing district boundaries called? a. Staggering b. Pork-barreling c. Microtargeting d. Gerrymandering

Gerrymandering

Lyndon Johnson's federal social welfare programs became known as the

Great Society.

Which case blocked the Bush administration from denying habeas corpus privileges to an enemy combatant who was a U.S. citizen?

Hamdi v. Rumsfeld

Party machines of the late nineteenth century were fueled by what group of individuals? a. Wealthy aristocrats b. Immigrants c. Republicans d. Rural voters

Immigrants

Individuals who currently hold the contested office but who run again are called what? a. Justices b. Incumbents c. Diplomats d. Veterans

Incumbents

In which model of voting is the voting process shaped by the rules of the system, political party behavior, the ways candidates run their campaigns, and the context of the election? a. Genetic b. Institutional c. Psychological d. Economic

Institutional

Which major controversy marred the presidency of Ronald Reagan?

Iran-Contra scandal

Which statement describes spending on presidential elections from 2000 to 2016? a. It has risen sharply. b. It has been relatively stable. c. It has declined slowly. d. It has fluctuated.

It has risen sharply.

How does the average rate of voter turnout in the U.S. compare to that of other democracies? a. It is about the same. b. It is lower. c. It is slightly higher. d. It is much higher.

It is lower.

Franco believes that equality and citizen participation are important political values. He believes that the more people are allowed to vote, the better the government can respond to people's interests. Franco believes in which model of voting? a. Jeffersonian model b. Psychological model c. Hamiltonian model d. Economic model

Jeffersonian model

Who participated in the first televised presidential debate? a. Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon b. Dwight Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson c. Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan d. John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon

John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon

To assess their educational skills, potential voters in 1960s Alabama were required to answer questions like these: Whose duty is it to keep Congress informed of the state of the union? In which document or writing is the "Bill of Rights" found? How many states were required to approve the original Constitution in order for it to be in effect? In what type of assessment are these potential votes participating? a. Grandfather clauses b. Jim Crow laws c. Literacy tests d. White primaries

Literacy tests

Which theory asserts that, in a two-party race, if voters select candidates on the basis of ideology and everyone participates equally, the party closer to the middle will win? a. Party organization b. Single-member plurality c. Median voter d. Winner-take-all

Median voter

What are elections called that occur in between the four-year presidential election cycles? a. Advisory b. Midterm c. General d. Primary

Midterm

Which term refers to the general patterns of voters' party identification and their behavior on Election Day? a. Party in the electorate b. Party as an organization c. Party in government d. Party machinations

Party in the electorate

Which two U.S. states can split their electoral votes, as opposed to winner-take-all? a. Florida and Georgia b. Nebraska and Maine c. Oklahoma and Texas d. Alabama and Arkansas

Nebraska and Maine

Pursuant to the War Powers Act, how many days may the president send troops into military conflict without an official declaration of war or authorization from Congress?

No more than 90

Fabio, a 44-year-old, was born in Italy but immigrated to the United States with his parents when he was only 4 years old. He has been living here most of his life and does have U.S. citizenship. Can he attain the office of U.S. president?

No, he is not a natural-born citizen.

What is the Federal Register?

Official record of government regulations

Janice is voting in a primary but does not announce an affiliation with either party. She is given ballots with each party's list of candidates; she chooses which ballot to use and is restricted to voting for only one party's nominees. In which type of primary is Janice participating? a. Closed b. Blanket c. Open d. Transparent

Open

In June 2018, the White House announced that the president exonerated the prison sentence of two Oregon cattle ranchers who started fires that damaged federal lands. What power is the president using?

Pardon

In what election do voters choose candidates who will run on the party label in a general election? a. Party b. Primary c. Caucus d. Ballot

Primary

Teddy Roosevelt ran for president under which third party label? a. Democrat b. Federalist c. Whig d. Progressive

Progressive

An electoral system that assigns party delegates according to vote share in a presidential primary election or that assigns seats in the legislature according to vote share in a general election is known what? a. A winner-take-all system b. Caucusing c. Proportional representation d. An open primary

Proportional representation

Leroy grew up in a household with parents who voted in every election, national and local. Now as an adult, Leroy votes similarly, and when people ask him about his loyalty to the process, he simply tells them, "It is my duty to vote." Which model of voting does Leroy exemplify? a. Genetic b. Institutional c. Psychological d. Economic

Psychological

Which Republican president attracted significant support from working-class, ethnic, northern voters, and southern white voters? a. George H.W. Bush b. Ronald Reagan c. George W. Bush d. Richard Nixon

Ronald Reagan

Stephanie is running for a seat on the House of Representatives. She beats her opponents in the election but does not get 50 percent or more of the votes. In a single-member plurality system, what does this mean? a. She wins because only a plurality of votes is needed. b. She also needs to win the electoral college vote. c. She gets a percentage of the representation based on the percentage of votes she won. d. She does not win because she needs a majority of votes.

She wins because only a plurality of votes is needed.

Which issue ignited the formation of the Republican Party? a. Immigration b. Education c. Slavery d. Unemployment

Slavery

Which Supreme Court case outlawed the practice of the white primary? a. California Democratic Party v. Jones b. Griswold v. Connecticut c. Marbury v. Madison d. Smith v. Allwright

Smith v. Allwright

Ironically, which state elected Joseph Rainey, the first African American member of the House of Representatives? a. South Carolina b. North Carolina c. West Virginia d. Virginia

South Carolina

What groups can raise and give an unlimited amount of money to political candidates? a. PACs b. 501(c)(3) organizations c. Interest groups d. Super PACs

Super PACs

Which members of a party will definitely be invited to a national convention because they are instrumental in turning out party voters in the general election? a. Superdelegates b. Delegates c. Justices d. Lobbyists

Superdelegates

Which women's suffrage advocate was arrested after her attempt to vote in 1872? a. Elizabeth Cady Stanton b. Susan B. Anthony c. Victoria Claflin Woodhull d. Eleanor Roosevelt

Susan B. Anthony

Several Midwest states—Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan—are not considered strictly pro-Republican (like Tennessee) or pro-Democrat (like Massachusetts). What are these states, which are usually of vital interest to presidential candidates, called? a. Valence b. Retrospective c. Swing d. Invisible

Swing

Which political movement began with protests against the nearly $800 billion stimulus package, which Congress passed in 2009 in the hopes of ending the financial crisis that began in 2008? a. Tea Party b. March for Our Lives c. Women's Rights d. Civil Rights

Tea Party

Which statement accurately describes the aim of the Constitution and the states in regard to elections? a. The Constitution includes guidelines for all state and national elections, and it requires the national government to establish eligibility requirements for the states. b. The Constitution divides the responsibility for holding elections equally between the federal government and the states c. The Constitution is specific about the dominant role of the federal government in holding elections, and the states play a limited role. d. The Constitution is silent on the rules about voting in elections, leaving such choices to states.

The Constitution is silent on the rules about voting in elections, leaving such choices to states.

Which statement describes the relationship between income and voting? a. The lower one's income, the more likely one is to vote. b. Those with a high income and those with a low income are equally likely to vote. c. Those who represent the annual median family income in the U.S. are most likely to vote. d. The higher one's income, the more likely one is to vote.

The higher one's income, the more likely one is to vote.

During which event does the party name their presidential and vice presidential candidates and lay out the party's plan for government? a. The Iowa caucus b. The invisible primary c. The first primary d. The national convention

The national convention

What authority or role does the president have regarding the judicial system?

The nomination of judges in the federal judicial system, including supreme court justices

The number of electoral votes a state receives corresponds to what? a. The popularity of the state's major political players b. The number of senators and members of the House of Representatives for the state c. The number of major cities in the state d. The state's area

The number of senators and members of the House of Representatives for the state

What usually happens to total seats in the House of Representatives at the midterm elections? a. The president's party usually loses seats. b. The present's party gains seats about half the time and loses seats the other half. c. The president's party gains about the same number of seats as it loses. d. The president's party usually gains seats.

The president's party usually loses seats.

What is it called when a popular president running for reelection brings additional party candidates into office? a. The presidential coattails effect b. Microtargeting c. The strategic politician effect d. The midterm election effect

The presidential coattails effect

In the earliest presidential elections, how did electors vote for president and vice president? a. They selected the most popular (as opposed to qualified) candidate. b. They cast ballots for their top two choices; the winner became president, and the second-place finisher became vice president. c. They rallied behind and voted for a party candidate, no matter his ideology. d. Those voting within the District of Columbia were allowed to break any ties.

They cast ballots for their top two choices; the winner became president, and the second-place finisher became vice president.

Why do candidates who are elected from third parties like Ross Perot and Ralph Nader have little influence in legislatures? a. They have no party organization to join in the legislature. b. They are not allowed to speak in legislative sessions. c. They cannot participate in legislative votes. d. They cannot be elected to the Senate.

They have no party organization to join in the legislature.

In recent years, what has been the most common nonvoting form of political participation in the United States? a. Trying to influence others' votes b. Working for a party or candidate c. Giving money to campaigns d. Attending political meetings

Trying to influence others' votes

Which amendment set the eligibility requirements for vice president?

Twelfth

Which amendment set the voting age at 18? a. Nineteenth b. First c. Twenty-Sixth d. Second

Twenty-Sixth

How many terms do members of the House of Representatives serve? a. One b. Two c. Four d. Six

Two

What percentage of votes is necessary for Congress (both chambers) to override a presidential veto?

Two-thirds

Which case indicated that the president's power of executive privilege is not absolute?

United States v. Nixon

What is the most common form of political participation in the U.S.? a. Working for a party or candidate b. Making financial donations to campaigns c. Voting d. Attending a political meeting

Voting

Why has Oregon recently had such a high rate of voting (i.e., 70 percent in 2008 and 68 percent in 2016)? a. Early voting b. Internet ballots c. Extended voting hours d. Voting by mail

Voting by mail

The voting-age population measure has been in error because it has not considered increases in the number of immigrants and convicted felons who are ineligible to vote. What new measure corrects for these trends? a. Available voter b. Adjusted voter c. Legal voter d. Voting-eligible population

Voting-eligible population

Which scandal led to the resignation of Richard Nixon?

Watergate

In the 1960s, members of underrepresented groups like women and black Americans objected to the Democratic Party's use of the unit rule to nominate presidents—which stated that whoever won the majority of primary or state nominating convention votes won the entire state's delegates. What's another name for the this rule? a. Winner-take-all b. Proportional representation c. Superdelegate d. Blanket primary

Winner-take-all

In which case did the Supreme Court rule that the president could not seize domestic property when the U.S. was at war abroad?

Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. v. Sawyer

The president directs all war efforts and military conflict under the title

commander in chief.

A trend in which older voters who die are replaced in the electorate by less reliable young voters is known as a. the voting-eligible population. b. generational replacement. c. graveyard voting. d. the grandfather clause.

generational replacement.

Because a president in his second term cannot seek reelection, he is commonly referred to as a(n)

lame duck

Although Barack Obama won reelection in 2012 by a margin of 51 to 47 percent, due to a Republican majority in the House, the country experienced a. a period of Democratic policy control. b. little bipartisanship and divided government. c. strong bipartisanship and responsible party government. d. a unique time of bipartisanship.

little bipartisanship and divided government.

In the case of the U.S., the party in government is made up of the a. number of Democrats and Republicans in Congress. b. Democratic primary election, in which only Democrats may participate. c. state or national political parties (e.g. Republican National Committee). d. number of registered Democratic and Republican voters.

number of Democrats and Republicans in Congress.

The internal structure that guides how a party operates at the federal, state, and local levels is called the party a. in government. b. organization. c. platform. d. in the electorate.

organization.

A long-term shift in voter allegiance from one party to the other is called a a. party caucus. b. party realignment. c. party renewal. d. dealignment.

party realignment.

The November presidential election is coming up and the current president is running for re-election. Elise is a concerned citizen who believes that the current president is spending too much time working toward reelection and not enough time governing. This change in the president's focus demonstrates the concept of the a. invisible primary. b. permanent campaign. c. patronage game. d. vanishing margin.

permanent campaign.

President Trump signed more executive orders than any other recent president in his first 100 days in office. Some notable ones were to reverse the Affordable Care Act and ban admission to the U.S. for a range of immigrants and refugees. These instructions do not require congressional approval. This exemplifies the power of the president to issue

presidential directives

When state legislatures redraw district lines to try to keep districts equal in terms of population, it is called a. gerrymandering. b. microtargeting. c. redistricting. d. pork-barreling.

redistricting.

The National Voter Registration Act requires states to a. register all eligible voters, though the states can define "eligible." b. allow absentee ballots so voters can vote by mail. c. allow voters to register when they apply for or renew their driver's licenses. d. remove ineligible voters from their rolls.

remove ineligible voters from their rolls

When a president signs a bill into law, he can issue written remarks that reflect his interpretation of the law that are not required or authorized by the Constitution. These remarks are called

signing statements

Because he came across well on television, Ronald Reagan is referred to as

the "Great Communicator."

The period before the primaries during which candidates attempt to capture party support and media coverage is called a. open primaries. b. the beauty contest primary. c. the permanent primary. d. the invisible primary.

the invisible primary.

In 2016, voters gave the Republican party control of the White House and Congress. Now, voters have high expectations and will hold the Republican party accountable for policy outcomes in the next election. This demonstrates the concept of a. a party caucus. b. party alignment. c. the responsible party. d. proportional representation.

the responsible party.

In December 2013, with President Barack Obama's popularity sagging and a struggling economy, many quality Democratic candidates decided not to run in the 2014 elections. This demonstrates a. the permanent campaign. b. vanishing marginals. c. the strategic politician hypothesis. d. retrospective voting.

the strategic politician hypothesis.

Noncontroversial issues that are not likely to differ between candidates—such as "keeping America safe" and "providing good education for children"—are called a. wedge issues. b. valence issues. c. retrospective issues. d. position issues.

valence issues.

Since the 1960s, competitiveness in congressional elections has been declining. This trend is referred to as a. term limits. b. vanishing marginals. c. presidential coattails. d. safe seats.

vanishing marginals.

Controversial and divisive topics like gun control, abortion, and race that are often used in campaigns to break up an opponent's coalitions are referred to as a. wedge issues. b. retrospective voting strategies. c. valence issues. d. position issues.

wedge issues.