Political Science Final
Less than ___________ of the cases heard by federal appeals courts are later reviewed by the Supreme Court A) 1 percent B) 10 percent C) 25 percent D) 33 percent E) 50 percent
A) 1 percent
Roughly _________ was spent on the 2016 presidential election A) $24 million B) $240 million C) $1.1 billion D) $2.4 billion E) $24 billion
$2.4 billion
Of the following, the news media are most likely to focus on: A) events that are timely. B) events that affect small numbers of people. C) events that occur in other countries. D)events experienced by ordinary citizens. E)complex events that are difficult to report.
A) Events that are timely
Yellow journalism contributed most notably to public support for the: A) Spanish-American War B) Civil War C) War of 1812 D) Mexican War of 1848 E)American Revolution
A) Spanish-American War
What did the Supreme Court rule about executive agreements in 1937? A) They are legally binding in the same way that treaties are B) They can only be issued in matters of national security C) They will only be binding if reviewed and approved by both houses fo Congress D) They can only be made with the approval of the president's entire cabinet E) They were ruled unconstitutional and are no longer used by the executive.
A) They are legally binding in the same way that treaties are
Which of the following is an interest group more likely to champion than a political party? A) a controversial issue B) a particular candidate C) a broad range of ideological ideas D) a policy that would have a broad impact E) an issue that has the broad backing of the general public
A) a controversial issue
Over the last two decades, the Supreme Court can best be said to be practicing judicial A) activism B) liberalism C) restraint D) socialism E) relativism
A) activism
Legally, the bureaucracy derives general authority for its programs from A) acts of Congress B) federalism C) regulatory rulings D) court rulings E) the will of the people
A) acts of Congress
Regulatory agencies have A) administrative, legislative, and judicial functions B) legislative and executive functions, but no judicial functions C) adjudicative and law enforcement functions D) multilateral, law enforcement, and executive functions E) None of these is correct
A) administrative, legislative, and judicial functions
Studies by political scientists show that Supreme Court justices A) are strongly influenced by their political beliefs B) are slightly influenced by their political beliefs C) are not influenced by their political beliefs D) strive to ensure that their political beliefs do not influence their decisions E) all share the same political beliefs
A) are strongly influenced by their political beliefs
According to the doctrine of judicial restraint, the judiciary should A) defer to decisions made by the legislature B) deny most appeals for retrials C) deny individual rights when they conflict with the majority's desires D) decline to make any decision that requires judges to give added meaning to the words of the Constitution E) conform to the will of the people as measured by public opinion polls
A) defer to decisions made by the legislature
During the era of objective journalism, the commitment of newspapers to two-sided news reporting: A) did not extend to their editorializing B) was enshrined in the editorial section C) was uniform throughout the sections of a newspaper D) caused democracy in the US to deteriorate E) all of these are correct
A) did not extend to editorializing
The defining characteristic of a social insurance program is that A) eligibility is restricted to individuals who paid special payroll taxes during their working years B) it is administered jointly by the national government and the states C) it is targeted at those who are most in need of welfare assistance D) it is administered through private insurance companies E) None of these is correct
A) eligibility is restricted to individuals who paid special payroll taxes during their working years
The news provides a refracted version of reality because it: A) emphasizes dramatic and compelling news stories B) is biased in favor of a Republican viewpoint. C) is biased in favor of a Democratic viewpoint D)is biased in favor of a liberal perspective E) is biased in favor of a conservative perspective
A) emphasizes dramatic and compelling news stories
In John Maynard Keynes's demand-side economic theory, an economic recession can be shortened through A) government spending programs B) the natural workings of the free-market system C) raising tariffs in the global economy D) a determination on the part of government not to spend any more than it receives in taxes E) tax cuts for the wealthy
A) government spending programs
A president's policy initiatives are significantly more successful when the president A) has the strong support of the American people B) is a former member of Congress C) is on good terms with other world leaders D) is in office when the economy goes bad, which creates a demand for stronger leadership E) None of these answers is correct
A) has the strong support of the American people
Bills are formally introduced in Congress by: A) members of Congress only B) executive agencies C) interest groups D) the Supreme Court E) All of these answers are correct
A) members of Congress only
The appointment of federal judges is influenced most substantially by A) partisanship B) logrolling C) pork barreling D) affirmative action E) personal friendships
A) partisanship
Legislation whose tangible benefits are targeted solely at a particular legislator's constituency is often criticized as A) pork B) logrolling C) gerrymandering D) private legislation E) public interest legislation
A) pork
Another name for an interest group is: A) pressure group B) cabal C) political party D) coalition E) constituency
A) pressure group
Objective journalism is based on the idea that the reporter's job is to: A) report the facts and present both sides of a partisan debate B) report what political leaders want them to report C) discover what other reporters are saying and provide a uniform interpretation of events D) scrutinize the partisan debate, and inform the news audience about which party has the better argument E) all of these are correct
A) report the facts and present both sides of a partisan debate
The Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commision (2010) ultimately led to the creation of A) Super PACs B) PACs C) election reform D) independent-expenditure-committees (IECs) E) the AARP
A) super PACs
In recent decades, lobbyists in Washington, DC, have increasingly: A) targeted the executive branch in their efforts to influence policy decisions B) relied on coercive tactics, such as threats of withdrawing election support C) worked to defeat incumbent members of Congress in order to replace them with members who would be more supportive D) relied exclusively on inside lobbying as the means of achieving their policy goals E) ignored the judicial branch as a means of influencing policy decisions
A) targeted the executive branch in thier efforts to influence policy decisions
Most of the legislative work of Congress is performed by: A) the standing comittees and their subcommittees with jurisdiction over particular policy areas B) the joint committees chosen to study special problems on a temporary basis C) the select committees chosen to study special problems on a temporary basis D) the steering committees that decide how the party stand on particular bills E) party leaders in both chambers
A) the standing committees and their subcommittes with jurisdiction over particular policy areas
In 2014, the poverty line was about ______ for a family of four A) $19,000 B) $24,000 C) $28,000 D) $33,000 E) $38,000
B) $24,000
The economic boom that followed the end of WWII saw incomes rise for most families in the US. In what decade did this phenomenon come to an end? A) 1960s B) 1970s C) 1980s D) 1990s E) 2000s
B) 1970s
The cabinet department with the largest number of full-time civilian employees is the Department of A) State B) Defense C) Labor D) Health and Human Services E) Education
B) Defense
Which of the following is true of the federal government's demographic representatives? A) Because the federal government has reduced efforts to specifically promote women and minorities, the proportion of white males that hold top administration positions has increased in recent years B) If all employees are taken into account, the federal bureaucracy comes reasonably close to being representative of the nation's population. C) Women and minorities are better represented in Congress and the judiciary than they are among the top ranks of administrators D) The concept of a demographically representative civil service was first endorsed by President Reagan in 1984 E) There has been much more improvement in the representation of minorities in the civil service than in the representation of women
B) If all employees are taken into account, the federal bureaucracy comes reasonably close to being representative of the nation's population.
How has the Internet affected the watchdog role of the media? A) It has diluted the watchdog capacity with an overflow of opinions B) It has expanded the watchdog capacity of the media C) It has tainted the watchdog role with a partisan bent D) It has almost completely usurped the watchdog role from the traditional media outlets E) It has little to no effect because it lacks the objective standards of traditional media outlets
B) It has expanded the watchdog capacity of the media
The European Recovery Plan is better known as the A) Truman Doctrine B) Marshall Plan C) Carter Doctrine D) Clinton Manifesto E) Reagan Decree
B) Marshall Plan
__________ described the Soviet Union as the "evil empire" A) Richard Nixon B) Ronald Reagan C) Bill Clinton D) Jimmy Carter E) Gerald Ford
B) Ronald Reagan
The courts have tended to support administrators as long as their agencies A) Choose rules that save money B) apply a reasonable interpretation of a statute C) follow what the president demand of them D) have adequate funding E) don't come into conflict with state governments
B) apply a reasonable interpretation of a statute
The most fully organized interests are those that have which of the following as their primary purpose? A) environmental protection B) economic activity C) civil liberties D) labor reform E) reform of government
B) economic activity
Federal civil service employees cannot legally A) be fired from their jobs B) go on strike C) belong to a union D) be restricted in their political activities E) hold certain key jobs in election campaigns
B) go on strike
Which of the following is a consequence of the high-choice media system? A) a growth in the traditional public affairs audience B) greater control by people over what they see and hear C) a merging of the three tiers of public affairs audiences D) a higher proportion of objective news sources to partisan news sources E) a de-aging of the overall news and public affairs audience
B) greater control by people over what they see and hear
Democrats in Washington have usually responded to high levels of unemployment with A) reduced government spending B) increased government spending C) increased government taxes D) decreased government taxes E) decreased government regulation
B) increased government spending
In its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court A) invalidated the use of union money in federal election campaigns B) lifted restrictions in corporate and union spending in federal election campaigns C) placed restrictions on the amounts that individuals can donate to federal election campaigns D) placed limits on the amounts that corporations can donate to federal election campaigns E) eliminated the provision for matching federal campaign funds in presidential elections
B) lifted restrictions in corporate and union spending in federal election campaigns
The FCC's requirement for radio stations relating to equal airtime: A) included the print media B) prohibited broadcasters from selling or giving time to political candidates without offering the same to their opponents C) required broadcasters to air equal amounts of programming that supported both major political parties D) required broadcasters to give equal time to news programming and commercial advertising E) required broadcasters to give equal time to third parties as well as the Democrats and Republicans in debates
B) prohibited broadcasters from selling or giving time to political candidates without offering the same to their opponents
Effective inside lobbying is based upon: A) countering the aims of other groups B) providing useful and persuasive information to key officials C) mobilizing the group's members D) bribing or threatening officials E) using the media to exert pressure
B) providing useful and persuasive information to key officials
For a bill to pass in either chamber of Congress, it must: A) receive the support of a third of its members B) receive the support of a simple majority of its members C) receive the support of two-thirds of its members D) be passed within two weeks of its passage by the other chamber E) be passed within a month of its passage by the other chamber
B) receive the support of a simple majority of its members
Senators are generally less likely to take directions from their leaders than House members because A) senators are prohibited by their state legislatures from taking orders from others B) senators think of themselves as being equals and generally expect to have more autonomy C) senators are more highly paid than House members and are thus immune from financial threats D) House rules mandate that all party members on major bills vote according to the directions of their leaders. E) All of these are correct
B) senators think of themselves as being equals and generally expect to have more autonomy
Government subsidies to small and large farmers are designed in large part to A) increase tax revenue levied on farm production and exports B) stabilize farm income, which would otherwise fluctuate greatly due to market and weather conditions C) promote farm income, which would otherwise fluctuate greatly due to market and weather conditions D) encourage rural development E) encourage urban development
B) stabilize farm income, which would otherwise fluctuate greatly due to market and weather conditions
What technology led editors to substitute news reports for partisan commentary? A) radio B) telegraph C) broadcast TV D) cabale TV E) power-driven printing presses
B) telegraph
The scheduling of bills in the Senate is left up to: A) the Senate Scheduling Committee B) the Senate majority leader C) each of the Senate committees D) the Senate historian E) the Senate parliamentarian
B) the Senate majority leader
The yellow journalism of the late 19th century was characterized by: A) its appearance solely in weekly and monthly magazines B) the emphasis on sensationalism as a way of selling newspapers C) prejudice against Asian people and countries D) an unwillingness to take editorial positions because of a fear of losing circulation E) the desire to present the news in an objective manner
B) the emphasis on sensationalism as a way of selling newspapers
Citizen's interest groups are distinguished from economic interest groups by the fact that: A) their leaders are elected by secret ballot among the group's members B) there is no material incentive for members in their pursuit of the group's goals C)they do not lobby government officials directly, but rely instead on public service announcements to get their views across to society D) they always pursue goals in which there is a high level of agreement among society members E) All of these are correct
B) there is no material incentive for members in their pursuit of the group's goals
Monetary policy includes all of the following assumptions EXCEPT that A) the money supply is the key to sustaining a healthy economy B) too little money in circulation contributes to inflation C) too little money in circulation contributes to a slowdown in consumer buying D) too little money in circulation contributes to rising unemployment E) too much money in circulation contributes to inlation
B) too little money in circulation contributes to inflation
The term "asymmetric war" best applies to A) regional wars B) transnational terrorism C) conventional wars D) nuclear war E) wars between neighboring countries with different population sizes
B) transnational terrorism
When was the last time the US government had a balanced budget? A) 1970s B) 1980s C) 1990s D) 2000s E) None of these is correct
C) 1990s
How many presidents have been impeached in US history? A) 0 B) 1 C) 2 D) 3 E) 4
C) 2
How many Electoral College votes are needed to secure victory for a presidential candidate? A) 51 B) 218 C) 270 D) 321 E) 430
C) 270
The framers of the Constitution saw the ________ as the preeminent component of the federal government A) Supreme Court B) bureaucracy C) Congress D) the President E) none
C) Congress
Which of the following statements is true? A) Political parties are unimportant in the organization of the US Congress B) Party-line voting rarely occurs in Congress C) Party-line voting has increased in recent years D) Partisanship makes virtually no difference in the votes cast in Congress E) None of these are correct
C) Party-line voting has increased in recent years
Which group saw the largest percentage increase of SES positions between 1982 and 2011? A) blacks B) Hispanics C) women D) white men E) All of these groups had about the same percentage increase
C) Women
Charter schools: A) are publicly funded and have no more freedom in choosing students than do public schools, though they have greater freedom in determining curricula B) are privately funded and have total freedom in determining curricula C) are publicly funded but have more freedom in determining curricula than public schools D) are promoted primarily by Democrats as a strong, publicly-funded method of improving education E) have been opposed by President Obama, through executive orders to drain their funding
C) are publicly funded but have more freedom in determining curricula than public schools
The foundation of US policy toward the Soviet Union after WWII was A) detente B) unilateralism C) containment D)internationalism E) isolationism
C) containment
Early American newspapers: A) were written and copied by hand B) were so inexpensive that nearly everyone read a daily paper. C) could not have survived without political party support. D) were more widely read than today's papers. E) all of these are correct
C) could not have survived without political party support.
One of the reasons the reporting of national news is relatively uniform among new sources is that: A) the government dictates much of what is reported B) there are only a few important events each day that merit news coverage C) many outlets take their news from a single source, the Associated Press D) reporters are not given much freedom by their editors E) modern journalists have become fairly lazy and use mostly wire reports to create news copy for the network newscasts
C) many outlets take their news from a single source, the Associated Press
The idea that major nations should act together in response to problems and crises is called A) the one-world concept B) detente C) multilateralism D) internationalism E) containment
C) multilateralism
As distinct from the patronage system, the merit system for managing the bureaucracy A) allows the president to appoint top officials of executive agencies, thus making the bureaucracy more responsive to election outcomes B) provides for presidential leadership of the bureaucracy, thus giving it greater coordination and direction C) provides for a neutral administration in the sense that civil servants are not partisan appointees, thus ensuring neutral work D) provides that all programs will be evaluated regularly to determine whether they merit continued funding E) All of these are correct
C) provides for a neutral administration in the sense that civil servants are not partisan appointees, thus ensuring neutral work
In the nation's first century, A) service in Congress was even more of a lifetime career than it is now B) members of Congress would move from House to Senate and back with little concern for the relative power and prestige of the chambers C) service in Congress was not seen as a lifetime career for most of its members D) service in Congress was not seen as a lifetime career for most of its members E) service in Congress was greatly preferred to service in state government
C) service in Congress was not seen as a lifetime career for most of its members
Poverty is a condition that today affects roughly one in ______ Americans A) two B) three C) seven D) twenty E) fifty
C) seven
The term externalities refers to A) regulations imposed on a firm by government B) a nation that is a trading partner of another nation C) the costs of production that are incurred by society D) tariffs imposed on American goods exported to other countries E) None of these is correct
C) the costs of production that are incurred by society
The use of the primary system to select delegates to the presidential nominating convention began in: A) the early 1800s during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson B) the 1830s during the presidency of Andrew Jackson C) the early 1900s during the Progressive era D) the 1930s during the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt E) the 1970s in the aftermath of the Vietnam War and student protests
C) the early 1900s during the Progressive era
To ovveride a presidential veto, Congress must vote at a minimum by a: A) simple majority in each chamber B) three-fifths majority in each chamber C) two-thirds majority in each chamber D) four-fifths majority in each chamber E) simple majority in the House and a three-fifths majority in the Senate
C) two-thirds majority in each chamber
Senate incumbents have about a(n) ________ chance of winning reelection A) 57 percent B) 65 percent C) 74 percent D) 84 percent E) 98 percent
D) 84 percent
Which of the following is a reason for the relatively weak presidency during the 19th century, as compared to the presidency in the 20th century? A) the smaller size and complexity of the federal government B) the sectional nature of the nation's major issues C) the US government's smaller role in world affairs D) all of these factors E) None of these is correct
D) All of these factors
Under which president did the Electoral College selection process change to a popular vote? A) George Washington B) Thomas Jefferson C) James Madison D) Andrew Jackson E) Martin Van Buren
D) Andrew Jackson
The president's success is most dependent on winning over: A) the courts B) the bureaucracy C) the foreign service D) Congress E) his or her chief of staff
D) Congress
Which federal agency was lax in requiring the proper safety procedures that could have prevented the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico? A) Environmental Protection Agency B) Department of Labor C) Department of Transportation D)Minerals Management Service E) Executive Office of the President
D) Minerals Management Service
During the early 20th century, which newspaper developed a reputation as the country's best newspaper? A) Washington Times B) Miami Herald C) Los Angeles Times D) New York Times E) Chicago Tribune
D) New York Times
Why are social security and Medicare considered highly efficient programs? A) Their integrated vertical structure B) They have built-in sunset provisions C)They are administered at the local level where government is more responsive to changes in the needs of beneficiaries D) They do not require a large bureaucracy to administer them E) Costs are shared by the state and federal government
D) They do not require a large bureaucracy to administer them
What benefit was provided through the GI Bill? A) free health care services, a precursor to what became Medicare B) free housing in new manufacturing centers C) a wage bonus for service members entering the civilian workforce D) cash for college and vocational training; and nearly interest-free loans E) None of these answers is correct
D) cash for college and vocational training; and nearly interest-free loans
Public assistance programs are funded through A) payroll taxes paid only by employees B) payroll taxes paid only by employers C) payroll taxes paid by both employees and employers D) general tax revenues E) sale taxes
D) general tax revenues
In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court A) issued a decision that led to a decrease in political spending in campaigns B) upheld the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act C) ruled that corporations cannot legally be considered persons D) illustrated that it is a political body E) nullified the power of the Federal Election Commission to monitor campaign spending
D) illustrated that it is a political body
The principal of judicial review grants the judiciary the authority to A) make political decisions; judges can overturn any congressional or presidential decision they personally disklike B) decide which laws apply to a particular case C) ignore public opinion when making decisions D) invalidate the actions of other institutions when judges believe they have acted unconstitutionally E) strike down certain sections of the Constitution
D) invalidate the actions of other institutions when judges believe they have acted unconstitutionally
Monetary policy differs from fiscal policy in that A) it has to be exercised by the legislature B) the policy goals are very different C) it is a slower process than fiscal policy D) it can be implemented more quickly than fiscal policy E) None of these answers is correct
D) it can be implemented more quickly than fiscal policy
Government benefits for business include all of the following except A) loan guarantees and direct loans B) corporate tax breaks C) a national transportation system D) minimum-wage laws E) a national education system
D) minimum-wage laws
Roughly how many American workers currently belong to unions? A) one in two B) one in four C) one in six D) one in nine E) one in ten
D) one in nine
The theory that society's interests are most effectively represented through group action is A) republicanism B) constitutionalism C)elitist theory D) pluralist theory E) interest-group liberalism
D) pluralist theory
What are the two broad groups that welfare programs fall into? A) public assistance and in-kind assistance B) equity and efficiency C) positive and negative D) social insurance and public assistance E) subsidized and social insurance
D) social insurance and public assistance
More than 90 percent of the funding for public education comes from A) the federal government B) state governments C) local governments D) state and local governments E) private sources
D) state and local governments
Which of the following agencies or department is likely to have strong allies from a group of particular states in Congress? A) the Department of State B) the Central Intelligence Agency C) the Environmental Protection Agency D) the Department of Agriculture E) the Federal Trade Commission
D) the Department of Agriculture
House incumbents have about a(n) ________ chance of winning reelection A) 57 percent B) 65 percent C) 74 percent D) 82 percent E) 92 percent
E) 92 percent
More than _________ of the nation's legal cases are decided in state or local court systems A) 10 percent B) 25 percent C) 50 percent D) 75 percent E) 95 percent
E) 95 percent
The Department of ________ was founded in 1889 A) Health and Human Services B) State C) Labor D) Homeland security E) Agriculture
E) Agriculture
The Food Stamps program is A) criticized because some believe it allows undeserving people to get paid B) criticized because some think it stigmatizes its users by identifying them publicly as welfare cases C) an in-kind benefit D) criticized because some think it is too costly E) all of these answers are correct
E) All of these answers are correct
A basic reason for the existence of so many interest groups in the US is: A) the American tradition of free association B) the extent of diverse interests in American society C) America's federal system of government D) the separation of powers in American government E) All of these are correct
E) All of these are correct
Mark up of a bill means that: A) a president has crossed out sections of the bill that he or she finds personally objectionable B) a bill has been approved after floor debate has finished C) witnesses at committee hearings suggest modifications of the bill D) the House Speaker and Senate majority leader have written a bill in a way that they favor E) None of these is correct
E) None of these is correct
NATO membership is primarily composed of: A) the US and other countries in the Americas allied with it B) the US and other nuclear weapon-armed nations C) the US, Russia, China, and smaller industrialized nations D) the US and its European and Asian allies E) the US, Canada, and European countries
E) the US, Canada, and European countries