PSC 101 FINAL

Where do the states get their power in the U.S constitutional order?

10th amendment

In Shelby County v. Holder (2013), the Supreme Court overturned a key portion of which of the following laws that required states to preclear any changes to their election laws with the department of justice?

1965 Voting Rights Act

Each state has ____ senators elected every ___ years.

2;6

The right to bear arms is protected by which amendment?

2nd

Since 1910, how many members are elected to the house of representatives?

435

It was the weaknesses of the first constitution, known as the __________, that prompted the call for a constitutional convention by the various states.

Articles of Confederation

How do we know that the opinions of people who call in to radio talk shows are not typical of most Americans?

As a sample, they are unrepresentative of the whole population

Which president went through and impeachment trial before the senate?

Bill Clinton

Which is an example of a federal mandate?

Congress passes a law requiring all states to adopt a sex offender registry system categorizing offenders based on conviction, not future threat.

Which of the following is an effect of immigration on American politics?

Destination states gain in congress because the apportionment of seats in the house of representatives is based on a state's entire adult population, regardless of legal status.

Which of the following is considered to be a leading question?

Do you think Americans should be able to make their own health care decisions?

Which of the following is considered to be one of the major national newspapers?

New York Times

Abortion Case

Roe vs. Wade 1971

Which of the following statements about the Supreme Court is accurate?

The Supreme Court can rule on disputes centered on the meaning of statutes and regulations.

What does the first amendment say about the freedom of press?

The press has broad protection from censorship or prosecution

Most online surveys fall prey to which common problem?

The samples are not random

What are two barriers to the success of minor parties in the US?

There are variations in ballot access requirements between states, and some states require a large number of signatures to get on the ballot.

Why do poverty and economic inequality threaten democracy?

Those who are poor are less effective democratic citizens

Which of the following plans proposed proportional representation for the US congress?

Virginia

Why is winning the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary important for a presidential campaign?

Winning in these early states builds momentum

Bureaucracy is described as which of the following?

a large organization with a hierarchy of offices and a clear chain of command

In ___________ system, voters know what a party stands for and what to expect if a party is elected.

a responsible party

If people are to form authentic and rational attitudes about public policies and leaders they require which of the following?

accurate and insightfully interpreted political info

Inherent in the idea of self-rule is the idea that government should serve __________.

all citizens

An ______________ brief is submitted by someone who is not a party to the case.

amicus curiae

An interest group organized to support a general cause or an ideology is known as __________.

an advocacy group

The 6th amendment guarantees _________.

assistance of counsel

Why might some people be worried about voter ID laws that require govt-issued ID cards for citizens to vote?

because it might have the effect of keeping poorer AAs and hispanics from voting.

The conflict that exists between congress and the president is ___________.

by design

Which of the following serves as the president's right hand and has the responsibility for supervising other staff members and organizing much of what the president does?

chief of staff

When the govt guarantees equal access to the benefits of citizenship by all groups they are ensuring __________.

civil rights

You best friend believes that the federal govt should not place restrictions on businesses, that individuals and not govt are responsible for their fates, and that the traditional family is the most important social unit. He or she is most likely ______________.

conservative

The declaration of independence was debated and adopted by which of the following institutions?

continental congress

Which of the following is a method by which congress can exercise control over the bureaucracy?

control of the agency budget

Which of the following best characterizes the redistricting and reapportionment process in the US?

controversial

Th dealignment era that followed the new deal coalition was triggered by which of the following developments?

democratic party support for civil rights and equal eights and opposition to the Vietnam war

Gridlock in the national political system is most likely caused by ___________.

divided govt

Senate confirmations of presidential appointments are lower in periods of __________.

divided govt

Which type of federalism is characterized by a system of separate but equally powerful state and national governments?

dual

One way in which presidents exercise control over the federal bureaucracy is through ___________.

executive orders

In The Federalist No. 10 Madison argued that ____________ , or a group of individuals concerned more with their self- interest than with the rights of individuals outside of the group or with the needs of society as a whole, were the core threat of the new republic.

factions

Disputes between a state and a citizen of another state are heard by ___________ courts.

federal

The changing nature of the global economy affects the typical American worker in what way?

fewer benefits

Which clause in the constitution requires that the judicial decrees and contracts made in one state will be binding and enforceable in another?

full faith and credit

Which of the following makes typical Americans the most nervous?

globalization

With which of the following statements would a majority Tea Party members agree?

govt is almost always wasteful

____________ contributions to and spending by candidate and party committees fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Election Commission.

hard money

If one state refuses to recognize a contract entered into by persons in another state, it is a question of what type of federalism?

horizontal

Under which circumstance os political equality violated?

if some people can speak out but others cannot

When was the 13th amendment banning slavery passed?

immediately after the civil war

How might the media frame the door working condition of migrant workers in the United States in order to elicit public support for government programs?

in terms of failures of society to live up to the tradition of equality

From the perspective of the framers, the legislative branch was potentially dangerous to ______________

individual freedom

Which of the following is least likely to have an effect on your political socialization?

intelligence

Successful social movements often transform into which of the following?

interest groups

When a court interprets and overturns the actions of the executive and legislative branches, it is engaged in which of the following actions?

judicial review

____________ hold that the federal govt should play a substantial role in providing economic justice and opportunity.

liberals

The power of both the state and federal govts to levy taxes in an example of ___________ federalism.

marble cake

According to the Supreme Court, evidence that is a product of warrantless or unreasonable search ___________.

may not be used in trial

The prospective voting model __________.

means that voters make decisions based on what government will do in the future

Karl, the voter who sits at the exact center of the political distribution, is referred to by political scientists as the ________ voter.

median

What functions of political parties differentiate them from other political organizations?

nominating candidates , winning political power, and promoting ideas about public policies

What is the core idea that shapes democracy?

ordinary people are capable of making choices about self-governance.

What best represents the trend of party polarization over the past 3 decades?

party polarization has increased as bipartisanship has decreased

The commitment of Americans to individualism's a reflection of American __________.

political culture

Today, unequal distribution of wealth and income in the United States results in __________.

political divisions and conflicts

According to the Supreme Court, the money spent in campaigns is the equivalent of which of the following?

political speech

Both 18th century republicanism and the Democratic ideal believed that government must be based on which of the following?

popular consent

Nullification was particularly prominent during which era in American history?

pre-civil war

The right to __________ is not explicitly mentioned in any of the amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

privacy

In a country with a ___________ system, minor parties play a much more significant role in electoral politics.

proportional representation

A student might be led to join a social movement by __________ , such as rising student loan or debt.

real or perceived distress

What is the term used to describe the transition from one party being in control to another being in control?

realignment

After the census, the United States goes through the __________ process, in which congressional seats are allotted to each state according to its proportion of the population.

reapportionment

Article VI, Section 2, of the constitution, commonly called the supremacy clause, _____________.

recast a loose confederation into a more centralized federal system

If a state legislature wants to submit a proposed law or constitutional amendment to the voters for their approval, they would use which of the following procedures?

referenda

After the 1894-1900 realignment, which party dominated until the realignment of 1932?

republicans

Which is the most concerning for labor unions?

right-to-work laws

Ross Perot's Reform Party of 1996 was what type of third party?

single-issue

Which of the following is often advances as a reason to keep the electoral college system in place?

small states have more influence than they would in a direct popular election

Many of the founders believed that the __________ contract gave the govt its legitimacy.

social

If you wanted to describe a social movement, which of the following statements would be your best choice?

social movements often use unconventional and disruptive tactics

The president uses the _________ address to present his or her legislative proposals for addressing national problems.

state of the union

Advocates of ____________ believe that the court must be guided by the meaning of the framers and the exact words found in the constitution.

strict construction

Nonprofit entities that can accept unlimited amounts in donations from corporations, unions, groups, and individuals are called __________.

super PACs

Representative democracy best describes govt in which of the following?

the United States

Jackie attends a protest against animal testing. Which of the following secures her right to attend this protest?

the bill of rights

Whose votes elect the president?

the electoral college

Which law was responsible for the creation of the merit-based civil service system in the United States?

the pendleton act

Which of the following statements about women in political office is accurate?

the percentage of women holding public office has steadily increased since the 1970s.

Who has the responsibility for nominating judges to the federal bench?

the president

What is implementation?

the process by which a law or policy is put into practice

In the past, AA turnout was ___________.

the same as white turnout

Which of the following supports the argument that the president is free to exercise command snd authority over the executive branch in all respects?

the theory of unitary executive

If a government system is based on the idea of popular sovereignty, what is the basis of power?

the ultimate source of authority rests with the people

Incumbent presidents seeking reelection have an advantage over challengers because ____________.

they can raise money more easily

What is the default position of most Americans when it comes to government?

they distrust it

Why are interest groups an important subject of study in American politics?

they provide a venue for citizens to participate in govt

Prior to civil service reform, bureaucrats were chosen using the spoils system, which meant that the people who got federal jobs were __________.

those who helped candidates win election

The department of __________ handles issues related to roads, bridges, etc.

transportation

The best term to describe the information that is available to interested citizens in the digital era is ________.

unlimited

Hispanics in the US are most likely to ___________.

vote for democrats

What institutional feature of American politics effectively prevents the development of competitive third parties in the US?

winner-take-all system