American Government Exam 3

An unintended consequence of U.S. financial aid to Russia is that

aid may end up going to corrupt officials. Russia has a recent history of pervasive corruption. U.S. officials fear that financial aid will not reach its intended recipients.

What was the trigger for the credit crisis?

declining home values. This was the trigger for the credit crisis.

The idea that legislative members ought to share the demographic characteristics of their constituents is known as

descriptive representation. Descriptive representation refers to the belief that representatives should resemble their constituents.

The Montreal Protocol, an international treaty, regulates the use of chlorofluorocarbons to prevent what occurrence.

destruction of the ozone layer. Yes, the Montreal Protocol is a treaty designed to protect the integrity of the ozone layer in the atmosphere.

Which case blocked the Bush administration from denying habeas corpus privileges to enemy combatants who are U.S. citizens?

Hamdi v. Rumsfield

Which of the following is NOT a constitutional qualification for being president?

Having no criminal convictions. A criminal record does not disqualify a person form being president.

Most members of Congress share all of the following characteristics with the exception of being

military veterans. This was formerly the case but is no longer true.

For members of the House, the campaign season

never really ends

District service—supporting laws and programs that send services to members' home districts—is also known as

pork-barrel politics. Pork-barrel projects are those that everyone pays for but only the people living in a particular district enjoy.

The Brownlow Commission Report led to the creation of

the Executive Office of the President.T he report recommended that the Executive Office of the President be created to centralize the White House staff and advisers.

Political parties have survived because they help organize all of the following except

the bureaucracy. Very few civil servants are political appointees.

One reason that Congress is achieving parity with the president in foreign-policy matters is that

the distinction between domestic and foreign policy is blurring. As business and trade make the world into one market, foreign policy and domestic policy merge.

In what year did the House reach its current size of 435 members?

1912. With the admission of New Mexico and Arizona to statehood in 1912, the House reached 435; a law in 1929 codified this limit.

Members of Congress enjoy all of the following perks except

free clothes. Members just pay for their own wardrobes.

Modern political parties work best as

fund-raising machines. Parties raise money for elections, but most other party functions have been assumed by other institutions.

During international crises, the president's approval rating usually

increases. Especially early in a crisis, a president's popularity typically soars.

The majority of the contributions made to congressional campaigns come from

individuals

Ninety-eight percent of a president's proposals get a congressional hearing, but these proposals make up only ________ percent of the total number of bills Congress considers.

34. The 535 members of Congress contribute many more bills than the president does.

Since 1950, reelection rates for Congress have been, at a minimum, __________ percent.

90

Which of the following is not true of a markup session?

A bill is sent from markup to the chamber floor for debate. A bill is sent from markup to the full committee.

What would be the likely result of making the legislative process speedier and more efficient?

All of the above. These are all probable results of a more efficient legislative process.

The president is required by_______to ensure that the laws of the country are faithfully executed

Article II of the Constitution .Article II deals with the executive branch.

Which of the following is NOT true of the qualifications required to be a senator or House member?

Both must be native-born citizens. Only the president must be native born.

President Reagan ran into trouble with Congress over his efforts to fight communism in

Central America. Congress denied the funding Reagan sought for the Contras in Nicaragua.

Which of the following cabinet departments was NOT part of the government under the Articles of Confederation?

Commerce. This department was not created until 1913.

According to the "iron law of emulation,"

Congress will create agencies that duplicate the functions of executive-branch agencies. Whenever an executive agency is created, Congress tends to create a similar one for its own use

Political scientists have generally considered which of the following political players the key to American goverment?

Congress. For over a century, political scientists have considered Congress the most important political institution.

Which of the following is NOT one of the Senate's unique rules regarding debate?

Discharge petition. This motion to discharge a bill from a committee is unique to the House.

The idea of political parties and party politics is fundamental to the U.S Constitution.

False. Parties are not mentioned in the Constitution, and the frames did not like the idea of them.

The Senate's counterpart to the House Ways and Means Committee is the

Finance Committee.Like Ways and Means, the Finance Committee raises funds.

Which of the following is not true of a conference committee?

It holds further hearings on a bill. Conference committees work only on drafting compromise bills.

Modern parties have NOT been very useful as campaign organizers because

Modern parties have NOT been very useful as campaign organizers because. The primary system has allowed candidates to bypass party organizations and deal directly with the public.

Existing caucuses in Congress include all of the following except

The Congressional Baptist Caucus. This caucus does not exist.

Which official has cabinet-level status, but does NOT belong to a cabinet department?

The National Security Adviser. This person advises the president on national security, but does not head a department.

When a bill has been assigned to a committee and then assigned to a subcommittee by the committee chairman, the bill has been through

The referral process. Committee and subcommittee assignment comprise the referral process.

The framers built inefficiency into the legislative process. Why?

They thought it was more important for Congress to hear all sides of disputes than to resolve them speedily. Any legislation that makes it through the legislative gantlet must have consensus support.

Which of the following is NOT true of congressional staffs?

Typically, half of a member's staff work in his or her home district. One-third of staff members usually work in home-district offices.

The collegial/informal model of staff organization has all the following characteristics except

a clear chain of command, headed by a chief of staff. This characteristic is associated with the formalistic/hierarchical model.

The original "gerrymander" referred to

a lizard-shaped congressional district in Massachusetts.In 1811 Elbridge Gerry, governor of Massachusetts, had an oddly shaped district drawn to contain all Federalist voters.

The main change in the civil service brought about by the Pendleton Act (1883) was

a tenured civil service that was not fired when administrations changed. The Pendleton Act created a professional civil service.

The president acts in all of the following capacities except

acting as CEO of all legislative staff. The president cannot be in charge of legislative staff because of the separation of powers in the Constitution.

The Subcommittee Bill of Rights (1973) says that

all House members are guaranteed membership on at least one subcommittee.This provision means that members are able to serve their constituents needs.

A power that presidents share with Congress is

appointing justices to the Supreme Court. Congress has to confirm Supreme Court. Congress has to confirm Supreme Court nominees.

The president's annual state of the union speech to Congress is not required by the Constitution, but the president is required to

communicate information to Congress in some form. The president is required to communicate with Congress, but the method is not specified.

A presidential candidate must have financial resources, time, and _______________ to run for office successfully.

public stature. Military leaders and career politicians are considered to have public stature.

In 1994, congressional elections became "nationalized" when President Clinton was seen as weak. As a result,

the republicans gained control of congress

The president's most powerful method of communicating his legislative agenda is

the state of the union address. This televised statement of the president's goals reaches all of Congress and most of the public.

The framers created a bicameral legislature for the U.S. for all of the following reasons except

they wanted to spite James Madison, who opposed bicameralism. James Madison was a fervent proponent of bicameralism.

In 1990, the North Carolina state legislature created a congressional district explicitly to ensure that another black representative would be elected to Congress.

true. As originally drawn, the district snaked for 160 miles through the middle of the state. Tbe boundaries were later ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Cabinets are usually NOT unified bodies that loyally follow a president's orders.

true. Cabinet leaders owe loyalty to competing constituencies.

When the national interest is truly at stake, Congress tends to rise to the occasion.

true. During times of national need or crisis, members of Congress usually put aside their differences and work together.

The only House officer designated in the Constitution is the Speaker.

true. In Article I, Section 2, the Constitution directs House members to elect a Speaker.

Which Supreme Court case established judicial review?

Marbury V. Madison

Paul Light, in his book Tides of Reform, outlined all of the following methods of bureaucratic reform except

"Separation management" The other three choices are methods of reform.

In the wake of the Challenger explosion, Congress looked closely into NASA's safety procedures. This was an example of a __________ investigation.

"fire alarm". Investigations that respond to unforeseen disasters are called "fire alarm" investigations.

The mixture of district service and individual casework is known as a representative's

"home" style. Both district service and individual casework apply to a member's home district

Presidents have expanded their power under the authority of the "take care" clause of the Constitution, while Congress has increased its own power by invoking the

"necessary and proper" clause. This clause is also known as the elastic clause and gives Congress wide leeway to make sure its wishes are carried out.

As of January 1, 2001, what is the yearly salary of rank-and-file members of Congress?

$145,100. This is the annual salary of rank and file members; the leaderships earn more.

The cost to American taxpayers each year of all of Congress's activities is

$2 billion. This is total cost for congressional salaries, staffs, perks, and agencies.

To the nearest trillion, the foreign assets held by U.S. citizens are worth approximately

$7 trillion. This amount is 4 times the U.S. federal budget.

Sonia Sotomayor is the _____ Hispanic appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court

1st. Sonia Sotomayor is the first Hispanic appointed to the court.

To the nearest $100 billion, the total federal budget of the 1999 fiscal year was approximately

1.7 trillion. This figure means that the government spends $54 each second.

What percent of the federal bureaucracy is appointed by the president?

10%. Nearly all bureaucrats are hired through the civil-service system; the president appoints around one-tenth of the total.

Of the $1.5 trillion the government spends on all social welfare programs, __________ percent is spent on poverty programs

15. The vast majority of social welfare spending is for Social Security and Medicare.

America formulated its first child-labor laws during the

1930s. Child labor was legal until 1938.

The Supreme Court hears approximately _______ percent of the appeals filed with it

2. This amounts to several hundred cases each term.

At the end of an impeachment trial in the Senate, what fraction of the senators present must vote to convict for a president to be removed from office?

2/3. This provision is in Article I, Section 3, Clause 6 of the Constitution.

In 2000, about _______% of non-elderly, non-poor Americans had no health insurance.

20. The government provides insurance for the elderly and the very poor. Obtaining it is the personal responsibility of all other Americans. About 20% of "other" Americans do not have health insurance coverage.

About how many agencies were brought together to form the Department of Homeland Security

22. Yes, 22, agencies and other entities were brought together under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security.

According to the Constitution, what is the minimum age at which someone can be sworn in as member of the House of Representatives?

25

Since 1960, the proportion of the federal budget (excluding defense) devoted to mandatory spending programs has changed from _____ percent to ______ percent.

25;66. Spending for mandatory programs has increased much faster than other spending. It now accounts for about two-thirds of the budget.

With Elena Kagan's appointment ____ women sit on the Court at one time, the most ever.

3. The women are Ruth Badar Ginsberg, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan.

According to the Constitution, what is the minimum age at which someone can be sworn in as a U.S. senator?

30

What is the minimum age to qualify for the office of U.S. President?

35

Justice Sotomayor is the _____ woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.

3rd. Sotomayor is the third woman appointed to the court after Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Badar Ginsberg

Medicare and Medicaid account for __________% of health insurance expenditures in the United States.

40. These two programs represent 40% of the health insurance premiums paid in the United States.

In 2007 the amount of medical spending in the United States through government programs was about

50 percent. The amount of government spending (46.2%) was a little less than the amount of private spending (53.8%).

Approximately _______ percent of households headed by a single female fall below the poverty line

50. This phenomenon is referred to as the feminization of poverty.

It takes a minimum of _______ senators to constitute a supermajority

60

In 1789, the average size o congressional district was about 30,000 people; today it is about

711,000 people

Pursuant to the War Powers Act, the president may send troops into military conflict no more than __________ days without seeking an official declaration of war

90

About _________ of federal criminal cases are resolved through plea bargain

90%

All of the following are examples of public policy except

A United Way campaign. Public Policy is a government policy. A United Way campaign represents an action by a private organization.

Judicial Review means that

A federal court can rule acts of the legislative or executive branches unconstitutional. This precedents was established in the case Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Which of the following is NOT generally considered a cause of the Soviet Union's collapse?

A strong, Well-equipped military. Having a well-equipped military played no part in the Soviet Union's collapse.

The health-care reforms passed in 2010 will make the United States health-care system.

A universal system. Yes, the reforms strive to create a universal system.

Which of the following is NOT specified in the Constitution as a role of the Supreme Court.

Adhering to the political views of the president. Justices are appointed for life and therefore are able to make objective, apolitical decisions.

If a group is opposed to advertising alcoholic beverages, it should frame the debate in all the following terms except.

Alcohol's medicinal uses for heart patients. Those opposed to alcohol advertising would only publicize alcohol's negative effects.

Who described the judiciary as "the least dangerous branch" because it has no power over the sword or purse?

Alexander Hamilton

Which of the following is NOT one of the unique powers of the House or Senate?

All bills related to veterans affairs originate in the House. Either chamber can initiate legislation dealing with veterans.

Which of the following statements about cable television is correct?

All the statements are correct. Cable TV broke the networks' monopoly and provided consumers with more news choices. The widespread use of cable TV broke the networks' monopoly on news broadcasts. Cable TV provides instantaneous and continuous news broadcasting. Cable TV provides many more choices for viewers.

The largest portion of the U.S. national debt is owed to

American citizens and institutions. About 75% of the debt is owed to American citizens and institutions.

Which of the following often does NOT have much interest in U.S. foreign policy?

American citizens. American citizens often have little interest in foreign policy because they do not perceive that it directly affects their lives.

Briefs filed by outside interests are called ________ briefs

Amicus Curiae

The North American Free Trade Agreement is a treaty.

Among the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to reduce trade barriers. NAFTA set up the largest free-trade zone in the world in 1993.

Most congressional powers are listed in which section of the Constitution?

Article I, Section 8

Which section of the Constitution authorizes the State of the Union address?

Article II Section 3

The constitutional source of authority for the creation of the bureaucracy stems from

Article II, Sections 2 and 3

n the Constitution, the president's powers are listed in

Article II. Article II deals with the office of the executive.

The Constitution establishes the judicial branch in

Article III

Which of the following international agreements has the United States NOT ratified?

Basel Convention. The U.S. has signed but not ratified the Basel Convention on hazardous waste transport.

What is the best description for how the Department of Homeland Security was formed?

Bringing together of several agencies. The Department of Homeland Security was formed through consolidating 22 agencies responsible for protecting the U.S.

In which of the following country's health-care system are the providers public employees?

Britain. Yes, providers in Britain are akin to public employees because of the way they are paid for their services.

In 1963, Congress passed the _________ to regulate the effects of energy use on the environment

Clean Air Act

What was the main source of controversy around Sotomayor's confirmation for the Supreme Court?

Comments she made that suggested she valued life experience over reasoning in making legal decisions. Sotomayor was criticized for a statement she made in several speeches that suggested that life experience was more important in making legal decisions than other skills.

Which of the following is NOT a potential problem with using new technology to participate politically?

Communicating with elected officials may be more difficult. Communication with elected officials is easier with the new technology.

In the 1950s and 1960s, all of the following changes occurred to shift the interest group universe closer to the pluralist ideal except

Congress ensured that the policymaking process remained closed to the public. On the contrary, Congress passed "sunshine laws" to make the process more permeable

The governments two main budget advisory groups are the Office of Management and Budget and the

Congressional Budget Office. The OMB advises the president; the CBO advises Congress.

The cabinet department employing the largest number of civilians is the

Department of Defense. It employs around 800,000 civilians

In 2003, Congress created the ________ to remedy the lack of coordination among the nation's national security and disaster relief agencies

Department of Homeland Security

Which Supreme Court justice served as a state attorney general, governor of California, and vice-presidential nominee before his appointment to the Court?

Earl Warren. President Eisenhower appointed Warren chief justice so he would not run for president.

The president runs a large organization known as the _________, a loosely knit unit of several key organizations that report directly to him

Executive Office of the President

Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) was one of President Johnson's Great Society Programs.

False. AFDC was a New Deal program begun in 1935.

The chief justice who served in state government and ran for vice president before being appointed to the Court was William Rehnquist.

False. Earl Warren served as governor of California and ran for vice president in 1948 on Thomas Dewey's ticket.

In Hopwood v. Texas (1996), the Supreme Court ruled that affirmative action program at the University of Texas Law School was unconstitutional

False. Hogwood was a decision of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals; it has not yet been argued before the Supreme Court.

The Social Security system has done little to eliminate poverty in the United States.

False. Poverty rates among the elderly have decreased dramatically, partially as a result of the Social Security systems.

The U.S. government has imposed the highest tax rates during economic recessions.

False. The highest tax rates have come during wartimes.

The U.S. Constitution explicitly gives the Supreme Court the power of judicial review.

False. The power of judicial review came out of Chief Justice John Marshall's ruling in Marbury v. Madison (1803).

Congress has passed legislation that would charge tobacco companies for the increased medical costs associated with tobacco consumption.

False. The tobacco companies have successfully blocked such legislation every time it has been proposed.

All of the following countries are permanent members of the UN Security Council except

Germany. The permanent members were the victorious allies in World War II.

Which of the following is NOT a resource that a group can mobilize to change a public policy?

Federal Court Systems. Groups do not start with public sympathy.

The president is limited in his power to directly influence the nation's economic conditions because monetary policy is under the control of the

Federal Reserve Board

__________ is the privilege of sending constituent-related mail free of charge.

Franking

Which president first significantly altered the size and shape of the federal government, and expanded its role in regulating the economy

Franklin Roosevelt

In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court rule a federal law unconstitutional?

Fred Scott v. Sandford. The Court ruled the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional in this controversial case.

A procedure by which ordinary citizens can request documents and reports from the federal government was established by the

Freedom of Information Act

Which two administrations are notable for the significant foreign policy responsibilities given to their vice presidents?

G.W. Bush; Obama

Which president led the preemptive attack on Iraq to defend national security

George W. Bush

Which of the following was a significant controversy concerning the legislation to form the Department of Homeland Security?

Government worker rights. The legislation significantly reduced the union rights of the workers involved in the reorganization.

Lyndon B. Johnson's social welfare policy was known as the

Great Society

Which of the following was NOT characteristic of U.S. foreign policy in the 1920s?

Greater U.S. involvement in European affairs. In the 1920s, the U.S. attempted to return to isolationism and disband its military.

Why did Justice David Souter retire in 2009?

He wanted to retire under a Democratic President. Justice Souter tended to vote with the so-called liberal members of the court and although he had been appointed by George H.W. Bush, and aside from wishing to leave service, it appears he wished to be replaced by a justice that had views similar to his own, maintaining a balance on the Court.

Bureaucratic decision making at the "operating room" level involves issues of _________ salience and ________ complexity

High;high. These are complicated issues that grab public attention.

Of the fifteen current cabinet departments, which was established most recently

Homeland Security. This department was created under President George W. Bush.

According to the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act (1974), this group must approve any impoundment of funds by the president.

House Appropriations Committee Possibly the most powerful committee in Congress, House Appropriations holds the government's purse strings.

Where do bills concerning revenue originate?

House of Representatives

In 1965, President Johnson outlined the government's rationale for affirmative action in commencement speech at

Howard University. In this speech, Johnson used a famous analogy of a formerly shackled person needing assistance before being able to run

What event was the first major test of the ability of the Department of Homeland Security to respond?

Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina (August 2005), a natural disaster on American soil, was the first large-scale test of the Department's ability to respond to events it is tasked with.

Which of the following is NOT considered a potential problem of increased immigration?

Immigration may force wages up, thus increasing the cost of products. Usually, there is a fear that immigrants may take jobs that citizens want and drive down wages.

Congress has asserted some control over federal agencies through the Administrative Procedures Act (1969). This law mandates all of the following for rules and regulations the agencies propose except

Incorporating all public comments into the final version of the rules. Rules that become law must show consideration for public comment; they do not have to incorporate all comments received.

Which of the following is not true of the Federal Judiciary Act of 1789?

It gave judges appointments for life. Article III of the Constitution provides for lifetime appointments.

Which of the following is NOT true of the 27th Amendment?

It was ratified after the 34th state passed it. Ratification requires passage by 38 states (three-fourths of the total).

Which of the following presidents was NOT impeached or nearly impeached?

James Buchanan. Buchanan was reviled by Congress, but never impeached.

All of the following presidents suffered foreign-policy setbacks during the Vietnam War except

Jimmy Carter. The war ended before Carter took office.

The justice who wrote a renowned dissent in Plessy v. Ferguson against the Court's upholding of segregation was

John Marshall Harlan. Harlan's dissent from the majority in this case is justly famous.

Which justice was Elena Kagan nominated to replace?

John Paul Stevens. Elena Kagan was nominated to replace Justice John Paul Stevens.

In divided Court decisions Justice Sotomayor would be expected to agree with

Justice Breyer. In decisions that divided the Court she would be expected to side with Justice Breyer who is generally liberal.

The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine state that

Latin American countries should keep affairs in order or risk U.S. intervention. President Theodore Roosevelt threatened intervention in Latin America if those countries became unstable.

In which of the following areas of shared responsibility between the president and Congress is the president most powerful?

Law administration.The president has the most discretion and power when it comes to overseeing enforcement of laws.

In recent years the ratio of workers to Social Security beneficiaries has been falling. Which of the following has not been proposed to help fund Social Security?

Limiting eligibility. Any citizen who works for a paycheck is eligible.

What prompted the development of the superfund site system?

Love Canal. The discovery of a toxic chemical dump in the Love Canal neighborhood of Niagara Falls, New York led to the development of the superfund site system to clean up such sites.

All of the following are examples of presidents' expansive use of the "take care" clause except

Lyndon Johnson's issuing his state of the union addresses. The Constitution explicitly requires the president to comment on the state of the union in Article II, Section 3.

Which of the following presidents was known as a "master legislator"?

Lyndon Johnson. After the assassination of John Kennedy, President Johnson passed a broad array of social programs known as the "Great Society."

What Supreme Court decision gave courts the power to declare actions of Congress, the president, or state officials unconstitutional?

Marbury v. Madison

Which of the following does NOT influence a president's choice for Supreme Court justice?

Marital Status. There is no indication that presidents consider this when nominating justices.

Which of the following is NOT a tenet of classic liberalism?

Maximum government intervention. Classic liberals believed in minimal government intervention.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) administers many programs including

Medicaid and Medicare

The federal and state governments share responsibility for these two welfare programs.

Medicaid and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. The federal and state governments each contribute around half of the funding for these programs.

Under President Johnson's Great Society initiative, _________ was created, providing health insurance to people over the age of 65.

Medicare

Means-tested programs, which are based strictly on income, include all of the following except

Medicare. Medicare is a social insurance program; Medicaid is a means-tested program.

The government provides direct health care to which of the following groups?

Military personnel and veterans. Military personnel and veterans are guaranteed lifetime health care through a network of military and veterans hospitals.

All of the following organizations are affiliated with the UN except

NATO. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a security treaty between the U.S. and countries in Europe.

All of the following are among the most powerful House committees except the

National Affairs Committee. There is no National Affairs Committee.

The Boland Amendment to the War Powers Act of 1973 was passed by Congress in response to President Reagan's policy in

Nicaragua. The amendment prohibited U.S. agencies from helping to overthrow the government of Nicaragua.

The _________ knocked down trade barriers among Canada, the United States, and Mexico

North American Free Trade Agreement

The governments 2001 fiscal year runs from

October 1, 2000 to September 30, 2001. The government's fiscal year begins on October 1 of the previous calendar year.

The government's fiscal year begins on

October 1. By coincidence, the Supreme Court's term also begins in October.

The agency that compiles various legislative proposals and puts together a package for the president is the

Office of Management and Budget. The OMB acts as the president's gatekeeper for potential items on the legislative agenda.

The Supreme Court is composed of

One chief justice and eight associate justices. Under the chief justice, all associate justices are of equal rank.

Which of the following is NOT one of the ways Congress acts as a check on the president's power as commander in chief?

Only Congress can send troops overseas. Congress granted the president limited authority to do this under the War Powers Act (1973).

Which of the following is NOT usually a goal of American foreign aid?

Outright charity. Charity is usually not a goal of American foreign aid.

Which of the following is not a position in the House leadership?

Parliamentarian. This position does not exist in the House

Which of the following is NOT one of the ways political parties acted as a bridge between Congress and the president?

Parties contributed to gridlock.Parties alleviated gridlock when the president and Congress were from the same party.

The paradox that Americans dislike Congress as a whole yet return their local representatives to Congress again and again is named after

Richard Fenno, a political scientist. Fenno formulated the paradox in 1975.

The act that changed the federal bureaucracy from a corrupt and partisan insider organization to a neutral, policy-based organization was the

Pendleton Act

Sonia Sotomayor had been appointed to two federal courts prior to the U.S. Supreme Court, which presidents made the appointments?

President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton. Sotomayor was appointed to U.S. District Court for the Southern district of New York By George H. W. Bush and then to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit by President Clinton.

A president who had trouble gaining public support for a war effort was

President Lincoln during the Civil War. For a long period of time, Lincoln had little support in Congress, the pubic, and even his own cabinet for the war effort

Which of the following does not influence how justices vote?

Pressure from Congress. Since justices are appointed for life, congressional pressure is not usually a factor.

Which of the following is NOT a main reason for immigration to the United States?

Public benefits programs. Immigrants enter for reasons other than to take advantage of public programs.

Of the following, the person least likely to support free trade is a

Reform Party presidential candidate. Democrats and Republicans generally support free trade; the Reform Party continues to oppose NAFTA and the WTO

As party leader, the president cannot do which of the following?

Remove opposition party members from the Supreme Court. Supreme Court justices are appointed for life and may be removed only through the impeachment process.

Congress performs two main functions: lawmaking and

Representation. In Congress, representation takes precedence over lawmaking.

When American's desire to be treated as individuals clashes with rules Congress has imposed on bureaucracies, the contextual goals of ______ and ______ are in conflict.

Responsiveness;accountability. Responsiveness refers to our desire to be treated like individuals; Congress mandates bureaucratic accountability.

As a result of the Soviet Union's collapse and the independence of the former Soviet states

Russia has experienced hyperinflation and economic contraction. Russia's transition to a market economy has been difficult.

Which of the following Supreme Court justices was the only one to be impeached?

Samuel Chase. Justices Fortas and Douglas were threatened with impeachment, but only justice Chase suffered impeachment.

Which of the following government agencies became a part of the Department of Homeland Security?

Secret Service. The U.S. Secret Service moved into the Department of Homeland Security from the Treasury Department.

If a president must be removed from office, which entity conducts the impeachment trial?

Senate

Top-level political appointees require

Senate Confirmation

The public sends Congress inconsistent messages about Social Security. Voters contribute to this contradictory state of affairs by doing all of the following except

Sending Democrats to Congress to keep Republicans from raising benefits. Democrats are apparently sent to Congress to keep Republicans from cutting benefits.

During President Clinton's first administration (1993-97), congress twice failed to pass a budget, which led to

Shutdowns of large areas of the government. All nonessential governmental functions were suspended during these budget crises.

__________ is one of the largest and best-known federal domestic policy programs, a federally guaranteed pension program funded by taxes

Social Security

In recent years, the federal government's budget priorities have been the following, from highest to lowest.

Social Security, medicare, and national defense. Social Security and Medicare receive the largest shares of funding. During the cold war, national defense was the main priority.

Which of the following is NOT a discretionary spending area in the federal budget

Social Security. Social Security is a mandatory program. By law, recipients are entitles to receive benefits and Congress must find it.

The primary government-sponsored pension system in the U.S. is

Social Security. Social Security, created in 1935, is the main government-sponsored pension system.

What was Elena Kagan doing when she was nominated to be a Supreme Court Justice?

Solicitor General of the United States. Yes, Elena Kagan was Solicitor General when she was nominated.

According to current law, who follows the president and vice president in the presidential order of succession?

Speaker of the House

Which is the top leadership position in the House of Representatives?

Speaker of the House

The first departments created by Congress in 1789 were

State, Treasury, and War

Which of the following is not a common lobbying technique

Strong-arm tactics. Lobbyists almost never resort to threats, real or implied.

Laws that require agencies to hold open meetings and open their records to the public are called ________ laws.

Sunshine. Sunshine laws allow the public to observe and keep track of bureaucratic process.

Which of the following is NOT usually a cause of government budget deficits?

Sustained economic growth. Sustained growth usually creates budget surpluses. Tax revenues generally increase faster than spending.

The United States maintains an informal agreement with _________ to help deter threats from __________.

Taiwan; the People's Republic of China. The U.S. recognizes the People's Republic of China as the government of China, but maintains ties to Taiwan with an informal agreement.

Which of the following is NOT a monetary-policy variable?

Tax policy. Taxes are part of fiscal policy.

Which of the following was NOT part of Chief Justice Marshall's reasoning in Marbury v. Madison?

The Court's review power does not discourage legislative tyranny. On the contrary, judicial review is a powerful check on congressional tyranny.

What was the Department of Homeland Security formed in response to?

The September 11, 2001 attacks. The September 11 attacks were the motivation for the reorganization that formed the Department.

After World War II, _______________ occupied the northern half of Korea and _____________ occupied the southern half.

The Soviet Union; the U.S. U.S. support for South Korea led to American troops fighting in the Korean War.

Where did the credit crisis in 2008 originate?

The U.S. housing market. This was where the credit crisis originated.

Which of the following has NOT been a criticism of the UN in the United States?

The UN has worked to promote human rights worldwide. The UN has been somewhat successful in promoting human rights. There has been less criticism in that area.

Which court made most of the criminal procedures guarantees of the Bill of Rights binding on the states?

The Warren Court

Which of the following is not true of the pluralist argument for interest groups

The influence of corporate interest groups would outweigh that of consumer interest groups. This is part of the realist critique of the pluralist argument.

Which of the following is NOT true of the Vietnam War?

The war ended in 1972. South Vietnam fell to the Vietcong in 1975,

_________ began the presidential tradition of overseeing the federal role in the nation's economy

Theodore Roosevelt

The realist critique of the pluralist argument included all of the following points except that

There were not many interest groups worth considering. No one has claimed that American politics lacks interest groups; in 2001 there were more than 100,000.

Which of the following has NOT been a criticism of voucher plans for public education

They offer students and parents choices in education. This feature of vouchers has not been criticized.

Bureaucracies are deeply involved with policy creation.

True. Bureaucracies are incorrectly thought to be mere tools of Congress; they are actually quite powerful.

_________ was the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court

Thurgood Marshall

Which of the following is NOT a mission of the United Nations?

To maintain its own army. The UN does not have its own army and cannot wage a war on its own.

Though Congress reserves the right to impeach Supreme Court justices, none have ever been removed from the bench.

True. Supreme Court justices hold life appointments. Most leave due to death or retirement; none have been removed.

Since its founding in 1945, the _________ has become a gateway for nations to interact with each other and try to resolve disputes in neutral environment

United Nations

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

United States V. Nixon

The founder of the Soviet Union in the early 20th century was

V.I. Lenin. Lenin led the Bolshevik revolution and was the first head of the Soviet state.

Which of the following military actions did not follow an explicit declaration of war by Congress.

Vietnam War. Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon waged an undeclared war in Vietnam.

Dating from 1789, the four original cabinet departments were State, Justice, Treasury, and

War. This department performed the duties of the present day Department of Defense

Which of the following presidents was NOT assassinated?

Warren Harding. Harding died of a heart attack while in office.

Surveys of historians have consistently ranked _______________, __________________, and _________________ as the three greatest presidents.

Washington; Lincoln; Franklin Roosevelt. These three are consistently at the top.

Which of the following is NOT considered to be a form of political participation?

Watching network news shows. Participation implies some over act. Watching the news is passive.

Which scandal led to the resignation of Richard Nixon?

Watergate

What is a subprime mortgage?

a mortgage given to an individual with poor credit. This is the definition of a subprime mortgage.

Government employees who report mismanagement, corruption, or illegal activity within their agencies are protected by the

Whistleblower Protection Act

The _________ is an international organization that distributes grants and low-income loans in developing countries

World Bank

The _________ was created to deal with the expansion of the global trade community and to establish a single international organization with the authority to resolve trade disputes

World Trade Organization

Public policy can be made when a government agency fails to act in any way. An example of such a "non decision" is

a city considering, but not passing, an ordinance against littering. A "non decision" is any policy that lets a current, usually bad, situation continue with no action from government.

To become a naturalized citizen, an immigrant must first apply to be a legal permanent resident o the United States by getting

a green card

A country with low per capita gross domestic product (GDP) probably has

a high infant-mortality rate. Almost all low-GDP countries have high infant mortality rates.

All of the following steps are essential to a sequence-of-events analysis of policy development except

a majoritarian politics stage. Majoritarian politics is a way to measure the distribution of costs and benefits of a policy.

A bilateral treaty is

a treaty between two countries. A bilateral treaty involves two countries.

Governments can do all of the following to avoid deficit spending except

abrogate debt. Theoretically, the government could declare bankruptcy. In practice, this is not an option.

The media exercises some control over the federal bureaucracy by

acting as a "watchdog" against waste and corruption. The media can spotlight bureaucratic abuses.

An important part of an isolationist policy is

acting unilaterally in international matters. Under an isolationist policy, a country attempts to avoid all foreign entanglements.

The confrontational legal process under which each party presents its versions of events is known as the

adversary process

Which of the following would be most likely to promote a bipartisan agenda on a particular issue?

advocacy caucus

During policy development, the media seem to have the most influence during the

agenda-setting stage. This is the first stage in the process, and often is the media that shapes the rest of the debate.

The "open door" policy towards China in the 1890s implied that

all countries would have equal access to China and its markets. The "open door" policy provided all countries with equal access to China and denied any single country dominance there.

Universal health care means

all individuals in a country are covered. Universal coverage means that every individual in a country or jurisdiction is has health insurance.

A regressive income tax is one in which

all taxpayers pay the same dollar amount. When all taxpayers pay the same dollar amount, lower-income individuals effectively incur a higher tax rate.

One of the beliefs that distinguishes European conservatives from American conservatives is

an attachment to strong government. American conservatives believe in weaker, limited government.

The underlying assumption of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is that

an attack against one NATO country is considered an attack against all. The basis for NATO is collective security. Countries pool their resources to defend each other.

An agency created by Congress with the authority to regulate an aspect of the economy or a sector of the federal government is referred to as

an independent agency

An injunction is

an order to perform -- or refrain from performing -- a particular act. Judges issue injunctions to order parties to perform or cease performing some act.

According to theory, responsible political parties were supposed to solve the problem of divided government in all of the following ways except

appointing most civil servants.Nearly all civil service jobs are filled through merit-based tests.

One measure of education reform is "charter schools," which

are publicly funded schools that have much more freedom than traditional schools. Charter schools are public schools with freedom over curriculum and little bureaucracy.

The role of the chief justice is to chair the justices' conferences and to

assign a justice to write the majority opinion, if the chief is in the majority. The chief justice assigns the majority opinion to himself or another justice, if he is in the majority. Otherwise, the senior justice in the majority assigns it.

The U.S. president takes all the following actions in foreign policy except

declaring war. Only congress has the authority to declare war.

The framers wanted to provide for a president who would not be a tyrant yet would

be strong enough to act in the country's best interest when necessary. The framers wanted to correct the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which did not provide for an executive officer.

Why are the activities of an investment bank not regulated like those of a conventional bank?

because they do not take deposits. Investment banks do not take deposits, which the government secures in conventional banks in exchange for regulatory control.

The vast majority of the 108 people who have served as Supreme Court justices have

been white, middle-class males. The majority have been white, middle-class, Christian males who practiced law in small towns. Only recently have minorities and women been appointed.

The Constitution provides that judges may be removed for all of the following reasons except

being in the minority party. Once appointed, federal judges cannot be removed for party affiliation.

The Judiciary Committee will likely NOT hold a hearing for a judicial nominee without a positive

blue slip

Congress passed the National Defense Education Act of 1958 to

boost science and math education. The act was passed in response to the Soviet Union's successful launch of the Sputniksatellite. Many in the U.S. feared the country was falling behind the Soviet Union in math and science education.

The means by which the president executes the law is known as

bureaucratic implementation

In Article II, Sections 2 and 3, the president is granted all of the following powers except

declaring war.The president is commander in chief, but only Congress can declare war.

Who comprises the president's cabinet?

cabinet secretaries and other key advisers

All of the following are principal influences on members' voting decisions except

campaign contributions. There is no evidence that campaign contributions directly affect voting. The other three choices definitely do.

The media gave only sporadic coverage to the AIDS problem until

certain celebrities admitted to having the disease. The media will cover anything that happens to celebrities.

Power struggles between the president and the judiciary in wartime generally focus on

civil liberties

The vast majority of federal employees, none of which are presidential appointees, are a part of the

civil service

American agriculture's attempts to maintain price supports for agricultural commodities are an example of

client politics. Client politics has widely distributed costs and narrowly distributed benefits.

Poverty is associated least with those who are

college educated. Fewer than 3% of those with college degrees are considered poor.

As the ________, the president directs the military

commander in chief

All of the following are true about the differences between the House and Senate except

committee work in the Senate is exclusively devoted to constituents' needs.The actions of Senate committees are more often tied to the actions of the executive branch.

In the absence of statuary law, courts rely on judge-made law or precedents under

common law

The War Powers Act of 1973 requires the president to

communicate to Congress within 48 hours after using military forces. The law requires the president to tell Congress about the scope and nature of the military action.

In the Grutter case, both liberal and conservative justices believed that using affirmative action in creating a diverse student body at the University of Michigan Law school was considered a(n)

compelling interest

Modern American liberals would probably be opposed to

completely free markets. American liberals generally support the use of government to change economic outcomes.

The president appoints all federal judges; to counterbalance this power, Congress

confirms the president's judicial appointments. Confirmation occurs in the Senate. Congress also establishes all federal courts except for the Supreme Court.

Advantages of a hierarchical decision-making process include

consistency and careful consideration

Alexander Bickel created the phrase ____________ for the tension that exists for representative government when unelected judges have the power to strike laws passed by elected representatives

countermajoritarian difficulty

Constitutionally, Congress has the sole power to

declare war

The president's responsibilities as chief diplomat include all of the following except

declaring war. Only Congress can declare war.

Under the socialist model of organizing an economy, the government

determines who produces goods and services and who receives them. Under the socialist model, the government actively enters the market and controls it.

The Department of Energy was created, in part, to

develop alternatives to fossil fuels

Each of the following is a form of foreign aid except

diplomacy. Diplomacy is not a form of aid, but aid made be used for diplomatic purposes.

When rendering a decision, the justices can issue all of the following types of opinion except

disbelieving. The other three choices are types of judicial opinion.

U.S. welfare policy recognizes each of the following groups as deserving of assistance except

drug addicts. In America, the "deserving poor" include only those unable to help themselves though no fault of their own.

All of the following are evidence of Americans' love for their local representatives except

during the best economic times, Congress's approval rate is around 50%. This is a sign of American's dislike of Congress.

The main problem with the structure of the UN General Assembly is that

each nation, regardless of size or importance, has one vote. All nations count equally in the General Assembly, regardless of size or importance. Small nations, therefore, have exaggerated importance.

Federal dollars devoted specifically to local project in a congressional district or state are referred to as an

earmark

Bureaucratic rules demand bidding schemes that will ensure fairness, but these rules can conflict with the contextual goal of

efficiency. It would be faster -- more efficient -- to renew contracts with the same firm.

During the 1990s, the largest percentage of immigrants to the United States came from Latin America.

false. 37% came from Asia; 32% came from Latin America.

Political parties are apparently less useful to voters regarding voting choices because voters

evaluate the president and Congress differently.The public expects Congress to deal with local issues and the president to handle national ones.

__________ are presidential directives usually involving the implementation of a specific law

executive orders

Manifest destiny was the 19th-century belief that the U.S. used to justify

expanding its territory and influence. Manifest destiny claimed that the U.S. has a moral obligation to extend its boundaries and influence.

The Marshall Court was responsible for

expanding national power

Trial courts make determinations regarding __________, and appellate courts generally make determination only as to ___________.

fact and law; law

During the Obama administration, the confirmation rate of district court nominees has

fallen substantially

After the demise of Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the U.S. no longer faced any serious security threats

false. A single security threat has been replaced by many smaller potential threats.

Article III of the Constitution explains in detail the structure of the federal court system.

false. Article III states that Congress may establish inferior federal courts, but it gives no details on the structure or number of courts.

As the powers and responsibilities of the president have increased, the powers and responsibilities of Congress have decreased.

false. Congress has made sure its powers balance those of the president.

The difference between a debt and a deficit is that debts occur in any given year while deficits are the accumulated debts from all previous years.

false. Deficits occur in a particular year. Debts are accumulated deficits.

U.S. government policy is based on the premise that if governments can influence citizens' thoughts on policy, it can change behavior

false. In the U.S. government policy attempts to affect behavior, not thought.

The president is commander in chief of the military, but presidents seldom exercise much direct control over military operations.

false. Many presidents have exercised direct strategic control during wars, eg., Lincoln took control of strategy during the Civil War.

The president and Congress jointly determine the country's monetary policy

false. Monetary policy is the responsibility of the Federal Reserve System.

Presidents often have their highest approval ratings when they leave office.

false. Often presidents have their lowest approval ratings at the end of their terms.

Social liberals concentrate on economic issues and tend to ignore issues of individual freedom.

false. Social liberals focus on individual freedoms.

In 1920, the Senate ratified the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I, but failed to ratify the League of Nations Treaty.

false. The League of Nations was created by the Treaty of Versailles. The Senate opposed the league, so it rejected the Treaty of Versailles.

American isolationism from Europe ended with the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941.

false. The Spanish-American War in 1898 ended America's isolation from Europe. America's entry into World War II in 1941 ended all U.S. isolationism.

The United States gives more in foreign aid as a percentage of GDP than most other developed countries

false. The U.S. has one of the lowest percentages of foreign aid giving.

Among developed countries, the U.S. has one of the lowest infant-mortality rates as a result of its large expenditures on health care.

false. The U.S. has the highest infant-mortality rate in the developed world, even though its health-care expenditures as a percent of GDP are among the world's highest.

The 25th Amendment provides several ways to remove the president from office.

false. The amendment provides several ways of relieving an incapacitated president of his duties, but in any such case the president would still hold office.

Tobacco companies generally favor regulations that vary from state to state so that they can change their marketing strategy in every state.

false. The companies favor uniform, national regulation so they can have uniform marketing strategies.

According to the Constitution, Supreme Court justices must be thirty-five years old and practicing attorneys.

false. The constitution gives no guidance on qualifications for Supreme Court appointments.

The main intergovernmental transfer program between state and local governments is for highway and road construction.

false. The main intergovernmental transfer at the state level is for education.

All tax measures must begin in the Senate.

false. The sponsors of a bill must introduce it into the Senate and House.

The public has an accurate perception of the federal bureaucracy as an unregulated, out-of-control monster

false. Though abuses by federal agencies receive lots of media coverage, the bureaucracy is in fact constrained in many ways.

there is always a direct relationship between the scope of a public policy problems and the media's coverage of it.

false. the media covers stories that increase its audience.

Most legislative assemblies around the world are bicameral.

false.Most legislatures are unicameral. The U.S. Congress and the British Parliament are two exceptions.

One of the main criticisms of modern American conservatism is that it

favors government intervention only regarding moral issues. Conservatives may use the government to further causes like abortion restriction or school prayer, but attempt to restrict government intervention in the economy.

A type of federal organization that provides a service or commodity for a price to the public, but also receives federal funding is a

federal corporation

The official published record of all executive branch rules, regulations, and orders is the

federal register

Senators engage in ________ to delay or even prevent the passage of a bill

fillibusters

What were the Bush and Obama stimulus packages examples of?

fiscal policy. The stimulus packages were examples of budgetary measures to inject money into the economy, they were examples of fiscal property.

One limit on federal court power is the doctrine of stare decisis, which means judges should

follow previous court decisions. Stare decisis means that courts should attempt to follow precedents set in previous cases.

Social insurance programs include all of the following except

food stamps. Food stamps recipients qualify based on income, not on having paid into the food stamp programs.

The American public often does NOT support providing foreign aid because

foreign aid has no natural domestic constituency. In Congress, foreign aid has few allies because the recipients of aid do not vote.

An expansive view of the "take care" clause has been most apparent in the presidents'

foreign-policy and war-making powers. Congress generally acquiesces in the president's desires in these areas.

The Supreme Court grants a writ of certiorari if __________ justices vote to hear the case

four

All of the following are sources of bureaucracies' power except

generous budgets. Bureaucracies' budgets are set by Congress; this dependency is a source of weakness

Redrawing the district boundaries in favor of one particular party is called

gerrymandering

The interconnectedness of nations around the world on economic, political, cultural, social, and military dimensions is known as

globalization

John Maynard Keynes was a 20th-century British economist who advocated

government interference in the economy. Keynes advocated active government intervention to solve economic problems.

Modern American conservatives believe in all of the following except

government intervention in the economy. Conservatives believe in government noninterference.

The main characteristic of the Soviet Union's political and economic system was

governmental control of all economic decisions. The Soviet Union used a command economy system to control all economic decisions

In economics, "GDP" stands for

gross domestic product. This is a standard measure of a country's economic output.

The Founders did NOT view divided government as a problem because they thought it

guarded against governmental encroachment on individual liberties.Protecting individual liberties was a chief goal of the Founders.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) attempted to regulate tobacco as a dangerous drug. The tobacco firms sued the government, and the Supreme Court ruled that the FDA

had no jurisdiction over tobacco. The Court ruled the FDA could not regulate tobacco.

Single-payer health coverage means

health coverage bills are paid by only one insurer. When medical bills are paid for by only one insurer the system is a single-payer system.

The goal of the Affordable Care Act was to provide access to _________ for the nearly 10 percent of Americans without it

health insurance

Faced with stiff competition from foreign manufacturers, all of the following U.S. industries would probably suffer except

high-tech fields. The U.S. remains the world leader in high-tech industries.

Tedious, complicated issues like the regulation of banking, insurance, and the Internet - so called "boardroom" issues - have _______ complexity and ________ salience

high;low. People consider these issues uninteresting and beyond their understanding.

The emotions of the public and Congress are likely to be most engaged in issues of _______ salience and _______ complexity.

high;low. Uncomplicated issues with high visibility often stir up strong emotions

German sociologist Max Weber described bureaucracies as

highly rational organizations that enabled large numbers of people to get difficult jobs done efficiently

The Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Department of States share jurisdiction over

immigration policy

Congress may remove judges and executive officials from office via

impeachment

Arthur Schlesinger Jr. used the term _________ to describe the power of the president to speak for the nation on the world stage

imperial presidency

At the _________ stage of policy development, the media and the public often lose interest.

implementation. At this stage the media and the public leave the details to the interest groups and the bureaucrats.

The difference between the burdens of proof in civil and criminal cases is that

in criminal cases, the government must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, while in civil cases a plaintiff must demonstrate proof by a preponderance of the evidence. Criminal cases require a higher burden of proof because the stakes are much higher.

The Court of Appeals judges usually hear appeals

in three-judge panels

All of the following are common reasons for entering into treaties except

increasing international tensions. Usually treaties attempt to reduce tensions.

Which model of governmental budgeting is the most practical?

incremental. This model makes slight adjustments to the previous year's budget. It is much faster than reevaluating goals and resetting priorities.

From 1789 to 1914, U.S. senators were elected

indirectly by state legislatures

Federal bureaucracies perform all of the following functions except

passing legislation. Passing legislation is the sole province of Congress

Policy entrepreneurs are

individuals or groups that attempt to promote a specific policy. Policy entrepreneurs are individuals or groups that are interested in one policy. The entrepreneurs take the lead in organizing support and selling policy to officials.

The three economic policy variables that the pubic and politicians are most concerned about are

inflation, unemployment, and economic growth. The public and politicians concentrate on inflation, unemployment, and economic growth because these three variables are most closely related to citizens' livelihoods.

Under the American legal system, in civil cases

injured parties may receive monetary compensation for damages done to them. Defendants in civil cases cannot be sent to prison or charged with criminal offenses.

All of the following are arguments for ending affirmative action except it

is a temporary adjustment. This is an argument for continuing affirmative action.

After nomination by the president, a potential Supreme Court justice

is considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Senate Judiciary Committee considers the nominee by holding a hearing at which the nominee may or may not be called to testify. The committee then votes and sends its recommendation to the full Senate.

When the government raises taxes, the economy

is slowed, because consumers and businesses have less to spend. Raising taxes slows the economy by taking money out of it.

President Wilson's Fourteen Points included all of the following except

isolationism for the U.S. Wilson attempted to move American foreign policy away from isolationism after World War I.

In the early part of the 20th century, the United States pursued a policy of

isolationism toward Europe, but involvement in Latin America. After World War I, the U.S. returned to its isolationism toward Europe, but became more deeply involved in Latin America.

Until World War II, the main characteristic of American foreign policy was

isolationism. The U.S. attempted to avoid involvement in world affairs, especially in Europe.

Political scientists who defend divided government claim all of the following except that

it has no effect on the judiciary.In divided government, presidents may have trouble getting their judicial appointments confirmed.

Some critics insist that judges should act with ________, meaning judges should respect the decisions of other branches or earlier judges

judicial restraint

What gives courts the power to declare action of Congress, the president, or state officials unconstitutional?

judicial review

The North American Free Trade Agreement has allowed all of the following to cross borders freely except

labor. NAFTA did not address immigration issues.

Which term is commonly used to refer to a president during a second term?

lame duck

The public criticizes Congress for all of the following reasons except

laws tend to redistribute, rather than distribute, benefits. The opposite is true. Most laws do not take from those who enjoy a benefit and give it to those without.

From 1830 to the 1930s, the Supreme Court routinely

limited national power

In the U.S., education is funded mostly through

local property taxes. Property taxes are the major source of funds for education.

In street-level bureaucratic regulation, complexity is ______ and salience is ________.

low;low. Street-level issues are not complicated and generate little interest.

Legislative districts in which most of the residents are members of an ethnic minority are known as

majority-minority districts. This terms refers to a district in which a majority of the residents belong to an ethnic minority.

The process by which committee members write the version of the bill that they may send to the entire chamber for a vote is referred to as

markup

All of the following are public health efforts except

medical insurance. Public health efforts are government-sponsored programs available to all citizens and tied directly to citizen's health.

The government taxes all of the following except

medicine. The federal government does not tax medicine and most states exempt it from sales tax

The Reagan administration's foreign policy was mostly one of

military buildup. Reagan rebuilt the military and started expensive weapons projects.

The constitutional requirements for members of the House of Representatives include residency in the state he or she wishes to represent,

minimum 25 years old, and U.S. citizen for seven years.

The _________ is the measure by which the general public and Congress can hold bureaucratic agencies accountable for the success or failure of its efforts

mission statement

The core components of a bureaucratic organization are

mission, hierarchical decision-making process, expertise, and bureaucratic culture

At the end of the Cold War, the world of superpowers become

multipolar

Interest groups politics means that costs are __________ distributed and benefits are ________ distributed

narrowly, narrowly. Interest groups attempt to gain benefits for themselves and distribute the costs to certain groups. The public is often not involved.

The lack of communication and coordination created by an insular and distrustful bureaucratic culture is extremely problematic in the area of

national security intelligence

HMOs are managed health care organizations that

negotiate set fees with a network of health care providers. HMOs attempt to contain costs by negotiating fees with providers under contract.

Congress may restrain presidential power in foreign policy in all of the following ways except by

negotiating its own treaties with foreign nations. The president has the constitutional authority to negotiate treaties.

To combat the effect of the depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created a clear policy vision known as the

new deal

The impeachment proceedings against Bill Clinton ultimately resulted in

no conviction

Terrorists groups who took up violence against civilians as a means of attacking the United States are

non state actors

In 1823, President Monroe communicated to Congress what became known as the Monroe Doctrine, which stated that the U.S. would

not permit foreign intervention in the Americas. The Monroe Doctrine warned Europe to stay out of the Americas. The U.S. agreed to not become involved in Europe.

To redress the imbalance of power in foreign policy, Congress responded to the president's ability to commit troops without declaring war by

passing the War Powers Act in 1973. This law allows the president to commit troops for only 60 days without congressional approval.

The arrangement that requires employees to pledge loyalty to the politician who appoints them is known as

patronage

Medicare costs have been on the rise in recent years because

people are living longer, so the size of the over-65 age group is increasing rapidly. Longer life spans mean there are more Medicare recipients to provide for.

If an alcoholic-beverage-industry group wants to limit restrictions on its ability to advertise, it would try to frame the debate in all of the following ways except

offering money to treat alcoholics. Although this strategy may be admirable, beverage companies would not want to emphasize the negative effects of alcohol consumption.

In descending order of complexity, bureaucracies are organized into departments, agencies, bureaus and

offices. Typically, offices are the lowest level of bureaucratic organization

What type of authority is necessary to hear a case directly from a petitioning party?

original jurisdiction

Voters seem to view Democrats as better at protecting social programs and Republicans as better at

overseeing national issues like defense.Republicans are generally seen as being stronger advocates of national defense.

Congress contributes to the accountability and responsiveness of the bureaucracy through

oversight and the power of the purse

Congress can restrain the power of courts in all of the following ways except

overturning Supreme Court decisions. Congress does not have this authority.

Social Security taxes are

paid equally by employers and employees. The Social Security tax is paid equally by employees and employers. The rate is set by Congress and changes periodically.

The president has the power of ___________, which is forgiving an offense altogether

pardon

The adversarial system used in the U.S. courts means that in any litigation

parties try to present their cases in the best possible light. "Adversarial" means "oppositional". Each side presents the facts that show its side in the best light.

The Senate's rejection of the House's attempts to impeach Supreme Court justice Samuel Chase established a custom that judges would not be removed due to ________ with their decisions

partisan disagreement

What two variables play a considerable role in the confirmation process for Supreme Court justices

partisanship and ideology

The most important source of revenue for the federal government is

personal income taxes. Personal income taxes are largest source of federal revenue.

Political scientist Richard Neustadt argued that the real power of the president can be measured by how successfully the president

persuades policymakers

If fewer than five justices join the Opinion of the Court, it is a __________ judgement

plurality

The president may wait for Congress to go out o session and simply not sign a bill. This is called a

pocket veto

States bordering one another engage in ___________, which allows ideas and programs to spread from state to state

policy diffusion

People with a stake in the policy area propose and develop solutions to the problem during the ________ step in the policy-making process

policy formulation

Following passage, the legislature grants the executive branch ________ authority to develop the rules that will put the policy into action

policy implementation

The Hatch Act and the 1993 Hatch Act Reform Amendments were concerned with federal employees'

political activities

The creation of Yellowstone Park was an example of

preservation. The creation of the park was an example of preservation of wilderness.

During the process of establishing the federal budget, the working of the ________ predominate the in first year while those of the ________ are more important during the second.

president and executive agencies;Congress. Congress, since it has final say on how the budget is allocated, goes second.

Collectively, official presidential instructions on a federal policy that do not require congressional approval are referred to as

presidential directives

Presidents often have great influence on treaties because

presidents have more information relevant to treaties. Presidents control most of the information necessary to negotiate treaties.

Proposition 187 in California sought to

prevent illegal immigrants from receiving most state social services. Proposition 187 denied state services, including public education, to illegal immigrants.

The ruling in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

prevented states from taxing a national bank. The ruling was significant for allowing for the creation of an integrated national economy.

During the __________ step of the policy-making process,a problem in politics, the economy, or society is recognized as warranting government action

problem identification

President Taft's "dollar diplomacy"

promoted U.S. business abroad. "Dollar diplomacy" was intended to build economic ties to other countries.

A policy that protects against foreign imported goods more than it promotes it is known as __________, and a policy that strikes down barriers on imported foreign goods is known as _________

protectionist; free trade

American businesses may support open immigration because they believe that immigrants will

provide a source of relatively inexpensive labor. Immigrants often provide labor that citizens will not provide, and at less cost.

Worker's compensation is a government program to

provide compensation to injured workers. The worker's compensation programs help employees injured on the job. Each state has a slightly different set of rules.

The lifetime tenures of Supreme Court justices provide all of the following benefits except

providing a political platform for justices. As final arbiters of the nation's laws, Supreme Court justices are expected to by politically neutral.

Benefits and services available to all citizens that are unlikely to be produced by the market are known as

public goods. Examples include highways, national defense, and public health.

__________ can be described as the set of laws and regulations that govern American political and social life to meet a specific need and accomplish a goal

public policy

The Supreme Court may exercise some control over federal agencies by doing all of the following in response to lawsuits except.

putting corrupt agency heads in jail. The Supreme Court decides questions of constitutionality, not guilt or innocence.

One trait that is NOT a predictor of political participation is a person's?

race. Race is not a predictor when all other factors are held constant.

When the United States grants "most favored nation" (MFN) status to a country, it means the country

receives preferential tariff terms. An MFN country receives preferential tariff terms in exchange for meeting certain requirements.

A ________ is a downturn in the economic activity, with declines in employment levels, income, retail spending, and industrial production

recession

U.S. welfare policy covers all of the following areas except

recreation. U.S. citizens are expected to make their own fun.

A cap-and-trade program is a program to

reduce pollution. Cap and trade is a market-based system for reducing pollution.

The main reason the technology may make participation easier is that technology

reduces the costs of participation. Technology reduces the costs of gathering information, thereby making it easier to participate.

The __________ is the requirement that dictates all professional activities of a member of Congress be directed at winning another term in office.

reelection imperative

The government has all of the following methods for increasing its income except

refusing to pay bills. The government always pays its bills but can resort o the other meds of raising revenue.

Framework for the ________ has its foundation in the Administrative Procedures Act

regulatory process

The main function of the State Department is to

represent U.S. interests abroad. The State Department represents U.S. interests abroad, negotiates treaties, and attempts to protect U.S. citizens in other countries

The "spoils system" was a method of governmental organization that

rewarded party faithful with jobs after their presidential candidate was elected. The "spoils system" allowed a president to replace all employees from a previous administration.

The House _______ Committee ensures that the majority party maintains policy advantages over the minority party in order to advance the majority party's preferred version of a bill

rules

To slow the economy, the Federal Reserve may

sell bonds on the bond market. When the Fed sells bonds, it takes money out of - and thereby slows - the economy.

In 1785, Congress passed the Land Ordinance, which

set aside proceeds from land sales for education. The Land Ordinance gave states west of the Appalachian Mountains grants of land that could be sold to establish schools.

What factor about her past made it difficult for both liberals and conservatives to predict how Elena Kagan might rule on cases before the Supreme Court?

she had never been a judge. Karan has never served as a judge, so she does not have a track record of judicial decisions.

A president may take all of the following actions on a bill passed by Congress except

sign parts of it into law and veto other parts. This is the definition of a line-item veto, which the Supreme Court has held unconstitutional.

________ are written remarks issued when signing a bill that reflects the president's interpretation of how a law should be implemented

signing statements

How many years constitute a term in the U.S. Senate?

six

Why did James Madison endorse bicameralism?

so that the two parts would check each other

In 1790, in order to become a citizen an immigrant was required to be/do all of the following except

speak English. Congress repeatedly changed the naturalization laws over the years.

Which type of committee is permanent with the power to write legislation and report it to the full chamber

standing

The Supreme Court's ruling in Adarand Construction v. Pena (1995) weakened affirmative action by applying to it the doctrine of

strict scrutiny. The Court held that using racial classifications could be justified only if doing so furthered a compelling government interest.

The public expects presidents be

strong leaders, but not to become too powerful. The public expects presidents to show strong leadership skills, but distrusts those who become too powerful.

The contextual goals the public has for the federal bureaucracy - goals concerned with how agencies operate - include all of the following except.

subjectivity. The other three choices are all contextual goals.

An example of an incentive to influence public behavior in a certain way is

subsidized loans to veterans. Subsidized loans to veterans provide a positive incentive for people to join the military

Cabinet officers owe loyalty to all of the following except

the federal court system. The courts do not appoint officers or fund their departments.

All of the following are drawbacks to the power of judicial review except that the Court may

succumb to public pressure to overturn necessary but unpopular laws. The Court is unelected and does not have to answer to the public.

When tax revenue exceeds government spending, the government has a

surplus. In any given year, when tax revenue exceeds expenditures, the government has a surplus.

Intergovernmental transfer payments are

tax revenue collected by the federal government then passes to the states. These payments often come in the form of grants.

A congressional campaign costs $1 million or more, and most of that money will be spent on

television ads.

The president tailors the administration of the laws to reflect personal preferences by all of the following methods except

telling the attorney general to ignore some kinds of violations. As the nation's chief law enforcement officer, the attorney general cannot ignore some kinds of crimes in favor of others.

A case the Court agrees to hear specifically to set a precedent is known as a

test case. The court rules on a test case to set a precedent for a troubled area of the law.

The Senate considers appointments made by the president through two committees

the Judiciary Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee.The Judiciary Committee screens the appointment of all federal judges; the Foreign Relations Committee screens ambassadorial appointments.

More than 195,000 U.S. citizen volunteers have lived and worked in seventy-six countries all over the world through

the Peace Corps

The United States has supported Israel with billions of dollars in foreign aid because

the U.S. has tried to protect its own security interests through Israel. Israel is a relatively wealthy country. The U.S. supports it to protect American strategic interests.

The drive to self-perpetuate is an element of _______ that can prevent efficiency and responsiveness in bureaucracies

the bureaucratic culture

The Senate has the power of advice and consent for all of the following appointed positions EXCEPT

the chief of staff

The undeserving poor - those excluded from welfare programs - include all of the following except

the children of disabled parents. The other three groups are all considered to be responsible for their problems.

All of the following are true of House committees except

the composition of committees is determined first by seniority. Committee composition is determined first by proportional party membership, then by seniority.

Members of Congress may send mail to their constituents free of charge. This is called

the franking privilege

Which of the following is a concern by the government about the privatization of federal services?

the government does not have close oversight of private companies in regard to fraud, waste, and abuse

Economists who believe in a targeted approach believe that

the government should try to change the money supply to help the economy attain economic goals. Those who believe in the targeted approach believe that government should try to help the economy achieve limited goals.

"Senatorial courtesy" refers to

the informal veto power of senators over presidential appointments to their home states. If both senators from a state disapprove of a presidential appointment, the Senate as a whole will not confirm the appointment.

The half hour granted a lawyer for oral argument before the Court often seems shorter because

the justices frequently interrupt to ask questions. Justices ask questions to clarify points in the lawyer's brief.

In the 2000 elections, one of the reasons that Ralph Nader and Pat Buchanan were NOT included in the presidential debates was because

the media determined that they were not viable candidates. Coverage by the media can make a candidate viable. In this election, these two candidates received little coverage.

An example of de facto public policy is

the police settling a dispute between a feuding couple. Police called to a domestic dispute may have cause to arrest one of the parties. They may choose instead to negotiate an end to the dispute and arrest no one.

The public is frequently dissatisfied with the federal bureaucracy. This dissatisfaction is most likely due to.

the public having too many demands and expectations. The public demands many, often contradictory things from bureaucracies.

Social Security benefits are paid to each retiree based on.

the retiree's past income and years of work. A complicated formula determines monthly Social Security payments based on these two factors.

What is the expected focus of government regulatory attempts to prevent a recurrence of the credit crisis

the shadow banking system. The shadow banking system was largely unregulated and invisible and will be the focus of future regulation.

The event that signaled a historic change in U.S. foreign policy from isolationism to forming international alliances was

the signing of the NATO treaty. This was the first major international security alliance that the U.S. entered.

In a capitalist economy, fiscal policy refers to

the use of taxing and spending policies to affect the economy. Fiscal policy is the taxing and spending policies of Congress and the president to stimulate the economy or to slow it down.

Appeals of federal cases are heard in a U.S. circuit court of appeals. In these appeals,

then parties may not provide new evidence or present new witnesses. The circuit court determines only whether the lower court erred. The circuit courts of appeal do not hear new evidence or retry cases.

In weighing the pros and cons of affirmative action, the argument that affirmative action punishes innocent people can be countered with the argument that

those people have benefited from past discrimination. Affirmative action serves to "level the playing field"

What is the purpose of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act?

to prevent extinctions of birds. The purpose of the act is to prevent bird extinctions through over hunting.

The media's presentation of the costs and benefits of an issue may not be accurate. For example, regarding tobacco, all of the following are true except

tobacco is not really harmful to nonsmokers. This statement is incorrect.

One of the biggest challenges a bureaucratic organization faces is carrying out its mission efficiently while maintaining ________ to the public

transparency

The Magna Carta replaced trial by ordeal with

trial by jury

A means-tested program is one that allows recipients to participate only after proving that they qualify based on their income.

true. A means-tested program requires proof of income qualification. Food Stamps and housing subsidies are examples.

The U.S. government provides about 6.4% of funds for public education through the 12th grade. The remainder comes from state and local sources.

true. About 94% of public-school funding comes from local school districts and state governments.

If the government decides to increase the overall demand for products in the economy, it could cut taxes or increasing spending

true. Both of these methods are fiscal policy tools that the government could use to increase demand.

De sure policies are written into law while de facto policies are informal rules that may exist in the real world but not in law.

true. De sure policies are formally in the law, but de facto policies are informal and not codified in law.

The Founders intended Congress to have the most power in foreign policy matters, but in practice the president has more power.

true. For various practical and political reasons, presidents are able to exercise more power in this area.

Imports subtract from the value of the U.S. economic output.

true. Imports decrease the value of the gross domestic product.

Lobbying does not mean paying for votes, but it does mean paying for access.

true. It can almost never be shown that a member of Congress voted a certain way in response to a lobbyist's campaign contribution. A nice contribution will get you a meeting, though.

Monetary policy is much more reliable and efficient than fiscal policy.

true. Monetary policy is under the control of the FED, which can act quickly if needed.

An example of the outcome of majoritarian politics in the construction of a U.S. military base in Europe.

true. National defense has widely distributed costs and widely distributed benefits.

Compared with those in Western Europe, the American welfare state is more constrained and developed later

true. The American welfare state restricts whom it aids and only really began in the 1930s.

Before 1971, most votes in the House were "teller" votes, in which only the final tally—not the vote of each member—was recorded.

true. The Legislative Reorganization Act (1970) sharply reduced the number of teller votes.

Monetary policy in the United States is set by the central bank of the United States, nicknamed the "Fed."

true. The U.S. central bank is the Federal Reserve System, called the "Fed." It sets monetary policy independently of Congress and the president.

The UN has been more successful in promoting humanitarian and civil rights causes than in maintaining collective security.

true. The UN has not been effective at maintaining collective security, but has a better record in humanitarian causes.

The Warsaw Pact was a multilateral security alliance involving the former Soviet Union and its allies.

true. The Warsaw Pact was the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe's answer to NATO.

During the Clinton administration, the military budget was decreased by $35 billion, the so-called "peace dividend."

true. The budget decreased because the Cold War was over.

The national debt is a problem mainly because the government must make interest payments using tax revenue, which is then unavailable for other programs.

true. The government could use the money spent on interest payments for other programs, or it could cut taxes.

During the implementation and feedback stages of policy development, the media pays little attention to an issue unless there is a sensational angle to cover.

true. The media likes to cover disasters and scandal. For example, there is little coverage of airline safety until a crash.

The technology gap refers to the disparate rates of accessibility to the Internet between high- and low- income households

true. The more difficult it is to access information, the more difficult it is to participate in politics.

The president has less control over the country than most CEOs have over their companies.

true. The president's power is checked at almost every turn by Congress.

A major post-Cold War security threat is the thousands of nuclear weapons still in existence, especially those in Russia

true. There are thousands of nuclear weapons in the world, but no clear rules for dealing with them.

Traditions and methods in both the House and Senate developed in ways designed to facilitate their members' reelection.

true.This reelection imperative is the motivation behind changes in both chambers.

The Truman Doctrine declared that the U.S. would

try to contain the spread of communism. The Truman Doctrine was a policy to prevent the spread of communism.

Which amendment specifies the eligibility requirements for vice president?

twelfth

How many chambers are in the U.S. Congress?

two

The Supreme Court almost always agrees to hear a case when

two lower-level appellate courts are in conflict. The Court strives to keep constitutional law consistent across the country.

To override a veto, _______ of each chamber must vote to overturn it

two-thirds

Developed countries other than the United States have well-established systems of health care that are

universal. All of the health-care systems in other developed nations are universal systems.

Who votes in the case of a tie in the Senate?

vice president

When developing a legislative agenda, the president typically consults all of the following except

voters. Presidents hope voters support their agendas, but they are not generally consulted about it.

In Bakke (1978), the Supreme Court ruled that racial quotas were unconstitutional and that affirmative action

was constitutional. A 5-4 majority ruled that race could be used as a factor in college admissions and other governmental decisions.

The House has grown in ways related to all of the following features except its

weak association with party affiliation.Party affiliation determines most crucial decisions in the House.

In a famous article published in 1966, Aaron Wildavsky claimed that America had two presidencies: a ________ domestic president and a ________ foreign-policy one.

weak; strong. Wildavsky wrote that presidents have more control over foreign than domestic policy.

In the last two decades, states in the southwest and Rocky Mountain areas have gained proportionally more population than have other states. This means that

western states will pick up seats in the House. Representation in the House is proportional to a state's population. States that gain population faster will pick up seats over slower-growing states.

Congressional elections in 2006 were overtaken by what national crisis?

widespread dissatisfaction with the war in Iraq

The president can work to increase the chances his legislative agenda will be passed by all of the following methods except

withholding a budget from Congress. The president is required by law to submit a budget to Congress.

The president exercises what little control he has over the federal bureaucracy by doing all of the following except

withholding money for unpopular programs. Congress has final say regarding agency budgets.