AP United States Government and Politics
A same-sex couple is denied the right to marry by the state they reside in. The couple sues the state, and the case goes to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court rules in favor of the couple. Which constitutional amendment supports the court's decision?
Fourteenth Amendment
A student is denied admissions to a state university based on his race. The student sues the university, and the case goes to the Supreme Court. Which constitutional amendment could the Supreme Court cite to uphold the student's rights?
Fourteenth Amendment
Which of the following statements explains why the Senate typically spends more time reviewing and debating judicial nominees prior to confirmation than it spends on the confirmation of ambassadors?
Judicial appointments are for life, while ambassadorial appointments are not.
The table is an excerpt from the 2016 Supreme Court Statistics of the Harvard Law Review (page 14 of the PDF file). The table shows the types of cases the U.S. Supreme Court decided in 2016, including the number of cases where the principal issue was constitutionality and the number of cases that were decided either in favor of the government or against it. ... Which feature of limited government is reflected in the table?
Judicial review
Which statement explains a common criticism of judicial restraint?
Justices refrain from applying the Constitution to modern issues.
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the judicial oversight of the Supreme Court by the legislative and executive branches?
L: Confirming nominees to the Court E: Nominating justices to the Court
The president of the United States presents a new infrastructure plan during the nationally televised State of the Union address that includes a significant expansion of funding for alternative energies. Shortly after delivering the address, the president begins a week-long tour of factories that make electric cars, a school powered by solar panels, and the opening of a new wind farm. Which statement describes how modern communication methods have changed the role of the presidency as shown in this scenario?
The president is using new forms of media as a bully pulpit to increase support for the agenda.
Which statement summarizes the point in Brutus No. 1 that opposed the argument laid out in Federalist No. 10?
The new nation is too big for a national legislature to govern.
In the case of Mapp v. Ohio (1961), Dollree Mapp's home in Cleveland, Ohio, was "invaded" by police in search of evidence regarding a bombing suspect. The police had received a tip that Mapp was housing the suspect. When Mapp refused to admit them and demanded to see a warrant, the police produced a piece of paper claiming it to be the executed warrant. It was later discovered that the police did not have a legitimate warrant. After having searched her home to find no evidence of the suspect, the police discovered explicit materials in Mapp's possession in a trunk in her attic. At the time, Ohio law prohibited the possession of obscene material. The police promptly arrested Mapp on this charge. Although originally convicted of the crime of possessing obscene materials and sentenced to one to seven years in prison, Mapp appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. −From Oyez.org Which one of the following legal positions could Dollree Mapp reasonably have used as her defense?
The police violated Mapp's Fourth Amendment rights by performing an illegal search and seizure.
An individual from the Environmental Protection Agency testifies before a House committee about the effectiveness of new regulations that have been passed. Which of the following congressional powers would be used to hold this agency accountable?
The power to provide oversight
A congressional review determines the president hired agents to steal political intelligence on a rival to assist in a re-election campaign. An investigative committee hearing determines whether impeachment charges should be brought against the president. What would justify this action by Congress?
The president committed a high crime.
Which of these pairs correctly compares an action a president might have taken before the Twenty-Second Amendment and how that action would have changed after ratification of the Twenty-Second Amendment?
The president may take more time and be deliberative in enacting his agenda/ The president may feel pressure to be more efficient in enacting his agenda.
A newly elected president issues dozens of executive orders within weeks of entering office. What does this use of executive orders suggest about the president?
The president wants the federal bureaucracy to implement certain desired policies.
Based on the data, what conclusion can be drawn about political party shifts from 2004 to 2008?
Voters grew more liberal in their political views across the country.
Which of the following party realignments explains the 1932 electoral map?
Voters joined the Democrats in an effort to allow government a greater role in the economy.
Less than a month before the election, a new poll is published showing Candidate A with a lead over Candidate B. This poll is an outlier from other recent polling results that show Candidate B leading Candidate A. Media coverage of the poll is extensive, but varies based on the political views of the media source and its audience. Some media outlets treat the poll as an anomaly while others suggest that it marks a shift in the campaign in favor of Candidate A. Which is the most likely effect of the media's coverage of this poll?
Voters will interpret the results in favor of their preferred candidate
Which Supreme Court case protects symbolic speech?
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
How does the graph show an additional barrier to the success of minor political parties?
A lack of access to third-party primaries prevents third parties from gaining support of voters.
It is natural to a republic to have only a small territory, otherwise it cannot long subsist. In a large republic there are men of large fortunes, and consequently of less moderation; there are trusts too great to be placed in any single subject; he has interest of his own; he soon begins to think that he may be happy, great and glorious, by oppressing his fellow citizens; and that he may raise himself to grandeur on the ruins of his country. In a large republic, the public good is sacrificed to a thousand views; it is subordinate to exceptions, and depends on accidents. In a small one, the interest of the public is easier perceived, better understood, and more within the reach of every citizen; abuses are of less extent, and of course are less protected. —Baron de Montesquieu, from The Spirit of the Laws Which statement does the excerpt support?
A large republic will be more easily corrupted, and less representative of the people.
Which statement correctly identifies a difference in opinion about politics and political behavior in the U.S.?
A majority of Americans have a relatively limited knowledge of politics, yet most Americans believe that the values of democracy are important.
Which of the following statements best describes a trend in voter turnout by age group shown in the graph above?
A person's likelihood of voting generally increases as they get older.
Which of the following represents a conflict between the supremacy clause and the Tenth Amendment?
A restaurateur claims undue hardship when meeting federal food-handling standards that cost more than meeting state standards.
"Gender of New Federal Hires by Appointing Authority in 2022" What is the overall impact of increased preference for hiring military veterans (under VEOA and VRA) for federal positions, as shown in the chart?
A smaller percentage of females is hired.
In this cartoon, what fear is most likely represented by the question mark that could justify a state's right to limit an individual's constitutional rights?
A violent uprising leading to the overthrow of the government
A defendant had drugs seized from his townhome without a warrant. The seizure is upheld in court. What might explain why this warrantless seizure was upheld?
An officer saw the drugs while walking up to the home on other grounds.
Michigan uses an open primary as part of the presidential election process. Which statement about the presidential nomination process in Michigan is correct?
Any registered voter in Michigan can go to the polls to vote for the candidate that they support.
A school district decides that African American students should be educated in separate schools from white students. Which Supreme Court case established that the above scenario is unconstitutional?
Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Which of the following are prospective voters more likely to consider than retrospective voters when voting?
Candidates' policy proposals
Protesters from across the nation hold a rally outside of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. Chanting, they wave signs that communicate their disfavor with the sizable increase in political donations by corporations to interest groups supporting specific candidates. The protesters express concerns that elections are "bought with big money" and that corporations hold outsized influence upon officials once they are elected. Counterprotesters argue that there exists a legal basis for not limiting expenditures by corporations seeking to support candidates for office. Which Supreme Court case supports the counterprotesters' argument?
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (FEC) (2010)
The Supreme Court has just come down with a decision that declared legislation reducing the statute of limitations (the maximum time period to file lawsuits after an event) in fraud cases unconstitutional. Both the president and Congress, however, believe that this ruling unfairly discriminates against defendants. Which of the following actions might the executive and legislative branches take to address the situation?
Congress revises the legislation to circumvent the Court, and the president signs it into law.
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of how the government branches can challenge controversial court decisions?
E: Appoint judges who will overturn the decision L: Enact legislation to circumvent the decision
A defendant on trial for vandalizing a public park is convicted and sentenced to death. The defendant might appeal on the grounds that his conviction was a violation of which amendment?
Eighth Amendment
Lee's decision that prayers should be given and his selection of the religious participant are choices attributable to the State. Moreover, through the pamphlet and his advice that the prayers be nonsectarian, he directed and controlled the prayers' content. That the directions may have been given in a good-faith attempt to make the prayers acceptable to most persons does not resolve the dilemma caused by the school's involvement, since the government may not establish an official or civic religion as a means of avoiding the establishment of a religion with more specific creeds. −From the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Lee v. Weisman (1992) regarding school-sponsored prayer in school Which of the following Supreme Court cases has a similar constitutional question to that of Lee v. Weisman (1992)?
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
The FBI obtains internet browsing data on an individual without a warrant or the individual's knowledge. Which constitutional amendment may have been violated by the federal government?
Fourth Amendment
"Expenditures for Public Defense" Which court case affected the type of spending indicated in the graph?
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Which of these correctly contrasts the socialist and the liberal views on government efforts to promote economic equality?
Government-controlled equality/ Government-assisted equality
Which of the following explanations best matches the Supreme Court's application of the principle of due process of law?
Governments must observe certain requirements before taking action against the accused.
During his speech to the joint houses of Congress requesting a declaration of war on Imperial Germany, President Woodrow Wilson called attention to the need for taxation to raise funds to support the war. What was the advantage Woodrow Wilson sought in addressing both the Senate and the House of Representatives jointly, rather than addressing them separately and focusing on their different roles?
He hoped to ensure the most efficient introduction to tasks the two houses would have to accomplish together.
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the functions and powers of the House of Representatives and the Senate?
House: Represents the population Senate: Represents the state
Which statement summarizes the Supreme Court ruling in Schenck v. United States (1919)?
Individual rights can be limited in the interest of national security.
How does the decision in Marbury v. Madison (1803) allow the judicial branch to check the power of other branches?
It affirms that the judicial branch can strike down an unconstitutional law.
Which of the following powers must the president share with Congress?
Making treaties
Who benefits most directly from state legislatures redrawing congressional district lines?
Members of the Congress who can have a similar ideology as the new voting bloc
Public opinion polls drawn from large samples using random-digit dialing methods tend to be which of the following?
More accurate predictors of average whole-population positions than most polls with other sampling methods
According to established political models that explain voting behavior, which of the following best compares the motivations of party-line voters and prospective voters?
Party alignment/ Expectation of future party behavior
John Locke used the claim that men are naturally free and equal as part of the justification for understanding legitimate political government as the result of a social contract where people in the state of nature conditionally transfer some of their rights to the government in order to better ensure the stable, comfortable enjoyment of their lives, liberty, and property. Since governments exist by the consent of the people in order to protect the rights of the people and promote the public good, governments that fail to do so can be resisted and replaced with new governments. —Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy What conclusion about Locke's theory of government can be drawn from the passage?
People transfer some rights to government to protect their life and liberty.
There are no unfunded federal education 'mandates'. Every federal education law is conditioned on a state or other grantee's decision to accept federal program funds. Federal education program 'requirements' are not unfunded mandates because the conditions in federal law apply only when a state (or other grantee) voluntarily chooses to accept federal funds. Any state that does not want to abide by a federal program's requirements can simply choose not to accept the federal funds associated with that program. —From the U.S. Department of Education webpage Which constitutional amendment allows the states the right to decide if they will follow the mandates referenced in the excerpt?
Tenth Amendment
Which statement best describes how due process has been applied in Supreme Court rulings?
The Supreme Court has ruled defendants have a right to due process under the law and cannot be denied the right to an attorney, nor illegal evidence used against them.
"Parties Diverge on Income Inequality" How can this polling data be used by a candidate to best attract potential voters?
The candidate can use this data to gauge public opinion to appeal to a larger percentage of voters.
Election pollsters sample only a minuscule portion of the electorate, not uncommonly something on the order of a couple of thousand people out of the more than two hundred million Americans who are eligible to vote. The promise of this work is that the sample is exquisitely representative. But the lower the response rate the harder and more expensive it becomes to realize that promise, which requires ... calling many more people. ... Pollster.com's Mark Blumenthal has recalled how, in the nineteen-eighties, when the response rate at the firm where he was working had fallen to about sixty percent, people in his office said, "What will happen when it's only twenty? We won't be able to be in business!" A typical response rate is now in the single digits. —From Stefaan Verhulst in GovLab Digest, 2015 Which of the following errors in polling is this passage describing?
The number of people polled was not representative due to non-response bias.
Which of the following powers is shared between the federal and state governments?
The power to establish courts
Also known as the fourth estate, what direct influence does the news media have on public policy makers?
They encourage policy advocates to influence policy.
"Republicans Filibustered 40% more than Dems since 1992" How does this graph demonstrate the value of Senate factions in attempting to cooperate?
They have to work together to reach the three-fifths majority to end filibusters.
"OSHA Public Hearing on Rule Change" Which power does the Congress delegate to the agency in the image?
To make regulations
How was selective incorporation used in McDonald v. Chicago (2010)?
To protect the right to bear arms
Which of the following is believed to be a key duty of the federal government in the Keynesian approach to economic and fiscal policy?
To regulate the level of demand
Which of the following powers is granted to the U.S. Senate for the purpose of checking the power of the other branches of government?
Trying impeached government officials
"Public Opinion on Government Surveillance" - about terrorism The data shown in the graph applies to powers granted to the federal government by which of the following?
USA PATRIOT Act (2001)
This map depicting laws pertaining to enforcement of safety belt use for adults in each state illustrates the balance of state and federal powers as one in which...
states can determine their own policies in areas not claimed by the federal government
Which of the following statements describes a lawmaking procedure of the United States House of Representatives?
It is allowed to initiate bills of revenue.
Which of the following statements describes the Bill of Rights?
It is the first ten amendments to the Constitution and identifies basic liberties of individuals.
Which of the following statements best explains why the Electoral College has a negative impact on democratic participation?
It minimizes the effect of individual votes at the national level.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of California to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by wildfires from December 4, 2017 and continuing. —Press release, FEMA, January 2, 2018 The excerpt is an example of which of the following concepts?
Cooperative federalism
Proponents of affirmative action programs would defend their position using which of the following arguments?
Diversity helps groups better understand each other, and these programs make that possible.
Which of the following in an accurate comparison of the two court cases?
Engel v. Vitale: Ruled school-sponsored prayer in schools is unconstitutional Wisconsin v. Yoder: Ruled parents can remove children from school for religious reasons
Discrimination based on gender became illegal under Title IX of the Civil Rights Act Amendments. An individual who was denied access to a sports program based on their gender decides to sue and the case reaches the Supreme Court. The court sides with the individual. Which Constitutional provision supports this ruling?
Equal Protection Clause
Which core American value is at the center of the debates surrounding affirmative action programs?
Equality of opportunity
The object of the amendment was undoubtedly to enforce the absolute equality of the two races before the law, but, in the nature of things, it could not have been intended to abolish distinctions based upon color, or to enforce social, as distinguished from political, equality, or a commingling of the two races upon terms unsatisfactory to either. Laws permitting, and even requiring, their separation in places where they are liable to be brought into contact do not necessarily imply the inferiority of either race to the other, and have been generally, if not universally, recognized as within the competency of the state legislatures in the exercise of their police power.−Excerpt from Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) Which constitutional amendment did the case in the excerpt and Brown v. Board of Education (1954) both focus on?
Fourteenth Amendment
Dr. Martin Luther King's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" was empowered by which of the following constitutional provisions?
Fourteenth Amendment—protection from unequal treatment
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our Nation. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us. ... —President Franklin Roosevelt, December 8, 1941, Address to Joint Session of Congress Which of the following statements explains why President Roosevelt was addressing Congress?
He was requesting a declaration of war from Congress.
How did the Great Compromise affect the structure of the federal government?
It created a bicameral legislature.
Americans of every race and color have died in battle to protect our freedom. Americans of every race and color have worked to build a nation of widening opportunities. Now our generation of Americans has been called on to continue the unending search for justice within our own borders. We believe that all men are created equal. Yet many are denied equal treatment. We believe that all men have certain unalienable rights. Yet many Americans do not enjoy those rights. We believe that all men are entitled to the blessings of liberty. Yet millions are being deprived of those blessings—not because of their own failures, but because of the color of their skin. The reasons are deeply embedded in history and tradition and the nature of man. We can understand—without rancor or hatred—how this all happened. But it cannot continue. Our Constitution, the foundation of our Republic, forbids it. The principles of our freedom forbid it. Morality forbids it. And the law I will sign tonight forbids it. —President Lyndon B. Johnson's radio and television remarks, July 2, 1964 Which modern political ideology is being described in the excerpt?
Liberalism
Since the turn of the twenty-first century a number of political movements have organized to further economic, political, and social change. One such movement is Occupy Wall Street, which seeks to rectify social and economic inequality. Discussion facilitators at meetings allow each member to have input on policy positions. Which form of representative democracy does this scenario reflect?
Participatory democracy
Which factor typically has the most influence over who voters elect?
Party loyalty
"Polarization of the U.S. Congress" How could the trend shown in the graph affect congressional behavior?
Passing legislation could become increasingly difficult.
"Both Partied Divided over Whether Antiterrorism Policies go too far in Restricting Civil Liberties" Which conclusion can be drawn based on the data in the chart?
Policy debate around civil liberties and government antiterrorism policies continue to divide Americans.
What do survey results illustrate about the reliability of polling data, considering Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost the 2016 presidential election?
Polling data of a candidate's popularity may not accurately predict election outcomes due to the Electoral College.
Which of the following principles best describes the governmental ideal indicated in the Declaration of Independence?
Popular sovereignty
In 1985, the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Balanced Budget and Emergency Control Act was passed in order to ensure that the federal government submitted goals to meet the deficit. If the goals are not met, then the president must order spending cuts across the entire budget based on the recommendation of the comptroller general, a position appointed by the president. The scenario above describes which of the following powers attributed to Congress?
Power of the purse
How did the writers of the Constitution attempt to stop the federal government from becoming tyrannical?
Powers were to be distributed among numerous smaller groups as articulated in Federalist No. 51.
The question is whether a statute authorizing such proceedings in restraint of publication is consistent with the conception of the liberty of the press as historically conceived and guaranteed. In determining the extent of the constitutional protection, it has been generally, if not universally, considered that it is the chief purpose of the guaranty to prevent previous restraints upon publication. The struggle in England, directed against the legislative power of the licenser, resulted in renunciation of the censorship of the press. The liberty deemed to be established was thus described by Blackstone: The liberty of the press is indeed essential to the nature of a free state; but this consists in laying no previous restraints upon publications, and not in freedom from censure for criminal matter when published. Every freeman has an undoubted right to lay what sentiments he pleases before the public; to forbid this is to destroy the freedom of the press; but if he publishes what is improper, mischievous or illegal, he must take the consequence of his own temerity. —From Near v. Minnesota (1931) The Supreme Court Case of Near v. Minnesota (1931) compares to New York Times Company v. United States (1971) on what constitutional issue in regard to freedom of the press?
Prepublication censorship is not allowed in most circumstances.
"American Opinion on Monitoring Individuals by Group" What statement about the Fourth Amendment rights of terrorism suspects is supported by the information in the chart?
Privacy rights of terrorism suspects should be limited.
What effect has the increase in online and social media had on public debate over media bias and the impact of media ownership and partisan news sites?
The increase in short social reports often intensifies online squabbles between factions, increasing the sense of media bias.
Which of these correctly compares a conservative economic policy with a liberal economic policy?
R: Decrease income inequality through higher commercial profits L: Decrease income inequality through higher taxes
Which of the following problems regarding the ratification process for a constitutional amendment endures today?
Ratification requires an extensive process including support from two-thirds of both houses of Congress and three-fourths of the states or state ratifying conventions.
Which of the following demonstrated key challenges posed in the corresponding document?
Representation in the national legislature—Articles of Confederation
"It's not going to be such a restful month at that" Which fundamental principle of American democracy is reflected in the image?
Republicanism
A woman seeking an abortion can go to a clinic and receive the service under the care of a doctor. A woman has this right to privacy of her body under the due process clause. Which Supreme Court case helped establish this right to privacy under the due process clause as described in the scenario above?
Roe v. Wade (1973)
The statutes whose constitutionality is involved in this appeal are 53−32 and 54−196 of the General Statutes of Connecticut. ... The former provides: Any person who uses any drug, medicinal article or instrument for the purpose of preventing conception shall be fined not less than fifty dollars or imprisoned not less than sixty days nor more than one year or be both fined and imprisoned. This law, however, operates directly on an intimate relation of husband and wife and their physician's role in one aspect of that relation ... [t]he First Amendment has a penumbra where privacy is protected from governmental intrusion. ... The present case, then, concerns a relationship lying within the zone of privacy created by several fundamental constitutional guarantees. And it concerns a law which, in forbidding the use of contraceptives, rather than regulating their manufacture or sale, seeks to achieve its goals by means having a maximum destructive impact upon that relationship. Such a law cannot stand in light of the familiar principle, so often applied by this Court, that a governmental purpose to control or prevent activities constitutionally subject to state regulation may not be achieved by means which sweep unnecessarily broadly and thereby invade the area of protected freedoms. —From Supreme Court Opinion in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) The Supreme Court's ruling on the constitutionality of this case established the precedent for which of the following cases?
Roe v. Wade (1973)
"Loose Lips Might Sink Ships" Which Supreme Court case set the precedent that the activity in the image is not necessarily protected by the First Amendment?
Schenck v. United States (1919)
The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in McDonald v. Chicago (2010) is based on its interpretation of individual liberties addressed in which of the following amendments?
Second Amendment
A 25-year-old individual states during an interview: "I decided to become an activist in the war on drugs for several reasons. I have witnessed the detrimental effects of drugs on people's lives. My grandfather was an alcoholic and, because my mother was addicted to heroin, I was raised by a foster family. My foster parents taught me to never use drugs, and, additionally they were and are very active in several community organizations that fight against drugs. My foster father also volunteers for a rehab facility and counsels people who have been addicted to heroin." This individual's motivation to become an activist can be attributed primarily to which of the following?
Socialization
The ... President of the United States cannot stand above the battle engaging in vague little sermons on brotherhood. The immense moral authority of the White House must be used to offer leadership and inspiration to those of every race and section who recognize their responsibilities. And the immense legal authority of the White House must be used to direct implementation of all Constitutional rights, protection of the right to vote, fulfillment of the requirement of school desegregation, and an end to discrimination in the government's own midst—in public contracts, in employment and in all Federal housing. —John F. Kennedy, speech to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), 1960 Which kind of special interest leverage did the NAACP have in this situation to persuade Kennedy to support them?
Sway over voters
Pete Hernandez, a Mexican American, was indicted for the murder of Joe Espinoza by an all-white grand jury in Jackson County, Texas. Hernandez's attorneys tried to get the charge thrown out, claiming that Mexican Americans were barred from the jury commission that selected juries and from trial juries. Hernandez also tried to reject the trial jury panel called for his case, because persons of Mexican descent were excluded. A Mexican American had not served on a jury in Jackson County in over 25 years. Based on these facts, Hernandez claimed that citizens of Mexican ancestry were discriminated against in the county. Hernandez was found guilty of murder. The all-white jury sentenced him to life in prison. His case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in Hernandez v. Texas (1954). Which statement best describes the key constitutional issue described in the case of Hernandez v. Texas?
Texas's jury selection process violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Which of the following best describes the fears of the Anti-Federalists regarding adoption of the U.S. Constitution and the Federalist response to address that fear?
The Anti-Federalist fear of the lack of enumerated rights led to the creation of a Bill of Rights.
During a peaceful protest, an individual encourages others to perform acts of vandalism. The individual is arrested and taken into custody. Which of the following best explains the Supreme Court's ruling in the case?
The First Amendment applies to the states except when the speech poses a danger.
"Gender Disparities in Athletic Opportunities" Attempts to remedy the disparities shown in the bar graph would fall under which of the following?
The Fourteenth Amendment
"Gay Rights Parade" Which of the following most likely inspired the events of the parade shown in the image?
The Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause
Which statement indicates why the balance between individual liberties and government efforts to promote order changes over time?
The amount of emphasis put on certain aspects of individual rights through public policy is subject to the majority political culture of the time.
Which aspect of the U.S. Constitution was upheld in the Supreme Court decision in Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)?
The due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
Who can deny but the president general will be a king to all intents and purposes, and one of the most dangerous kind too—a king elected to command a standing army. Thus our laws are to be administered by this tyrant; for the whole, or at least the most important part of the executive department is put in his hands.—From Anti-Federalist No. 74, 1788 What apprehension about the single-executive system is suggested in this excerpt?
The president will be in charge of the military.
Representatives in Congress have attempted to repeal the Twenty-Second Amendment several times. Since 1997, Representative Jose E. Serrano (D-NY) has sponsored at least nine different bills to achieve this goal. None has ever reached the floor for a vote. Which of these arguments against the repeal is supported by the Constitution?
The repeal would weaken the system of checks and balances that limits presidential power.
While not formally one of the national political institutions, political parties today are nonetheless major players in both national and state politics. They have long provided what may be considered quasi-governmental services, including candidate recruitment, the operation of political campaigns, and the supervision of the voting process. As with the federal bureaucracy, political parties are important extra-constitutional political institutions that have been essentially grafted onto our separation of powers system. The ambiguity surrounding the proper institutional role that parties should conceptually play in American politics has posed vexing problems for the courts in balancing party independence with government supervision. In order to ascertain the role that political parties should play within our political system, it is useful to see them as informal parts of the larger system of separation of powers. If parties are seen as part of this larger system, then it follows that they are entitled to a certain amount of judicial protection to ensure their integrity and independence. Under this interpretation, the courts should bear some responsibility for preserving the separateness of political parties in the same way as the judiciary ensures that the powers of the formal branches of the government do not unduly infringe upon one another. If parties are seen as performing some governmental functions, then it follows that they should be entitled to some independence in the conduct of these functions. If parties are to check government power, then some of their activities must lie beyond direct government control. —Robert C. Wington, "American Political Parties Under the First Amendment," 1999 What is unique about political parties compared to special interest groups that reinforces the author's argument that they deserve special protection from the courts?
They seek to participate in government through elections.
