GOVT-2306 Chapter 02 Quiz

Many Texans argue that since the late 1970s, the national government has centralized more power and has directed Texas on the policies it must undertake. What is this relationship called? a. Cooperative federalism b. Categorical grants c. Coercive federalism d. Devolution

c. Coercive federalism

What governmental system did Americans first adopt after gaining independence from the British? a. Feudal b. Oligarchy c. Confederal d. Unitary

c. Confederal

What does the elastic clause of the U.S. Constitution allow the government to do? a. Make laws that are necessary and proper for executing its powers b. Regulate commerce between the states c. Establish the structure and function of the Supreme Court d. Override any law or treaty made by a state government

a. Make laws that are necessary and proper for executing its powers

Funding by the federal government in which area represents an indirect benefit to the state of Texas? a. Military expenditures b. Disaster relief c. Block grants for community development d. Funding for Medicare

a. Military expenditures

Which of the following describes the delegation of power in a federal system of government? a. Power is shared between the national government and the state governments. b. Power is reserved for the states exclusively. c. Power is held exclusively by the national government. d. State governments are subordinate to the national government.

a. Power is shared between the national government and the state governments.

Under cooperative federalism, what does the national government encourage states to do? a. Pursue certain public policy goals to receive matching funds from the national government b. Relinquish some of its reserved powers to the national government c. Allow the national government to participate in some of the reserved powers d. Abandon pursuing certain public policy goals in order to gain more territory

a. Pursue certain public policy goals to receive matching funds from the national government

Which of the following is a key role of the states as it pertains to federalism? a. States act as public policy laboratories and provide insight as to how well certain policies work. b. States keep the national government from engaging in corrupt practices. c. By having to adopt federal law, states automatically bolster the power of the national government and create disunity among the nation. d. Through their use of the Tenth Amendment, states have sought to converge their ideas with that of the national government.

a. States act as public policy laboratories and provide insight as to how well certain policies work.

What constitutional amendment was the basis for former Governor Rick Perry's argument that the federal government has increasingly taken over more activities of the state governments? a. Tenth Amendment b. Second Amendment c. Fourteenth Amendment d. First Amendment

a. Tenth Amendment

Texas House Bill 2 (HB2), which passed in July 2013, imposed some of the strictest restrictions in the nation regarding which issue? a. Taxation b. Abortion c. Purchasing firearms d. Marijuana

b. Abortion

In order for the federal government to perform the functions that are expressly delegated to it, it is assumed that it has certain powers. What are these powers called? a. Inherent powers b. Implied powers c. Reserved powers d. Expressed powers

b. Implied powers

In which court case was the separate but equal doctrine established? a. McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) b. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) c. Sweatt v. Painter (1950) d. Grovey v. Townsend (1935)

b. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Suppose the federal government issued a law stating that citizens can only display the U.S. flag in public and that it is illegal to display any other country's flag. The state of California decided that its citizens can fly any flag they wish. How would this conflict between the federal government and the state of California be settled? a. Tenth Amendment b. Supremacy clause c. Commerce clause d. Necessary and proper clause

b. Supremacy clause

Which of the following is constitutionally prohibited in Texas but allowed in neighboring states, such as Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma? a. Church bingo b. Horse racing c. Casino gambling d. A state lottery

c. Casino gambling

What is a categorical grant? a. The attempt to enhance the power of state or local governments b. Federal grants to state or local governments for more general purposes and with few restrictions c. Federal aid to state or local governments for specific purposes, granted under restrictive conditions and often requiring matching funds from the receiving government d. Any administrative or legislative change to the rules governing elections in covered states must be submitted for preapproval to either the U.S. Department of Justice or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

c. Federal aid to state or local governments for specific purposes, granted under restrictive conditions and often requiring matching funds from the receiving government

Which of the following accurately describes the pattern of federal funding Texas receives? a. Unlike other states, the amount of funding that Texas receives from the federal government has declined in recent decades. b. Texas state policy does not allow the state to accept grants from the federal government. c. Over the years, the amount of funds Texas receives from the federal government has increased. d. Except for an increase in funds during the Great Recession, Texas has managed to operate with very little funding from the federal government.

c. Over the years, the amount of funds Texas receives from the federal government has increased.

Which of the following has been used by the U.S. Congress to criminalize the production and use of medical marijuana even in states where the growing and use of homegrown marijuana for medical purposes was legal? a. Appointments clause b. Elastic clause c. The commerce clause d. Necessary and proper clause

c. The commerce clause

If the federal government imposed an obligation on Texas to retrofit all its oil and gas pipelines with modern technology to eliminate any leaking of materials, but provided no funding for Texas to do so, what is this called? a. A block grant b. Devolution c. Unfunded mandate d. A categorical grant

c. Unfunded mandate

Both the federal government and the state governments levy taxes on citizens. This is an example of which type of power? a. Inherent powers b. Expressed powers c. Implied powers d. Concurrent powers

d. Concurrent powers

What is the name given to the powers that the U.S. Constitution gives to the national government? a. Concurrent powers b. Supremacy c. Reserved powers d. Delegated powers

d. Delegated powers

Which type of federalism is characterized by a federal government and state governments both having sovereignty within their sphere of influence? a. New federalism b. Coercive federalism c. Cooperative federalism d. Dual federalism

d. Dual federalism

Which was adopted after the Civil War and has served to not only affect the balance of power in the federal system, but also improve the protection of civil rights and equality for all Americans? a. Commerce clause b. Elastic clause c. Tenth Amendment d. Fourteenth Amendment

d. Fourteenth Amendment

When the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was enacted by Congress, why did former Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and attorney generals in twenty-five other states oppose the law? a. It increased the coverage gap for too many people living below the poverty line. b. It failed to provide health care coverage for all Americans. c. It provided health insurance coverage to undocumented individuals working in the United States. d. It required individuals to purchase health insurance and required states to expand Medicaid.

d. It required individuals to purchase health insurance and required states to expand Medicaid.

Where does the legitimacy of reserved powers originate? a. Necessary and proper clause b. Supremacy clause c. Fourteenth Amendment d. Tenth Amendment

d. Tenth Amendment

What was the outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court case McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)? a. The Court ruled that the federal government violated the Tenth Amendment. b. The court decision placed limits on the constitutional powers granted to Congress. c. The Court ruled that state law could, on occasion, supersede federal law. d. The court decision upheld the right of the federal government to use the necessary and proper clause.

d. The court decision upheld the right of the federal government to use the necessary and proper clause.

Most countries are governed by a system of government in which constitutional authority rests with one national or central government. What system of government does this describe? a. Federal b. Confederal c. Proprietary d. Unitary

d. Unitary