Unit 2

Which of the following scenarios exemplifies the principle of stare decisis?

A majority opinion of the Supreme Court dealing with school segregation states that the decision follows the precedent established under Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

In which of the following circumstances would the "rule of four" be applied?

At least four Supreme Court justices agree a case should be put on the Court's docket

In 1973, the United States Supreme Court handed down the controversial Roe v. Wade decision, striking down state laws banning abortion. In response, many pro-life groups have organized to have the decision overturned. Which of the following represents an action that these groups have successfully utilized to achieve their goal?

Becoming more active in presidential campaigns so that presidential candidates pledged to appoint justices in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade

The House and the Senate have some different constitutional responsibilities. Which of the following pairs correctly matches House and Senate constitutional responsibilities?

House of Representatives - Initiates revenue bills Senate- Ratifies treaties

The principal political ally of the Speaker of the House, responsible for scheduling bills, influencing committee assignments, and rounding up votes is the

Majority leader

In a press briefing, the White House press secretary issues a statement criticizing members of Congress who refuse to act on the president's judicial nominees to the federal courts. This scenario illustrates which of the following?

Members of the White House staff are used strategically to pass the president's agenda

A member of the House of Representatives who wishes to gain political influence would most likely seek a place on which of the following committees?

Rules

Which of the following procedures results in the removal of the President from office?

The House votes for impeachment, and the Senate conducts a trail and reaches a guilty verdict

All of the following statements reflect accurate patterns of presidential media coverage EXCEPT

The media has unrestrained and complete access to the White House staff

Which of the following is a trend based on the data?

The more chambers of Congress the president controls, the less likely a president is to veto a bill

Prior to her confirmation, Democrats on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions questioned a Republican president's Secretary of Education nominee about the ethics of some of her investments in charter schools. The nominee was eventually confirmed with support of Republicans in the Senate. This check on presidential power illustrates that

The process of confirming members of the president's Cabinet can lead to conflict with members of the Senate

President Theodore Roosevelt took his case directly to the American people to gain public support for his progressive reform initiatives by appearing in a movie newsreel. This type of presidential communication is an example of which of the following?

Using the bully pulpit

On February 13, 2016, following the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement that the Supreme Court vacancy should be left to the next president, who would be elected that November. Nonetheless, President Obama nominated circuit judge Merrick Garland to fill the vacancy. The senate judiciary committee never held a hearing nor scheduled a vote on the nomination. This scenario demonstrates that

since federal judges receive lifetime appointments, Senate confirmation can be challenging

Which of the following is supported by the information in the graphic?

Democratic presidents issued more executive orders than Republican presidents did between 1945 and 2016

Which of the following actions by a Congressional representative is an example of "pork barrel" spending?

Directing federal funds into the representative's district through legislation

Which of the following cases was most likely to derive the basis of its decision from the argument presented in Federalist No.78 that states: "that, accordingly whenever a particular statute [contradicts] the Constitution, it will be the duty of the judicial tribunals to adhere to the latter and disregard the former"?

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

On September 23, 1957, President Dwight Eisenhower signed an executive order mandating the use of Arkansas National Guard members and federal armed forces to enforce the United States Supreme Court's decision in Brown v Board of Education (1954) in Little Rock, Arkansas. Which limitation on judicial power is demonstrated in this scenario?

State and local governments can refuse to enforce Supreme Court decisions

The Constitution directly grants Congress expressed or enumerated powers, including all of the following EXCEPT

the power to draft citizens into the military

An opinion agreeing with the Supreme Court's decision but written to address a different constitutional or legal basis for the judgement is called a(n)

concurring opinion

The Roberts Court has generally limited policymaking, deferred to the legislative branch, and restored authority to local governments, reflecting the idea of

judicial restraint