GOVT Final Review
The text of the Fourteenth Amendment says
"nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
Most of the provisions related to rights of the criminally accused were incorporated during the
1960s
A U.S. representative prohibited a local newspaper from printing an editorial that was critical of her voting record. Which Amendment was violated?
1st Amendment
Like most high schools, Middlesex High in Saluda, Virginia, has its own student-run school newspaper,The Big BlueReview. The paper's student editors decided to run several stories on Valentine's Day about sex education that included information about venereal diseases and so-called "safe sex" practices. Carl McWhorter, faculty advisor for the newspaper, supported the student editors, but Middlesex High's principal objected to the content in the articles and decided to suspend distribution of the Valentine's Day edition of the paper. What amendment was challenged by the students?
1st Amendment
The citizens of Upper Creek voted to double the taxes of all Catholics. Which Amendment was violated?
1st Amendment
During the colonial and early national periods of American history, suffrage was generally restricted to white males over the age of
21.
The US Attorney General ordered all American citizens to turn in their rifles and hand guns by noon on Saturday. Which Amendment was violated?
2nd Amendment
After being arrested for driving while intoxicated, the court could not arrange Carolyn's trial until the next year. Which Amendment was violated?
6th Amendment
In a civil trial where the dispute was more than $20, both sides were denied a jury trial. Which Amendment was violated?
7th Amendment
How many justices currently serve on the Supreme Court?
9
As of 2016, which percentage of adult American internet users look for political news and information online?
90 percent
Approximately, what percent of African Americans voted for Barack Obama in 2012?
95
The president declared that the only rights Americans have are those listed in the first eight amendments. Which amendment was violated?
9th Amendment
Under the terms of the Great Compromise, what would be the basis for the composition of the House of Representatives?
It was based on proportional representation.
Emerging in the late 1780s, which of the following were America's first two political parties?
Federalists and the Jeffersonian Republicans.
What was the purpose of the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment by Congress?
It protected the rights of freed slaves from state enacted laws.
What was the advantage of the Patriot Act?
It provided less cumbersome means for surveillance of terrorist activities.
Why is equality considered to be a difficult idea in practice?
It requires people to shed preconceived notions about others.
Which of the following best refers to the exclusionary rule?
It states that evidence obtained illegally is inadmissible in court.
What best refers to "The No Child Left Behind Act"
It ties federal funding to national test results in reading, math, and science.
What was the Seneca Falls Convention?
It was a meeting in upstate New York during the mid-nineteenth century regarding women's rights
Why did the Equal Rights Amendment fail?
It was not ratified by the necessary 38 states.
Which of the following best refers to the "motor voter" law?
It was passed in 1993. It linked voter registration to the vehicle registration process. It made it easier for citizens to register to vote (All the answers are correct)
What is the most likely outcome of party polarization?
It would tend to push people toward more extreme opinions.
What best reflects the criticism of interest group pluralism?
Its class bias in favor of those with greater financial resources.
The Fourteenth Amendment
forced state governments to abide by almost every provision in the Bill of Rights, but the process took more than 100 years.
One reason some people support the establishment of term limits in the House and Senate is that it will
increase turnover and get new faces into Congress.
A senator or representative running for re-election is called the
incumbent.
Which example best refers to the price difference between a bottle of Coca Cola that cost $0.05 in 1959 and that same product cost $1.50 today?
inflation.
If your professor argues that government interferes with freedom of expression, free markets, and society, and thus should be as limited as possible, she is probably a
libertarian
Which of the following best refers to the key political values of the United States?
liberty, equality, and democracy.
Which of the following concepts best explains the underlying reason for the Bill of Rights?
limited government
Which of the following best refers to the digital divide?
line separating citizens with internet access from those without.
The State of the Union address is
mandated by the Constitution.
Which of the following was a driving force for economic growth during the late nineteenth century?
manufacturing industries
When the delivery of news was dominated by only three networks and a handful of national papers, it tended to be more __________ than it is today.
moderate
Which of the following reasons best supports the fact that many federal judiciary appointments often contentious?
Life terms for federal judges mean that presidential appointments will continue to have influence long after the president's term is over.
Which of the following was used as a way to limit the electoral influence of African Americans?
Literacy tests
Whose words were best reflected in the Declaration of Independence?
Locke's philosophy of inalienable rights.
Which of the following refers to a reason why welfare programs became so unpopular?
Many Americans came to believe that welfare recipients did not want to work.
How does the modern Congress differ the most from the nineteenth century Congress?
Many are now professional politicians who want to stay in Congress.
The "housing bubble" prior to 2007 was driven primarily by
the increased demand for housing that resulted from a dramatic loosening of lending standards.
Which of the following is the best example of a public good?
the interstate highway system
Which of the following is the main that reason the news product is designed to fascinate as well as to inform?
Many news organizations are fundamentally businesses and must obtain revenue to survive.
Which of the following best refers to the European Recovery Plan?
Marshall Plan
Which of the following is the first landmark Supreme Court case that established the use of implied powers to expand the national government's enumerated powers?
McCulloch v. Maryland
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the right of the national government to create a national bank and reaffirmed the notion of national supremacy in which landmark case?
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
__________, such as ESPN and Disney, have prompted questions about whether enough competition exists among traditional media to produce a truly diverse set of views on political matters.
Media monopolies
Which of the following programs provides an in-kind benefit?
Medicaid
Which of the following is a program of forced savings?
Medicare
This governing structure established rule by a hereditary king or queen and has existed from ancient times to the early part of the 20th century. Which of the following is this most common form of government?
Monarchy
In 1862, Congress established land-grant colleges with the
Morrill Act.
What does Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann's "spiral of silence" theory contend?
Most individuals are reluctant to speak out against dominant opinion.
The delegate model of representation requires that
representatives remain in constant touch with constituents and that constituents follow each policy issue very closely.
If you are the governor of a state and you notice a unique situation that requires you to create a law that does not exist in the federal Constitution, the power to do so is allowed by which of the following concepts?
reserved power
Which of the following groups typically has the highest level of political participation?
senior citizens (65 and older)
Which of the following survey instruments, refers to the method most likely to ensure that every individual in a population has an equal probability of being selected as a participant?
simple random sample
Which of the following is one important cause of the two-party system in the United States?
single-member, winner-take-all electoral districts.
The first American political parties emerged from the conflict between which of the following?
small farmers and states' rights advocates, and those favoring commercial and wealthy interests.
Which of the following political ideologies would argue that more government is necessary to promote justice and to reduce economic and social inequality, even to the point of collective government ownership?
socialism
Families, social networks, education, religion beliefs, and the political environment can all be agents of
socialization.
Which sort of representation is based on the principle that if two individuals are similar in background, character, interests, and perspectives, then one could correctly represent the other's views?
sociological
The Every Student Succeeds law enacted by Congress in 2015 returned control for school performance to ________ testing results by race and ethnicity.
state governments but maintained the federal requirement that schools provide
When members of Congress delegate power to the executive branch, it
substantially enhances the importance of the presidency.
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
substantially increased the federal government's role in elementary and secondary education.
In response to the financial crisis of 2008, Congress enacted a series of reforms that
substantially strengthened the Securities and Exchange Commission's enforcement capabilities.
Which of the following is the best example of the shadow welfare state?
tax breaks
Why might a policy of deterrence fail against terrorist groups?
terrorist groups are nonstate actors who may believe that their lack of a fixed geographic location prevents their targets from retaliating militarily.
A political party is an organization
that tries to influence the government by getting its members elected to office.
Trends in the concentration of media ownership into larger media monopolies and a consolidation of media largely resulted from which of the following?
the 1996 Telecommunications Act
A recent and very controversial example of a media leak is
the Edward Snowden leaks of classified material from the National Security Agency (NSA).
Which event effectively discredited isolationism as a security policy?
the Japanese attack of the U.S. Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor
What did the framers call the "LEAST dangerous branch" of American government?
the Supreme Court
According to the U.S. Constitution, if no one candidate receives a majority vote of the Electoral College, who chooses the president?
the U.S. House of Representatives
What best refers to the idea that major nations should act together in response to problems and crises in the world?
Multilateralism
Where is the headquarters of the United Nations is located?
New York City.
In Citizenship: Making Government Work, what event caused police departments to change some of their tactics?
September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on New York City
In the Annenberg Scenario, "My Door Is Always Open: A Profile of Representative Wayne Gilchrist," one part of a legislator's life that is little appreciated by most of us is the extraordinary amount of time they spend in helping their constituents on a variety of matters including requests for aid in untangling bureaucratic red tape, personal references, and specific information on a wide variety of policy topics. To meet their constituents' needs, most representatives maintain large staffs in their Capitol Hill and home district offices. Although this kind of work is often denigrated as casework or errand running, it is important to recognize it as a form of representation. Which of the following best refers to this scenario?
Service Strategy
Which of the following refers to a situation where a student attends a school in a low-income area that cannot provide access to digital media?
the digital divide.
Devolution describes a process through which
the federal government is downsized by delegating the implementation of programs to state and local governments.
Which of the following demonstrated the weakness of the Articles of Confederation, leading to the Constitutional Convention?
Shays' Rebellion
Why did it prove difficult for Congress to close American military bases at the end of the Cold War with the former Soviet Union?
Since every military base was in some congressional member's district, it proved impossible for Congress to decide to close any of them.
What did the Supreme Court determine in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)?
Slaves were not citizens of the United States.
Which of the following do third parties in the United States typically represent?
Social and economic interests that are disregarded by the two major parties for certain reasons.
Which of the following theorizes that consent is the basis of government; it is because people have agreed, explicitly or implicitly, to be ruled that governments are entitled to rule?
Social contract theory
When are a president's policy initiatives significantly more successful?
The president has the strong support of the American people.
The so-called wall of separation between church and state is best found in which clause of the Constitution?
establishment
When using a simple random sample,
every individual in a population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent.
The Progressive movement of the early 1900s was motivated, in large part, by the
excessive power, corruption, and abuses of party machines and their bosses.
The United States' 2015 accord with Iran is a recent example of a(n)
executive-congressional agreement.
Of the powers contained within the U.S. Constitution, which are most clearly articulated?
expressed powers
Which of the following best refers to James Madison's concept of an interest group?
faction
One problem with online news is that when negative stories go viral and spread quickly without fact-checking or respect for the privacy of public figures, it is possible people are reading
fake news.
Virtually all military hardware is produced
on a privatized basis by private contractors.
Which of the following best refers to divisions over issues such as abortion, birth control, and same-sex relationships?
"culture war."
The federal government decided that state governments were no longer necessary. Which Amendment was violated?
10th Amendment
Which of the following amendments ensures that selective incorporation makes the protections in the Bill of Rights applicable to the states?
14th Amendment
When did the U.S. House of Representatives last decide the outcome of a presidential election?
1824
When did women win the right to vote on a national level??
1920.
The Supreme Court began to change its position on racial discrimination in the
1930s
When was Social Security established?
1935.
Congress created a rule that United States citizens have to cook and clean for all branches of the Armed forces. What Amendment was violated?
3rd Amendment
There are currently ________ voting members of the U.S. House of Representatives and ________ voting members of the U.S. Senate.
435; 100
Extracurricular activities such as sports, marching bands, choirs, and quiz bowls, have long been a basic part of high school. In recent years, out of concern for the continued drug use among some teens, school administrators across the country have implemented random drug testing programs for students involved in school sports and other activities. Usually the issue involves conflicts between students' rights to privacy and the schools' obligation to ensure their safety and well being. In a closely watched 1995 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that random drug tests for student athletes were reasonable because team players already had a lower expectation of privacy and because of the extra danger of physical exertion while under the influence of drugs. But the question of whether schools can require drug tests for students in non-sports programs remained unsettled until 2002. Which amendment was challenged by several court cases regarding these testing programs?
4th Amendment
For no apparent reason, the police stopped Rita while she was driving and began to search through the trunk and her personal luggage. Choose the Amendment that was violated?
4th Amendment
Approximately, what percent of their previous wages through unemployment insurance did most unemployed workers receive?
50
Luke was found innocent of armed robbery, but the state decided to bring him to trial again anyway. Choose the Amendment that was violated?
5th Amendment
Which of the following measures would a president, adhering to Keynesian economic principles, most likely employ during an economic recession?
A budget with significant increases in spending for unemployment benefits and public works projects
When is a president most likely to use an executive order to make important policy?
A compromise cannot be reached with Congress.
What best demonstrates the explanation for the rise in non-establishment or anti-establishment "outsider" candidates in both political parties during the 2016 presidential election?
A decrease in American's sense of trust in government.
What best describes Alexander Hamilton argument about war in Federalist Number 69?
A surprise attack on the United States is the only justification for war by presidential action.
President Ronald Reagan's used his "great communicator" reputation to push the Congress to enact various forms of legislation. Reagan's use of speeches are a classic example of a president "going public" to roll out a major policy proposal. What legislative action did Ronald Reagan use his speech to the nation to move aside his congressional opponents and enact to assist the nation?
A mammoth tax cut
Which of the following statements about women's suffrage is MOST accurate?
A number of state and territorial governments adopted women's suffrage before the federal government granted women the vote.
What do Miranda rights help guarantee?
A person's freedom from compelled self-incrimination.
What best refers to the term entitlement as it relates to government?
A program that requires the payment of benefits to any individual who meets the eligibility criteria.
What is a writ of certiorari?
A request to a lower court to submit to the Supreme Court a record of the case it has been requested to hear.
What was the "three-fifths compromise"?
A response to conflict over the institution of slavery.
Which event led to national attention for the gay rights movement in 1969?
A riot in response to police raids at the Stonewall Inn.
Which of the following did the framers want from a president?
Administration of the laws Statesmanship in foreign affairs Command of the military (All these answers are correct.)
Which of the following international organizations assist the United States in the pursuance of its economic policy goals?
All of these: the World Bank, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Which statement best characterizes the influence average citizens and party elites have over the nomination process in the United States?
Although average citizens have some influence in the nominations process, party elites play an outsized role in selecting the candidates who will compete in the general election.
Which of the following statements best refers to American political culture?
America's cultural beliefs are idealistic.
Which of the following statements about interest groups is MOST accurate?
Americans are much more likely to join political and social organizations than people in other countries, and America has far more organized interest groups than other nations.
Which of the following guaranteed the rights of disabled individuals to access public businesses?
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
What best refers to Lobbying?
An attempt by an individual or group to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of Congress or a state legislature.
What best refers to party identification?
An emotional attachment to a political party.
Which of the following best refers to the Fifth Amendment that provides an individual with protection against self-incrimination?
An individual has the right to remain silent and to be protected against coercion by law enforcement officials.
Which of the following presidents did Congress officially authorize an impeachment investigation?
Andrew Johnson
The Bill of Rights was adopted because the
Antifederalists demanded it as the price of ratification of the Constitution.
Which was the first document that explained how the original 13 states would be governed?
Articles of Confederation
How the Constitution balances the threat posed by organized interests with the need for liberty is discussed in the
Federalist Papers, no. 10
Which of the following statements describes a difficulty many presidents face in the policy implementation process?
Because of civil service laws, it is not easy for the president to remove professional bureaucrats when they disagree with the president's agenda.
During the 1996 Welfare Reform Law, which president vowed "to end welfare as we know it?"
Bill Clinton
Which type of grant provides the most control to state and local governments in the distribution of federal grants-in-aid?
Block
According to Federalism: U.S. v. the States, what type of grant was the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 considered?
Block grant
What is Congress endowed with by the U.S. Constitution?
Both enumerated powers and implied powers.
Which of the following would have been a violation of the Monroe Doctrine in the nineteenth century?
Britain sending military forces to Canada and Cuba in an attempt to overthrow those countries' existing regimes
How did the U.S. Supreme Court help support a laissez-faire capital economy soon after the Civil War?
By interpreting the Constitution in ways that restricted the government's attempts to regulate business activity.
Which state has the most votes in the Electoral College during presidential elections?
California
A major purpose of political parties is to recruit potential candidates who share their political agendas and can promote those agendas in elective office. The Democracy in Action series profiled the story of the rise of a candidate from her humble roots as a Mexican-American immigrant to a successful run for the California State Assembly that was supported by the Democrat Party. Which former City Council member and mayor of San Fernando won election to the California Assembly in November 2002, was widely considered a "rising star" in the California Democratic party?
Cindy Montañez
Which of the following refers to the personal guarantees and freedoms (freedom of speech, freedom of religion, etc.) that the federal government cannot curtail by law?
Civil liberties
Which government establishes state control of all property and capital, while claiming that all goods are equally shared by the people leading to equal social and economic status?
Communism
Who is responsible for establishing the number and types of lower federal courts?
Congress
Who writes the laws in the United States?
Congress
How did Congress retaliate to the Supreme Court's reprimand, in Marbury v. Madison, that it had passed legislation that exceeded its constitutional authority?
Congress had no way to retaliate.
What best refers to the Sixteenth Amendment?
Congress has the power to collect income taxes.
Who sets the size of the U.S. Supreme Court?
Congress.
What best refers to the people residing in an incumbent's state or district?
Constituency
Which of the following governing structures, best reflects the legal framework that specifies how power is to be exercised and controlled that most of governments derive their legitimacy from?
Constitutional
Which of the following best refers to cooperative federalism?
Cooperative federalism is based on shared policy responsibilities.
Imagine that the United States is characterized by a political structure in which the state government and the national government work together to address various social and environmental issues. For instance, the national government and the state governments jointly fund a program called "Healthsupport" to provide free health care for their citizens. Here, the state governments provide direct service to the Healthsupport beneficiaries, while the national government administers the activities of the states and allows them to participate in determining the eligibility criteria and benefits of the program. In this scenario, which principle is most likely the basis for this political system of United States?
Cooperative federalism.
Which type of law is the the government is always the plaintiff?
Criminal
Who was the leader of the United Farm Workers union in the 1960s?
César Chávez
Using the following story about the efforts of Oregon's two U.S. senators on the so-called Death With Dignity law, which allows doctors to prescribe lethal doses of controlled substances to terminally ill adults who request them. Through two direct ballot initiatives, one to create the law and one to decide whether or not to repeal it, Oregonians twice voted in favor of assisted suicide. Both Republican Senator Gordon Smith and Democratic Senator Ron Wyden personally opposed the assisted suicide law. But once Congress challenged Oregon's law as a violation of the U.S. Controlled Substances Act, the senators had to decide where they stood on Congress's challenge, and how much they should let the views of Oregonians sway their position. Which of the following roles did Senator Ron Wyden assume in this scenario?
Delegate
Which of the following forms of government requires that citizens be free to organize competing political parties, engage in political campaigns, and hold elections according to agreed-upon rules?
Democracy
Critics of America's two-party system often contend there are no tangible differences between Republicans and Democrats. But what seem like small differences between the two parties' platforms can become significant when the candidates square off in an election. The 1993 race for mayor of New York quickly became this type of election. What two candidates faced each other again after a very close race four years earlier?
Democrat David Dinkins vs Republican Rudolph Giuliani
Fidel and Raul Castro were the leaders of Cuba, whose government has absolute control over the lives of their citizens. People are often jailed and even killed for voicing negative opinions about the government. Which of the following governing systems best fits this governing system?
Dictatorship
Often, this governing structure involves a military leader, who concentrates political power in himself and his clique. There is no effective rule of law. The regime may or may not have a distinctive political ideology and may or may not allow token opposition. Which of the following forms of government reflects this principally 20th-century phenomenon?
Dictatorship
Which of the following questions would most likely be included in a push poll ?
Do you think it was appropriate for President Obama to lie about how Benghazi happened?
Which of the following model did the national and state governments operate under during most of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries?
Dual federalism
Which president first warned of the consequences of the military-industrial complex?
Dwight Eisenhower
Which of the following best refers to Elite pluralism?
Economic elites have used group politics to achieve considerably more influence than mass-based forces in the American political process.
Assume that a political system is dominated by a powerful, accomplished group of highly influential people who use their money and position to deeply influence and control government policy. Based on the information in this scenario, which of the following best reflects the principles of this political system?
Elitism
What best refers to the essence of the rule of law?
Ensuring that "the state" and its officials are judged by the same laws as the citizenry.
Which of the following best describes the power of regulatory agencies?
Executive, legislative, and judicial functions.
Which of the following is a key power of the Fed?
Expand and contract the amount of credit available in the United States.
Constitutions delegate many powers and responsibilities to the subnational units; however in certain prescribed policy areas a state government may have a high degree of autonomy to make own decisions. Even though power is divided between national and state government, which of the following establishes national governments that are clearly more powerful than those of their subdivisions?
Federal System
Which of the following statements about the distribution of power at the federal and state levels is the most accurate?
Federal law preempts state law, and state law preempts local law.
During America's Founding, if you believed in a unified, centralized government powerful enough to defend its interests, which group would you most likely belong?
Federalist
What best determines the jurisdiction of the federal courts?
For the most part by geography.
Which of the following best illustrates the decision that prohibits States from executing people under the age of 18; this came into effect after the Supreme Court found in 2005 that such executions were considered unacceptable due to the suffering, pain, or humiliation it inflicts on the person subjected to the sanction?
Freedom from cruel and unusual punishment (Amendment VIII)
Police officers pull over a suspect without cause to believe he's violating the law; they find drugs in his car, but a court rules the evidence was illegally obtained. Which of the following examples best refers to this scenario?
Freedom from warrantless search and seizure (Amendment IV).
Which is provided by the First Amendment and refers to the right of individual Americans to communicate thoughts of their choosing.
Freedom of expression
Who warned Americans against the dangers of political parties in his farewell address?
George Washington
Which countries were part of Axis alliance during World War II?
Germany, Japan, and Italy.
Which of the following is illegal to do by Federal civil service employees?
Go on strike.
Which of the following congressional agencies focuses on overseeing whether executive agencies are complying with laws passed by Congress rather than developing new legislation?
Government Accountability Office
Which of the following do Populists generally desire?
Government intervention to help small businesses and farmers
What was the main cause for reducing the legal voting age to 18?
Government officials hoped it would lead to a decline in disruptive student protests.
Why was the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) significant?
Guaranteed same-sex couples the right to marry in all states and required states to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions.
Political parties in the United States originated partly as a political feud between which of the following?
Hamilton and Jefferson.
How did Theodore Roosevelt change the conception of the presidency?
He cast aside the Whig theory in favor of the stewardship theory.
What are the requirements for a person to become a Federal justice?
He or she is nominated by the president. He or she is appointed for an indefinite period, providing they maintain "good behavior." He or she is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. (All responses are correct)
Why were people in West Virginia initially against voting for Kennedy?
He was a Catholic.
Impeachment offenses are charged by the
House and tried in the Senate, with the chief justice presiding and a two-thirds vote needed for conviction.
Which Article of the U.S. Constitution created the presidency?
II
What does the use of the clear-and-present-danger test determine?
If a spoken or written word has the potential to cause harm to others or to the nation.
What best refers to the bureaucrats attempt to translate laws into specific rules and actions?
Implementation
Which of the following best refers to Priming?
It involves calling attention to some matters while ignoring others when evaluating political officials.
What is the major difference between the American federal system and a confederation?
In a confederation, state governments retain their full sovereignty.
Which of the following statements best characterizes the relationship between education, income, and voting?
In the United States but not in other Western democracies, those who vote tend to have higher income and more education.
What is a government corporation?
It is an agency that performs and charges for services usually provided by the private sector.
Which of the following best refers to a government's authority?
It is evidenced when government officials use their right to exercise power.
Why is Cable television exempt from complying with the Fairness Doctrine?
It is transmitted by privately owned wire rather than through broadcasting.
What was the purpose of the Homestead Act of 1862?
It opened government-owned lands to settlement.
These are the basic concepts of life and liberty guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States that are undeniable. Which of the following is undeniable and cannot be bought, sold, or transferred from one individual to another?
Inalienable Rights
What best refers to Selective benefits?
Incentives that interest groups make available only to those people who are members of their organizations.
What was the main change in welfare policies since 1996?
Increased use of noncash assistance.
Which of the following best refers to the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union?
Inefficient centralized command economy Heavy defense expenditures Isolation from Western technology and markets (All answers are correct)
Which of the following occurs when the price level of goods and services increases over several months?
Inflation
Which of the following phrases best describes the shift in America's world position from the pre- to the post-World War II eras?
Isolationism to internationalism
How has Congress responded whenever it has a perceived need for ongoing control of an economic activity?
It Created a regulatory agency.
How has the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) impacted the political process?
It allows corporations and labor unions to spend unlimited funds on campaigns.
According to its critics, which of the following is a disadvantage of the living constitution theory?
It allows judges to promote their personal views by enabling them to devise arguments that support the rulings they prefer.
Which of the following best refers to the inevitable discovery exception?
It allows the use of evidence that would have been discovered regardless by other means or through other forms of evidence.
What is the main reason for a cloture vote in the Senate?
It can end a filibuster.
Which of the following best refers to the most dominant shortcoming of the Fourteenth Amendment?
It did not prohibit discrimination by private parties.
Unlike a majoritarian government, how does a pluralistic government rule?
It focuses on the preferences of a few special interest groups.
How has the Internet affected the watchdog capacity of the media?
It has expanded the watchdog capacity of the media.
Which of the following describes a standing committee in the House or Senate?
It has jurisdiction over a particular policy area. It has authority to draft, amend, and recommend legislation. It is a permanent committee. (All the responses are correct.)
Which of the following best represents how the partisan divide has impacted Congress?
It has steadily widened in the past three decades.
How does the frequency of elections in the United States reduce voter turnout?
It increases the personal effort needed to participate in all elections.
Which of the following best supports why the type of government created in the United States in 1787 is considered to be republic in nature?
Its deliberative institutions moderate the power of each other.
Who is considered to be the "Father of the U.S. Constitution"?
James Madison
According to him, if the government fails to protect the governed, they are free to choose another form of government. Who of the following believed that humans agree to be governed so that their rights, property and happiness are protected?
Jean Jacques Rousseau
In May of 2001, a Senator caused a seismic shift in American politics by leaving the Republican Party. Although he declared himself an Independent and not a Democrat, his decision tipped the balance of power in the Senate to the Democrats, who after six years in the minority regained the power to choose committee chairs, set agendas, and claim a greater share of congressional staff and operating budgets. Which Vermont Senator switched from being a Republican to becoming an Independent after being elected in 2000?
Jim Jeffords
According to him, people establish governments in order to preserve these natural rights and ensure justice. Who of the following believed that individuals were born equal and with natural rights—life, liberty, and property - that no king had the power to void?
John Locke
During the New Deal, Whose theory believed that a government could boost employment by stimulating demand?
John Maynard Keynes's
Which of the following Amendments guaranteed women the right to vote in 1920?
Nineteenth
The story of the struggle over women's suffrage illustrates the difficulties involved in passing a constitutional amendment. At the end of the Civil War, Congress passed the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that granted the right to vote to former male slaves. Many abolitionists, including Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, argued unsuccessfully that the amendment should also grant women the right to vote. Supporters of women's suffrage continued to press the issue by introducing a constitutional amendment into every Congress after that. By the early 1890s, the profound changes in women's lives fueled the suffrage movement; but as the movement grew stronger, so did the opposition. In the final analysis, the suffragettes won, but the battle was long and hard, demonstrating that amending the Constitution is seldom easy. Which amendment was the result of this struggle?
Nineteenth Amendment
A new president has been elected and has a number of positions to fill within the federal bureaucracy. Which of the following is an example of filling a position based on political patronage?
Nominating a high-level campaign fund-raiser to serve as an ambassador to New Zealand.
Which of the following ended the Reconstruction era?
Northern Republicans agreed to end federal occupation of the South if southern Democrats allowed Rutherford B. Hayes to become president.
Which of the following cases expanded civil rights to same-sex couples by preventing state governments from claiming the right to refuse marriage licenses to these couples?
Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)
Which of the following statements is true news media and reporting?
Objective journalism is based on communication of facts and fairness.
The following system is governed by a group that has enough power to turn the county to benefit them to the exclusion of other members. Which of the following power structures allows a few businesses, families, or individuals to rule, while maintaining their power through their relationships with each other?
Oligarchy
Which of the following is a formal constitutional requirement for becoming president?
One must be a natural-born citizen.
According to the Constitution, when can the federal courts issue a decision?
Only in response to a case presented to it.
What best exemplifies the support of actions by a particular party simply because one identifies oneself as a member of that party?
Partisanship
What best refers to the periodic closed session meetings, which party members plan strategy, develop issues, and resolve policy differences?
Party caucus.
What is a consequence of increasing polarization between the parties in the United States?
Party endorsements have a larger impact on public opinion formation.
Which of the following best refers to an individual's psychological attachment to one party or another?
Party identification.
Which of the following contains its philosophy, principles, and policy positions?
Party platform
What do Congressional staffers spend most of their time doing?
Performing constituency service and public relations.
Black students staged a strike in Farmville, Virginia in 1951 to protest school segregation. The premise for the strike was based on the fact that their school facilities were inferior when compared to white schools. Which of the following created the notion that blacks and whites should go to separate schools?
Plessy vs. Ferguson.
Which principle best refers to the suggestion of "one person, one vote"?
Political equality
Which of the following best refers to a set of beliefs and values that, as a whole, form a general philosophy about government?
Political ideology
Which of the following is the constitutional principle of self-government; in the belief that ultimate political authority is based on the will of the people and governments are subject to limitations and constraints?
Popular Sovereignty
Which notion is the basis for the principle of checks and balances?
Power must be used to offset power.
Imagine that in its foreign policy, the U.S. federal government has declared the implementation of specific strategies in order to uphold the sovereignty and maintain the security of the nation. This measure is primarily in view of the impending security threat it perceives from an unconventional source of terror. Consequently, the nation's defense policy is designed to embrace a first-strike option even before a threat becomes particularly imminent. In this fictitious scenario, which of the following best refers to this strategy?
Preemptive war doctrine
Which of the following did Dwight Eisenhower use in 1957 to send troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, to help desegregate Central High School?
Presidential emergency power
Why does presidential power erode when public support declines?
Presidential power rests on popular base.
How does the stewardship theory apply to the executive branch?
Presidents are free to act as they choose, as long as they do not violate the law.
Which of the following best represents presidential leadership on policy issues?
Presidents can literally dictate the terms of foreign policy.
What is a major reason why the majority of Supreme Court justices have had political experience prior to appointment to the Court?
Presidents seek to place individuals on the Court whose policy views are similar to their own.
Which of the following refers to a policy of striking a nation that might be contemplating hostile actions?
Preventive war
What did the U.S. Supreme Court rule In Plessy v. Ferguson?
Separate public facilities for the black citizens did not violate the Constitution as long as the facilities were equal.
Which of the following does the national Congress have the power to do?
Provide money to states for use in the operation of schools.
What did the Supreme Court rule In Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)?
Quotas and separate admissions standards for minorities were unconstitutional, but affirmative action could be used.
What is the basis for a cost-of-living adjustment?
Rate of inflation.
Which of the following may the president do to limit the Supreme Court's power?
Refuse to enforce a ruling by the Court.
Which of the following best describes the democracy as practiced in the United States and most other Western nations?
Representative
A prospective mother in Texas decides to terminate her pregnancy after her physician identifies a few critical health complications that the child could most likely have. However, Texas state law bans abortion except in instances to save the life of the mother. Therefore, on the basis of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade ruling, in this fictitious scenario, which of the following is she allowed to exercise in order to get an abortion?
Right of privacy.
What constitutes the votes on which each member's name is officially recorded?
Roll-call votes
As a person in a wheel chair; gaining access through the entryways of buildings could be a daunting task. Many buildings are now designed to provide equal opportunities for access to those with disabilities. However, some older public structures might refuse to provide doors wide enough to allow access to the entryway of a building. Which of the following does this lack of access violate?
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
What are the two primary goals of American foreign policy?
Security and prosperity
A vacancy has arisen in the district court in the state where a Democratic senator holds office. In the process of identifying potential nominees for lower-court judgeships in the state, the deputy attorney general seeks the senator's recommendations. In this scenario, what best refers to this action of the deputy general?
Senatorial courtesy
Which statement best describes the path to women's suffrage in the United States?
Some states granted women the right to vote first, and then a constitutional amendment extended the right to all women in the United States.
What is the defining characteristic of dual federalism?
State governments have more powers granted to them than the local or federal governments.
According to the Constitution, who holds the power to control voter registration?
State legislatures
Which of the following was greatly impacted by Title IX of the 1972 Education Act?
university athletic programs.
What best differentiates super PACs from regular political action committees (PACs)?
Super PACs can spend unrestricted amounts of money on elections.
Which stipulation stated in Article VI of the Constitution, mandates that national law supersedes all other laws passed by the states or any other subdivision of government?
Supremacy Clause
Which of the following strengthened Early Americans' preference for limited government?
Taxation without representation. Britain's treatment of the colonies after the French and Indian War. Their exposure to life under the British Parliament and some of the "rights of Englishmen."
Which of the following stipulated that powers not specifically granted by the Constitution to the federal government were reserved to the states or to the people?
Tenth Amendment
What is declared by writ of habeas corpus?
That the government must show a legal cause for holding someone in detention.
Assume that Brayden, an administrator at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), holds periodic consultations with different stakeholders before issuing regulatory guidelines on food safety and the use of dietary supplements. These best practices ensure that bureaucrats are held answerable and power is exercised in such a way as to serve public interests. In this fictitious scenario, what is Brayden ensuring?
That there is bureaucratic accountability.
Why was the Constitution written?
The Articles of Confederation, which many Americans believed had created a weak, ineffective central government.
Which of the following was created to transform the abstract idea that individuals have a right to life, liberty, and happiness into a set of specified constitutional rights, thereby bringing them under the protection of courts of law?
The Bill of Rights
De jure discrimination and de facto discrimination are two ways in which some Americans are treated as less equal than others. Which of the following examples of public policies are designed to address each of these forms of discrimination?
The Brown decision (de jure), and affirmative action (de facto).
Tisa, an American of African origin, finds it difficult to rent a house in a locality occupied predominantly by whites. The residents of this locality are apprehensive about an African American renting a house in their vicinity. In this scenario, which of the following acts can Tisa use against this form of discrimination?
The Civil Rights Act of 1968.
Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) became our 36th President of the United States in the blink of an eye, but he had been preparing for the role throughout his career. He had been a congressman, senator, and a vice president, and along the way he had become a master at getting what he wanted. The so-called "Johnson treatment" describes Johnson's unique style in getting others to support his favored policy and political positions. What did LBJ use the "Johnson treatment" on to get it passed through Congress?
The Civil Rights Bill
Which of the following statements best describes the Supreme Court's actions with respect to disputes between Congress and the President?
The Court generally has tried to avoid deciding conflicts between Congress and the President.
Which cabinet department with the largest number of full-time civilian employees?
The Department of Defense.
Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison wrote which of the following documents that argued in favor of adopting the Constitution?
The Federalist Papers
In the wake of the Great Depression, the Democratic Party emerged out of the New Deal Coalition, drawing support from African Americans, Catholics, Jewish people, union members, and white southerners. This transformation established the basic division between the Republican and Democratic parties that would persist for the rest of the twentieth century. Democrats generally favored a large federal government that took an active role in managing the economy and regulating individual and corporate behavior. Republicans believed that many of these programs should either be provided by state and local governments or kept entirely separate from government. Which system best represents this transition?
The Fifth Party System, 1933-68
Political parties were the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. Federalists favored a strong central government and a national bank, whereas Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans opposed these positions in favor of concentrating power at the state level. Which system best represents this situation?
The First Party System, 1789-1828
Although the Civil War settled the issue of slavery, the Democrats and Republicans remained the dominant parties, each one using its political machine in the fight for control of the political system. The parties divided on concerns such as the withdrawal of the Union Army from the southern states and whether the federal government should involve itself in the rapidly growing American cities and swelling number of recent immigrants. Which system best represents this transition?
The Fourth Party System, 1893-1932
Minnesota's state government has arrested Winston for protesting against the government and speaking in an instigating manner. During his trial, the Supreme Court declares that though Winston's speech was directed at instigating an illegal action, it could not have led to a serious riot. As a result, the Supreme Court declares Winston innocent of all charges. In this fictitious scenario, which of the following tests has been used to confirm if Winston is guilty?
The Imminent lawless action test
Which of the following fictitious scenarios is the best example of a factional party?
The New Vision Party, which was formed after its split from a major party for promoting better international trading policies.
According to Article II of the Constitution, who is in charge of the Executive Branch?
The President
Who among the following has the most say in United States national security policies?
The President
Imagine that a president decides to promote a new program by directly appealing to the American people for support through the use of television media. He even decides to bypass bargaining with Congress. According to political scientist Samuel Kernell, which of the following best refers to this situation?
The President is going public.
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 authorized the government to deny income tax deductions for employer health plans that did not offer employees the option of keeping their health insurance after leaving the job. Which enumerated power allowed Congress to make the law?
The Regulation of commerce among the states.
The Federalist Party disintegrated. After a brief period as the only major political party, the Democratic-Republicans became the Democratic Party, and the Whig Party emerged. The new Democratic Party embodied two important innovations: The Democratic Party cultivated electoral support as a way of strengthening the party's hold on power in Washington. The party built organizations at the state and local levels to mobilize citizens to support the party's candidates. The second innovation became known as the party principle, the idea that a political party exists as an organization distinct from its elected officials or party leaders. In addition, the Democrats developed the spoils system, whereby party supporters were rewarded with benefits such as federal government jobs. Which system best represents this transition?
The Second Party System, 1829-56
Changes in political issues and technology drove the transition into this party system. Democrats came out against the "separate but equal" system of racial discrimination in southern states and in favor of programs designed to ensure equal opportunity for minority citizens. Furthermore, whereas Republicans opposed expanding the role of government, Democrats argued in favor of expanding the federal government to provide health care funding, antipoverty programs, education, and public works. The party organizations were transformed into parties in service, each one recruiting, training, and campaigning for its party's congressional and presidential candidates.
The Sixth Party System, 1969-Present
Who is often said to be the second most powerful federal official after the president?
The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Slavery split the existing party system. The Republican Party was formed by antislavery Whigs and antislavery Democrats. The Democratic Party became the party of the South and the party defending slavery. This transition illustrates that parties exist only because elites, politicians, party leaders, and activists want them to. Which system best represents this transition?
The Third Party System, 1857-92
Who is the world's wealthiest nation?
The United States.
Which best refers to the group of advisers and analysts that assist the President in day to day operations?
The White House staff.
Which of the following best refers to a person who is said to be a cultural liberal?
The belief that government should leave lifestyle choices to the individual.
How is the Speaker of the House determined?
The elected leader of the majority party in the House is the Speaker.
Which of the following refers to the procedure through which annual federal spending and revenue decisions are made?
The budgetary process
Which of the following best refers to the "rational basis test?"
The burden of proof is on the plaintiff to show that there is no rational basis, whatsoever, for the government's rules.
Which of the following best characterizes prospective voting?
The choices based on what candidates promise to do if elected.
Which constitutional provision justified the Civil Rights Act of 1964's ban on racial discrimination in privately owned businesses?
The commerce clause
What did the Bill of Rights ease concerns about?
The creation of an overly powerful central government.
Throughout U.S. history, judges have had to interpret constitutional principles in the light of unique cases and social contexts. A basic question facing judges is how much weight should they assign to changing societal norms and public opinion in their decisions. The question remaines how the the Constitution should be interpreted; either as a fixed set of principles that endure even though society changes, or a reinterpretation and reapplication of law as society changes. This conundrum is not a new. In fact, the Constitution's framers themselves disagreed over the answer. What punishment is questioned by various members of society due to the vague language of the Eighth Amendment?
The death penalty
Which of the following best refers to the impact of the secret, or Australian, ballot into widespread use since it introduction?
The decrease in the influence of political parties on the voting process
Which of the following did the Founding Father's forget to anticipate when they were framing the American Constitution?
The degree to which members of Congress would cater to the demands of special interests.
Which of the following is true of the various forms of protection accorded to disadvantaged groups in the United States?
The disabled are protected from discrimination through statutes.
Jason, an African American, is convicted of carrying obscene photographs on his flight from Ohio, thus violating an Ohio law that prohibits the possession of such material. Police forcibly enter the plane on which Jason is traveling, stating that they had a tip about the material he was carrying. Jason appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court and the Court overturns his conviction, ruling that police had acted unconstitutionally, citing the Fourth Amendment prohibition on unreasonable search and seizures. In this scenario, what idea was the Court applying?
The doctrine of selective incorporation.
Which of the following best refers to the use of the Fourteenth Amendment when it applies selected provisions of the Bill of Rights to the individual states?
The doctrine of selective incorporation.
What best illustrates the fact that states set a minimum age for driving automobiles and consuming alcohol?
The equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment does not actually require that government treat everyone equally.
According to Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas ruling (1954); what did racial segregation in schools violate?
The equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
How is the establishment clause different from the free-exercise clause?
The establishment clause deals with a government's limits on issues dealing with religion.
What best supports the major reason for the persistence of the American two-party system?
The existence of single-member election districts.
What best refers to the "feminization of poverty?"
The fact that women are more likely to be poor than men.
Which of the following best reflects our current system of government?
The federal government has supremacy over state governments.
Although American political culture has expressed desire for some form of limited government, what is generally understood about the major role that the government needs to provide?
The government prepares and allows the use of public goods.
Federal government shutdowns often occur when the House and Senate cannot agree on the national budget. Although many citizens view this as incompetence, how would the Founders most likely argue this point?
The government shutdowns are a consequence of the necessary function of the theory of separation of powers and checks and balances that the Founders purposely put into the Constitution.
Fiscal policy is a mechanism the government employs to influence the economy. What is the basis for fiscal policy?
The government's taxing and spending decisions.
Why did President Dwight D. Eisenhower deploy federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957?
The governor of Arkansas mobilized the Arkansas National Guard to block the enforcement of a federal court order to integrate Little Rock Central High School.
Which of the following is essential to recognize in understanding the basis for America's cultural ideals?
The individual is paramount.
Which of the following statements about mass media numbers and ownership is accurate?
The number of news sources (those doing the actual news gathering)is actually quite small.
A state allows independents and sometimes voters of the other party to vote in a party's primary. Unlike other states, this state believes that all voters should have a say in the choices they will have in the general election. The only restriction placed on the voters is that they cannot vote simultaneously in more than one party's primaries. On the basis of these features in this scenario, identify the type of primary election that is followed in this state.
The open primary
Imagine that a Supreme Court justice believes that the Constitution should be interpreted in the same way that an average person would have interpreted it at the time it was written. He lays emphasis on the wording of the law, substantiating that the words of the framers of the Constitution are the only reliable indicator of how the law should be interpreted. On the basis of the Justice's opinions in this scenario, what best signifies the Justice's belief?
The originalism theory.
What does economic efficiency require?
The output of goods and services is the highest possible given the amount of input used to produce them.
What best refers to a pocket veto?
The presidential veto that is automatically triggered if the president does not act on a given piece of legislation passed during the final 10 days of a legislative session.
Which of the following is the basis for the idea that the news media's role is a common-carrier for information?
The press should provide a channel through which political leaders can communicate their views to the public.
Which of the following best identifies political socialization?
The process that forms political beliefs and values.
What is a major limit on majoritarianism suggested by many political scientists?
The public as a whole takes an interest in only a few of the hundreds of policy decisions that U.S. officials make each year.
The citizens of a small town in Connecticut had to be equitably paid for their property when the state took their land to build a highway. Which of the following best illustrates this situation?
The right to due process and just compensation (Amendment V)
Which of the following is the best way to accurately poll the citizens of the United States as opposed to the citizens of a single state?
The sample requirements will be nearly the same.
What refers to a practice where incumbents respond to their constituents' individual requests?
The service strategy.
Which of the following best refers to people with higher education, income, and occupational status and who are members of social or political organizations?
They are likely to have political knowledge.
Which of the following is best refers to the president's veto power?
The veto is as much a sign of presidential weakness as of strength, because it arises when Congress refuses to accept the president's ideas.
Which of the following best refers to the measure of success in an unconventional war?
The winning of the support of the people in the area of operations
Why are the president's personal assistants, including top advisors, press agents, legislative and group liaison aides, and special assistants for domestic and international policy are among the most powerful individuals in Washington?
Their proximity to the president.
How is the national identity of Americans usually derived?
Their shared beliefs.
Why is it difficult for political scientists to categorize unrepresented interests?
There are no organizations that can present their identities and demands.
Why do many news sources today tend to be more partisan than they used to be?
There are so many news sources that not many can aim for a broad-based national audience.
Identify the most relevant reason that is attributable to the observed pattern of the president's party losing the House seats in the midterm elections.
There is a drop-off in turnout that accompanies a midterm election.
What did the Supreme Court rule in Bowers v. Hardwick (1986)?
There is no constitutional right to privacy for consensual homosexual activity.
Imagine that the federal government of the United States is in the process of preparing the budget estimates for the next financial year. It is observed that the projected revenues for the next financial year are approximately equal to the projected expenditures. Which of the following best refers to the estimated budget in this scenario?
There will be a balanced budget.
In the late 1800s, how did rapid economic growth and new demands impact the federal government?
These issues necessitated the creation of new federal departments built around economic interests.
What best refers to civil rights?
They are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by the government.
Which best describes most members of Congress?
They are concerned with national issues, but even more concerned with local ones.
What is the impact of online social networks such as Facebook and Twitter?
They are likely increase the role of peers in shaping public opinion.
Which of the following statements best refers to the status of Asian Americans' regarding their civil rights?
They are over-represented in leadership positions as a result of high education levels.
The parks and forests in the United States are nature preserves and recreation areas, but they are also rich in natural resources - minerals, timber, and grazing lands. What best refers to their classification?
They are part of a multiple use policy.
Which of the following best refers to American trade policies?
They benefit most Americans by reducing the cost of consumer goods but hurt workers in some industries by creating incentives for companies to relocate jobs to foreign countries.
How do public interest groups best differentiate from other types of interest groups?
They claim to serve the common good, not just their own particular interests.
Which of the following best characterizes regular voters?
They demonstrate a strong sense of civic duty.
Which of the following powers do national party organizations exercise the most?
They determine the site of the party's presidential nominating convention.
How do all executive agreements differ from formal treaties?
They do not have to be approved by the Senate.
What best refers to Appeals courts?
They do not hear witnesses or examine additional evidence before reaching their decisions.
How do administrative agencies chiefly exercise power over policy?
They exercise power through rulemaking, or deciding how a law will operate in practice.
Which of the following best describes the function of media as a watchdog?
They expose officials who violate accepted legal, ethical, or performance standards.
According to Federalism: U.S. v. the States, what standard did South Carolina have to adopt as a result of the federal government's use Interstate highway funds to influence their decision?
They had to adopt the .08 blood alcohol standard.
How have Democrats in Washington predominately responded to a sluggish economy?
They increased government spending.
How did the framers demonstrate their distrust in popular majorities in the creation of the Constitution?
They insulated political power against momentary majorities.
Which of the following best describes the idea that the reporter's job is to provide objective journalism?
They report the facts and cover alternative sides of a partisan debate.
Which of the following best refers to the Securities and Exchange Commission?
They require companies to disclose information about the stocks and bonds they are selling, inform buyers of investment risks, and protect investors against fraud.
Why are knowledgeable citizens more engaged in politics?
They understand how politics affects their lives.
Which of the following justifies why the writers of the Constitution incorporated different methods of selection and varying terms of office for the president, Senate, and House?
They wanted to ensure protection against rapid control by an impassioned majority.
Why was the Neighbors for a Better Montgomery (NBM) formed?
They wanted to limit the growth of their county's population.
Assume that Stalco Leathers Inc., a leather manufacturing company, is situated along the banks of an estuary that opens into Pennsylvania's major rivers. Stalco releases its industrial effluents into the estuary without processing the effluents, thus polluting the water bodies of the state. Considering that the treatment of effluents before releasing them into the water would incur high costs, Stalco decides to do away with spending on water treatment and other effluent-processing techniques. Additionally, Stalco's leather goods do not reflect the cost to society of the resulting water pollution. In this fictitious scenario, which of the following refers to the unpaid cost of the pollution?
This is considered an externality.
According to him, government was necessary to control society and provide necessary safeguards. Who of the following believed that humanity's natural state was one of aggression and that life was a constant struggle to survive against the evil of others?
Thomas Hobbes
Which of the following does libel apply to when it involves the defamation of an individual's reputation?
Through the written word.
Who became the first black justice to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court?
Thurgood Marshall
Schools in Michigan in an effort to control cost of their extra-curricular programs, rescheduled sports seasons to provide facilities for all who participated in these programs. This created a misalignment for women's programs with the rest of the country. Since men's athletic programs took precedence, several concerned constituents sued the state of Michigan for equal access. Which of the following was violation prompted this action to go to court?
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
What is the Lemon test designed to determine?
To ensure that government policies have a nonreligious purpose.
While not an absolute constraint on the courts, why is precedent needed?
To maintain legal consistency over time, so confusion and uncertainty about the law can be avoided.
What is a major purpose for Committee staffs within Congress?
To perform an almost entirely legislative function.
Before the Civil Service Act of 1883, how were government appointments made?
To political supporters as part of a spoils system.
What is the main purpose of the Federal Communications Commission?
To regulate the ownership of radio and television stations.
Why did Congress establish the Superfund program in the 1980s?
To rid contaminated toxic waste sites of their contaminants.
Why do political parties hold primary elections or caucuses?
To select a single candidate to represent the party in the general election.
Which of the following is a difference between communism and socialism?
Under communism, the government takes responsibility for overall management of the economy, whereas under socialism, the government does not try to manage the overall economy.
In this form of governance, the national government retains the police power - the inherent power to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens. Which governing method establishes a national government that performs all the governmental functions; while subnational national units administer matters within their jurisdiction, but their powers are set and delegated by the national authority?
Unitary State
How do categorical grants mostly differ from block grants?
Unlike block grants, categorical grants can be used only for purposes specified by the federal government.
For nearly seven years, a small bipartisan group of reformers in Congress fought to get a bill passed that would deal with the pervasive influence of money in American politics. Their proposed bill represented the first major change in campaign finance rules since Congress passed far-reaching amendments to the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) in 1974. The bill that passed was the result of significant compromise with various interests in and out of Congress. Although the campaign bill wasn't what all of its supporters wanted, it was what could command the support of a majority of Congress. What would the new campaign finance reform bill prohibit corporations, unions, and other interests from donating?
Unregulated soft money
Which of the following is the single most important political act for most Americans?
Voting
Assume that The Maverick is a national newspaper in the United States. In which of the following instances is the federal government legally allowed to put a prior restraint on the publication of information?
When The Maverick plans to publish information regarding the country's planned military operations in another country.
Which of the following necessitated the creation of the affirmative action policy?
When it became apparent that disadvantaged Americans would not attain equal employment opportunities through lawsuits that benefited single individuals only.
When can the Freedom of speech be silenced?
When it is highly likely that immediate harm will result from the speech.
Imagine that Beulah is an employee at the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. She files a complaint in California's district court alleging that this bureaucratic agency in charge of military procurement is paying a contractor beyond industry standards. She identifies that the reason for this is because the agency had accepted the contractor's multiyear no-bid cost estimates rather than conducting its own assessment. Following her allegations, Beulah is subject to serious on-the-job harassment by her immediate superior. Despite this, Beulah seeks to expose the agency as a serious case of mismanagement by defying her superiors at office. Her primary aim is to expose the agency despite fear of retaliation. What role does Beulah play in this example?
Whistle-blower
The president's cabinet is made up of his 14 cabinet secretaries and others he may include such as the vice president and the directors of key federal agencies. In general, however, presidents in the last few decades have come to depend less on the cabinet for advice and help and more on other staff and advisors within the White House Office and the Executive Office of the Presidency. What position did Leon Panetta hold that gave him control over access to the President?
White House Chief of Staff
Which of the following is true?
White flight to suburban schools has made it more difficult to desegregate urban schools. The Supreme Court, after ordering cutbacks in busing, said that communities were free to use alternatives, such as increased spending on schools in poor neighborhoods. Many urban public school districts have ended the use of busing for desegregation purposes. (All are correct)
Identify a true statement about the trends of representation among judicial appointees.
Women and minority-group members have made substantial gains in recent decades, largely through appointment by Democratic presidents.
Which was the first state to allow women to vote?
Wyoming
Habeas corpus refers to
a court order demanding that an individual in custody be brought into court and shown the cause for detention.
What is an unfunded mandate?
a federal law that requires the states to do certain things but does not provide state governments with the funding to implement these policies
Which of the following would be a good example of a government program that provides an "indexed" social benefit?
a federally run program that provides $750 to low-income families in the first year of implementation and that increases payments by 1.5 percent in each subsequent year of the program's operation
The impeachment process is
a partisan exercise.
Something that must be supplied by the government because the marketplace cannot provide it is called
a public good.
Which of the following best defines Cooperative federalism?
a type of federalism existing since the New Deal era, in which grants-in-aid have been used strategically to encourage states and localities to pursue nationally defined goals.
The Thirteenth Amendment
abolished slavery.
Some members of the media have adopted a strongly skeptical, even hostile, view of the Trump administration's claims about collusion with or possible Russian interference in the 2016 election. This is an example of what type of journalism?
adversarial
The Jim Crow era refers to the period
after the Civil War and before the 1960s.
Cases in which the U.S. government is a party are
always heard in a federal court.
The term pork barrel refers to
appropriations made by legislative bodies for local projects that are often not needed but are created so that local representatives can win re-election in their home districts.
Cabinet members must
be approved by the Senate but are not responsible to the Senate or to Congress at large
In a federal system, how is power distributed?
between the state and national governments.
Which of the following positions does the president have the power to appoint?
cabinet secretaries
What best refers to a federal government program that gives money to state and local governments to spend on educational and nutritional assistance for low-income families?
categorical grant.
What is the most important core value for liberals?
equality
The passage of the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 permitted states to legislate right-to-work laws that prohibited "closed shop" contracts that excluded non-union workers from unionized plants. It also authorized federal injunctions against strikes that "jeopardized the public health or safety." Truman's veto of the Taft-Hartley act set up a clash between Congress and the President. Which of the Constitution's principles was illustrated by this situation? (Choose all that apply)
checks and balances separation of powers
Which of the following played an important role in caring for the poor during the nineteenth century?
churches and religious organizations
One downside in the rise of social media for news is that
citizens may be more vulnerable to misinformation from political actors and candidates.
National defense is a good example of a
collective good.
A power that is held by both the states and the national government (e.g., the power of taxation) best fits which of the following concepts?
concurrent power
Medicare is a ________ program; Medicaid is a ________ program.
contributory; noncontributory
The four joint committees in Congress are
economic, taxation, library, and printing.
What is the name of the clause that is understood to give Congress the power to pass any law that is necessary to carry out its expressed powers?
elastic clause
Which of the following was the main goal of the "Rock the Vote" movement?
encourage young people to vote.
Under which of the following types of government is it possible for state and federal laws to contradict each other, such as states legalizing marijuana even though it remains illegal according to national law?
federal
National party conventions are held every
four years and attended by delegates from all 50 states.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump's messaging about Hillary Clinton as a criminal for her use of a private email server is an example of
framing
The power of the media to decide how the American people interpret political events and results is called
framing.
Men and women disagreeing on broad political, social, and economic value is an example of the
gender gap.
Which of the following statements on the average American's political knowledge is accurate?
generally low
What was the key to American security during the nineteenth century?
geographical isolation
The Fair Housing Act of 1968
had little effect on housing segregation because its enforcement mechanisms were very weak.
The Supreme Court
has generally protected symbolic speech nearly as substantially as it has protected verbal speech.
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are
headed by the president.
Which of the following best refers to the power delegated by a state to a local unit of government to manage its own affairs?
home rule
What type of group is the Christian Coalition?
ideological
The power to charter national banks is an example of which type of power?
implied
The main difference between inherent and implied powers is that
implied powers can be traced to the powers expressed in the actual language of the Constitution, while inherent powers derive from national sovereignty.
The commerce clause of Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution affords Congress broad regulatory power over what?
interstate commerce
The Bill of Rights
is the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
What were the MOST common favors political bosses distributed to loyal party members during the era of political machines?
jobs
Which of the following advocates the view that the role of the judge is to apply the law rather than determine it?
judicial restraint
What is the MOST common occupation among members of Congress before coming to Congress?
lawyer
Which of the following best refers to the action a government employee accused of disclosing confidential information to the news media?
leaking
The increasing levels of spending by the federal government in recent years are due primarily to the growing
number of payments to individuals for social programs such as Social Security and Medicare.
Convenience of getting news, up-to-the-minute currency of information, depth of information, diversity of viewpoints, and low costs are all benefits of
online news.
Which of the following do Self-identified partisans tend to rely upon for cues on the appropriate positions to take?
party leaders; the media
While deciding on legislation for a social infrastructure project, a member of Congress considers opinions from members of his own constituency, while overriding opinions that come from external sources. He garners mileage by consistently working toward securing federal funding for his constituency's developmental projects. What would outsiders likely call this scenario?
pork-barrel spending
The three most important tasks accomplished at a party's national convention are nominating the party's
presidential and vice-presidential candidates, drafting the party's campaign platform, and approving changes in the rules governing party procedures.
When the media focus on which candidate "has momentum" and "is winning the horse race" in a national election, it is most directly engaging in the practice of
priming
Which of the following is a so-called traditional form of political activity?
protesting
What type of group is the Sierra Club?
public interest
Which term is best used to denote the attitudes that people have about political issues, events, institutions, and personalities?
public opinion.
Charter schools are best described as
public schools that are free to design special curricula.
Who has the MOST real power in the Senate?
the majority and minority leaders
Which of the following is stated by the Tenth Amendment?
the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.
The bandwagon effect has been particularly evinced in
the presidential nomination process.
A possible reason why Donald Trump performed better at the ballot box than in public opinion polls may be
the social desirability effect.
The North American Free Trade Agreement is a(n)
trade treaty between Mexico, Canada, and the United States designed to lower and eliminate tariffs.
The role that the U.S. Senate plays in impeachments can best be compared with that of a
trial jury.
What did Upton Sinclair's 1906 exposé The Jungle reveal?
unsanitary practices at meatpacking plants.
A member of Congress who feels only loosely constrained by the policy preferences of his or her constituents and empowered to make the decisions he or she thinks best is acting as a
trustee
What is required for Congress to override a presidential veto?
two-thirds of both houses of Congress
Which three factors related to the American electoral system affect who is elected to office in this country and what they do once they get there?
who decides to run for office, incumbency, and the drawing of district lines
What is the ultimate goal of a political party?
winning elections
