Gvt Final Exams
After early rulings by the Supreme Court increased the power of the national government, why did many states seek a shift back to states' rights?
Because of increasing divisions between the North and the South over the slavery issue
In which of the following circumstances would a vice presidential pick not strengthen the ticket?
Being a major and powerful influence on the Senate by casting votes on every issue
In the United States, basic guarantees of liberty are found in which of the following documents?
Bill of Rights
The notion of a "living Constitution" is often associated with which of the following terms?
Broad construction
How can a constitutional amendment be ratified?
By a positive vote in conventions in three-fourths of the states, and/or a positive vote in the legislatures of three-fourths of the states
Which grants are given to the states to fund specific programs, and which grants are given for less restrictive purposes?
Categorical grants are given to the states to fund specific programs; block grants are given for less restrictive purposes.
Although the terms civil rights and civil liberties are sometimes used interchangeably, scholars make a distinction between the two. How do they distinguish between the two?
Civil liberties limit the government, and civil rights require the government to do something to ensure equality.
Which theory says that society is ruled by a small number of people who exereise power to further their self-interests?
Elitist theory
As chief executive, which of the following is the president constitutionally bound to do?
Enforce laws, treaties, and court orders
What did 19th Amendment do?
Expanded the right to vote to women.
Over time, the Supreme Court has interpreted which amendment to apply the Bill of Rights to state governments?
Fourteenth Amendment
Establishing the context of a media report is called what?
Framing
What guarantees the continued existence of a representative democracy?
Free competitive elections
Which of the following describes the drawing of legislative district boundaries in order to give one side an advantage?
Gerrymandering
Which of the following bureaucratic agency types combines the powers and functions of all three branches of government to some extent because they make, enforce, and resolve disputes over the rules?
Independent regulatory agencies
Presidential powers derived from the Constitution stating that "the executive power shall be vested in a President" are known as which of the following?
Inherent powers
Which of the following refers to advertising paid for by interest groups that support or oppose a candidate (or a candidate's position on an issue) without mentioning voting or elections?
Issue advocacy advertising
What can the FISA court do?
Issue warrants without revealing the information used to justify the warrant.
Where does the impeachment process begin with charges, and where does it conclude with a trial?
It begins in the House of Representatives, and it concludes in the Senate.
Private opinion becomes public opinion when what happens?
It concerns public issues and is publicly expressed.
Which of the following is NOT true of the Declaration of Independence?
It established a constitutional government.
Which of the following is true of the exclusionary rule?
It forbids the admission of illegally seized evidence at trial
What is an ex post facto law?
It inflicts punishment for an act that was not illegal at the time it was committed
All of these are true of the Bill of Rights EXCEPT which one?
It is a separate document and not a part of the Constitution.
How does public opinion affect the political process?
It is a source of power for elected officials who takes positions supported by the people.
Inherent powers derive from which characteristic of the United States?
It is a sovereign power among nations.
Government is what and does what?
It is an institution, and it has ultimate decision-making authority.
Which of the following best describes authority in a federal political system?
It is divided between the central govemment and regional or sibdivisional governments
What does it mean if a case is remanded?
It is sent back to the court that originally heard the case/
What can be said regarding the structure of a bureaucracy?
It is structured hierarchically
Which of the following best describes police power?
It is the authority to legislate for the health, welfare, safety, and morals of the people, and it is delegated to the states to make laws not prohibited by the national or state constitutions
As originally presented in the Constitution, which statement about the Bill of Rights is true?
It limited only the power of the national government, not that of the states.
The Supreme Court established that the powers of the Federal government could be implied, not just strictly enumerated, in their ruling on which case?
McCullough v. Maryland
In a unitary system of government, at what level is the ultimate government authority located?
National or central level
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. advocated what method as a means to achieve racial justice?
Nonviolent civil disobedience
Which of the following agencies is one of the most powerful agencies in Washington D.C, and assists in the preparation of the federal budget and monitors federal agencies throughout the year?
Office of Management and Budget
What is an opinion leader?
One who is able to influence the opinions of others because of position, expertise, or personality.
A political party is a group of individuals who do what?
Organize to win elections and operate the government
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 did all EXCEPT which of the following?
Outlawed arbitrary discrimination in voter registration
In the 2003 decision of Lawrence v. Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court did what?
Overturned laws against sodomy between consenting adults in private.
Which of the following accurately describes the granting of release from punishment for a crime?
Pardon
How does a political party differ from an interest group?
Political parties want to operate the government and interest groups do not.
Which group is most likely to be left out of the interest group system?
Poor Americans
A judge rules a certain way on a case because prior cases of a similar nature were decided similarly. That judge is relying on which of the following?
Precedent
A representative who is performing the role of an instructed delegate is doing which of the following?
Primarily representing the wishes of his or her constituents.
What is the capitalist system of the United States based upon?
Private property rights
Which of the following terms correctly denotes when government services are replaced by services from the private sector?
Privatization
Which of the following statements is true?
Professionals with advanced degrees have moved toward supporting the Democrats
What was the Hatch Act, adopted by Congress in 1939, created to accomplish?
Prohibit federal employees from active involvement in political campaigns.
English philosopher John Locke believed that the main purpose of government was to do what?
Protect man's natural rights of life, liberty, and property
In June 2012, Obama issued an executive order-DACA. What did this order do?
Provided relief to many young, undocumented immigrants
What does enabling legislation do?
Provides authorization for new federal agencies
One of the ways lobbyists make themselves valuable to decision makers is by which of the following?
Providing information and expertise whenever asked.
Generally speaking, groups that work toward a common or national good are considered to be what?
Public-interest groups
All of the following are major events in the women's equality movement EXCEPT which?
Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment
Which of the following refers to a special rule that can be applied to budget bills sent from the House to the Senate?
Reconciliation
Which of the following statements about the civil service is not true?
Reform of the civil service first began under President Jimmy Carter in 1978.
Which of the following refers to a temporary legislative committee established for a limited time and for a special purpose?
Select committee
A 3/5ths majority of which house of Congress is required to accomplish which of the following?
Senate; invoke cloture and end a filibuster
Jurisdiction is best defined by which of the following?
The authority of a court to hear and decide a particular class of cases.
The example of yelling fire in a crowded theater, when there is no fire, would not be protected speech because it fails what test?
The clear and present danger tests
How did the Supreme Court rule in the 1965 case Griswold v. Connecticut, concerning the legality of contraceptives?
The court held that the state law violated the right to privacy.
Which clause in the Constitution grants Congress the power to do whatever is required to execute its enumerated or expressed powers?
The elastic or necessary and proper clause
The New Jersey Plan called for all of these EXCEPT which one?
The elimination of a Supreme Cout
The commerce clause is the basis for which of the following?
The expansion of federal power over economic affairs
To a large degree, the Constitutional Convention in 1787 was brought on by what?
The failure of the Articles of Confederation
What can be said about most Constitutional principles?
They are sufficiently broad to be adapted to a changing society.
which of the following statements about U.S. district courts is most accurate?
They are the trial courts of the federal system.
When citizens vote for president on Election Day, what is actually happening?
They are voting for a slate of electors pledged to support a particular candidate.
Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding the Civil War amendments?
They gave the right to vote to African Americans.
How do modern democracies ensure that majority rule does not become oppressive?
They guarantee the rights of minorities.
Governments have authority when they do which of the following?
They have the right and power to enforce their decisions.
Generally speaking, what could be said about the Anti-Federalists?
They opposed the new Constitution.
Generally speaking, what could be said about the Federalists?
They supported the new Constitution.
The provision that states that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens can be found where?
14th Amendment
What is a primary election called when only declared party members can vote?
A closed primary
Which of the following refers to an opinion prepared by a judge who supports the court's decision but wishes to in some way clarify, emphasize, or offer different reasons?
A concurring opinion.
All of the following are true of flag burning EXCEPT which one?
A constitutional amendment has been ratified outlawing flag burning.
Which of the following provisions of the 25th Amendment applies if a president's ability to discharge his or her normal functions is in question and her or she is unable to communicate?
A majority of the cabinet including the Vice President, can declare the president incapable.
What is a political culture?
A patterned set of ideas, values, and ways of thinking about government and politics.
Nine years of citizenship and at least 30 years of age is the requirement to be
A senator
What is a voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules called?
A social contract
A representative who is performing the role of a trustee votes in which of the following ways?
According to his or her own conscience in the broad interests of society
What type of primary allows voters to vote in either party's primary without disclosing their party's affiliation?
An open primary
The term used to describe an absence of government is what?
Anarchy
What is a government called in which the ruler fully controls government itself but largely stays out of religious and business institutions?
Authoritarian
A government that has the power to make and enforce laws but lacks the acceptance of the people is said to have what?
Authority but not legitimacy
What did the founders seek to accomplish with the bicameral design of Congress?
Balance the interests of common citizens and the propertied elite.
Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding common law and its origins?
Common law is a set of judge-made laws that originates in England.
The answers given by respondents to poll questions are influenced by all of the following EXCEPT which of these?
Compensation that is offered to the respondents
Lawmaking is the major function of which of the following institutions?
Congress
An opinion poll in which 81% of respondents express the same answer reflects what?
Consensus opinion
Which of the following terms correctly defines presidential powers expressly given to the president by the Constitution?
Constitutional powers
In the words of Thomas Jefferson, the establishment clause was designed to achieve what principle?
Create a wall of separation between the national government and religions
What document includes the words, "we hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are V created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
Declaration of Independence
Concern for the dangers of uneducated mob rule led James Madison and others of his time to caution against what?
Direct Democracy
A poll tax was used to do what?
Dissuade African American and poor whites from voting
Through negotiated rule making, federal agencies have begun encouraging businesses and public interest groups to become directly involved in which of the following?
Drafting the regulations that affect them.
What does a writ of certiorari by the Supreme Court accomplish?
It orders a lower court to send up the record of a case for review.
Which of the following is most accurate regarding the Whistleblower Protection Act?
It prohibits reprisals against whistleblowers by their superiors.
Which of the following statements about the Great Compromise is true?
It proposed a bicameral legislature with equal representation in the Senate
What did the Government in the Sunshine Act require?
It required all federal agencies run by committees to conduct their business regularly in public sessions.
Who drafted the Bill of Rights?
James Madison
Which of the following individuals is constitutionally qualified to become President?
James, 37 years old, who was born in Texas to parents from Mexico.
Refusal to fund a decision or passing a new Constitutional Amendment are examples of which of the following checks?
Legislative checks on the courts
All nations need the power to enforce their decisions. What is the broad acceptance of this authority called?
Legitimacy
What are the parts of government that are directly accountable to the president called?
Line organizations
Which of the following terms describes the process of compromise in which legislators offers to reciprocally trade support for each other's bills?
Logrolling
Which political theory holds that the government ought to do what the majority of people want?
Majoritarianism
The power of the media to determine what the government ought to do is called what?
Setting the public agenda
Which of the following best describes fiscal federalism?
Sharing revenue obtained by one layer of government with other levels of government
Which of the following refers to a written declaration that a president may make when signing a bill into law?
Signing statement
What did the 15th Amendment do?
Stated that the right to vote shall not be abridged on account of race.
According to the Constitution, what may states do, and what may they not do?
States may impose taxes on income and license marriages, but states may not make treaties or wage war with foreign nations.
Which of the following enabled corporations, unions, and non-profit organizations to spend freely to support or oppose candidates as long as those expenditures are not coordinated with the candidate campaigns?
The 2010 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC
What was the British strategy to pay for the defense of the colonies during and after the French and Indian War?
The British government decided to impose taxes on the American colonies.
Most American law is based on which of the following?
The English common law tradition
Which of the following acts requires the federal government to release, at your request, any information it has about you or other subjects?
The Freedom of Information Act
After the Civil War, which amendment abolished slavery, and which amendment enfranchised African Americans?
The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery, and the Fifteenth Amendment enfranchised African Americans.
Which of the following is a benefit of federalism?
The government is in closer contact with the people because of the role given to state governments.
A candidate for office who is successful at winning support from elected officials, fundraisers, and interest groups could be said to be winning which of the following?
The invisible primary
The Constitution gives the Vice President which of the following responsibilities?
The job of presiding over the Senate and voting in case of a tie
Which of the following refers to the informal advisors to the president?
The kitchen cabinet
The term generational effect refers to what?
The long lasting impact of significant events of a particular time on the generation that came of age at that time
The party-in-the-electorate is made up of which of the following?
The members of the general public who identify with a political party
Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the number of members each state has in the Electoral College?
The number of members is determined by adding the number of representatives and the number of senators a state has in Congress.
Who presides over the Senate in the absence of the president of the Senate?
The president pro tempore of the Senate
To what does the concept of political socialization refer?
The process by which beliefs and values are transmitted to new immigrants and to our children
Which of the following statements accurately describes how public opinion can serve as a check on the judiciary?
The public may pressure elected officials not to enforce an unpopular ruling.
To what does the concept of universal suffrage refer?
The right of all adults to vote for a representative in government
A 1976 case involving Karen Ann Quinlan was one of the first publicized cases dealing with what topic?
The right to die
All or the following are a defendant's rights at trial EXCEPT which one?
The right to have double jeopardy
Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the right to vote?
The right to vote has been expanded since the writing of the Constitution.
Which of the following terms is defined as the awarding of government jobs to political supporters?
The spoils system
The famous court case of McCulloch v. Maryland dealt with which of the following issues?
The supremacy clause
Which clause prohibits states from using their powers to thwart national policy?
The supremacy clause
How were the major cabinet departments of the government created?
Through congressional legislation
What is the job of a conference committee?
To reconcile House and Senate versions of a bill
What was the concept of separation of powers included in the Constitution to prevent?
Tyranny by either the majority or the minority
Indirect techniques used by interest groups include which of the following?
Using the general public or individuals to influence the government for the interest group
Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding midterm elections?
Voters elect 1/3 of the members of the U.S. Senate
Which of the following led to limitations on executive privilege by the Supreme Court?
Watergate
What is a court order to bring a prisoner before the court called?
Writ of habeas corpus
Priming can be defined as a way in which the media does what?
alters public perceptions of an issue by embedding that issue in particular stories
What is an interest group?
an organization that actively attempts to influence government policy
How is the president of the United States chosen?
electoral college
The power of the Supreme Court to declare actions of the other branches of government to be unconstitutional is known as what?
judicial review
What is a free rider?
someone who benefits from the actions of a group without joining it
The founders of the American republic believed that most of the power that would be exercised by a national government should be in the hands of
the legislature
All of the following are true of social movements EXCEPT which one?
they are usually orchestrated by pre-existing interest groups.
