POLI 2051 HOGAN FINAL
Proponents of which of the following believe that it is appropriate for judges to make bold policy decisions when doing so is necessary to address pressing societal needs?
judicial activism
judges should actively interpret the constitution, statutes, and precedents in light of fundamental principles and should intervene when others fail to do so
judicial activism
precedent
judicial decision that establishes a rule for setting subsequent cases of a similar nature
If a judge believes that she should defer to the decisions made by elected representatives whenever possible, she likely believes in which of the following?
judicial restraint
policy decisions should be decided by elected lawmakers and not by appointed judges
judicial restraint
Marbury v Madison
judicial review
What is the name given to the power of the courts to determine whether the actions of Congress and the executive branch are permissible under the Constitution?
judicial review
the power of the courts to decide whether a governmental institution has acted within its constitutional powers, if not, then to declare its action null or void
judicial review
Right-to-work laws
laws forbidding labor contracts from requiring workers to join unions to hold their jobs.
Continuing resolutions
laws that allow agencies to spend at the previous year's level.
those who believe that gov. should do more to assist people who have difficulty meeting their economic needs on their own
liberals
those who believe that gov. tries to do too many things that should be left to firms and markets, and who oppose gov. as an instrument for upholding traditional values
libertarians
The increase in __________ threatens the viability of the intergenerational system for funding Social Security.
life expectancy
Citizens United v Federal Election Committee
lifted restrictions in corporate and union spending in federal election campaigns
What does the Twenty-Second Amendment do?
limits the president's terms of office
Standing to sue
litigants must have serious interest (sustained direct and substantial injury) from a party in a case.
what is the rule of four when selecting cases?
losing party in lower court asks supreme court to hear its case; if 4/9 of the justices agree they submit a "writ of certiorari" requesting the lower courts to send them a copy of the case
District court
lowest level of federal court system
Which of the following states gives one Electoral College vote to the winner of each congressional district and two Electoral College votes to the statewide winner?
maine
What is NOT a major foreign policy challenge facing the United States?
maintaining peaceful relations with Canada and Mexico
US v Virginia
male-only admissions at state supported military academies were unconstitutional
the requirement that applicants for public assistance must demonstrate they are poor in order to be eligible for the assistance
means test
Income security programs are intended to assist people whose income falls below a designed level are called what?
means-tested programs
Know the name of the shared federal and state health insurance program for low-income persons
medicaid
Know the name of the federal health insurance program for the elderly and disabled people.
medicare
Council of Economic Advisers (CEA)
members advise the president on economic policy and prepare the Annual Report of the CEA.
Most federal employees are hired on the basis of
merit criteria.
What is the primary responsibility of the secretary of defense?
military policy
have to be read before interrogation
miranda rights
Minority whip of the SENATE
mitch mcconnell
1963
modern CRM had peak movement in march on washington in
Revenues
money received by the government in any given year.
Expenditures
money spent by the government in any one year.
Candidate strategy in the early presidential nominating contests is designed chiefly to gain
monmentum
Election to office
most common method in the states for selection of judges
Which presidential power is checked by required approval of the Senate with a two-thirds vote?
negotiating treaties with other nations
If the Rules Committee applies the "closed rule" to a bill,
no amendments will be permitted.
Which of the following is a judicial power given to the president?
nominating federal judges
45. Politicians tend to ignore ________.
nonvoters
Right of free expression
not an absolute right, like everything else
Deficit
occurs when government spends more money than it receives in taxes in the fiscal year.
Know which entity has final authority over the entire federal budget
office of management and budget (OMB)
Poverty line
official statistic indicating what a family would need to spend to maintain an "austere" standard of living.
In general, voter turnout is higher among those who are
older and wealthier
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
once called "Aid to Families with Dependent Children," the new name for public assistance to needy families.
Government Corporations
operate like private companies to perform some crucial economic activity that private investors are unwilling/unable to perform (FIDC, Amtrack)
National Labor Relations Act
passed by Congress in 1935, guarantees workers the right of collective bargaining; also known as the Wagner Act.
Pendleton Civil Service Act
passed in 1883, it created the federal Civil Service.
Sixteenth Amendment
passed in 1913, permits Congress to levy an income tax.
Hatch Act
passed in 1940, prohibits government workers from active participation in partisan politics.
Twenty-second Amendment
passed in 1951, limits presidents to two terms.
Twenty-fifth Amendment
passed in 1967, permits the vice president to become acting president in the event that the president is temporarily disabled.
War Powers Resolution
passed in 1973, requires presidents to consult with Congress prior to using military force and mandates the withdrawal of forces after sixty days unless Congress declares war or grants an extension.
Social Security Act
passed to provide a minimal level of sustenance to older Americans. Tax expenditures: revenue losses due to special exemptions, exclusions, and deductions.
What is the source of money in the Social Security Trust Fund?
payroll taxes
98. The _______ is the official statement of a political party's policy alternatives.
platform
Judicial restraint
policy issues decided by elected lawmakers, not appointed judges
those who believe gov. should do more to assist people who have difficulty meeting their economic needs and who look to gov. to uphold traditional values
populists
slot inflation
position in the bureaucracy
annual cost of a thrifty food budget for an urban family of 4 multiplied by 3 to allow for the cost of housing, clothes, and other expenses
poverty line
Implied powers
powers of the national government that can be inferred from those powers delegated to it in the Constitution
a judicial decision that serves as a rule for settling subsequent cases of a similar nature
precedent
Know what legal principle helps create stability in law through gradual change, rather than abrupt change
precedent, state decisis.
policy implementation
primary function of bureaucracy; it refers to the process of carrying out the authoritative decisions of Congress, the president, and the courts
government prohibition of speech or publication before it occurs; unconstitutional unless the justification overwhelms it
prior restraint
The term "framing" is used to describe the
process of selecting certain aspects of reality and then crafting news stories around those aspects.
A __________ tax is one by which the government takes a greater share of the income of the rich than of the poor.
progressive
The fact that 43 percent of people filing income tax returns in 2013 paid no income tax at all is partly explained by the fact that the income tax is __________.
progressive
tax where the marginal tax rate increases as income rises
progressive tax system
The FCC's equal time requirement
prohibited broadcasters from selling or giving time to political candidates while denying it to their opponents.
Civil service
promotes hiring on the basis of merit and establishes a nonpartisan government service.
Rights of accused changed in 60s
protected from action by the states
14th amendment
protected the rights of newly emancipated blacks
what civil rights segment says that women should be sheltered from life's cruelties, forcing them to deal w a legal system that claimed to be protecting them?
protectionism
Governmental corporations
provide services that could be handled by the private sector and generally charge cheaper rates than a private sector producer.
80. The "minimal effects hypothesis" suggested that the media have a minimal effect on _______.
public opinion
93. What technique is the key to the accuracy of public opinion polls?
random sampling
reapportionment
redistricting every 10 years to offset population changes
What is a goal common to both the Pendleton Act and the Hatch Act?
reducing the influence of partisan politics on the federal bureaucracy
Iron triangles
refers to the strong ties among government agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees and subcommittees.
A __________ tax is one in which the burden falls relatively more heavily on low-income groups than on wealthy taxpayers.
regressive
tax where people with lower income pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes
regressive tax syste,
Independent Regulatory Commissions
regulating sectors of the economy (SEC, EPA)
Executive orders
regulations originating in the executive branch.
Incentive system
regulatory strategy that rewards individuals or corporations for desired types of behavior, usually through the tax code.
Command-and-control policy
regulatory strategy where government sets a requirement and then enforces individual and corporate actions to be consistent with meeting the requirement.
Know the function of a petition for a writ of certiorari is
request to the supreme court that it review a lower court case .
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
research agency of Congress, responsible to it for providing analyses of budget proposals, revenue forecasts, and related information.
Supreme Court
resolves disputes between and among states, maintains the national supremacy of law, ensures uniformity in the interpretation of national laws.
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
responsible for hiring for most agencies.
House Ways and Means Committee
responsible for originating all revenue bills.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
responsible for preparing the president's budget and assessing the budgetary implications of legislative proposals.
Senate Finance Committee
responsible for writing the tax code.
The National Performance Review addressed which of the following issues about the bureaucracy?
responsiveness accountability efficiency the need to reduce red tape
Uncontrollable expenditures
result from policies that make some group automatically eligible for benefits.
the us courts of appeals
review trial court decisions
Reconciliation
revisions of program authorizations to make the final budget meet the limits of the budget resolution, usually occurring toward the end of the budgetary process.
Roe v Wade
right to privacy- abortion
gave women full freedom to choose abortion during the first 3 months of pregnancy
right to privacy/roe v. wade
4th amendment
rights of the accused -search & seizure -protected from arrest unless there is probable cause or judge warrant
Mapp v Ohio
selective incorporation extended to include criminal proceedings in the states
Veto
sending the legislation back to Congress with reasons for rejecting it.
concurring opinion
separate view written by a justice who votes with majority but disagrees with reasoning
how long is a term for federal judges?
serve until death or voluntarily retire
what job sector has increased the most since the 1970's?
service (banking, retail, fast good, health care, entertainment, housekeeping)
The _____ Amendment permits congress to levy income taxes
sixteenth
individuals pay into the program in order to be eligible to receive funds from it
social insurace
25. Known as "independent expenditure only groups" these groups can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money advocating for the election or defeat of candidates but may not coordinate their activities with candidate campaigns
soft money
Who represents the federal government in appeals to the Supreme Court?
solicitor general
Which of the following citizens would be ineligible to become president?
someone who has already been elected president twice
Which of the following is a concern about the social security trust fund?
soon there will be too few workers contributing to the Trust Fund to support the increasing number of retirees
Which region of the country overall has the LOWEST connectivity to the Internet?
south
Yellow journalism contributed most notably to public support for the
spanish american war
clientele groups
special interest groups that benefit directly from the activities of a particular bureaucratic agency and therefore are strong advocates of the agency
In court rulings, reliance on past decisions to formulate decisions in new cases is known as which of the following?
stare decisis
Which of the following limits judicial power?
stare decisis
In which courts are the vast majority of all cases tried?
state
Minority whipe of the HOUSE
steny hoyer
court that deals with legal disputes involving foreign diplomats
supreme court
court whose opposing parties are state governments
supreme court
in which court does the president seek nominees who share their political philosophies?
supreme court
original and appellate jurisdiction
supreme court
what is the highest court?
supreme court
which judges need majority senate approval?
supreme court judges
which judges need to be background checked by the FBI?
supreme court judges
Certiorari
supreme court most likely to grant this when the US govt-through solicitor general-requests it
laws that classify people differently on the basis of their race or ethnicity are assumed to have discrimination as their purpose
suspect classfications
action for the purpose of expressing a political opinion (ex:burning a flag)
symbolic speech
Regressive tax
takes a higher percentage from the poor than from the rich.
Progressive tax
takes a higher percentage from the rich than from the poor.
Proportional tax
takes the same percentage from rich and poor.
Max Weber identified which of the following as a characteristic of bureaucracy?
task specialization
What technology led editors to substitute news reports for opinion commentary?
telegraph
Marbury v. Madison
the 1803 Supreme Court case that originated the notion of judicial review.
During what decade did the American television network news audience change from a growing to a shrinking one?
the 1980s
Which of the following agencies or departments is likely to have strong allies from a group of particular states in Congress?
the Department of Agriculture
Which of the following entities is responsible for influencing interest rates in the United States?
the Federal Reserve Board
Which of the following is an example of monetary policy?
the Federal Reserve Board buying government bonds
Which of the following organizations contains a broad array of the president's foreign policy advisers, including the secretary of defense, the secretary of state, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the director of national intelligence
the National Security Council
Which of the following is an example of foreign aid?
the Peace Corps
Which of the following is a government corporation?
the U.S. Postal Service
If the U.S. House of Representatives chooses to impeach a president, who conducts the trial?
the US senate
what was passed in the aftermath of 9/11?
the USA patriot act
Neutral competence
the administrative objective of merit-based bureaucracy. Such a bureaucracy should be "competent" in the sense that its employees are hired and retained on the basis of their expertise and "neutral" in the sense that it operates by objective standards rather than partisan ones
Wealth
the amount already owned.
Income
the amount of money collected between any two points in time.
partisanship
the appointment of federal judges is influenced most substantially by
Incrementalism
the best predictor of this year's budget is last year's budget plus a little bit more.
bureaucracy
the bureaus, departments, and offices of the executive branch of the US government.
Which of the following is a group of 15 presidential advisers that is too large, diverse, and concerned with individual fiefdoms to effectively serve as a collective board of directors, leaving ultimate decision-making authority with the president?
the cabinet
Protectionism
the economic policy of shielding an economy from exports.
District courts
the entry point for most federal litigation.
during which constitutional revolution did the courts begin to move to positions that gave individuals greater liberty
the expansion of civil liberties
Securities and Exchange Commission
the federal agency created during the New Deal that regulates stock fraud.
Which of the following is an example of monetary policy?
the federal reserve board buying government bonds
Fiscal policy
the government's decisions to tax, spend, and borrow, as reflected in the federal budget.
Cabinet
the group of presidential advisors who head the executive departments.
demographic representativeness
the idea that the bureaucracy will be more responsive to the public if its employees at all levels are demographically representative of the population as a whole
Feminization of poverty
the increasing concentration of poverty among women, especially unmarried women and their children.
which constitutional revolution began with Gitlow v. New York in 1925 through the due process clause of the 14th amendment (selective incorporation)
the nationalization of the bill of rights
One of the reasons the reporting of national news is relatively uniform among news sources is that
the network newscasts are brief and the day's top stories tend to dominate.
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
the official name of the "welfare reform" law of 1996.
Impeachment
the political equivalent of an indictment for removing a discredited president.
Medicaid was designed to provide health care for
the poor
Income tax
the portion of money individuals are required to pay to the government from the money they earned.
Patronage
the post election practice a filling administrative offices with people who had supporting the winning party
Judicial review
the power of the courts to hold acts of Congress, and by implication the executive, in violation of the Constitution.
log rolling
the practice of trading one's vote with another member's so that both get what they want
Which institution receives the most news coverage from the national press?
the presidency
Much of the news media's attention to government focuses on
the president
Who nominates judges to the U.S. district courts?
the president
honeymoon period
the president's first months in office, a time when Congress, the press, and the public are more inclined than usual to support presidential initiatives
Which of the following describes what political scientist Hugh Heclo calls "the illusion of presidential government"?
the presidential image-building through public relations that contributes to the idea that the president is in charge of the national government
What is implementation?
the process of translating the goals and objectives of a policy into an operating, ongoing program
Collective bargaining
the right of workers to have labor union representatives negotiate with management to determine working conditions.
Income distribution
the share of national income earned by various groups in the United States.
Policy implementation
the stage of policymaking between the establishment of a policy and the results of the policy for individuals.
Keynesian economic theory
the theory emphasizing that government spending and deficits can help the economy weather its normal ups and downs. Proponents of this theory advocate using the power of government to stimulate the economy when it is lagging.
Original intent
the theory that judges should determine the intent of the framers and decide in line with their intent.
Regulation
the use of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector.
Senior Executive Service
the very top level of the bureaucracy.
Precedent
the way similar cases have been handled in the past is used as a guide to current decisions.
Deregulation
the withdrawal of the use of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector.
Judicial activism
theory that judges should make bolder policy decisions to alleviate pressing needs, especially for those who are weak politically.
Judicial restraint
theory that judges should play minimal role in policymaking and leave policy decisions to the legislature.
The most common reason why people don't vote is:
they are too busy
Pocket veto
this occurs when Congress adjourns within 10 days after submitting a bill and the president takes no action to sign it or veto it.
oversight function
through it's constitutional responsibility to see that the executive branch carries out the laws faithfully and spends appropriations properly, congress oversees and sometimes investigates executive action
Disadvantaged americans have generally gained their rights
through struggle against entrenched interests
Which of the following is the role of the Budget Committees and the Congressional Budget Office?
to advise Congress on consequences of its budget decisions
What is the purpose of continuing resolutions?
to allow agencies to continue to spend money even when Congress has not met its budgetary timetable
Cabinet departments
to carry out the most essential government functions as suggested by the first 3 to be established - war, state and treasury (defense, state etc.)
Why did Congress enact the War Powers Resolution?
to limit the powers of the president in the conduct of war
true or false Objective journalism is based on the communication of facts and fairness.
true
firemen first principle
trying to expand government but also trying not to expand budget and/or cuts; using the most extreme scenario to get a job done -cut what hurts the most/make it as painful as possible
To override a presidential veto, Congress must vote at a minimum by a
two-thirds majority in each chamber.
If you subscribe to Keynesian economic policies, you are most concerned with __________.
unemployment
Foundations
units separated from the rest of government to protect them from political interference with science and arts
Regents of the University of california v bakke case
upheld priciple of affirmative action
Merit principle
using entrance exams and promotion ratings for hiring workers.
Clarence Thomas
very conservative
prohibited discrimination in voting and registration
voting rights act of 1965
Which of the following states is MOST likely to vote Democratic in the next presidential election?
washington
What is not a way to improve voter turnout?
weaken political parties
when can speech be restricted by the government?
when it presents clear and present danger by the "clear and present danger test"
when can government prevent demonstration (fee assembly)?
when they feel that it will cause harm and lacks an alternative way to prevent harm (crowd control by police)
State courts
where criminal and civil cases are tried
Presidential coattails
where voters cast their ballots for congressional candidates of the president's party because those candidates support the president.
A president's accomplishments have largely depended on
whether circumstances favor strong presidential leadership.
Know the term for employees who report mismanagement, corruption, or illegal activity within their agencies.
whistleblowers
Which group saw the LARGEST percentage increase of GS 13-15 jobs between 1982 and 2011?
women
Abolishing the Electoral College
would require a constitutional amendment
permission granted by a higher court to allow a losing party to bring the case before it for ruling
writ of ceriorari
CHAPTER 12 QUIZ QUESTIONS...
(terms 2-13)
CHAPTER 15 QUIZ QUESTION
(terms 28-39)
CHAPTER 13 QUIZ QUESTIONS
(terms 41-52)
CHAPTER 16 QUIZ QUESTIONS
(terms 54-65)
CHAPTER 17 QUIZ QUESTIONS
(terms 67-78)
CHAPTER 18 QUIZ QUESTIONS
(terms 80-91)
When has the president's party not lost midterm seats in the midterm election?
-1998 (Clinton's impeachment trials) -2002 (Bush dealing with 9/11)
House of Representatives
-2 year terms -representation based on population -seats reapportioned every 10 years
Senate
-6 year terms -terms are staggered (only 1/3 of the seats are up for reelection every 2 years so they are continually rotating) -the party that DOESN'T hold the seat (presidency) always win
Basic steps of how bill becomes law
-Bill introduced -committee/subcommittee(where bills die) -floor of the chamber (filibustering) -often goes to coference committee -the president (signs it, vetos it (house and senate need a 2/3 majority to override it), ignores it -pocket veto-
political ads started with
-Eisenhower in 1952 - tended to be short and solf candidates like products
Federal Regulatory Agencies
-FCC (federal communications commission) regulated broadcasting -2nd restriction was the fairness doctrine on broadcasters (must afford reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views of public importance)
congressional election regularities
-Incumbents rarely lose (due to host of official resources, easier time raising money etc.) -president's party looses seats in midterm election
Why is Congress Bicameral (2 chambers)
-Practical? (equal representation-fair and balanced) -philosophical (fear of concentrated power)
ALL TRUE
-Public schools more segregated -urban public school districts ended use of busing for desegregation purposes -white flight to suburban has made it more difficult to desegregate urban schools -supreme court, after ordering cutbacks in busing, said that communities were free to use alternatives (like increased spending in poor neighborhoods)
Congressional organization
-Speaker of the house -majority leader of the Senate -Majority Whip of the senate -minority leader of the senate -minority whip of the senate -majority leader of the house -majority whip of the house -minority leader of the house -minority whip of the house
types of committees
-Standing committee -select committees -joint committees -conference committees
Midterm loss phenomenon theory
-Surge and decline theory -referendum theory -balance theory
when is rule making likely to occur?
-When congress sets up an agency in the first place -when congress passes a new law or modifies an existing one -when agencies go off on their own covertly
Defenses
"that's not true" - not effective attacking back on same issue is most common and effective
CHAPTER 14 QUIZ QUESTIONS...
(terms 15-26)
Formal powers of the president
-act as administrative head of the nation -serve as commander in chief of the military -convene congress -veto legislation -appoint top officials -make treaties -grant reprieves and pardons -request opinions in writing from executive officials -provide info to congress and recommend measures for consideration
4 ideologies
-conservative: Control on social issues; Freedom on economic issues -Libertarian: freedom on social issues; freedom on economic issues -populist: control on social issues; control on economic issues -Liberal: freedom on social issues; control on economic issues
6th amendment
-counsel (right to an attorney) -prompt and reasonable proceedings
whistle blowers
-encouraging employees to report misconduct by their superiors -an internal check on the bureaucracy whereby employees report instances of mismanagmentthat they observe protected by the Whistleblower Protection Act from retaliation by their superiors and gives financial reward when info results in substantial savings to the government
free exercise clause
-free to hold religious beliefs of their choosing -court-ordered medical care for children whose parents have denied treatment bc of religious beliefs
establishment clause
-gov. may not favor one religion over another -prohibits religious practices in public schools -religious displays on public property
principles on which bureaucratic organization is based
-hierarchy -command -permanence of appointment to office -fixed rules -not elected and yet exercise a significant degree of independent power
Characteristics of media coverage of politics
-horse-race coverage (a sporting event) -issue-less (issue covered and then moved on from) -pack journalism (everyone tends to cover the same thing) -style over substance (not about what you say but HOW you say it that's remembered) -anything is newsworthy(anything goes, nothing private) -interpretative(they tell you how to think about it..give a spin on their story) -Negative
What 3 factors determine the size of the midterm loss
-how many seats the president's party holds -how well the economy is doing -presidential approval
A standing committee in the House or Senate
-is a permanent committee. -has jurisdiction over a particular policy area. -has authority to draft, amend, and recommend legislation. -is usually organized according to the seniority principle.
congressional functions
-lawmaking -representing
what kind of cases are involved in the right to privacy?
-levels of free choice in areas like reproduction -abortions -same sex relations
examples of implied powers
-military conflict -executive orders -executive agreements (btwn president and head of other country) -executive privilege (right to keep secrete communications w/in executive gov.) -impoundment (refusing to spend money that's been appropriated by congress)
Why do candidates attack even though we are generally against negativity
-out of fear (there's more attacks in a close race) -because they work (tend to be more remembered)
standing committee
-permanent -budget and finance committee(senate) rules committees(house) ways and means committees(house)
what do bureaucrats do?
-policy implementation -rule implementation
affirmative action extensions following the Brown decision
-programs ensure women and minorities have full and equal opportunities to employment, education, etc. -only applies to agencies w/ federal funding
USA patriot act
-right to privacy -expanded surveillance power -collected americans phone records
5th amendment
-self incrimination -miranda rights -double jeopardy -due process
select committee
-temporary -organized to facilitate the flow of legislation -joint budget committee(helps speed up the slow legislative process of considering the annual federal budget)
Limitations to American power and influence are demonstrated by
-the lengthy wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -growing US debt -the rise of BRIC countries -the euro crisis
The unit rule
-the rule that grants all of state's electoral votes to the candidate who receives most of the popular votes in the state -all except Main and Nebraska follow it
why do we have regulation?
-to maintain competition -to police natural monopolies -to reduce externalities (pollution, etc.)
Bipartisan campaign reform act of 2002 __
-tried to limit negative attack advertisements but didn't work - other groups stepped up the efforts to provide these attack ads
The Roosevelt Corollary
-was an extension of the Monroe Doctrine -justified US intervention in Latin America and the Caribbean -resulted in the creation of the Panama Canal -was proclaimed by Theodore Roosevelt
how many district courts are in each state?
1
two clauses of freedom of religion
1. establishment clause 2. free exercise clause
In 2010, the average Senate race saw about ________ dollars in campaign spending
15 million
The U.S. House of Representatives last decided the outcome of a presidential election in ________.
1824
The Social Security Act was enacted in _____.
1935
The Social Security Act was enacted in __________.
1935
United States v. Nixon
1974 Supreme Court decision that required President Nixon to turn White House tapes over to the Courts.
Persuading congress/the bureaucracy
2 routes: direct or retail route -point out advantages of your position -appeal to ability to lead the country -grant current favors, or call in past ones -threaten reprisal -less honorable tactics
46. The Constitution specifies that members of the U.S. House must be at least ______ years old and American citizens for at least ______ years.
25;7
How many Electoral College votes are needed to secure victory for a presidential candidate?
270
Congress has formally declared war ________ times in U.S. history.
5
Nearly ________ percent of all PAC contributions go to the incumbents.
85
how many members are in the supreme court?
9
Committees kill more than ________ percent of the bills submitted in Congress.
90
how many district courts are there?
94
A president is likely to propose the most new programs A. during his or her first year in office. B. after reelection to a second term. C. immediately after Congress enacts a major presidential initiative. D. when international conditions are stable. E. during his or her last year in office.
A
Candidate strategy in the early presidential nominating contests is designed chiefly to gain A. momentum. B. the support of the party's organizational leaders. C. the support of the party's congressional leaders. D. the endorsement of the mass media. E. the support of partisan rivals.
A
In the late 1800s, rapid economic growth placed new demands on the federal government and led it to A. create new federal departments built around economic interests. B. establish the Senior Executive Service. C. reorganize the cabinet in order to make it the center of economic policy making. D. both create new federal departments built around economic interests, and establish the Senior Executive Service. E. None of these answers is correct.
A
Legally, the bureaucracy derives general authority for its programs from A. acts of Congress. B. federalism. C. regulatory rulings. D. court rulings. E. the will of the people.
A
Most federal employees are hired on the basis of A. merit criteria. B. patronage. C. previous job experience in the private sector. D. the personal preferences of immediate supervisors. E. a lottery system.
A
The appointment of federal judges is influenced MOST substantially by A. partisanship. B. logrolling. C. pork barreling. D. affirmative action. E. personal friendships.
A
What aspect of presidential election did Andrew Jackson try but fail to achieve? A. elimination of the Electoral College Correct B. elimination of candidate selection by primary C. elimination of the unit rule D. the equalization of Electoral College votes, eliminating population as a factor E. an increase in the number of presidential candidates per party
A
Which of the following states is MOST likely to vote Democratic in the next presidential election? A. Washington B. North Carolina C. Montana D. Ohio E. Indiana
A
a. progressive
A __________ tax is one by which the government takes a greater share of the income of the rich than of the poor. Select one: a. progressive b. proportional c. regressive d. transfer
b. regressive
A __________ tax is one in which the burden falls relatively more heavily on low-income groups than on wealthy taxpayers. Select one: a. progressive b. regressive c. proportional d. severance
When covering campaigns, most journalists' deepest bias is
A bias to get a good story
______ is an act of Congress that attempts to bind Congress to a total expenditure level for all programs in a given year
A budget resolution
__________ is an act of Congress that attempts to bind Congress to a total expenditure level for all programs in a given year.
A budget resolution
What is party identification?
A citizens affinity for a political party
c. cloture; sixty
A filibuster can be ended through __________; it requires the approval of __________ senators. Select one: a. abrogation; fifty-one b. censure; fifty-five c. cloture; sixty d. discharge; sixty-seven
What is a government program called that provides benefits only to individuals who qualify based on specific needs?
A means-tested program
d. political culture
A set of values widely shared within a society is referred to as which of the following? Select one: a. government b. politics c. public policy d. political culture
What distinguishes a means-tested program from a social insurance program?
A social insurance program provides benefits to those who have paid into the program, while a means-tested program provides benefits based on demonstrated need.
federal regulatory agencies
Administrative units, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that have responsibility for monitoring and regulating ongoing economic activities and regulating industrial pollution respectively
Obama's health care reform focused on
Affordable health insurance
The process of forming and shaping the list of issues addressed by government is known as:
Agenda setting
What is the national debt?
All of the money the federal government has borrowed and has not yet repaid
Congressional termination of the Glass- Steagall Act in 1999:
Allowed banks to consolidate traditional savings and loans services with riskier securities investments
Signaling function
Altering the public to important developments as soon as possible after they happen
The in person interviews conducted every two years are used by political scientists to conduct empirical analysis are known as:
American National Election Studies
Why do Americans tend to think that red tape is more prevalent than it actually is?
Americans tend to notice the bureaucracy only when it is inefficient and not when it works well.
Know the term for briefs filed by outside interests which state their concerns with the case.
Amicus curia
Only _____ court can review that decisions of a lower court
An appellate
______ regulates industries using market-like strategies such as rewards
An incentive system
__________ regulates industries using market-like strategies such as rewards.
An incentive system
Who was the first president to win election as the nominee of a truly national, popularly based political party?
Andrew Jackson
The No Child Left Behind Act sought to improve education by
Assessing performance on standardized tests
a. The Court believed that federal intervention in the economy was unconstitutional.
At President Roosevelt's urging, Congress passed dozens of laws designed to end the Depression. Why did the Supreme Court initially overturn these New Deal policies? Select one: a. The Court believed that federal intervention in the economy was unconstitutional. b. The Court typically gave deference to the decisions enacted by the elected branches of government. c. Federal intervention in the economy was perceived as being the best way to end the Great Depression. d. The Court believed that Roosevelt was meddling in the Court's jurisdiction.
A concurring opinion A. explains the chief justice's position on a case. B. is a separate view written by a justice who votes with the majority but disagrees with its reasoning. C. is delivered when the Court interprets a constitutional issue. D. is delivered when at least two justices, but less than a majority, hold the same opinion in a case. E. explains why the Court accepted the case in the first place.
B
A president's accomplishments have largely depended on A. the margin of victory in the presidential campaign. B. whether circumstances favor strong presidential leadership. C. the president's ability to come up with good ideas. D. the president's skill at balancing the demands of competing groups. E. mid-term elections.
B
Congress has formally declared war ________ times in U.S. history. A. 2 B. 5 C. 55 D. almost 200 E. close to 350
B
In its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court A. invalidated the use of union money in federal election campaigns. B. lifted restrictions in corporate and union spending in federal election campaigns. C. placed restrictions on the amounts that individuals can donate to federal election campaigns. D. placed limits on the amounts that corporations can donate to federal election campaigns. E. eliminated the provision for matching federal campaign funds in presidential elections.
B
The Supreme Court is MOST likely to grant ________ when the U.S. government—through the solicitor general—requests it. A. original jurisdiction B. certiorari C. a per curiam decision D. a writ of error E. mandamus
B
The U.S. courts of appeals A. hear new evidence in appealed cases. B. review trial court decisions. C. are the highest courts to use juries. D. decide for the Supreme Court the cases it will review. E. None of these answers is correct.
B
The courts have tended to support administrators as long as their agencies A. choose rules that save money. B. can apply a reasonable interpretation of a statute. C. follow what the president demands of them. D. have adequate funding. E. don't come into conflict with state governments.
B
Which legal doctrine holds that in nearly every instance, policy issues should be decided by elected lawmakers and not by appointed judges? A. judicial activism B. judicial restraint C. judicial legitimacy D. appellate jurisdiction E. judicial executive power
B
Which of the following describes what political scientist Hugh Heclo calls "the illusion of presidential government"? A. the inability of the president to influence the legislative priorities of Congress, even though the party in power pays lip-service to the president's agenda B. the presidential image-building through public relations that contributes to the idea that the president is in charge of the national government Correct C. the belief by the public that Congress should follow the presidential agenda, regardless of whether or not the majority party is the same party of the president D. the image-building that the president's foreign policy strength lends to the rest of his agenda E. the image strength lent by the sheer size of the executive establishment, even though the president has little direct control over most of it
B
Which of the following is true of the federal government's demographic representativeness? A. Because the federal government has reduced efforts to specifically promote women and minorities, the proportion of white males that hold top administration positions has increased in recent years. B. If all employees are taken into account, the federal bureaucracy comes reasonably close to being representative of the nation's population. C. Women and minorities are better represented in Congress and the judiciary than they are among the top ranks of administrators. D. The concept of a demographically representative civil service was first endorsed by President Reagan in 1984. E. There has been much more improvement in the representation of minorities in the civil service than in the representation of women.
B
Which of the following statements does NOT correctly describe the typical independent agency? A. It has a more narrow area of responsibility than that of cabinet departments. B. Its head is appointed by an independent commission. C. It is divided into a number of smaller operating units. D. It exists independently of cabinet departments. E. Its head is appointed by the president.
B
Which of the following states gives one Electoral College vote to the winner of each congressional district and two Electoral College votes to the statewide winner? A. Texas B. Maine Correct C. New York D. New Hampshire E. Iowa
B
How do candidates generally position themselves ideologically during a general election campaign?
Becoming more ideologically moderate
d. Jobs were awarded based on applicants' loyalty to the party in power.
Before 1883, how were federal government jobs awarded? Select one: a. Jobs were awarded through a lottery system. b. Jobs were awarded based on applicants' expertise. c. Jobs were awarded based on applicants' performance on entrance exams. d. Jobs were awarded based on applicants' loyalty to the party in power.
Imminent lawless action test
Brandenburg v Ohio what speech is protected
separate but inherently unequal
Brown v. Board of Education, 1954
Know which part of the executive branch carries out the responsibilities of the federal government.
Bureaucracy
Who are the three main players in an iron triangle?
Bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional subcommittees
How many Electoral College votes are needed to secure victory for a presidential candidate? A. 51 B. 218 C. 270 D. 321 E. 430
C
If the U.S. House of Representatives chooses to impeach a president, who conducts the trial? A. the U.S. Supreme Court B. the U.S. House of Representatives C. the U.S. Senate D. the Federal Bureau of Investigation E. the Department of Justice
C
Studies have found that the U.S. federal bureaucracy A. becomes far less effective as it grows over time. B. is much less accountable than the bureaucracies of European democracies. C. compares favorably in performance to government bureaucracies elsewhere. D. is one of the least representative of minorities compared to others worldwide. E. falls far short of the effectiveness of most foreign bureaucracies.
C
The Supreme Court decision in Marbury v. Madison is significant A. as the first instance of the court ruling on a state matter. B. as the first use of judicial activism. C. for the establishment of judicial review. D. as the first instance of the Court ruling on a disagreement between states. E. as the Court's first non-majority opinion.
C
The Supreme Court is likely to grant a hearing when a case involves A. an issue of state law as opposed to an issue of federal law. B. an issue of private law as opposed to an issue of public law. C. an issue that is being decided inconsistently by the lower federal courts. D. the possibility that an innocent person has been wrongly convicted of a crime. E. an issue dealing with state constitutional law.
C
The lowest level of the federal court system is the A. circuit court of appeal. B. highest level of the state courts. C. district court. D. justice of the peace. E. supreme judicial tribunal.
C
Which group saw the LARGEST percentage increase of GS 13-15 jobs between 1982 and 2011? A. Blacks B. Hispanics C. women D. white men E. All of these groups had about the same percentage increase.
C
Which of the following is a formal constitutional requirement for becoming president? A. must be at least 40 years of age B. must be resident in the United States for at least 10 years C. must be a natural-born citizen D. must be a white male E. must be a Protestant
C
With regard to public opinion, the Supreme Court A. ignores it in order to make decisions that are based on enduring values rather than the public's passing whims. B. remains uninformed about it because justices stay on the bench for life and never face the public scrutiny of an election. C. attempts to stay close enough to public opinion so as to avoid outright defiance of its decisions. D. attempts to follow it very closely in order to create public enthusiasm for its rulings. E. None of these answers is correct.
C
Know the term for the president's set of key advisers, which are given their own areas of jurisdiction.
Cabinet
One of the primary dangers of nomination campaign is that
Candidates can become too ideologically extreme
Minority leader of the SENATE
Charles Schumer
Many interest groups established in the 1830s shared a common tradition in the
Christian revival
______ is the approach to regulation in which the government tells business how to meet certain goals, makes sure these directions are followed, and punishes those who do not follow the orders.
Command-and-control policy
__________ is the approach to regulation in which the government tells business how to meet certain goals, makes sure these directions are followed, and punishes those who do not follow the orders.
Command-and-control policy
Which of the following is an opinion written by a justice in the majority that outlines an alternatives basis for the decision?
Concurring
congress is a decentralized, fragmented institution. What are the implications of these realities on its lawmaking role? Explain.
Congress has a proliferation of leadership positions, a decentralized structure of relatively autonomous committees and subcommittees, and a concern with issues affecting local (i.e., non-national) constituencies. The lawmaking implications of this situation are several: narrow legislation is more likely to pass than broad initiatives; broad legislation is likely to take a great deal of time and bargaining before it will pass; legislation will be reactive rather than prospective; and legislation will reflect local concerns as much as national ones.
In what sense is Social Security spending uncontrollable?
Congress has enacted laws that make Social Security payments automatic for all those who are eligible.
In what sense is Social Security spending uncontrollable?
Congress has enacted laws that make social security payments automatic for all those who are eligible
Approval of congress relative to the president
Congress tends to be less popular than the president
who is the president trying to persuade?
Congress/bureaucracy and the people
The strategy of opposing Soviet expansion with military forces, economic assistance, and political influence was known as
Containment
Ads that compare candidates' position to those of their opponents are known as:
Contrast Ads
Advantages of being the majority party
Control the agenda -assign committee chairs -appoint key leaders -oversight of executive branch
Free Speech
Conviction of members of us communist party in the early 50s was upheld as lawful restriction of
What is one thing a political committee can NOT do?
Coordinate expenditures with a candidates campaign
Conference committees
Created as needed to each piece of major legislation
Social Security Act of 1935
Created both the Social Security program and a national assistance program for poor children.
What group of people tend to favor the republican party?
Cuban Americans
The policy of democratic enlargement involved all but the following
Cutting off all relations with China after the killing of demonstrators at Tiananmen Square
A judicial decision that establishes a rule for settling subsequent cases of a similar nature is a A. writ of certiorari. B. landmark decision. C. writ of mandamus. D. precedent. E. writ of error.
D
Congress oversees the bureaucracy by using A. sunset provisions. B. the Government Accounting Office. C. oversight hearings. D. all of these: sunset provisions, the Government Accounting Office, and oversight hearings. E. None of these answers is correct.
D
In most instances, A. criminal cases are tried in federal courts and civil cases are tried in state courts. B. criminal cases are tried in state courts and civil cases are tried in federal courts. C. both criminal cases and civil cases are tried in federal courts. D. both criminal cases and civil cases are tried in state courts. E. None of these answers is correct.
D
Of the following Supreme Court justices, which has been the MOST conservative? A. Anthony Kennedy B. Earl Warren C. Ruth Bader Ginsburg D. Clarence Thomas E. Thurgood Marshall
D
The U.S. House of Representatives last decided the outcome of a presidential election in ________. A. 1928 B. 1892 C. 1856 D. 1824 E. 1800
D
The president's constitutional roles, such as chief executive and commander in chief, A. are based on very precise constitutional grants of power. B. are rooted in tradition only; they have no basis in the language of the Constitution. C. are not subject to check by Congress. D. have expanded in practice to be more powerful than the writers of the Constitution intended. E. are absolute powers under the Constitution.
D
The principles on which bureaucratic organization is based include which of the following? A. hierarchical authority B. job specialization C. formalized rules D. hierarchical authority, job specialization, and formalized rules E. None of these answers is correct.
D
What is the MOST common method in the states for the selection of judges? A. appointment by the state supreme courts B. promotion from within the legal establishment C. appointment by the governor D. election to office E. appointment by state legislatures
D
Which of the following agencies or departments is likely to have strong allies from a group of particular states in Congress? A. the Department of State B. the Central Intelligence Agency C. the Environmental Protection Agency D. the Department of Agriculture E. the Federal Trade Commission
D
Why did President Obama sign the 2014 farm bill? A. He wanted the support of farm states for his reelection bid. B. It was almost exactly the bill he wanted. C. It was close to the bill he wanted, with a few exceptions. D. He recognized he had no chance of getting a better farm bill. E. None of these answers is correct.
D
Negative ads started with
Daisy girl ad
Know what an en banc decision is.
Decision by an entire court of appeals circuit, typically following an original judgement by a three-judge panel of the circuit
Be familiar with judicial activism, also called the extralegal approach.
Decision that go beyond what the law requires made by judges who seek to impose their own policy preferences on society through their judicial decisions
The goals of the federal reserve include
Decreasing unemployment
Financially, who benefits the most from the military industrial complex?
Defense contractors
Where did students get their news according to the student survey
Democrats: Newspapers (0) internet (89) Television(8) Republicans: Newspapers (2) Internet (69) Television (23) Independents: Newspapers (0) Internet (76) Television (19)
Those who believed that regulations on business and industry are too numerous and too complex are most likely to favor the policy of _____.
Deregulation
The Framers intended to
Divide foreign policy power between the congress and the president
How long do federal judges serve? A. two years B. four years C. eight years D. ten years E. until they retire, die, or are removed through the impeachment and conviction process.
E
The National Performance Review addressed which of the following issues about the bureaucracy? A. responsiveness B. accountability C. efficiency D. the need to reduce red tape E. All of these answers are correct.
E
The presidential advisory unit that, as a whole, has declined significantly as an advisory resource for the president in the twentieth century is the A. National Economic Council. B. Office of Management and Budget. C. White House Office. D. National Security Council. E. cabinet (as a whole).
E
States have responded to global climate by
Entering agreements with other states to "cap and trade" pollution
Know what type of federal programs pay out benefits to individuals based on a specified set of eligibility criteria.
Entitlement programs
Congress conducts oversight of foreign and defense policy through
Establishing reporting requirements
What of the following best describes the executive branch's role in the budget process before the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921?
Executive branch agencies sent budget requests to the secretary of the treasury
Which of the following best describes the executive branch's role in the budget process before the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921?
Executive branch agencies sent budget requests to the secretary of the treasury.
The FCC restriction requiring broadcasters to "afford reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views of public importance" was known as the
Fairness Doctrine.
Know who career civil servants are
Federal employees who are hired through a merit based system to implement federal programs and who are expected to be neutral in their political affiliations
When it comes to strengthening the economy, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to prioritize ______.
Fighting inflation
Interest groups may participate in the courts by:
Filing friend of the court briefs
c. defense contractors
Financially, who benefits the most from the military-industrial complex? Select one: a. Congress b. the president c. defense contractors d. taxpayers
Network most watched by conservatives
Fox News ??
What is the term for an individual who reaps the benefits of an interest groups activity without actually having membership in the group?
Free rider
The federal governments response to global warming has been
Generally absent
Know which president was most influential in shaping the customs and traditions of the U.S. presidency.
George Washington
Know what regulations are.
Guidelines issued by federal agencies for administrating federal programs and implementing federal law
Why did President Obama sign the 2014 farm bill?
He recognized he had no chance of getting a better farm bill.
Know the title given to the president as the national leader.
Head of state
Which provision is part of the Affordable Care Act?
Health insurance companies are prohibited from discriminating against people with preexisting conditions.
b. It required hiring and firing decisions to be based on merit rather than partisan loyalty.
How did the Pendleton Act reform the system of hiring and firing federal employees? Select one: a. It required hiring and firing decisions to be based on partisan loyalty rather than merit. b. It required hiring and firing decisions to be based on merit rather than partisan loyalty. c. It continued to allow hiring on the basis of merit, but made firing federal employees easier. d. It continued to allow hiring on the basis of partisan loyalty, but made firing federal employees more difficult.
Presidents are more likely to use their vice presidents as close policy advisers.
How did the expectations for the vice presidency change starting with Walter Mondale? Select one: a. Presidents are more likely to use their vice presidents as close policy advisers. b. Vice presidents started to preside over the Senate. c. Presidents are more likely to select ideologically moderate vice presidents to expand their electoral appeal. d. Vice presidents started taking the lead in the budgeting process.
a. They promote uniform application of rules.
How do standard operating procedures influence bureaucratic decision making? Select one: a. They promote uniform application of rules. b. They promote administrative discretion. c. They promote close coordination with Congress on implementation decisions. d. They promote coordination across agencies on implementation decisions.
b. Politicians spend public funds and give tax cuts to win votes.
How might democracy distort budgeting? Select one: a. The income tax is a progressive tax. b. Politicians spend public funds and give tax cuts to win votes. c. Funds are borrowed from foreign governments. d. Congress approves taxes and appropriations.
d. judicial restraint
If a judge believes that she should defer to the decisions made by elected representatives whenever possible, she likely believes in which of the following? Select one: a. judicial activism b. the attitudinal model of decision making c. originalism d. judicial restraint
b. unemployment
If you subscribe to Keynesian economic policies, you are most concerned with __________. Select one: a. exports b. unemployment c. inflation d. money supply
d. property
In Dred Scott v. Sandford, the Supreme Court declared that African Americans were __________. Select one: a. separate but equal b. citizens c. eligible to vote d. property
b. stare decisis
In court rulings, reliance on past decisions to formulate decisions in new cases is known as which of the following? Select one: a. per curiam b. stare decisis c. coram nobis d. amicus curiae
c. loses seats
In mid-term elections, the president's party typically ___________ in the House of Representatives. Select one: a. reapportions seats b. helps independent candidates c. loses seats d. gains seats
Where is most of legislative work of congress done?
In standing committees
c. Many groups vie for power with no one group dominating politics.
In the United States, pluralism suggests which of the following? Select one: a. Because most citizens fail to pay attention to serious issues, government has become an elite institution. b. Congress is stronger and more influential than the presidency. c. Many groups vie for power with no one group dominating politics. d. Too many influential groups cripple government's ability to govern
c. Congress has enacted laws that make Social Security payments automatic for all those who are eligible.
In what sense is Social Security spending uncontrollable? Select one: a. Congress determines how much it will spend for Social Security each year. b. Social Security spending varies according to how much money is available in the Social Security Trust Fund. c. Congress has enacted laws that make Social Security payments automatic for all those who are eligible. d. Social Security requires funding from excise taxes that are unpredictable from year to year.
c. state
In which courts are the vast majority of all cases tried? Select one: a. federal b. district c. state d. appellate
d. Marbury v. Madison
In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court first claim the right of judicial review? Select one: a. Chisholm v. Georgia b. Brown v. Board of Education c. Dred Scott v. Sandford d. Marbury v. Madison
The number of public opinion polls conducted has
Increased overall
Economist John Maynard Keynes argued that
Increasing government spending can stimulate a weak economy
Domestic policy making in the United States is characterized by
Incrementalism
Which of the following are not limited by the FEC disclosure rules?
Independent Expenditures
Most candidates receive a majority of their campaign contributions from
Individuals
In political science we are primarily concerned with ___ because it informs us as citizens
Information media
How did the Cold War start?
It began after all of Eastern Europe fell under Soviet domination after World War II, prompting fears that the Soviets would spread communism.
What is not a benefit of stratified sampling?
It gives each potential voter or adult approximately the same chance of being selected.
How has the Internet affected the watchdog role of the media?
It has expanded the watchdog capacity of the media.
Which of the following best describes a cap-and-trade system?
It limits emissions and uses market-based incentives for businesses to more efficiently use energy.
How did the Pendleton Act reform the system of hiring and firing federal employees?
It required hiring and firing decisions to be based on merit rather than partisan loyalty
How did the Pendleton Act reform the system of hiring and firing federal employees?
It required hiring and firing decisions to be based on merit rather than partisan loyalty.
What is not a function performed by modern American political parties?
Job creation
Before 1883, how were federal government jobs awarded?
Jobs were awarded based on applicants loyalty to the party in power
Before 1883, how were federal government jobs awarded?
Jobs were awarded based on applicants' loyalty to the party in power.
Which of the three branches of government still remain largely free of lobbying regulations?
Judicial
Proponents of which of following believes that it is appropriate for judges to make bold policy decisions when doing so is necessary to address pressing societal needs?
Judicial activism
If a judge believes that she should defer to decisions made by elected representatives whenever possible, she likely believes in which of the following?
Judicial restraint
What is the name given to the power of the courts to determine whether the actions of Congress and the executive branch are permissible under the Constitution?
Judicial review
Majority leader of the HOUSE
Kevin Mccarthy
Know the term for a president in his or her second term, when they are unable to seek reelection.
Lame duck
Media consolidation has
Led to fewer owners in the media sphere
Where are American political parties most polarized?
Legislative Branch
The increase in _____ threatens the viability of the intergenerational system for funding Social Security
Life expectancy
What is a shortcoming of polling discussed in the text?
Limited interview knowledge
In 2012, Barack Obama:
Lost support of only two states that he had carried in 2008
Highest incarceration rate
Louisiana`
The issue attention cycle:
Makes it difficult to sustain long-term policy progress as the visibility of an issue fades
a. approval ratings
Many assume that presidents with high __________ are more effective leaders. Select one: a. approval ratings b. levels of executive privilege c. debts and deficits d. campaign spending
In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court first claim the right of judicial review?
Marbury v. Madison
One measure of the accuracy of a public opinion poll is referred to as the
Margin of error
d. task specialization
Max Weber identified which of the following as a characteristic of bureaucracy? Select one: a. inefficiency b. transparency c. consensus making d. task specialization
Social Security is an example of an income security policy that
May be underfunded by 2030 if the system is not reformed
The most rapidly increasing part of the federal budget is __________.
Medicare
What is an accurate description of the different political views of men and women?
Men are more supportive of wars and military intervention
Why do some observers say minor parties benefit the American political system?
Minor parties can bring attention to new issue areas
Know core components of a bureaucratic agency.
Mission, hierarchical decision-making process, expertise, and bureaucratic
Majority leader of the SENATE
Mitch Mcconnell
Where does most PAC (political action committee) spending go(which candidates)?
More than 80% goes to incumbents
What form of journalism stimulated demands for anti-trust regulations?
Muckraking
Minority leader of the HOUSE
Nancy Pelosi
1924
Native americans made official citizens
Which state has higher population of Caribbean Hispanics?
New York
Which form of media faces was the least government regulation?
Newspaper
What is not a way that the chair of the national committee comes to the position?
Nominated by the vice president with presidential approval
The earliest example of national government involvement in education policy is the
Northwest Ordinance
b. an appellate
Only __________ court can review the decisions of a lower court. Select one: a. a trial b. an appellate c. an administrative d. an original
Know job functions of a department secretary.
Oversee implementation of laws, provide advice to the president about the issues under the department's control and develop an annual budget for the department
What is not a reason for why many incumbents lose reelection?
Partisanship
The most powerful predictor of vote choice is:
Party Identification
What is the most powerful predictor of congressional call voting?
Party affiliation
Which of the following was true of the Golden Age of political parties?
Party organizations dominated local and state governments
Speaker of the House
Paul Ryan
What is the source of money in the social security trust fund?
Payroll taxes
Know the name of the agreement in which a criminal defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence.
Plea bargain
separate but equal doctrine
Plessy v. Ferguson, 1895
Which theory of group politics emphasizes the distribution of political power among a wide array of diffuse interest?
Pluralist theory
Interest groups that are formed with the primary goal of engaging in campaigns and elections are known as:
Political action committees
How might democracy distort budgeting?
Politicians spend public funds and give tax cuts to win votes
How might democracy distort budgeting?
Politicians spend public funds and give tax cuts to win votes.
A campaign consultant responsible for assembling public opinion data is known as a
Pollster
Types of Advertisements (controlled media)
Positive (self praise) negative (attacks/criticism of opponent)
Which political leader has the greatest influence on public policy?
President
Know which president broke precedent and served more than two terms, prompting the Senate to propose the Twenty-Second Amendment.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
How did the expectations for the vice presidency change starting with Walter Mondale?
Presidents are more likely to use their vice presidents as close policy advisers.
Referendum theory
Presidents decline in popularity following their honeymoon period and their party is punished in midterm -if the president is popular then their party tend not to lose as many seats in the midterm elections
The presidents official liaison to the media is known as the
Press secretary
Which of the following is true of primary elections?
Primaries nominate more moderate candidates than do caucuses
In what type of election do candidates run against members of their own party?
Primary
Know the justification for the sloth-like pace of bureaucratic decision-making.
Process solicits input from all sectors, including members of congress , businesses and industries that are being regulated and average citizens with a state in the issue
A _____ tax is one by which the government takes a greater share of the income of the rich than of the poor
Progressive
The fact that 43 percent of people filing income tax returns in 2013 paid no income tax at all is partly explained by the fact that the income tax is
Progressive
c. judicial activism
Proponents of which of the following believe that it is appropriate for judges to make bold policy decisions when doing so is necessary to address pressing societal needs? Select one: a. judicial restraint b. strict constructionism c. judicial activism d. originalism
Know what happens in criminal cases.
Prosecuting criminal for breaking the law
The international course of action followed by government in dealing with problems or matters of concern is called:
Public policy
What is not a traditional poll used by reputable polling organizations?
Push Poll
Objective journalism
Rather than slanting the news to favor the republican or democratic side, journalists seek to give their audience both sides, leaving it to them to decide which is bettwe
Know what we call a period of time marked by successive quarters of lower economic output
Recession
What is the goal common to both the Pendleton Act and the Hatch Act
Reducing the influence of partisan politics on the federal bureaucracy
A _____ tax is one in which the burden falls relatively more heavily on low-income groups than on wealthy taxpayers.
Regressive
Many Progressive era groups placed pressure on the national government to begin
Regulating business
During the Progressive Era, the federal government supported _________ of the banking industry to help stabilize the money supply and prevent financial panics.
Regulation
Independent Executive Agencies
Report to president to give him greater control in carrying out executive function or highlight particular problems (CIA, NASA, etc)
Which party controls the house and the senate
Republican party
The portion of a banks deposit that the bank must retain as backing for its loan is known as the
Reserve requirement
Which one of the following statements about the seniority principle is MOST accurate?
Seniority is no longer absolute in the selection of committee chairs, but it is usually followed.
Common-Carrier Function
Serving as a conduit through which political leaders communicate with public (citizens can't support/oppose a leader's plans/actions if they don't know about them leaders require news coverage if they are to get the public's attention and support)
The __________ Amendment permits Congress to levy income taxes.
Sixteenth
Know the name of the federal pension program that makes a monthly payment to retired elderly workers and disabled persons.
Social security
Who represents the federal government in appeals to the Supreme Court?
Solicitor general
Which of the following is a concern about the Social Security Trust Fund?
Soon there will be too few workers contributing to the Trust Fund to support the increasing number of retirees.
Know function of the State of the Union address and how it came to be.
Speech on the condition of the country given by the president to congress every January
Pork Barrel spending
Spending whose tangible benefits are targeted at a particular legislator's constituency -congress members paying attention to constituency opinions when choosing positions on legislation and working hard to get their share of federal spending projects
One of the strategies that campaigns use to control the media is
Staging media events
In court rulings, reliance on past decisions to formulate decisions in new cases is known as which of the following?
Stare decisis
Which of the following limits judicial power?
Stare decisis
In which courts are the vast majority of all cases tried?
State
Majority whip of the HOUSE
Steve Scalise
In response to economic recession, the US federal government
Stimulated economic growth with increased government spending
What was the correct term for an unscientific survey used to gauge public opinion on a variety of issues and policies?
Straw Poll
Know what the merit system is.
System of employment under which employees are chosen based on merit
Most people get their information about politics from
TV
Max Weber identified which of the following as a characteristic of bureaucracy?
Task specialization
The government makes fiscal policy by increasing or decreasing
Taxes and government spending
Mass Media/News Media
Technology that allows individuals to communicate efficiently with a large group and over distances
Why is terrorism such a troublesome issue in national security today?
Terrorism is difficult to defend against in an open society and root out everywhere.
Social Security Trust Fund
The "bank account" into which Social Security contributions are "deposited" and used to pay out eligible recipients.
Which statement describes a reason why universal health care was not adopted in the United States when it was first proposed more than 60 years ago?
The American Medical Association opposed what it called "socialized medicine."
At President Roosevelt's urging, Congress passed dozens of laws designed to end the Depression. Why did the Supreme Court initially overturn these New Deal policies?
The Court believed that federal intervention in the economy was unconstitutional
At President Roosevelt's urging, Congress passed dozens of laws designed to end the Depression. Why did the Supreme Court initially overturn these New Deal policies?
The Court believed that federal intervention in the economy was unconstitutional.
c. elites
The Founders created the Electoral College because they wanted the president to be selected by __________. Select one: a. members of the Supreme Court b. ordinary Americans c. elites d. Senators
Identify the three congressional agencies and explain the function of each one.
The Government Accounting Office (GAO), with 3,000 employees, is the largest congressional agency. Its job is to determine whether executive agencies are complying with laws passed by Congress. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) with its 1,000 employees functions as a research and information service for congressional members and committees. By law, it is prohibited from making policy recommendations. The Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) staff of 250 provides Congress with estimates of government expenditures and revenues, which Congress uses in determining fiscal policy.
What has to happen in Congress in order for the president to be impeached and removed from office?
The House must impeach the president by a simple majority; the Senate must convict with a two-thirds majority.
Missouri v Siebert
The Miranda Warning was strengthened by the Supreme Court in 2004 in
Which statement best describes the conflict that has sometimes existed between the National Security Council (NSC) and others within the national security establishment?
The NSC has sometimes competed with cabinet departments such as State and Defense.
What is/are the ultimate governing body/bodies for political parties?
The National Committee
c. 1935
The Social Security Act was enacted in __________. Select one: a. 1865 b. 1890 c. 1935 d. 1964
Which of the following accurately describes the United Nations?
The UN was created in 1945 as an international peacekeeping organization that, over time, has not always succeeded at making or keeping peace.
Which of the following is a government corporation?
The US Postal Services
Which statement best describes the world's superpowers since the end of World War II?
The United States and the Soviet Union were rival superpowers until the end of the Cold War, when the United States became the sole superpower.
Who instituted the Marshall Plan and who benefited directly from it?
The United States instituted the Marshall Plan to benefit Europe.
The 1978 Ethics in Government Act was passed as a result of
The Watergate scandal
Which of the following statements provides the best characterization of the members of the White House staff?
The White House staff is composed of advisers who do whatever is in the best interest of the president.
a. Sixteenth
The __________ Amendment permits Congress to levy income taxes. Select one: a. Sixteenth b. Seventeenth c. Eighteenth d. Nineteenth
a. free-rider
The __________ problem occurs when people fail to join a group because they can get the benefits the group offers without contributing to the group's efforts. Select one: a. free-rider b. pluralist c. collective goods d. group coordination
TV and radio are regulated by the federal government because
The airwaves are public property
Discuss the historical process by which the federal bureaucracy grew from its original size to its present size.
The bureaucracy has been transformed by changes in the demands on government as a result of social, economic, and technological developments. As the economy grew and became more complex and interdependent, the bureaucracy grew in response to the demands of major economic interests (e.g., agriculture, commerce) and the need of the public for protection from exploitation by powerful economic interests. Later, the need for economic stability and social welfare led to the creation of regulatory and welfare agencies. Still later, the increasing complexity of society resulted in the formation of agencies (e.g., Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development) that could respond to new needs.
What is the federal bureaucracy's main function?
The bureaucracy's primary function is policy implementation. Policy implementation refers to the process of carrying out the authoritative decisions of Congress, the president, and the courts. This task occurs for the most part within the confines of the federal budget and can be relatively straightforward (in the case of agencies that are charged with the delivery of services), but there are also many areas where agency employees have discretionary authority.
What distinguishes the contemporary presidency from the institution originally envisioned by the Framers of the Constitution?
The contemporary presidency is much more powerful.
Why does the NIMBY problem arise?
The costs of storing or disposing of hazardous waste are not equally distributed.
Invisible primary
The critical period before the first presidential primaries and caucuses when the candidates compete for the public support, media attention, and financial contributions that can spell the difference between winning and losing once the voting begins
Balance Theory
The electorate boosts its support for the out party at midterm from a desire for balance in terms of ideology or policy
b. progressive
The fact that 43 percent of people filing income tax returns in 2013 paid no income tax at all is partly explained by the fact that the income tax is __________. Select one: a. regressive b. progressive c. proportional d. flat
Which of following entities is responsible for influences interest rates in the US
The federal reserve board
religion
The free exercise clause states that the national government will not interfere with which of the following? Select one: a. education b. business c. speech d. religion
b. life expectancy
The increase in __________ threatens the viability of the intergenerational system for funding Social Security. Select one: a. birthrates b. life expectancy c. social insurance taxes d. the size of the working population
Agenda Setting
The media's ability to influence what is on people's minds. (Covering the same events, problems, issues and leaders..the media places them on the public agenda)
What is NOT a major issue between China and the US?
The periodic change of political parties in control of the White House
Who nominates judges to the US district courts?
The president
Identify the major ways that the bureaucracy is held accountable by the president.
The president can hold the bureaucracy accountable in a number of ways. The president can appoint and fire agency heads and some other top bureaucrats. In addition, the president can reorganize the bureaucracy (subject to congressional approval). Moreover, the president can adjust the annual budget proposals of agencies, particularly through using the powerful Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Which best describes a president's constitutional duty to Congress?
The president must give Congress an occasional update on the state of the union.
Which of the following is true of mid-term elections?
The presidents party usually loses seats in mid-term election year
Watchdog function
The press stands ready to expose officials who violate accepted legal, ethical, or performance standards
Framing
The process by which journalists select particular aspects of situations and and craft their stories around them
What is implementation?
The process of translating the goal and objectives of a policy into an operating ongoing program
b. political socialization
The process through which an individual acquires his or her knowledge, feelings, and evaluations regarding his or her political world is known as Select one: a. public opinion b. political socialization c. reapportionment d. sampling error
Explain the difficulties involving the representation function of Congress. How does the representation function conflict with the lawmaking function of Congress?
The representation function of Congress is complex. Members of Congress are in Washington to serve the interests of the state or district constituency that elected them. Given their concern for reelection, members of Congress often promote local interests over national interests. Congress is well designed to represent interest groups. Its committees and subcommittees have legislative control over policies that directly affect particular groups, and members of Congress are generally receptive to lobbying efforts. Members of Congress represent their party on many issues. Roll call votes often align a majority of the Democrats against a majority of the Republicans. Opposition and support for presidential initiatives divide along party lines as well. The representative and lawmaking roles of Congress can conflict. The strong local orientation that makes Congress a successful representative institution also makes it a less than ideal national legislative body.
What was one of the fatal errors of Literary Digest's 1936 straw poll?
The response rate was low
Much of the current economic downturn is attributable to
The subprime mortgage crisis
Why have multinational corporations become forces to be reckoned with in nearly all nations?
They account for a large portion of the global economy and have voiced strong opinions about government and economics.
Which of these statements best describes the possible effect of efforts by the Federal Reserve Board to lower interest rates?
They can spur economic growth by increasing the available money supply
Which of these statements best describes the possible effect of efforts by the Federal Reserve Board to lower interest rates?
They can spur economic growth by increasing the available money supply.
How do standard operating procedures influence bureaucratic decision making?
They promote uniform application of rules
How do standard operating procedures influence bureaucratic decision making?
They promote uniform application of rules.
d. deregulation
Those who believe that regulations on business and industry are too numerous and too complex are most likely to favor the policy of __________. Select one: a. incentive systems b. command-and-control systems c. executive orders d. deregulation
deregulation
Those who believe that regulations on business and industry are too numerous and too complex are most likely to favor the policy of __________. Select one: a. incentive systems b. deregulation c. executive orders d. command-and-control systems
Most interest groups members fall into this category:
Those who pay dues, but do not actively participate within the group
During the 2012 presidential elections:
Three different republican candidates won the first three stated in the primary contest
Which of the following is the role of the Budget Committees and the Congressional Budget decisions
To advise congress on consequences of its budget decisions
What is the purpose of continuing resolutions?
To allow agencies to continue to spend money even when congress has not met its budgetary timetable
What is not a major predictor of a persons vote choice?
Type of ballot
Which statement explains a reason why the United States relies more heavily on expensive, high-tech medical treatments as compared to European countries?
U.S. health care costs are paid from a mixture of sources, leaving no single source primarily responsible for controlling health care costs.
If you subscribe to Keynesian economic policies you are most concerned with ______
Unemployment
Federal judge terms
Until they retire, die, or are removed through the impeachment and conviction process
Know Congress' countervailing power to the presidential veto and how it is achieved.
Veto override, power to overturn a presidential veto with a 2/3rd vote of each chamber
Engel v Vitale
Voluntary prayer in schools was ruled unconstitutional in
d. A social insurance program provides benefits to those who have paid into the program, while a means-tested program provides benefits based on demonstrated need.
What distinguishes a means-tested program from a social insurance program? Select one: a. A means-tested program extends benefits based on age categories, while a social insurance program provides benefits based on immediate need. b. A means-tested program only extends benefits to the elderly, while a social insurance program extends benefits to everybody. c. A social insurance program extends benefits only to the working poor, while a means-tested program extends benefits to everyone, regardless of social class. d. A social insurance program provides benefits to those who have paid into the program, while a means-tested program provides benefits based on demonstrated need.
a. The contemporary presidency is much more powerful.
What distinguishes the contemporary presidency from the institution originally envisioned by the Framers of the Constitution? Select one: a. The contemporary presidency is much more powerful. b. The contemporary presidency is less involved in the development of foreign policy. c. The contemporary presidency exhibits a greater level of deference to Congress in budgetary matters. d. Contemporary presidents are more cautious in advocating for their legislative agendas.
The agreement of neither Congress nor other officials
What do executive agreements require? Select one: a. ratification by the House of Representatives b. ratification by the Senate c. ratification by both houses of Congress d. The agreement of neither Congress nor other officials
d. limits the president's terms of office
What does the Twenty-Second Amendment do? Select one: a. requires that presidents be natural-born citizens b. requires the president to be a resident of the United States c. requires the president to be at least 35 years old d. limits the president's terms of office
The House must impeach the president by a simple majority; the Senate must convict with a two-thirds majority.
What has to happen in Congress in order for the president to be impeached and removed from office? Select one: a. The House must impeach the president by a simple majority; the Supreme Court must convict with a two-thirds vote. b. The Senate must impeach the president by a simple majority; the House must convict with a two-thirds vote. c. The House must impeach the president by a simple majority; the Senate must convict with a two-thirds majority. d. The Supreme Court must impeach the president with a simple majority; the chief justice presides over a Senate trial that must convict with a two-thirds majority.
b. reducing the influence of partisan politics on the federal bureaucracy
What is a goal common to both the Pendleton Act and the Hatch Act? Select one: a. reducing the exercise of administrative discretion b. reducing the influence of partisan politics on the federal bureaucracy c. increasing presidential control of the federal bureaucracy d. streamlining the policy implementation process
d. a means-tested program
What is a government program called that provides benefits only to individuals who qualify based on specific needs? Select one: a. an economic stimulus program b. a regulatory program c. a discretionary program d. a means-tested program
a. the process of translating the goals and objectives of a policy into an operating, ongoing program
What is implementation? Select one: a. the process of translating the goals and objectives of a policy into an operating, ongoing program b. a set of procedures executive branch agencies must follow when issuing rules c. the process by which government agencies settle legal disputes d. a set of rules enforcing government agreements with private contractors
c. judicial review
What is the name given to the power of the courts to determine whether the actions of Congress and the executive branch are permissible under the Constitution? Select one: a. original jurisdiction b. strict construction c. judicial review d. stare decisis
b. all of the money the federal government has borrowed and has not yet repaid
What is the national debt? Select one: a. all of the money Congress has spent b. all of the money the federal government has borrowed and has not yet repaid c. the sum of all tax expenditures minus the sum of all tax receipts d. the sum of all tax receipts minus the sum of all tax expenditures
all of the money the federal government has borrowed and has not yet repaid
What is the national debt? Select one: a. all of the money Congress has spent b. all of the money the federal government has borrowed and has not yet repaid c. the sum of all tax expenditures minus the sum of all tax receipts in a given year d. the sum of all tax receipts minus the sum of all tax expenditures in a given year
a. to allow agencies to continue to spend money even when Congress has not met its budgetary timetable
What is the purpose of continuing resolutions? Select one: a. to allow agencies to continue to spend money even when Congress has not met its budgetary timetable b. to essentially override presidential vetoes c. to lump together multiple authorization bills to increase the chance of passage d. to ensure that the federal budget is balanced except in emergencies
b. payroll taxes
What is the source of money in the Social Security Trust Fund? Select one: a. sales taxes b. payroll taxes c. property taxes d. income taxes
a. fighting inflation
When it comes to strengthening the economy, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to prioritize __________. Select one: a. fighting inflation b. fighting unemployment c. increasing taxes d. increasing spending
a. The president must give Congress an occasional update on the state of the union.
Which best describes a president's constitutional duty to Congress? Select one: a. The president must give Congress an occasional update on the state of the union. b. The president must have at least one cabinet member of the opposing party. c. The president must maintain party support in Congress. d. The president must inform Congress of the reasoning behind a veto.
b. Executive branch agencies sent budget requests to the secretary of the treasury.
Which of the following best describes the executive branch's role in the budget process before the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921? Select one: a. The president proposed an executive budget to the secretary of the treasury. b. Executive branch agencies sent budget requests to the secretary of the treasury. c. The Office of Management and Budget proposed an executive budget to Congress. d. The Government Accounting Office proposed an executive budget to Congress.
d. someone who has already been elected president twice
Which of the following citizens would be ineligible to become president? Select one: a. a natural-born citizen b. someone who is 37 years old c. someone who has lived in the United States for 20 years d. someone who has already been elected president twice
d. the Federal Reserve Board
Which of the following entities is responsible for influencing interest rates in the United States? Select one: a. the Congress b. the Congressional Budget Office c. the Executive Office of the President d. the Federal Reserve Board
c. Soon there will be too few workers contributing to the Trust Fund to support the increasing number of retirees.
Which of the following is a concern about the Social Security Trust Fund? Select one: a. The rate of Social Security payroll taxes will continue to decrease unless Congress changes the law. b. The number of current retirees contributing to the fund will continue to decrease as the number of seniors continues to work after traditional retirement age. c. Soon there will be too few workers contributing to the Trust Fund to support the increasing number of retirees. d. Soon the Trust Fund will need to pay back the money it borrowed from the general treasury but it does not look like it will be able to repay this loan.
c. the U.S. Postal Service
Which of the following is a government corporation? Select one: a. the Food and Drug Administration b. the Federal Elections Commission c. the U.S. Postal Service d. the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
d. the cabinet
Which of the following is a group of 15 presidential advisers that is too large, diverse, and concerned with individual fiefdoms to effectively serve as a collective board of directors, leaving ultimate decision-making authority with the president? Select one: a. the White House staff b. the Executive Office of the President c. the chiefs of staff d. the cabinet
c. nominating federal judges
Which of the following is a judicial power given to the president? Select one: a. determining the Supreme Court's docket b. establishing the jurisdiction of the federal courts including the Supreme Court c. nominating federal judges d. determining the constitutionality of judicial acts
b. increase the minimum retirement age
Which of the following is a possible solution to the long-term problem of solvency in the Social Security program? Select one: a. increase benefits for retirees who have substantial income from other sources b. increase the minimum retirement age c. revise the inflation adjustment formula for benefits so that recipients would receive more of a raise every year d. lower the payroll tax contribution
filing amicus curiae briefs
Which of the following is a way that interest groups attempt to influence the Supreme Court's decisions? Select one: a. claiming disputes are justiciable b. filing standing to sue briefs c. lobbying legislators d. filing amicus curiae briefs
d. the Federal Reserve Board buying government bonds
Which of the following is an example of monetary policy? Select one: a. decreasing federal spending b. increasing food and drug regulations c. increasing income taxes on wealthy Americans d. the Federal Reserve Board buying government bonds
a. concurring
Which of the following is an opinion written by a justice in the majority that outlines an alternative basis for the decision? Select one: a. concurring b. dissenting c. majority d. per curiam
a. Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
Which of the following is the 2010 landmark Supreme Court case that ruled that individuals, corporations, and unions could spend unlimited amounts of money making independent political expenditures (so long as there is no coordination with the candidate campaigns)? Select one: a. Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission b. Buckley v. Valeo c. McConnell v. Federal Election Commission d. McCain v. Feingold
a. A constitutional arrangement by which two or more levels of government share formal authority over the same area and people.
Which of the following is the best definition of federalism? Select one: a. A constitutional arrangement by which two or more levels of government share formal authority over the same area and people. b. A constitutional arrangement concentrating power in a central government. c. A loose association of states constitutionally created by a strong central government. d. A loose association of states with mutually recognized compacts but no central government.
c. to advise Congress on consequences of its budget decisions
Which of the following is the role of the Budget Committees and the Congressional Budget Office? Select one: a. to monitor what agencies do with their budgets b. to write tax codes based on yearly changes in law c. to advise Congress on consequences of its budget decisions d. to propose new bills following the president's agenda
c. stare decisis
Which of the following limits judicial power? Select one: a. judicial review b. judicial activism c. stare decisis d. life tenure
b. The White House staff is composed of advisers who do whatever is in the best interest of the president.
Which of the following statements provides the best characterization of the members of the White House staff? Select one: a. The White House staff is a loose collection of bureaucrats who are loyal to executive agencies. b. The White House staff is composed of advisers who do whatever is in the best interest of the president. c. The White House staff is composed of policy specialists who have little personal loyalty to the president. d. The White House staff is the link between executive agencies in the bureaucracy and Congress.
d. They can spur economic growth by increasing the available money supply.
Which of these statements best describes the possible effect of efforts by the Federal Reserve Board to lower interest rates? Select one: a. They can lead to lower capital gains tax rates. b. They can lead to higher unemployment in years of budget deficits. c. They can spur economic growth by increasing the cost of money for business. d. They can spur economic growth by increasing the available money supply.
c. negotiating treaties with other nations
Which presidential power is checked by required approval of the Senate with a two-thirds vote? Select one: a. extending diplomatic recognition to foreign governments b. terminating relations with other nations c. negotiating treaties with other nations d. negotiating executive agreements with foreign heads of state
d. bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional subcommittees
Who are the three main players in an iron triangle? Select one: a. Congress, the president, and the courts b. businesses, interest groups, and political action committees c. politicians, candidates, and bureaucrats d. bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional subcommittees
a. the president
Who nominates judges to the U.S. district courts? Select one: a. the president b. the House of Representatives c. the Senate d. the Supreme Court
c. solicitor general
Who represents the federal government in appeals to the Supreme Court? Select one: a. attorney general b. president c. solicitor general d. chief prosecutor
c. to limit the powers of the president in the conduct of war
Why did Congress enact the War Powers Resolution? Select one: a. to expand the powers of the president in the conduct of war b. to make Congress the sole actor in the conduct of war c. to limit the powers of the president in the conduct of war d. to empower the president to act unilaterally when American troops are in harm's way
a. Americans tend to notice the bureaucracy only when it is inefficient and not when it works well.
Why do Americans tend to think that red tape is more prevalent than it actually is? Select one: a. Americans tend to notice the bureaucracy only when it is inefficient and not when it works well. b. Americans unwittingly transfer their negative assessments of private bureaucracies (such as businesses and churches) to the public sphere. c. Americans generally have poor experiences when dealing with bureaucrats. d. Red is a more inflammatory color than black.
When did health insurance become linked to employment?
World War II
d. An incentive system
______ regulates industries using market-like strategies such as rewards. Select one: a. A patronage system b. An iron triangle c. An executive order d. An incentive system
b. Command-and-control policy
_________ is the approach to regulation in which the government tells business how to meet certain goals, makes sure these directions are followed, and punishes those who do not follow the orders. a. The spoils system b. Command-and-control policy c. The shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later system d. The incentive system
d. A budget resolution
__________ is an act of Congress that attempts to bind Congress to a total expenditure level for all programs in a given year. Select one: a. An authorization bill b. An appropriations bill c. A continuing resolution d. A budget resolution
Earned Income Tax Credit
a "negative income tax" that provides income to very poor individuals in lieu of charging them federal income taxes.
Laissez-faire
a belief that government should not intervene in the economy.
Budget resolution
a bill setting limits on expenditures based on revenue projections, agreed to by both houses of Congress in April each year.
Legislative veto
a clause which allows Congress to override the action of the executive.
National Security Council (NSC)
a committee that links the president's key foreign and military advisors.
A bill has been approved in the House and Senate, albeit in slightly different versions. The bill now goes to
a conference committee
Which of the following is most consistent with the foreign policy of isolationism?
a country's refusal to intervene in an armed conflict between two other countries
Which situation is most likely to create an incentive for doctors to perform unnecessary procedures?
a fee-for-service health insurance policy
Unemployment rate
a government statistic that measures how many workers are actively seeking work but unable to find jobs.
Inflation
a government statistic that measures increases in the price of goods.
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
a government statistic that measures the change in the cost of buying a fixed basket of goods and services.
Patronage
a hiring and promotion system based on knowing the right people.
What is a government program called that provides benefits only to individuals who qualify based on specific needs?
a means-tested program
Budget
a policy document that allocates burdens (taxes) and benefits (expenditures).
Watergate
a political scandal involving President Nixon's abuse of his powers.
Solicitor general
a presidential appointee who is in charge of the appellate court litigation of the federal government.
Statutory construction
a procedure in which the legislature passes legislation that clarifies existing laws so that the clarification has the effect of overturning the court's decision.
Opinion
a statement of the legal reasoning behind the decision.
Crisis
a sudden, unpredictable, and potentially dangerous event.
Mixed economy
a system in which the government, while not commanding the economy, is still deeply involved in economic decisions.
Which of the following best describes the nuclear arms race between the world's two superpowers during the 20th century?
a tense relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 1960s, during which each side was intent on obtaining more weapons than the other
The Whig theory
a theory that prevailed in the 19th century and held that the presidency was a limited or restrained office whose occupant was confined to expressly granted constitutional authority
Senatorial courtesy
a tradition in which nominations for federal judicial positions are not confirmed when opposed by a senator of the president's party from the state in which the nominee is to serve or from the state of the nominee's residence.
82. In 2016, the amount an individual could legally contribute to a federal candidate's campaign was:
a. $2,700
66. Political contributions earmarked for party-building expenses at the grassroots level or for generic party advertising that were banned by the McCain-Feingold Act (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act or BCRA):
a. 501(c) group funding
33. What is referred to as "the wooing of support from electoral officials, top fundraisers, and skilled political aides"?
a. A caucus
53. A committee created to resolve differences in versions of a bill passed by the House and Senate is called:
a. A conference committee
62. When the House and the Senate pass different versions of the same bill,
a. A conference committee may be appointed to resolve the differences.
58. Which of the following is an example of a public interest lobby
a. A consumer rights group
91. Which example best demonstrates a legislator acting as a trustee of his or her constituency?
a. A legislator considers public opinion before using his or her best judgment
71. A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and to govern:
a. A party machine
13. How are critical elections and party realignments interrelated?
a. A party realignment occurs as a result of one or more critical elections and may be associated with a national crisis
21. Which of the following is a pluralist belief?
a. A rough approximation of the public interest emerges from competition between groups.
38. An intentional news leak for the purpose of assessing the political reaction it generates is called ________.
a. A trial balloon
92. What is an amicus curiae brief?
a. A written argument submitted to a court in support of one side of a case.
83. What are political action committees (PACs) seeking when they give campaign contributions?
a. Access to the officeholder
59. When you look at which story the media emphasized in covering issues, you are examining the ______ of the media.
a. Agenda setting effect
97. Increasing public attention to specific problems is a core feature of the media's _______ power
a. Agenda-setting
28. What is the party in the electorate?
a. All citizens who claim to be a member of a political party
94. What is a political action committee (PAC)?
a. An organization that solicits campaign contributions from individuals and distributes them to political candidates.
63. In covering military conflicts, the majority of TV news stories usually originate from correspondents posted at ______ including the White House, the Pentagon, and the State Department
a. Beats
89. The filibuster is a technique used:
a. By Senators to control the agenda through lengthy debate.
81. How do interest groups lobby the courts?
a. By bringing lawsuits to the courts on behalf of classes of citizens
60. Why is it sometimes difficult for citizens to engage in policy voting?
a. Candidates are often intentionally vague about their issue stances.
90. A ______ is an informal group of members of Congress who share some interest or characteristic; its goal is to promote the interests around which it is formed.
a. Caucus
7. Which of the following is the 2010 landmark Supreme Court case that ruled that individuals, corporations, and unions could spend unlimited amounts of money making independent political expenditures (so long as there is no coordination with the candidate campaigns)?
a. Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
22. A filibuster can be ended through ______; it requires the approval of ______ senators
a. Cloture; sixty
40. Something of value, such as clean air, that cannot be withheld from non-members of an interest group is known as a:
a. Collective good
84. The ______ makes economic projections about the performance of the economy, the costs of proposed policies, and the economic effects of taxing and spending alternatives.
a. Congressional Budget Office
67. The relationship between politicians and the press was _______ during the 20th century until the 1960s.
a. Cozy
70. Party realignments are initiated by ______.
a. Critical elections
Be familiar with judicial restraint, also called the legal approach.
a. Decisions by judges respecting the decisions of other branches or, through the concept of precedent, the decisions of earlier judges b. Leans on precedent
61. What is one of the reasons that interest groups have proliferated over the past half century?
a. Developments in technology made interest group activities easier
85. When can a party change its platform?
a. During its national party convention
36. Which of the following statements about immigration in the United States is true?
a. Federal law allows for the legal admission of about 1 million new immigrants every year.
17. The tendency of states to hold primaries early in the calendar in order to capitalize on media attention is called
a. Frontloading
35. One major reason states engage in frontloading of primaries and caucuses is because states with early primaries:
a. Get more media attention and can have more influence on the nomination
44. Over the past three decades, the distance between the political parties in Congress has been growing steadily. As the parties have pulled apart ideologically, they also have become more _____ internally.
a. Homogeneous
65. If no candidate receives an Electoral College majority, the election for president is decided in the _______.
a. House of Representatives
12. Which of the following argue that the formation of so many influential interest groups has made it increasingly difficult to accomplish major policy change in Washington?
a. Hyperpluralists
75. Which of the following conditions would eliminate the free-rider problem?
a. If participation in an interest group were mandatory.
26. Which statement about incumbency is most accurate?
a. Incumbents have a significant reelection advantage.
30. Who are most likely to engage in ticket splitting?
a. Independents
78. The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the power to
a. Initiate all revenue bills
19. Comparing the two chambers of Congress we find that the Senate:
a. Is more hierarchical than the U.S. House
43. In a random sample of 1,000 high school students, 29 percent indicated that they had read the Declaration of Independence at least once, with a sampling error of 4 percent. Which of the following statements is true?
a. It is likely that between 25 and 33 percent of the population have read the Declaration of Independence.
47. Why may the filibuster be considered undemocratic?
a. It is used by the minority to prevent the majority from passing legislation that it prefers.
31. How does party identification simplify the voting process?
a. It provides information to a voter that helps the voter decide which candidate is preferred.
15. The media act as a _______ between the people and policymakers.
a. Key linkage institution
41. Approximately what percentage of adult citizens voted in the 2014 midterm elections?
a. Less than 50 percent
29. How do liberals differ from conservatives?
a. Liberals are more likely than conservatives to envision a wide scope for the central government, often involving policies that aim to promote equality
20. The vice president of the United States is the ceremonial leader of the Senate, but he or she has little real leadership responsibilities. The leader of the Senate responsible for the brunt of the work of the majority party is the ________.
a. Majority leader
49. The primary interest of privately owned media is __________.
a. Making a profit
42. What is the typical aim of protests in the United States?
a. Making the government listen to specific demands
3. What was the effect of the 1924 immigration law that established official quotas for immigrants based on national origin?
a. Most new immigrants were from northwestern Europe.
95. ________is the tendency for viewers to seek news that aligns with their existing ideas
a. Narrowcasting
24. The Democratic and Republican candidates for president are formally nominated by the ________.
a. National party conventions
5. Super delegates are
a. National party leaders who automatically get a slot at the national party convention.
79. Which group makes up the smallest percentage of the minority population in the United States?
a. Native Americans
11. Members of Congress often hold hearings to question a cabinet member on how a law is being carried out, thereby monitoring the bureaucracy and its administration of policy. This congressional function is known as:
a. Oversight
69. Which statement best describes the functioning of party machines in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries?
a. Parties provided patronage jobs to loyal supporters in urban areas.
87. The ______ is the formal structure of the political party that sets rules for party operations, pursues electoral victories, and keeps the party running between elections.
a. Party as an organization
57. How does selective exposure minimize the media's influence on the public?
a. People screen out information or opinions with which they disagree.
52. In the House of Representatives, a bill goes to the Rules Committee which
a. Performs a "traffic cop" function by giving each bill a "rule" that schedules the bill, sets time limits for debate, etc.
10. Civil rights activists in the 1960s used the media to show Americans the injustice of the treatment of minorities, successfully placing the civil rights issue onto the _________.
a. Policy agenda
50. Which of the following generally increase with age?
a. Political participation and strength of party attachment
9. The process through which an individual acquires his or her knowledge, feelings and evaluations regarding his or her political world is known as
a. Political socialization
96. Which electoral reform would make it easier to elect third-party candidates to Congress?
a. Proportional representation
74. Investigative journalism may contribute to ______.
a. Public cynicism and negatively about politics
51. Substantive representation refers to whether or not member of Congress:
a. Reflect the interests and policy positions of the district citizens
23. Goods such as information publications, travel discounts, and group insurance rates that a group can restrict to those who pay their yearly dues are known as
a. Selective benefits
73. Of the following, who would be MOST likely to vote?
a. Someone with a high sense of political efficacy
34. Which states tend to have higher voter turnout?
a. States with Election Day voter registration
18. Politicians and journalists often develop a _______ relationship: Politicians rely on journalists to get out their message, and journalists rely on politicians to keep them in the know.
a. Symbiotic
8. Which of the following viewpoints is more likely to be held by a political liberal than by a political conservative?
a. Taxes and spending should be kept low.
86. Which of the following committees plays a key role in agenda setting in the U.S. House by reviewing most bills before they go to the floor, allotting the time that each bill can be debated, and specifying the amendments that can be offered to each bill?
a. The House Rules Committee
2. The cozy relationship between politicians and the press in the twentieth century lasted until when?
a. The Vietnam War and Watergate
54. Which of the following has occurred since the adoption of the McGovern-Fraser Commission reforms in the early 1970s?
a. The delegate selection process is tied to how well candidates do in primaries and caucuses.
39. The problem faced by groups when people do not join because they can benefit from the group's activities without officially joining is known as:
a. The free-rider problem
37. Which of the following statements about the 1936 Literary Digest poll that predicted Roosevelt's reelection defeat is true?
a. The poll oversampled those with higher income
55. How can agenda setting by the news media affect public policy?
a. The public tends to evaluate programs and policy based on the items emphasized by the media
72. What are you engaging in if you cast your ballot for a Democratic candidate for president and a Republican candidate for Congress?
a. Ticket splitting
32. Why do interest groups typically offer selective benefits to their members?
a. To overcome the free-rider problem
16. Whips serve what function?
a. To persuade party members to support the party's priorities
77. In general, research demonstrates that the most persistent media bias is:
a. Toward a compelling story that will attract a large audience.
1. Each state has _____ senators, each of whom serve a _______ year term
a. Two; four
76. A political party machine is a kind of local party organization that
a. Uses material inducements to win party loyalty and power.
14. Which of the following is true about states with caucuses?
a. Voters attend open meetings where they express their presidential preferences.
6. European democracies have more parties in positions of political power than does the United States because of their use of _______.
a. Winner-take-all systems
56. Why do winning candidates claim a mandate even though political scientists generally discredit the mandate theory of elections?
a. Winning candidates want to justify their policy proposals by claiming that the public supports them.
27. Liberals, more than conservatives, tend to believe which of the following?
a. Women should have the freedom to choose whether to have an abortion
Know what judicial review is and which court case brought it about.
a.Authority of courts to declare laws passed by congress and acts of the executive branch to be unconstitutional b.Marbury and Madison
Know the different types of Supreme Court opinions.
a.Concurring opinion- opinion that agrees with the result of majority opinion(that is which party wins) but sets put a separate rationale b.Dissenting opinion- opinion that disagrees with majority opinion as to which party wins c.Majority opinion- opinion o court laying out the official position of the court in the case
Know the three layers of the federal court system
a.District courts b.court of appeals c.supreme court
Know the function of bureaucratic reputation.
a.Effective implementation of federal policy b.Want to be thought of by doing a good job cooperative
Know the power associated with being Commander in Chief.
a.Includes army, navy, air force, marine corp, and coast guard and reserve and national guard units b.Directs all war efforts and military conflicts
Know the requirements to hold the office of the president.
a.Natural born citizen b.At least 35 years old c.Resident of US for at least 14 year
Know what the patronage system is and who put it in place.
a.Political system in which government programs and benefits are awarded based on politics loyalty to a party or politician b.President Andrew Jackson c.Appoints only employees who pledge to be loyal in power
Know what Arthur Schlesinger Jr. meant by the term "imperial presidency."
a.Power of the president to speak for the nation on the world stage and to set the policy agenda at home. b.Suggest that as long as the US is engaged in military conflicts all over the world to promote and protect its interest , the president will be the most important figure in American politics c.Set national policy agenda
Know steps and players in the appointment process
a.President appointment i.Nomination ii.Subsequent approval by a majority senate b.President also nominates federal judges, but approval by 2/3rd senate
Know the steps and players in the impeachment process.
a.Removal process begins with impeachment in house of representatives b.House judiciary committee investigates charges and recommends to full house whether to impeach or not
Legally, the bureaucracy derives general authority for its programs from
acts of congress
The U.S. health care system tends to emphasize __________.
advances in medical technology
Know the term for our confrontational legal process here in the U.S., which was borrowed from Britain.
adversary process
64. Which demographic group was part of the New Deal coalition?
african americans
Self-Incrimination protects
against self-incrimination
Federal debt
all of the money borrowed by the government over the years that is still outstanding.
What is the national debt?
all of the money the federal government has borrowed and has not yet repaid
Congress oversees the bureaucracy by using
all of these: sunset provisions, the Government Accounting Office, and oversight hearings.
Quasi-government organizations
allow the federal government to be involved in a particular area of activity w/o directly controlling it: hybrid of public and private organizations
Inevitable discovery exception
allows the use of evidence that would have been discovered by other means or through other forms of evidence
Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974
an act designed to reform the budgeting process by making Congress less dependent on the president's budget; established a fixed budget calendar and a budget committee in each house.
Authorization bill
an act of Congress that establishes a discretionary government program or an entitlement, or that continues or changes such programs.
Only __________ court can review the decisions of a lower court.
an appellate
Stare decisis
an earlier decision should hold for the case being considered.
Capitalism
an economic system in which individuals and corporations own the principal means of production, through which they seek to reap profits.
Intermediate scrutiny test
any law that includes gender classification is subject to this
Many assume that presidents with high __________ are more effective leaders.
approval ratings
Health care cost:
are affected by life expectancy
Shelby county v holder (Voting rights act)
argued that congress had set standardsfor ensuring voting rights that were no longer relevant
GS (General Service) rating
assigned to each job in federal agencies, this rating helps to determine the salary associated with the position.
Social welfare policies
attempt to provide assistance and support to specific groups in society.
With regard to public opinion, the supreme court
attempts to stay close enough to public opinion so as to avoid outright defiance of its decisions
Administrative discretion
authority of administrative actors to select among various responses to a given problem, especially when rules do not fit or more than one rule applies.
80 percent
average pay for full time female employees is ( %) of that for full time male employees
In his 1796 Farwell Address, George Washington suggested that the US
avoid permanent alliances
48. Which states should a presidential campaign focus on in the general election?
b. States with a higher percentage of registered voters
Which of the following is a formal constitutional requirement for becoming president?
be a natural born citizen
Transfer payments
benefits from government where money is transferred from the general treasury to those in need.
1st ten amendments of the constitution; set of rights that the federal gov. has to protect
bill of rights
Appropriations bill
bill passed annually to fund an authorized program.
legal action
black activists in the early twentieth century generally pursued civil rights through
Who are the three main players in an iron triangle?
bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional subcommittees
Street-level bureaucrats
bureaucrats who are in constant contact with the public.
companies are not required to include contraceptives in their employees' health insurance coverage because of religious beliefs
burwell v. hobby lobby
Multinational Corporation
businesses with vast holdings in many countries.
The presidential advisory unit that, as a whole, has declined significantly as an advisory resource for the president in the twentieth century is the
cabinet
The head of a political campaign is usually called the
campaign manager
The courts have tended to support administrators as long as their agencies
can apply a reasonable interpretation of a statute.
Controlled media
candidates control the content of the message (i.e. campaign commercials or rallies)
Uncontrolled media
candidates have less control over the content -debates -news coverage
due process
cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without legal proceedings
double jeopardy
cannot be tried twice for the same crime if originally proven innocent
exclusionary rule in the 1st amendment
cannot use evidence that was obtained illegally
the tax individuals pay on gains in capital investments such as stocks and property tax
capital gains tax
Who has been most likely to oppose federal clean air mandates?
car manufacturers
Justiciable disputes
cases that can be settled by legal methods.
Class action suits
cases which permit a small number of people to sue on behalf of all other people similarly affected.
68. Over 80 percent of the nation's daily newspaper circulation is published by massive media conglomerates called _______.
chains
freedoms guaranteed to the individual; individual rights of a free society; freedom of speech, right to a jury trial
civil liberties
declare what government must do or provide; the right of every person to equal protection under the law and equal access to society's opportunities and public facilities
civil rights
equal access to public accommodations that bars discrimination on basis of race, color, religion, or sex
civil rights act of 1964
Know the term for the borrowed English legal tradition which is used to fill in gaps in statutory law
common law
Studies have found that the U.S. federal bureaucracy
compares favorably in performance to government bureaucracies elsewhere.
Which of the following is an opinion written by a justice in the majority that outlines an alternative basis for the decision?
concurring
those who believe gov. tries to do too many things that should be left to private interests and economic markets
conservatives
what authorizes the president to nominate and the senate to confirm judges?
constitution
In comparison with today's newspapers, early American newspapers
could not have survived without political party support.
what do you do if you're attacked?
counterattack on the same issue (ex. red phone ad from 2008)
appellate jurisdiction
court of appeals
where do cases appealed from district courts go?
court of appeals
which court has a panel of 3 judges?
court of appeals
which judges are delegated to deputy attorney general?
court of appeals
in applying reasonable basis test
courts require govt to only show that a particular law is reasonable
Courts of appeal
courts which have the power to review all final decisions of district courts, except in instances requiring direct review by the Supreme Court.
In the late 1800s, rapid economic growth placed new demands on the federal government and led it to
create new federal departments built around economic interests.
Federal Reserve System
created by Congress in 1913 to regulate the lending practices of banks and thus the money supply.
Affirmative action
de facto discrimination
discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, ethnicity from social, economic, and cultural biases and conditions
de facto discrimination
The Brown Decision
de jure discrimination
discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, ethnicity from a law
de jure discrimination
how has the share of the nation's income for the middle class changed?
decreased by 20%
Financially, who benefits the most from the military-industrial complex?
defense contractors
congressional representatives can act as trustee or delegate
delegate- does what the people say they want trustee- does what they believe is best
The rise of citizen journalism has
democratized political news
Those who believe that regulations on business and industry are too numerous and too complex are most likely to favor the policy of __________.
deregulation
Inherent powers
derive from the fact that the US is a sovereign power among nations - particularly in the area of foreign policy
Know the civil service is intended to protect employees from.
designed to protect employees from partisanship and employees are expected to be objective as they carry out their job responsibilities
Standard operating procedures
detailed rules written to cover as many particular situations as officials can anticipate to help bureaucrats implement policies uniformly.
During the era of objective journalism, the commitment of newspapers to two-sided news reporting
did not extend to their editorializing.
The most common methods by which the US tries to stop the spread of nuclear weapons are
disarmament, defense, denial, counter proliferation, and arms control
lowest federal court
district court
what court deals with all crime and civil cases?
district court
which court in the federal system has two sides present cases to a jury?
district court
where does the senatorial courtesy apply in selecting judges?
district courts
A president is likely to propose the most new programs
during 1st year in office
Which of the following poses the greatest threat to endangered species?
economic development
Supply-side economics
economic philosophy that holds that the key task for government economic policy is to stimulate the supply of goods, not their demand.
Monetarism
economic theory that suggests that the supply of money is key to the nation's economic health.
What aspect of presidential election did Andrew Jackson try but fail to achieve?
elimination of the Electoral College
4. The Founders created the Electoral College because they wanted the president to be selected by _______.
elites
any individual who meets the eligibility criteria is entitled to the benefits (ex:social security)
entitlement programs
What is the main concern about nuclear energy?
environmental impact
Rule implementing Vs. rule making in your text is referred to as
executing programs and policies (implementing) VS. regulating (rule making)
Independent executive agencies
executive agencies that are not cabinet departments, not regulatory commissions, and not government corporations.
Entitlements
expenditures for which the total amount spent is not by congressional appropriation, but rather by rules of eligibility established by Congress.
When it comes to strengthening the economy, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to prioritize __________.
fighting inflation
Johnson flag-burning case ruled
flag burning is offensive, but cannot be prohibited
Of the following television networks, which is typically considered the MOST partisan?
fox news
Staunch conservatives are MOST likely to pay regular attention to
fox news
88. The _______ problem occurs when people fail to join a group because they can get the benefits the group offers without contributing to the group's efforts.
free rider
1st amendment
freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion
Amicus curiae briefs
friend of the court briefs by nonlitigants who wish to influence the Court's decision by raising additional points of view and information not contained by briefs prepared by litigants' attorneys.
Gideon v Wainwright
furnish attorneys for poor defendants in felony cases
In the 1970s, roll-call votes
generally did not pit most Republicans against most Democrats.
Original jurisdiction
given to a court where a case is first heard. Political questions: conflicts between the president and Congress.
Appellate jurisdiction
given to a court where cases are heard on appeal from a lower court.
civil rights for people with disabilities
gov. agencies required to install access ramps
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
government agency with broad regulatory powers over the manufacturing, contents, marketing and labeling of food and drugs.
Entitlement programs
government benefits that certain qualified individuals are entitled to by law, regardless of need.
Monetary policy
government decisions regarding the money supply, including the discount rates for bank borrowing, reserve requirements for banks, and trading of government securities.
Means-tested programs
government programs available only to individuals below a poverty line.
Antitrust policy
government regulation of business to ensure competition and prevent monopoly (control of a market by one company).
Independent regulatory agency
has responsibility for a sector of the economy to protect the public interest.
The president's constitutional roles, such as chief executive and commander in chief,
have expanded in practice to be more powerful than the writers of the Constitution intended.
The principles on which bureaucratic organization is based include which of the following?
hierarchical authority, job specialization, and formalized rules
Judicial implementation
how and whether court decisions are translated into actual policy.
Bureaucracy
implementers of policy.
Medicare
in 1965, this program was added to Social Security to provide hospital and physician coverage to the elderly.
Debates first occurred
in presidential general election in 1960 with Nixon V. Kennedy -next ones didn't occur until 1976 and since then we've had at least one every election
Selective incorporation
inclusion of certain provisions of the BOR through the 14th amendment so that these rights are protected by the state government
Which of the following is a possible solution to the long-term problem of solvency in the Social Security program?
increase the minimum retirement age
Which of the following is a possible solution to the longterm problem of solvency in the social security program?
increase the minimum retirement age
Surge and decline theory
independent voters vote in presidential elections but not so much in congressional elections - its about voter turn out not loss in popularity/support/etc.
Persuading the people
indirect or wholesale route (?)
civil liberties focus, civil rights focus
individual, group
otherwise exludable evidence can be admitted in trial if police would eventually have discovered the evidence by other means
inevitable discovery exception
Redistricting
is conducted by state legislatures.
in contrast with the Speaker of the House, the Senate majority leader
is not the presiding officer of his/her chamber.
Supreme Court likely to grant hearing when
issue decided inconsistently by lower courts
Affirmative action arose when
it became apparent that disadvataged americans would not attain equal employment opportunity through lawsuits that benefited individuals only
Majority whip of the SENATE
john cornyn
