pos2041 exam

. A push poll is not a scientific legitimate poll but rather a political tool designed to spread negative information about a candidate.

true

. Congressional committees are the "nuts and bolts' of democracy and often referred to as little legislatures.

true

. Media tend to cover stories with high dramatic or entertainment value and avoid more substantive political coverage in order to draw a large audience

true

. The United States operates within a global free trade system but runs an overall trade imbalance of more imports than exports.

true

Although the Supreme Court recognized the power of a president to issue an executive order, they also decided this is not an absolute power and can be limited. (1952 Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v Sawyer)

true

As chief diplomat, the president negotiates treaties, recognizes foreign governments and makes executive agreements.

true

Congress holds the constitutional power to investigate the executive branch.

true

In U.S. v. Nixon 1974 the Supreme Court determined executive privilege was a legitimate presidential power.

true

Representatives in the House serve two-year terms.

true

The Senate Majority leader is the most powerful political figure in the Senate.

true

The job of a conference committee is to reconcile House and Senate versions of a bill.

true

The overall political influence of the media is most obvious during political campaigns

true

The ratification of the 17th Amendment was an expansion of democracy.

true

. The committee in the House that proposes time limitations on debate for bills is called the a. House Debate Committee b. House Committee on Rules c. House Ways and Means Committee d. House Debate and Censure Committee e. Issues Committee

. House Committee on Rules

Before a treaty can become legally binding, the treaty must be a. approved by three-fourths of the state governments. b. ratified by the Supreme Court c. approved by a two-thirds vote in the Senate d. approved by a super majority in both chambers of Congress.

. approved by a two-thirds vote in the Senate

. Pork-barrel legislation a. deals with specific projects and their location within a particular congressional district. b. only deals with specific agricultural subsidies c. funds efforts to increase the levels of America's exports. d. orders state governments to implement a program without providing the funds for doing so.

. deals with specific projects and their location within a particular congressional district.

When Dwight Eisenhower sent federal troops into Little Rock High School in 1957, it demonstrated that a. the president may make unilateral use of the emergency powers to protect states against domestic disorder. b. the president requires the federal court's approval before using troops in domestic situations c. the use of the president's emergency powers against domestic disorder necessitates a request by the governor of the affected state. d. the president always needs congressional authorization to use troops in domestic situations.

. the president may make unilateral use of the emergency powers to protect states against domestic disorder

. All of the following are true of the president as chief executive except a. the president uses the appointment power to fill cabinet positions. b. the president may remove from office those who are not doing a good job. c. the president may remove members of congressional committees that are against his/her policies. d. the president must "faithfully execute the laws."

. the president may remove members of congressional committees that are against his/her policies.

As commander and chief, the president is a. only a symbolic leader of the military. b. the ultimate decision maker in military matters. c. allowed to make military decisions, but only with the approval of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. d. not responsible for military decisions.

. the ultimate decision maker in military matters.

The Constitution states that the required minimum age for the presidency is a. twenty-five years. b. thirty years. c. thirty-five years. d. forty years. e. forty-five years.

35 yrs

U.S senators serve ____ year terms and ____ of the U.S. senate is up for reelection every two years. a. four, one-half b. two, one-fifth c. six, one-third d. two, one-half

6 and 1/3

. The concerns about concentrated media ownership include a. concentration could lead to a decline in the democratic debate. b. media owners might steer the debate. c. cable news viewers will be lost to newspapers. d. there is no concern, voters will likely not be influenced by fewer sources of news. e. Options A and B are true.

Options A and B are true.

The real leadership power in the Senate rests in the hands of a. president of the Senate b. president pro tempore of the Senate c. Senate majority leader e. Senate whip

Senate majority leader

By foreign policy, we mean a. a nation's external goals and the techniques and strategies to achieve them. b. the formal agreements that are approved by the World Court. c. interactions with other countries that are not related to economics. d. Senate action on domestic policies. e. the methods used to deploy armed troops.

a nation's external goals and the techniques and strategies to achieve them.

. By the 1970's growing concerns over what historian Arthur Schlesinger termed "the growth of an imperial presidency" led Congress to pass legislation that permits a president to deploy troops in an emergency but prohibits such actions from shifting into prolonged struggles without Congressional approval. This legislation is duble check one quizlet says Monroe/// a. The Truman Doctrine b. The Monroe Doctrine c. The War Powers Resolution Act d. The Roosevelt Corollary e. The Reagan Doctrine

The War Powers Resolution Act

Who is the Speaker of the House? a. The vice-president is also the Speaker of the House. b. The representative with the longest tenure in the House. c. The elected leader of the majority party in the House is the Speaker of the House. d. The representative who leads the minority party

The elected leader of the majority party in the House is the Speaker of the House.

The presidential line of succession is a. Vice President, Speaker of the House, President pro tempore of the Senate, Secretary of State b. Vice President, Speaker of the House, Secretary of State, President pro tempore of the Senate c. Vice President, President pro tempore of the Senate, Secretary of State, Speaker of the House d. Vice President, Secretary of State, President pro tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House

Vice President, Speaker of the House, President pro tempore of the Senate, Secretary of State

. The concept of cloture refers to a. a method used to defeat legislation in the Senate. b. action taken by the House Rules Committee that must be approved by the Senate. c. closed meetings held by both parties to elect their leadership in Congress. d. a process that attempts to end a filibuster in the Senate. e. the resolution that adjourns Congress.

a process that attempts to end a fillabuster in the senate

In most states Congressional district lines are drawn by a. a small group of political party leaders in the state legislature. b. a non-partisan state panel of commissioners. c. a non-partisan panel elected in special elections. d. a group of retired judges elected by party leaders.

a small group of political party leaders in the state legislature.

The media can influence the list of issues to be addressed by government and public opinion through a. agenda setting and framing. b. redistricting and agenda setting c. reapportionment and framing d. gerrymandering and impeachment

agenda setting and framing.

. Executive agreements are a. not valid in foreign policy unless approved by the Senate. b. agreements between the president and a head of a foreign government that do not have to be approved by the Senate. c. always binding on future presidents. d. used to achieve trivial matters since critical issues in foreign policy are be addressed by the House.

agreements between the president and a head of a foreign government that do not have to be approved by the Senate.

. Interest groups engage in the following indirect actions to mobilize public opinion a. use advertising to create public pressure on elected officials k b. persuade their members to personally contact legislators c. organize rallies, marches and economic boycotts k d. all of the above

all of the above

. Concerning politics interest groups a. can be based on identity groups, ideology and single interest groups. b. can represent the interests of foreign governments. c. can represent the interests of corporations. d. are sometimes formed out of social movements. e. all of the above are true

all of the above are true

The State of the Union message a. helps the President transmit his legislative agenda to Congress and the American people. b. is as much a message to the American people and the world as it is to Congress c. is required by the U.S. Constitution and generally delivered in January. d. has spawned many customs including the tradition that one cabinet member, a "designated survivor", not attend in case of a national emergency. e. All of the above are true.

all of the above aretrue

A filibuster is a. an attempt to prevent the passage of a bill through the use of unlimited debate in the Senate. b. used in the House to force a standing committee to release a bill. c. a method used by the Speaker of the House to promote the majority party's legislation. d. a technique that is unique to the House.

an attempt to prevent the passage of a bill through the use of unlimited debate in the Senate.

The following two presidents are the only ones in American history to have actually been impeached. a. Andrew Johnson and William Clinton b. Richard Nixon and Franklin Roosevelt c. Andrew Jackson and William Clinton d. Thomas Jefferson and Martin VanBuren

andrew johnson and bill clinyon

The office of the presidency was established by ___ of the Constitution. a. Art. I b. Art. II c. Art. III d. Art. IV e. Art. V

art 2

3. In the history of the United States, no president has ever a. resigned b. died while in office. c. been impeached and convicted. d. been impeached

been impeached and convicted

Congress is a ________ legislature with ________ full voting members. a. unicameral; 342 b. bicameral; 535 c. bicameral; 100 d. unicameral; 630 e. unicameral; 750

bicameral; 535

The power to declare war is given to ___________ under the Constitution. a. the President b. only the Senate c. both chambers of Congress d. the Department of Defense

both chambers of congress

The primary political value of the vice president is to a. bring the president votes in the election from a group or region that would not otherwise be a likely source of support. b. draw negative attention away from the president during times of crisis. c. give the president an institutional link to the House of Representatives d. act as the political party's chief fundraiser. e. promote bipartisanship with members of the opposing political party.

bring the president votes in the election from a group or region that would not otherwise be a likely source of support.

The people that a legislator represents are called a. delegates b. trustees c. constituents d. representatives

constituents

. One potential congressional tool for ending a war is a. cutting funding for the war. b. negotiating peace treaties. c. replacing the Secretary of Defense. d. sending an ultimatum with unanimous signatures to the president.

cutting funding for the war.

1. Gerrymandering refers to a. the resources elected officials use to reward their supporters. b. the practice whereby legislators trade their support or opposition on one bill to get the support of another legislator on a different bill. c. the tactic used by members of the Senate to prevent action on legislation they oppose. d. the manipulation of electoral districts to serve the interests of a particular group.

d. the manipulation of electoral districts to serve the interests of a particular group.

The theory of representation that argues elected officials should vote their constituents wishes regardless of their own personal views label this type of politician a a. trusnotee b. delegate c. polnoitico d. incumbent

delegate

The representation of a government to other foreign governments is called a. multilateralism b. alliances c. diplomacy d. preemption e. treaty

diplomacy

To enact a presidential pardon a president needs a two-thirds majority vote from the Senate.

false

. As a chief executive, to avoid a charge of dereliction of duty, the president is constitutionally bound to a. enforce Congressional laws, existing treaties, and federal court orders. b. submit a balanced budget to Congress. c. oversee the actions of state governments. d honor all executive agreements of previous presidents.

enforce congressional laws, existing treaties and federal court orders.

All executive agreements require the approval of the Senate.

false

During the Cold War, U.S. foreign policy centered around the idea of "appeasement" not "containment."

false

It is the role of both chambers in Congress to approve Presidential cabinet appointments.

false

Most of the framers sought to provide the office of president with "energy" in order to take quick decisive action when necessary.

false

Since the 1930s, Congress has delegated far less authority to the president than in earlier eras.

false

The idea of agency representation identifies the best representative as the one who shares a similar racial ethnic religious or occupational background with those he or she represents.

false

The most politically powerful person in the House of Representatives is the party whip.

false

The story of Gravina Island's "Bridge to Nowhere" concerns redistricting.

false

. The role the House of Representatives plays in impeachments can best be compared with that of a a. judge. b. grand jury. c. defense attorney. d. defense witness.

grand jury

A senator or representative running for re-election is referred to as the a. constituent b. incumbent c. elector d. victor e. primary candidate

incumbent

20 When the president infers powers from the "rights, duties, and obligations of the presidency", these are called a. delegated powers b. concurrent powers. c. inherent powers. d. war powers. e. expressed powers

inherent powers

The number of members each state will have in the electoral college a. cannot exceed fifty members. b. changes every four years. c. is determined by adding the number of representatives and the number of senators a state has in Congress. e. is the same to ensure that each state plays an equal role in selecting the president of the United States.

is determined by adding the number of represenatives and the number of senators a state has in congress

. Typically, the most common occupation among members of Congress before serving in Congress is a. business executive b. sales representative c. lawyer d. lobbyist

lawyer

. In 1973, Congress passed the War Powers Resolution, which a. required congressional approval before the president could dismiss the Secretary of Defense. b. limited the length of time a president can deploy troops in military action without congressional approval. c. extended the president's power over the military. d. was necessary because of the increased threat of nuclear war.

limited the length of time a president can deploy troops in military action without congressional approval.

The process of compromise by offering to trade support for a legislator's bill if they support your bill is called a. earmarking. b. logrolling. c. horse trading. d. pork trading.

logrolling

The process by which people acquire political beliefs and attitudes is called a. opinion leadership. b. political socialization. c. agenda setting. d. peer grouping. e. consensus building.

political socialization.

. Which of the following statements concerning the representation of women and minorities in the U.S. Congress is true? a. Representation of women and minorities has decreased by one-third since the 1970's. b. Representation of women and minorities has increased over the past two decades but is not comparable to their proportions in the general population. c. Since the mid-1990s, the number of women and minorities in Congress roughly reflects their proportions in the general population. d. Women and minorities are overrepresented in the House but underrepresented in the Senate.

representation of woen and inorities has increased over the past two decades but is not comparable to their proportions in the general population

Which of the following is not a function of Congress? a. Spending time serving constituents b. Educating the public through hearings and debates c. Carrying out and executing laws they have passed d. Representing constituents e. resolving conflicts among peers in the two chambers

representing constituents

The National Security Council is composed of all of the following except the a. vice-president b. Speaker of the House c. secretary of defense d. secretary of treasury

speaker of the house

The power of the purse means that a. the president controls the budget appropriations process. b. the Congress retains the Constitutional power on spending authority. c. the military determines their own budget allocations. d. the president has the power to raise taxes in time of war.

the Congress retains the Constitutional power on spending authority.

. All of the following are true of emergency powers except a. they have allowed presidents to exercise their powers during times of crisis. b. they were used by President Truman when he authorized the seizure of steel plants during the Korean War. c. the Supreme Court ruled against Truman's use of emergency powers during the Korean War. d. the Supreme Court upheld Truman's seizing of privately owned steel plants during the Korean War. e. emergency powers were used by Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War.

the Supreme Court upheld Truman's seizing of privately owned seel plants during the Korean War.

. The government agencies that are involved in gathering information about the capabilities and intentions of foreign governments are collectively known as a. the Washington community. b. the armed services consortium. c. the intelligence community. d. regulatory agencies.

the intelligence community.

The Constitution gives the vice president a. the job of presiding over the Senate and voting in case of a tie. b. many responsibilities independent of presidential authority. c. the job of Chief of Staff to the president. d. the power to debate legislation the president supports in the House

the job of Chief of Staff to the president.

Redistricting is a. the allocation of seats in the House to each state after each federal census. b. the redrawing of district boundaries within each state to ensure equal district populations. c. a court order to hold new elections because of voting irregularities. d. altering a legislative formula that apportions spending among states. e. Normally a bipartisan exercise.

the redrawing of district boundaries within each state to ensure equal district populations.

What is the primary constitutional task of the vice president, besides succeeding the president in case of death, resignation, or incapacitation? a. to serve as Speaker of the House b. to cast tie-breaking votes in the Senate. c. to act as a chief admiral of the U.S. Navy. d. to run day-to-day operations of the Executive Office of the President.

to cast tie-breaking votes in the Senate.

The three specific factors for why the U.S. remains in a state of agency representation are apportionment, incumbency and choice of candidates.

true

Usually in U.S. midterm congressional elections, a. voter turnout increases sharply b. the president's political party always gains seats in Congress. c. voter turnout falls sharply. d. incumbents are more likely to lose.

voter turnout falls sharply.