Gov
________ is defined as a way to improve government performance by encouraging state and local governments to contend against each other for residents, businesses, investment, and national funding.
Competitive federalism
________ refers to a constitutional arrangement in which sovereign nations or states, through a constitutional compact, create a central government but carefully limit its power and do not give it direct authority over individuals.
Confederation
Which of the following is true of the Fifteenth amendment of the provisions of the U.S. Constitution? Question options:
It states that state governments cannot deny franchise based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude."
People tend to become politically active when ________.
issues become more intense and seem to directly affect them
A judicial interpretation is a device for constitutional change, whereby ________.
judges modify a constitution's provision by reinterpreting its meaning
In which government do U.S. citizens usually have the most trust?
local governments
In the context of national grants, Democrats tend to favor ________.
more detailed, federally supervised spending
In 2004, an amendment to eliminate language in Alabama's constitution that requires segregated schools and a poll tax was _______.
narrowly defeated
The constitutional basis for the implied powers of Congress is the ________ clause.
necessary and proper
The ________ is a type of ballot that encourages party line voting by listing all of a party's candidates in a column under the party name.
party column ballot
Which of the following is the most important predictor of voting behavior?
party identification
Separating state elections from presidential or federal elections ________.
permits voters to focus more closely on state issues
According to Article I, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. Congress may not alter regulations regarding the ________.
places of choosing senators
Which amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees women the right to vote?
Nineteenth Amendment
Which of the following best describes typical state constitutions?
They are subject only to the broad limitations of the U.S. Constitution.
Which amendment of the constitution prohibits states from requiring voters to pay a poll tax?
Twenty-Fourth Amendment
A constitutional initiative petition is ________.
a way in which voters may place a proposed state constitutional amendment on the ballot by petition
A(n) ________ is a type of ballot offered in some states that can be requested by citizens who are unable to reach the polls on Election Day. The ballots are sent as well as submitted through the mail.
absentee ballot
Compared to the federal constitution, state constitutions are generally ________.
amended more often
Interstate compact refers to ________.
an agreement among two or more states
Unlike the federal constitution, most state constitutions ________.
are amended on a regular basis.
Why are professional associations concerned with public policy?
because the states provide their licenses and determine the requirements to become licensed
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is ________. Question options:
both a block and formula grant
People who favor national action over action at the state and local levels are known as ________.
centralists
How many constitutions has Alabama had till date?
6
Which of the following statements about block grants is true?
Block grants are limited to specific amounts set by the national government.
How is the party chair for a party chosen?
elected by the party's central committee
________ grants for specific purposes, such as Medicaid health care for the poor, are tightly monitored to ensure that the money is spent exactly as directed.
Categorical
________ are powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions.
implied powers
Two-thirds of the states elect governors ________.
in presidential midterm years
Which of the following is an example of a direct strategy for influencing state legislators?
in-house lobbying
State governments can also hold ________ to vote on a ballot initiative, a statewide constitutional change or a new constitution, or to replace a U.S. senator who has died or resigned.
special elections
As a result of new judicial federalism, ________.
state courts have used their state bill of rights to provide more protection than found in the U.S. Bill of Rights
To combat disenfranchisement, which act was pushed for and signed by President Lyndon Johnson?
the Voting Rights Act
A constitutional arrangement that concentrates power in a central government is known as a(n) ________ system.
unitary
If the constitution of a country vests all governmental power in the central government, then it is most likely to follow a(n) ________ system of governance.
unitary
Which of the following professionals are NOT typically licensed by the state?
waiters
In the United States, the national government exercises exclusive authority over matters pertaining to ________.
war and peace
The first state constitutions _______
were outgrowths of colonial charters
Which of the following citizens are prohibited from voting in a majority of states in the United States?
prison inmates
Amending state constitutions is a two-step process involving ________.
proposal and ratification
All powers not specifically delegated to the national government by the Constitution are known as ________ powers. These powers can be found in the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution.
reserve
Only the states have the powers to create schools and local governments. These powers exemplify ________.
reserve
What is the main concern of critics with regard to online voting?
security risks
What is meant by redistribution of resources?
shifting wealth from one segment of the population to another, generally from rich to poor
________ refers to the divisions in a community among socioeconomic groups or classes.
Social stratification
Which of the following is true regarding the constitutional roles of state and federal governments in regulating elections?
All elections for national offices are held by and within the states.
Which of the following statements about the constitutional framework of the U.S. federal system is true? Question
Apart from the powers delegated to it by the Constitution, the national government has numerous inherent powers.
Which of the following is true with regard to the supremacy clause?
Contained in Article VI of the Constitution, the clause gives national laws the absolute power even when states have enacted a competing law.
________ refer to the constraints on how much a single contributor may give to a candidate in an election or period of time.
Contribution limits
________, which was dominant from the 1930s through the 1970s, is defined as a flexible relationship between the national and state governments in which both work together on a variety of issues and programs.
Cooperative federalism
________ refers to allowing voters from outside the party to help determine the party's nominee.
Crossover voting
________ laws are a fundamental element of campaign finance regulation that ask candidates to file statements specifying who contributed money to their campaigns, and how much the individuals or organizations gave and when.
Disclosure
________ is defined as a strict separation of powers between the national and state governments in which each layer has its own responsibilities, and reigns supreme within its constitutional realm.
Dual federalism
Which of the following statements is true about the disadvantages of federalism?
Federalism promotes variation in policies that creates inefficiencies and inequalities.
________ refer to elections in which voters elect officeholders.
General elections
The landmark ruling of ________ in 1824, affirmed the broad authority of Congress over interstate commerce.
Gibbons v. Ogden
Which of the following statements is true of interest groups?
Interest groups are weaker in states where the state government is strong, active, and professional.
Which of the following is true with regard to the full faith and credit clause?
It refers to the clause in the Constitution requiring each state to recognize the civil judgments rendered by the courts of the other states and to accept their acts as valid.
What is a one-party state?
It is a state in which one party wins all or nearly all of the offices, and the second party receives only one-third of the popular vote.
Which of the following is true of the nature of control over the vast electoral process in the United States in its rules and administration?
It is decentralized.
Which of the following is true of the provisions of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution?
It prevents states from denying the vote to otherwise qualified persons aged 18 or older.
Which of the following is reason for the relative lack of public interest in local government?
Local governments are mostly concerned with seemingly noncontroversial, routine issues.
In ________ (1819), the Supreme Court had the first of many chances to define the division of power between the national and state governments.
McCulloch v. Maryland
________ refer to elections used to determine who will run in the general elections under the party labels.
Primary elections
________ are laws authorizing grants of government funds to qualifying candidates for elective office, to be used in their campaigns.campaigns.
Public financing laws
________ refer to procedures for submitting to popular vote measures passed by the legislature or proposed amendments to a state constitution.
Referendums
________ refer to elections in which voters decide on ballot initiatives, vote on statewide constitutional changes or new constitutions, or elect a senator or representative to replace one who has died or resigned.
Special elections
Which of the following best describes recent trends in state and local government spending as compared to federal government spending over the past 30 years?
State and local government spending has grown, while federal spending has decreased except for federal spending in 2009-2011.
Which of the following is true about constitutional initiative petitions?
They tend to be used for controversial issues.
________ is the term used to describe number of people in a state aged 18 or older minus non-citizens, prisoners and others who cannot vote.
Voting-eligible population
In 2012, several residents of Wisconsin were unhappy with Governor Scott Walker's push for anti-union legislation. Which of the following should they have used to remove him from office?
a recall election
Pluralism is ________.
a theory of government that holds that open, multiple, and competing groups can check the asserted power of any one group
A ________ divides governmental powers between the national government and state governments, giving clearly defined functions to each. Question options:
constitution
Decentralists differ from centralists in that ________.
decentralists believe that the national government should not interfere with activities reserved for the states
Powers given explicitly to the national government and listed in the Constitution are known as ________.
delegated
Interest groups ________.
educate and organize voters
The day-to-day operations of a political party are usually carried out by the party's ________, a full-time employee who oversees the staff, assists the chair, coordinates the work of the central committee and other party officials, and serves as a liaison with the national organizations.
executive director
________ refers to the requirement the national government imposes as a condition for receiving federal funds.
federal mandate
A constitutional arrangement in which power is distributed between a central government and states is known as ________.
federalism
In the United States, the national government assumes major responsibility for ________.
funding recovery efforts after natural disasters
Lack of citizen interest in, and participation in, local politics is often referred to as ________.
grassroots apathy
Concurrent powers refer to ________.
powers that the Constitution gives to both the national and state governments
A(n) ________ is a vote for all of one party's candidates.
straight ticket
The most common method for proposing amendments to a state constitution is ________.
taking action by using state legislatures
Compared to state and national elections, local elections ________.
tend to have lower levels of turnout
Citizen opposition to having a drug treatment clinic or a prison in their neighborhood is an example of ________.
the "Not In My Back Yard!" response
Which of the following acts increased the focus on voter identification as a means to combat voter fraud?
the Help America Vote Act
Which of the following acts made it easier for Americans to register to vote?
the Motor Voter Act
While practicing new judicial federalism, judges in state courts rely upon ________.
their state's bill of rights