ch 9, 10, 11, 12 American Federal Government
(CH12) A question that has to do with the U.S. Constitution, acts of Congress, or treaties is known as which of the following?
A federal question
(CH12) Federal courts have jurisdiction when a case involves which of the following?
A federal question or diversity of citizenship
Which of the following statements most accurately describes a bureaucracy?
A large organization, structured hierarchically, that carries out specific functions
(CH12) In which of the following cases may the Supreme Court serve as a trial court of original jurisdiction?
Cases in which a state is a party and in cases affecting foreign diplomats
In 2005, President George W. Bush was widely criticized for FEMA's response to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Bush was being held responsible for fulfilling which of the following roles?
Chief executive
Which of the following accurately describes the powers used by President Lincoln in the suspension of civil liberties at the beginning of the Civil War and the calling into service of the state militias to preserve the Union?
Emergency powers
As chief executive, which of the following is the president constitutionally bound to do?
Enforce laws, treaties, and court orders
What would be the most likely result if the United States cut back on imports from foreign countries?
Foreign countries cutting imports from the U.S.
Which of the following statements is true about government corporations?
Government corporations do not usually have any stockholders.
Which of the following correctly describes a business created by the federal government itself, which then sells part or all the corporation's stock to private investors?
Government-sponsored enterprise
In 2016, President Barack Obama attended the funeral of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Israeli President Shimon Perez. Which of the following presidential roles was he fulfilling?
Head of state
(CH12) Which of the following statements is correct regarding the first use of a Supreme Court power?
In the case Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court first exercised the power of judicial review
Which of the following choices best describes how presidents and vice presidents are elected in the United States today?
Indirectly, through the Electoral College
Which of the following choices accurately describes the makeup of iron triangles?
Interest groups, legislators, and members of the bureaucracy working to promote and protect their mutual interests
Which of the following statements regarding congressional control over the bureaucracy is most accurate?
It can result in congressional hearings.
Which of the following statements most accurately describes what the Pendleton Act accomplished?
It established the principle of employment on the basis of open competitive examinations.
Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the Office of Management and Budget?
It helps the president prepare the annual budget
Why is it difficult to change the bureaucracy?
It is difficult to fire civil servants due to a lengthy appeals process.
(CH12) Which of the following statements is correct about the Supreme Court's power to enforce its own decisions?
It is non-existent.
(CH12) What does it mean if a case is remanded?
It is sent back to the court that originally heard the case.
The president may arguably be the most powerful chief executive in the country. Yet, many presidents find it difficult to tame the bureaucracy. Which of the following is the most likely reason for this ineffectiveness?
Most civil service employees owe the president no allegiance.
Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding the early ending of a presidency in the history of the United States?
No president has ever been impeached and convicted
(CH12) Under which of the following conditions can the U.S. Supreme Court review a state supreme court decision?
Only if a federal question is involved
Which of the following accurately describes the granting of release from punishment for a crime?
Pardon
(CH12) A judge rules a certain way on a case because prior cases of a similar nature were decided similarly. That judge is relying on which of the following?
Precedent
Which president first implemented the spoils system of bureaucratic appointments?
President Andrew Jackson
(CH12) Which of the following statements is most accurate about President Obama's Supreme Court appointments?
President Obama appointed Justices Sotomayor and Kagan to replace Justices Souter and Stevens and appointed the first Hispanic member of the Supreme Court.
Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the successful privatization of government services?
Privatization has been most successful at the local level.
What was the Hatch Act, adopted by Congress in 1939, created to accomplish?
Prohibit federal employees from active involvement in political campaigns
Which of the following statements is not true of bureaucracies?
Public bureaucracies are fully independent of Congress.
Which of the following is not included in an iron triangle?
Public opinion
Which of the following word pairs correctly completes the following sentence: In 2013, Congressional __________ refused to raise the debt ceiling, leading to __________.
Republicans; a government shutdown
Which of the following House committees proposes time limitations on debate for bills?
Rules Committee
Which of the following is a model of bureaucracy in which bureaucrats are viewed as problem-solving specialists who use logic and reasoning?
The Weberian model
Which of the following individuals directs the White House Office and advises the president?
The chief of staff
(CH12) Which of the following statements is most accurate about judicial interpretations of common law principles and doctrines, constitutional law, statutory law, and administrative law?
They are called case law.
(CH12) Which of the following statements about U.S. district courts is most accurate?
They are the trial courts of the federal system.
Which of the following statements is accurate regarding the members of the cabinet?
They may include the vice president and other advisors if the president chooses to include them
Two views of representation—the trustee view and the instructed-delegate view—are opposed to each other. How do members of Congress reconcile these two views in practice?
They switch views of representation based on the public's interest in a particular bill.
Which of the following accurately describes the fiscal year used by the federal government?
October to September
Which of the following agencies is one of the most powerful agencies in Washington, DC, and assists in the preparation of the federal budget and monitors federal agencies throughout the year?
Office of Management and Budget
Which of the following statements is correct with respect to cabinet departments?
They are created by Congress but report directly to the president.
If Congress approves a trade agreement with another country despite the widely held view that it will cost American jobs, what is the most likely reason legislators are taking this action?
They are following the trustee view of representation.
Which of the following statements correctly describes the location and rulemaking responsibility of an independent regulatory agency?
An independent regulatory agency exists outside of a major cabinet department and is responsible for creating rules and regulations within a specific policy area.
Which of the following describes a group of individuals, including legislators and their staffs, bureaucrats, interest group leaders, and experts, all advocating for a policy position?
An issue network
Which of the following terms refers to the division of Congress into two separate assemblies?
Bicameralism
Which of the following individuals is constitutionally qualified to become President?
James, 37 years old, who was born in Texas to parents from Mexico.
(CH12) Which of the following statements regarding the number of justices on the Supreme Court is most accurate?
.
(CH12) What did the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 accomplish?
.It reset the statute of limitations for filing an equal-pay lawsuit each time an employer issues a discriminatory paycheck
When a regulatory agency like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes a newly proposed regulation, it must wait how many days before it can be enforced?
60
Which of the following statements accurately describes changes in the number of federal government employees?
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(CH12) Which of the following labels most accurately characterizes the Roberts Court?
A conservative court
(CH12) In all but unanimous cases, one of the justices who supported the winning side of a case will write which of the following?
A majority opinion
Which of the following accurately describes the concept of cloture?
A process that attempts to end debate on a bill in the Senate
(CH12) After the United States Supreme Court decides an issue, which of the following correctly describes what happens next among other courts or institutions?
All other courts are obligated to abide by the decision.
Which of the following statements correctly differentiates between types of bureaucratic agencies?
An independent executive agency is not part of a cabinet department but still reports directly to the president, while an independent regulatory agency exists outside the major departments and is tasked with making and implementing rules within a specific area.
(CH12) Which of the following is the most common way for the Supreme Court to respond to appeals?
Decline to hear a case
(CH12) What does it mean if a case is affirmed?
It means the lower court decision is valid and must stand.
Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the Whistleblower Protection Act?
It prohibits reprisals against whistleblowers by their superiors.
What did the Government in the Sunshine Act require?
It required all federal agencies run by committees to conduct their business regularly in public sessions.
(CH12) The Warren Court propelled the civil rights movement forward through its use of which of the following doctrines?
Judicial activism
(CH12) Which of the following terms denotes a doctrine holding that the courts defer to the decisions of elected officials when possible?
Judicial restraint
(CH12) Which of the following correctly denotes the power of the courts to determine the constitutionality of a law or action?
Judicial review
(CH12) Which of the following statements is true regarding lawsuits and criminal cases?
Lawsuits and most criminal cases are heard in state courts.
(CH12) All three of the Supreme Court justices appointed by President Trump were approved by narrow party-line margins despite contentious nomination processes. What can you infer from this result?
Senators will tend to vote with the party to secure a Court that is like-minded with their party's ideology.
(CH12) The U.S. Supreme Court case Dirks v. SEC set forth the circumstances under which an individual may be convicted of insider trading. This case has served as governing precedent ever since. Courts that rule based on the precedent set by Dirks v. SEC are relying on which of the following?
Stare decisis
(CH12) Which of the following statements highlights a fact about state judges that differentiates them from federal judges?
State judges are often chosen through elections.
(CH12) Which of the following is correct about judicial activism?
The Supreme Court should actively check the other branches of government when they exceed their authority.
(CH12) George W. Bush appointed 322 federal court judges, ensuring a majority of Republican-appointed judges in the federal courts. Barack Obama appointed 329 judges, shifting the balance. What can we infer about the partisanship of the federal courts when President Biden took office in 2021?
The federal courts will be relatively balanced because President Trump only served one term.
Decades of stability in the number of federal government employees is somewhat misleading due to which of the following?
The growth of state and local governments and the use of consultants
What can be inferred from the replacement of iron triangles with issue networks as models to describe policy making?
The policy-making environment has become more complex.
(CH12) Which of the following groups was most likely to claim victory in the Supreme Court cases Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and McDonald v. Chicago?
The political right
(CH12) Which of the following describes the procedure used by the Supreme Court in determining which cases it will hear?
The rule of four
Which of the following terms is defined as the awarding of government jobs to political supporters?
The spoils system
(CH12) Which of the following most accurately describes the dual court system found in the United States?
There are state and federal courts.
(CH12) Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding judges and justices in the federal court system?
They are appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Which of the following word pairs correctly completes the following sentence: A representative who votes in accordance with the wishes of his or her constituency is acting as a(n) __________, while one who pursues the best national interest, regardless of public opinion in his or her constituency, is acting as a(n) __________.
instructed delegate; trustee
(CH12) What can the FISA court do?
issue warrants without revealing the information used to justify the warrant
Which of the following refers to a special rule that can be applied to budget bills sent from the House to the Senate?
reconciliation
Which of the following accurately categorizes the bureaucrats described in the statement?
A bureaucrat who tries to expand his or her budget is best described by the acquisitive model of bureaucracy, while one who uses logic and reasoning to solve problems within an organized hierarchy is best described by the Weberian model.
Which of the following statements most accurately compares leaks and whistleblowing?
A release of classified information that may endanger American soldiers is called a leak, and a release of information that calls attention to inefficiency or illegal action is called whistleblowing.
Which of the following accurately describes the two steps to the Congressional budgeting process?
Authorization and appropriation
In which of the following circumstances would a vice president not become president?
Because Congress appoints the vice president to the office
In the first Cabinet meeting of 2014, President Obama said, "I've got a pen, and I've got a phone. And I can use that pen to sign executive orders and take executive actions and administrative actions that move the ball forward in helping to make sure our kids are getting the best education possible, making sure that our businesses are getting the kind of support and help they need to grow and advance, to make sure that people are getting the skills that they need to get those jobs that our businesses are creating." "I've got a phone that allows me to convene Americans from every walk of life, nonprofits, businesses, the private sector, universities to try to bring more and more Americans together around what I think is a unifying theme: making sure that this is a country where, if you work hard, you can make it," he added. This quote was in response to the difficulties he was currently facing in which presidential role?
Chief legislator of the United States
Lyndon Johnson (1963-1969) ordered bombing missions against North Vietnam in the 1960s, and he personally selected some of the targets. Which of the following presidential roles was he fulfilling?
Commander in chief of the armed forces
Lawmaking is the major function of which of the following institutions?
Congress
Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the oversight process?
Congress passes legislation
Staff members in the Executive Office of the President who oversee a particular policy area are commonly referred to as
Czars
Which of the following groups of powers does not belong exclusively to Congress?
Declaring war and commanding the military
Which of the following statements accurately describes reliance on the advice of the cabinet, generally speaking?
In general, few presidents have relied heavily on the advice of the cabinet.
Which of the following correctly identifies the bureaucratic unit type of the Social Security Administration, Small Business Administration, and the Smithsonian Institution?
Independent executive agencies
Which of the following bureaucratic agency types combines the powers and functions of all three branches of government to some extent because they make, enforce, and resolve disputes over the rules?
Independent regulatory agencies
The necessary and proper clause has provided both a basis for expansion and a check on expansion. Which of the following accurately describes this outcome?
It has allowed for an expanded national government and constituted a check on the expansion of presidential powers
Which of the following is a true statement regarding the process of suspending the rules of the Senate, thus ending the threat of a filibuster?
It is known as the nuclear option.
What can be said regarding the structure of a bureaucracy?
It is structured hierarchically.
The National Security Council is a link between which of the following?
Key foreign and military advisors and the president
Why are bureaucratic agencies often able to decide for themselves how to carry out the wishes of Congress?
Legislation is often too vague to effectively guide the bureaucracy, and they are enabled to do so by the legislation itself.
Which of the following groups has been the major beneficiary of the Freedom of Information Act?
News organizations
Which of the following mandates that the Speaker of the House of Representatives assumes the presidency when both the presidency and vice presidency are vacant?
Presidential Succession Act of 1947
Which of the following statements regarding presidential popularity is most accurate?
Presidential popularity is an important resource for presidents to use to persuade Congress to pass legislation.
Which of the following terms correctly denotes when government services are replaced by services from the private sector?
Privatization
In 2013, which group exercised the "nuclear option" to accomplish which action?
Senate Democrats; allow confirmation of judicial nominees
The White House Office, the National Security Council, and the Office of Management and Budget are all part of which of the following?
The Executive Office of the President
Which of the following acts requires the federal government to release, at your request, any information it has about you or other subjects?
The Freedom of Information Act
Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001, which of the following has NOT taken place?
The Freedom of Information Act was abolished.
Which of the following statements about the House majority leader is most accurate?
The House majority leader is elected by the caucus of the majority party.
Which of the following individuals is not a part of the president's cabinet?
The Speaker of the House
Who are the first two officials in the line of presidential succession after the vice president?
The Speaker of the House followed by the president pro tempore of the Senate
Although the president theoretically has considerable control over cabinet departments, why do these departments frequently disappoint the president?
The entire structure under the top political levels is staffed by permanent employees
Which part of the federal government employs most of the government's staff?
The executive Branch
Where do most ideas for legislation originate?
The executive branch
Which of the following accurately describes the bases of committee chairs and leadership positions in each house of Congress?
They are based on which party holds the majority in each chamber
Which of the following statements has Supreme Court rulings appeared to confirm?
The president can unilaterally withdraw the United States from a treaty.
Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the president's role as commander in chief?
The president is the ultimate decision maker in military matters.
Which of the following is true regarding the religious faith of elected presidents?
The religious faith of most presidents has been of the Protestant tradition
Which of the following statements is not true about political appointees?
Their major source of authority is the ease with which they can fire civil servants
Which of the following statements about executive agreements is most accurate?
They are agreements between the president and the head of a foreign government that do not have to be approved by the Senate.
How were the major cabinet departments of the government created?
Through congressional legislation
Which amendment to the Constitution established procedures for filling presidential and vice-presidential vacancies and makes provisions for presidential incapacity?
Twenty-Fifth
What was the effect of Ronald Reagan's presidency on the federal bureaucracy?
Under Reagan, the elimination of revenue sharing caused government employment to fall.
Which feature that differentiates a government bureaucracy from a private corporation makes the efficient use of taxpayer dollars a challenge?
Without a profit motive, there is no force driving efficiency.
When an industry that is being regulated gains control over the agency that is supposed to regulate it, the process is called which of the following?
capture
