Exam 2- Political Science
President Trump signed more executive orders than any other recent president in his first 100 days in office. Some notable ones were to reverse the Affordable Care Act and ban admission to the U.S. for a range of immigrants and refugees. These instructions do not require congressional approval. This exemplifies the power of the president to issue a. vetoes. b. executive privileges. c. entitlement programs. d. presidential directives.
d
A long-term shift in voter allegiance from one party to the other is called a a. party caucus. b. dealignment. c. party renewal. d. party realignment.
d
An electoral system that assigns party delegates according to vote share in a presidential primary election or that assigns seats in the legislature according to vote share in a general election is known what? a. A winner-take-all system b. Caucusing c. An open primary d. Proportional representation
d
Fabio, a 44-year-old, was born in Italy but immigrated to the United States with his parents when he was only 4 years old. He has been living here most of his life and does have U.S. citizenship. Can he attain the office of U.S. president? a. Yes, he has lived in the country for almost his entire life and is a U.S. citizen. b. No, he must be older than 45. c. Yes, he is older than 35. d. No, he is not a natural-born citizen.
d
How many times in history has an individual NOT gained the popular vote and still become president? a. Ten b. One c. Fifteen d. Five
d
In the case of the U.S., the party in government is made up of the a. state or national political parties (e.g. Republican National Committee). b. number of registered Democratic and Republican voters. c. Democratic primary election, in which only Democrats may participate. d. number of Democrats and Republicans in Congress.
d
Lyndon Johnson's federal social welfare programs became known as the a. Contract with America. b. Cold War. c. New Deal. d. Great Society.
d
Most congressional powers are listed in which section of the Constitution? a. Article I, Section 2 b. Article III, Section 1 c. Article II, Section 1 d. Article I, Section 8
d
To which collective body does unanimous consent apply? a. House and the Senate b. Senate c. House d. Congress, president, and judiciary
b
Which type of congressional committee is permanent and reports to the full chamber? a. Select b. Standing c. Joint d. Special
b
Which amendment allowed for the direct election of U.S. senators? a. Twelfth b. Tenth c. Seventeenth d. Sixteenth
c
Which amendment set the eligibility requirements for vice president? a. Fifth b. Second c. Tenth d. Twelfth
d
Although Barack Obama won reelection in 2012 by a margin of 51 to 47 percent, due to a Republican majority in the House, the country experienced a. little bipartisanship and divided government. b. strong bipartisanship and responsible party government. c. a period of Democratic policy control. d. a unique time of bipartisanship.
a
Because he came across well on television, Ronald Reagan is referred to as a. the "Great Communicator." b. the "Man of the People." c. "Mr. Nice Guy." d. the "Comeback Kid."
a
Congress may remove judges and executive officials from office via a. impeachment. b. advice and consent. c. gerrymandering. d. pocket veto.
a
Controversial and divisive topics like gun control, abortion, and race that are often used in campaigns to break up an opponent's coalitions are referred to as a. wedge issues. b. retrospective voting strategies. c. position issues. d. valence issues.
a
How do freshman congress members typically choose their committee assignments? a. Based upon the needs of their district or state b. By choosing a mentor and joining his or her committee c. By polling their constituents and determining on which committee they want representation d. Based upon national issues on the public radar
a
In June 2018, the White House announced that the president exonerated the prison sentence of two Oregon cattle ranchers who started fires that damaged federal lands. What power is the president using? a. Pardon b. Excoriate c. Commute d. Expunge
a
In the 1960s, members of underrepresented groups like women and black Americans objected to the Democratic Party's use of the unit rule to nominate presidents—which stated that whoever won the majority of primary or state nominating convention votes won the entire state's delegates. What's another name for the this rule? a. Winner-take-all b. Blanket primary c. Proportional representation d. Superdelegate
a
In the earliest presidential elections, how did electors vote for president and vice president? a. They cast ballots for their top two choices; the winner became president, and the second-place finisher became vice president. b. They rallied behind and voted for a party candidate, no matter his ideology. c. They selected the most popular (as opposed to qualified) candidate. d. Those voting within the District of Columbia were allowed to break any ties.
a
Party machines of the late nineteenth century were fueled by what group of individuals? a. Immigrants b. Wealthy aristocrats c. Republicans d. Rural voters
a
Redrawing district boundaries so most voters in a district favor one party is called a. gerrymandering. b. electioneering. c. franking. d. redistricting.
a
Stephanie is running for a seat on the House of Representatives. She beats her opponents in the election but does not get 50 percent or more of the votes. In a single-member plurality system, what does this mean? a. She wins because only a plurality of votes is needed. b. She does not win because she needs a majority of votes. c. She also needs to win the electoral college vote. d. She gets a percentage of the representation based on the percentage of votes she won.
a
Teddy Roosevelt ran for president under which third party label? a. Progressive b. Whig c. Federalist d. Democrat
a
The November presidential election is coming up and the current president is running for re-election. Elise is a concerned citizen who believes that the current president is spending too much time working toward reelection and not enough time governing. This change in the president's focus demonstrates the concept of the a. permanent campaign. b. vanishing margin. c. invisible primary. d. patronage game.
a
The only way to stop a filibuster is by invoking cloture, a motion to end debate that requires a supermajority. How many senators constitute a supermajority? a. 60 b. 25 c. 75 d. 10
a
What are elections called that occur in between the four-year presidential election cycles? a. Midterm b. Advisory c. Primary d. General
a
What authority or role does the president have regarding the judicial system? a. The nomination of judges in the federal judicial system, including supreme court justices b. The nomination and removal of federal judges, including Supreme Court justices c. No authority or role d. The appointment all federal judges, including supreme court justices
a
What does a candidate need to win the presidency? a. A majority of electoral votes b. A plurality of electoral votes c. A majority of the national popular vote d. A plurality of the national popular vote
a
What groups can raise and give an unlimited amount of money to political candidates? a. PACs b. Interest groups c. 501(c)(3) organizations d. Super PACs
a
When a president signs a bill into law, he can issue written remarks that reflect his interpretation of the law that are not required or authorized by the Constitution. These remarks are called a. signing statements. b. executive orders. c. executive privileges. d. pocket vetoes.
a
Which is the top leadership position in the House of Representatives? a. Speaker of the House b. President pro tempore c. Majority whip d. Committee chairman
a
Which issue ignited the formation of the Republican Party? a. Slavery b. Immigration c. Unemployment d. Education
a
Which major controversy marred the presidency of Ronald Reagan? a. Iran-Contra scandal b. Cold War c. Watergate d. Whitewater
a
Which piece of legislation was passed to reform the civil service by requiring that government jobs be filled based on qualifications rather than political connections? a. Pendleton Act b. Emancipation Proclamation c. Stamp Act d. McCain/Feingold Act
a
Which system awards government programs and benefits based on political loyalty to a party? a. Patronage b. Nonpartisan c. Socialist d. Merit
a
Which term refers to the general patterns of voters' party identification and their behavior on Election Day? a. Party in the electorate b. Party machinations c. Party in government d. Party as an organization
a
Who controls the flow of staff and paperwork, focuses the president's attention on key issues, monitors the coherence of presidential policies across cabinet departments, serves as a referee for disagreements among senior staff members, and forms bridges between the president and Congress? a. Chief of staff b. Speaker of the House c. Vice president d. Majority whip
a
Who participated in the first televised presidential debate? a. John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon b. Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan c. Dwight Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson d. Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon
a
Because a president in his second term cannot seek reelection, he is commonly referred to as a(n) a. bully pulpit. b. lame duck. c. privileged executive. d. omnibus
b
During which event does the party name their presidential and vice presidential candidates and lay out the party's plan for government? a. The first primary b. The national convention c. The invisible primary d. The Iowa caucus
b
In 2012, the Washington Post reported that a Georgia congressman secured $6.3 million in taxpayer money to replenish a beach close to his vacation home. Similarly, a Michigan representative secured $486,000 to build a bike lane near her home. While the ethics behind these actions are questionable, they are legal. What type of funding projects are these congresspeople using? a. Omnibus bills b. Earmarks c. Block grants d. Reconciliations
b
In 2016, voters gave the Republican party control of the White House and Congress. Now, voters have high expectations and will hold the Republican party accountable for policy outcomes in the next election. This demonstrates the concept of a. party alignment. b. the responsible party. c. proportional representation. d. a party caucus.
b
In the summer of 2017, Connecticut senator Christopher S. Murphy took control of the Senate floor for 15 hours in an attempt to force the majority leader, Senator Mitch McConnell, to allow votes on Democrats' amendments to an annual bill that sought to tighten U.S. gun laws. In what tactic is Murphy engaging? a. Gerrymander b. Filibuster c. Unanimous consent d. Cloture
b
In what election do voters choose candidates who will run on the party label in a general election? a. Party b. Primary c. Caucus d. Ballot
b
In which case did the Supreme Court rule that blanket primaries were unconstitutional? a. Griswold v. Connecticut b. California Democratic Party v. Jones c. Marbury v. Madison d. Buckley v. Valeo
b
Noncontroversial issues that are not likely to differ between candidates—such as "keeping America safe" and "providing good education for children"—are called a. retrospective issues. b. valence issues. c. wedge issues. d. position issues.
b
Since the 1960s, competitiveness in congressional elections has been declining. This trend is referred to as a. safe seats. b. vanishing marginals. c. presidential coattails. d. term limits.
b
The internal structure that guides how a party operates at the federal, state, and local levels is called the party a. in government. b. organization. c. in the electorate. d. platform.
b
The president may wait for Congress to go out of session and simply not sign a bill. This decision is called a(n) a. tabling of the bill. b. pocket veto. c. executive agreement. d. override.
b
What authority given to Congress has been the most instrumental in expanding its power relative to the other branches of government? a. War powers b. Taxation and appropriation c. Regulation of commerce d. Appointments and treaties
b
What did the Framers who favored ratification of the Constitution call themselves? a. Antifederalists b. Federalists c. Democrats d. Republicans
b
What is the minimum age for a House of Representatives member and a U.S senator, respectively? a. 30; 35 b. 25; 30 c. 21; 25 d. 18; 21
b
Where do bills concerning raising revenue originate? a. Senate b. House of Representatives c. Supreme Court d. Executive Branch
b
Which first lady showed her support for civil rights by arranging for the first African American opera singer to perform on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial? a. Betty Ford b. Eleanor Roosevelt c. Lady Bird Johnson d. Jacqueline Onassis Kennedy
b
Which party established itself as the party for civil rights for African Americans in the 1960s? a. Federalists b. Democrats c. Republicans d. Whigs
b
Which political body is subject to redistricting, or the redrawing of the boundaries of congressional districts in a state to make them approximately equal in population size? a. Senate b. House of Representatives c. Congress d. Supreme Court
b
Which statement describes spending on presidential elections from 2000 to 2016? a. It has declined slowly. b. It has risen sharply. c. It has fluctuated. d. It has been relatively stable.
b
Which theory asserts that, in a two-party race, if voters select candidates on the basis of ideology and everyone participates equally, the party closer to the middle will win? a. Single-member plurality b. Median voter c. Party organization d. Winner-take-all
b
Who was the first president to have impeachment charges brought against him? a. Richard Nixon b. Andrew Johnson c. Bill Clinton d. Grover Cleveland
b
Why did the Framers establish Congress as a bicameral institution? a. To increase the power of Congress relative to the other branches b. To allow each chamber to check each other's power c. To increase efficiency and the speed by which Congress could operate d. To limit members of Congress to only two terms
b
How many terms do members of the House of Representatives serve? a. Six b. One c. Two d. Four
c
In 1991, a redistricting in North Carolina was designed to create a district with African Americans in the majority. Later, federal courts ruled that the state had to revise those district lines so that the congressional district was more compact. What is this politicization of drawing district boundaries called? a. Pork-barreling b. Microtargeting c. Gerrymandering d. Staggering
c
In December 2013, with President Barack Obama's popularity sagging and a struggling economy, many quality Democratic candidates decided not to run in the 2014 elections. This demonstrates a. vanishing marginals. b. the permanent campaign. c. the strategic politician hypothesis. d. retrospective voting.
c
In July 2017, President Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. This judicial nomination required the approval by two-thirds of the Senate in a Congressional power known as a. impeachment. b. pocket veto. c. advice and consent. d. judicial review.
c
In recent sessions, how do the House and Senate compare demographically to the U.S. population? a. Women make up about the same percentage in the House and Senate as their percentage of the total population, but ethnic minorities are underrepresented. b. Women and ethnic minorities make up similar percentages in the House and Senate as their percentages in the U.S. population. c. Women and ethnic minorities make up smaller percentages in the House and Senate than their percentages in the overall U.S. population. d. Ethnic minorities make up about the same percentages in the House and Senate as their percentages in the U.S. population, but women are underrepresented.
c
In which case did the Supreme Court rule that the president could not seize domestic property when the U.S. was at war abroad? a. Wickard v. Filburn b. Mapp v. Ohio c. Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. v. Sawyer d. American Title Company v. Davis
c
Individuals who currently hold the contested office but who run again are called what? a. Diplomats b. Veterans c. Incumbents d. Justices
c
Janice is voting in a primary but does not announce an affiliation with either party. She is given ballots with each party's list of candidates; she chooses which ballot to use and is restricted to voting for only one party's nominees. In which type of primary is Janice participating? a. Transparent b. Blanket c. Open d. Closed
c
Members of Congress may send mail to their constituents free of charge. This is called a. gerrymandering. b. bulk mailing. c. franking. d. pork-barreling.
c
Prior to the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, how were senators elected? a. By presidential nomination b. By selection from the major political parties c. By selection from members of state legislatures d. By state citizens in elections
c
The number of electoral votes a state receives corresponds to what? a. The popularity of the state's major political players b. The state's area c. The number of senators and members of the House of Representatives for the state d. The number of major cities in the state
c
The way members of Congress portray themselves to constituents is known as a. reconciliation. b. pork-barrel politics. c. home style. d. personal politics.
c
U.S. senators serve a staggered term of a. one year. b. two years. c. six years. d. four years.
c
What are the terms of office in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, respectively? a. Eight; four b. Four; six c. Six; two d. Two; four
c
What is it called when a popular president running for reelection brings additional party candidates into office? a. Microtargeting b. The midterm election effect c. The presidential coattails effect d. The strategic politician effect
c
What percentage of votes is necessary for Congress (both chambers) to override a presidential veto? a. One-fourth b. Half c. Two-thirds d. Three-fourths
c
What type of primary is restricted to voters affiliated with a particular party? a. Blanket b. Unopposed c. Closed d. Open
c
When state legislatures redraw district lines to try to keep districts equal in terms of population, it is called a. pork-barreling. b. gerrymandering. c. redistricting. d. microtargeting.
c
Which Supreme Court case established judicial review whereby laws could be declared unconstitutional? a. Wickard v. Filburn b. Bush v. Gore c. Marbury v. Madison d. McCulloch v. Maryland
c
Which case blocked the Bush administration from denying habeas corpus privileges to an enemy combatant who was a U.S. citizen? a. Marbury v. Madison b. McCulloch v. Maryland c. Hamdi v. Rumsfeld d. Michaels v. Guantanamo
c
Which case indicated that the president's power of executive privilege is not absolute? a. Bush v. Gore b. Wickard v. Filburn c. United States v. Nixon d. McCulloch v. Maryland
c
Which members of a party will definitely be invited to a national convention because they are instrumental in turning out party voters in the general election? a. Lobbyists b. Delegates c. Superdelegates d. Justices
c
Which scandal led to the resignation of Richard Nixon? a. Cold War b. Whitewater c. Watergate d. Iran-Contra
c
Which state has the most electoral votes? a. Florida b. Oklahoma c. California d. Texas
c
Who was the first female Speaker of the House? a. Jan Brewer b. Hillary Clinton c. Nancy Pelosi d. Jeanette Rankin
c
Pursuant to the War Powers Act, how many days may the president send troops into military conflict without an official declaration of war or authorization from Congress? a. No more than 60 b. No more than 120 c. No more than 30 d. No more than 90
d
Several Midwest states—Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan—are not considered strictly pro-Republican (like Tennessee) or pro-Democrat (like Massachusetts). What are these states, which are usually of vital interest to presidential candidates, called? a. Retrospective b. Invisible c. Valence d. Swing
d
The period before the primaries during which candidates attempt to capture party support and media coverage is called a. the beauty contest primary. b. open primaries. c. the permanent primary. d. the invisible primary.
d
The president directs all war efforts and military conflict under the title a. chief of staff. b. chief of state. c. chief diplomat. d. commander in chief.
d
The president's tenure was limited to two terms following which president's election to a fourth term? a. Teddy Roosevelt b. Lyndon Johnson c. Ronald Reagan d. Franklin Roosevelt
d
What determines the presidential order of succession? a. Supreme Court b. Popular vote c. Vote by current Congress d. Constitution
d
What is the Federal Register? a. List of politicians that have served in office since the signing of the Constitution b. Political think tank c. Washington D.C. newspaper that reports on social events d. Official record of government regulations
d
What usually happens to total seats in the House of Representatives at the midterm elections? a. The president's party usually gains seats. b. The president's party gains about the same number of seats as it loses. c. The present's party gains seats about half the time and loses seats the other half. d. The president's party usually loses seats.
d
Which Republican president attracted significant support from working-class, ethnic, northern voters, and southern white voters? a. Richard Nixon b. George W. Bush c. George H.W. Bush d. Ronald Reagan
d
Which president appointed the first chief of staff? a. John F. Kennedy b. Franklin Delano Roosevelt c. Lyndon B. Johnson d. Dwight D. Eisenhower
d
Which president's program, known as the New Deal, was designed to address problems associated with the Great Depression? a. Herbert Hoover b. Barack Obama c. Harry Truman d. Franklin Roosevelt
d
Which two U.S. states can split their electoral votes, as opposed to winner-take-all? a. Florida and Georgia b. Oklahoma and Texas c. Alabama and Arkansas d. Nebraska and Maine
d
Who can break a tie vote in the Senate? a. Speaker of the House b. Senate majority leader c. President d. Vice president
d
Why do candidates who are elected from third parties like Ross Perot and Ralph Nader have little influence in legislatures? a. They cannot be elected to the Senate. b. They cannot participate in legislative votes. c. They are not allowed to speak in legislative sessions. d. They have no party organization to join in the legislature.
d
