Exam 3 gov
A criticism of interest-group pluralism is A. its class bias in favor of those with greater financial resources. B. its inherent propensity for compromise, the character of which tends to be antidemocratic. C. that it favors the interests of large states over those of small states. D. that it gives too much influence to religious organizations and therefore threatens the separation of church and state. E. that its ideals are too closely associated with Marxist-Leninist ideology and are therefore unacceptable to the majority of Americans.
A
According to the text, why is it difficult to lobby for the interests of poor children? A. Children cannot vote. B. American political values tend to discount the needs of youth. C. Most poor children live in foreign countries. D. There are no interest groups devoted to poor children. E. There are no longer enough poor children to make a difference.
A
All of the following are strategies to combat inflation except A. increasing the amount of government spending on public works projects. B. pushing up interest rates in order to restrain the amount of credit in the economy. C. instituting wage and price controls. D. raising Social Security taxes. E. cutting taxes.
A
How did the Federal Reserve respond to the terrorist attacks of 9/11? A. It cut interest rates to promote increased investment and spending. B. To relieve fear, it required that Wall Street be open for business throughout the emergency. C. The Federal Reserve demanded, and received, a seat on the National Security Council. D. All of the above were responses by the Federal Reserve to 9/11. E. It did not do anything; that was the problem.
A
How many times in American history has the presidential candidate who won the most popular votes not been selected by the electoral college? A. 3 B. 8 C. 10 D. 5 E. 0
A
In 1870, Congress passed a law forbidding which of the following immigrant groups from becoming U.S. citizens? A. Chinese B. Italians C. Mexicans D. Japanese E. Russians
A
In 2005, which of the following set off a new set of power struggles in Washington, D.C., over control of the intelligence community? A. the appointment of a National Intelligence "Czar" B. the appointment of Donald Rumsfeld as the Secretary of Defense C. the placing of the FBI and the CIA into the same federal department D. the creation of the Department of Homeland Security E. the firing of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
A
In 2007 and 2008, the government faced a housing crisis caused by A. foreclosures. B. shortages in the timber industry. C. an incredible drop in the stock market. D. a scarcity of affordable housing. E. sharp rises in house prices.
A
New media can level the electoral playing field for third-party candidates by A. reducing candidate reliance on money from special interests, corporations, special interests, and wealthy donors. B. reducing the number of candidates who run in elections. C. increasing candidate reliance on money from special interests, corporations, special interests, and wealthy donors. D. reducing the number of people who vote in elections. E. increasing the number of candidates who run in elections.
A
Public policy can be embodied in all of the following forms except A. a petition. B. a law. C. an order. D. an administrative rule. E. regulation
A
The "individual mandate" refers to A. the requirement that uninsured individuals purchase health insurance. B. a system of health care where the government owns and operates all medical facilities. C. the requirement that Medicare cover all individuals living in the United States by 2014. D. a tax credit that is given to all people who are unemployed and do not have health insurance coverage. E. the requirement that health insurance companies accept all applicants, regardless of preexisting conditions.
A
The Bill of Rights A. is the first ten amendments to the Constitution. B. is the First Amendment to the Constitution. C. is the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution. D. is the first national Constitution of the United States. E. includes all of the civil liberties and civil rights found in the Constitution.
A
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was A. the fourth civil rights bill passed by Congress since Brown v. Board of Education. B. the first civil rights bill Congress ever passed. C. the second civil rights bill passed by Congress since World War II. D. the last civil rights bill passed by Congress. E. the first civil rights bill Congress had passed since Reconstruction.
A
The North American Free Trade Agreement is A. a trade treaty between Mexico, Canada, and the United States designed to lower and eliminate tariffs. B. a trade treaty between the United States and Canada designed to make it easier to sell U.S. products in Canada. C. an executive agreement reducing trade and immigration barriers throughout North America. D. an executive agreement between the United States and the other nations of North and Central America, giving one another most favored nation trade status. E. a treaty between the United States, Canada, and Mexico pledging a unified strategy regarding trade with Asia and Europe.
A
The Securities and Exchange Commission was established A. after the stock market crash of 1929. B. at the same time as stocks were publicly bought and sold. C. at the same time as the International Monetary Fund. D. after the terrorist attacks of 2001. E. after the market crash of 1987.
A
The main change in welfare policies since 1996 is A. increased use of noncash assistance. B. increased benefits. C. decreased use of job training programs. D. increased use of direct cash assistance. E. decreased use of means testing.
A
The substantive constraints found in the Bill of Rights A. put limits on what government shall and shall not have the power to do. B. discuss why the government is or is not supposed to do something. C. define how the government is supposed to act. D. define which powers each branch of government possesses. E. define when the government is supposed to act.
A
The takings clause states that government may not take private property A. without just compensation. B. for public use. C. without giving it back in due time. D. for any reason. E. without prior notification.
A
What does the term Jim Crow refer to? A. the system of racial segregation in the South after Reconstruction B. African American politicians during Reconstruction C. northern whites who sympathized with African Americans D. the civil rights movement of the mid-twentieth century E. white politicians from northern states who moved to the South during the Reconstruction era
A
What event marked the major historical turning point in the relationship between the government and the marketplace? A. the Great Depression B. the implementation of Reaganomics C. the Depression of 1896 D. the Civil War E. World War II
A
What important noncontributory program was abolished by Congress in 1996? A. Aid to Families with Dependent Children B. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families C. Social Security D. Medicaid E. food stamps
A
What is the reserve requirement? A. the rule that every bank must have a certain amount of cash and negotiable securities on hand at all times B. the requirement that the Federal Reserve Board limit the deficit to 10 percent of the gross domestic product C. the requirement that the federal government have at least 10 percent of the federal deficit on hand in liquid assets at all times D. the interest rate on loans between banks that the Federal Reserve Board influences by affecting the supply of money available E. the demand that there should never be more money circulating in print or computer accounts than there is gold in the U.S. Bank
A
When the price level of goods and services increases over several months, it is called A. inflation. B. a deficit. C. monetarism. D. recession. E. open-market operations.
A
Which group was one of the first to receive government assistance throughout the United States? A. mothers with dependent children B. the unemployed C. African Americans, after the Civil War D. veterans coming back from World War I E. newly arriving immigrants
A
Which of the following does the Small Business Administration (SBA) provide? A. disaster assistance B. grants C. insurance D. legal council E. subsidies
A
Which of the following is a program of forced savings? A. Medicare B. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) C. food stamps D. Medicaid E. Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)
A
Which of the following is an in-kind benefit? A. Medicaid B. Supplemental Security Income C. Veterans benefits payments D. cost-of-living adjustments E. Social Security
A
Which of the following statements about the No Child Left Behind Act is false? A. It creates a standard national test for all students. B. It was the signature education act of George W. Bush. C. Many states considered it an unfunded mandate. D. It increased the role of the federal government in education policy. E. It requires that students be tested every year for proficiency in math and reading.
A
Why did President Dwight Eisenhower deploy federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957? A. The governor of Arkansas mobilized the Arkansas National Guard to block the enforcement of a federal court order to integrate Little Rock Central High School. B. It was feared that communists had infiltrated the local government. C. The local police refused to respond to calls from African American neighborhoods. D. Ku Klux Klan members from Little Rock were making terrorist threats against President Eisenhower if the local school district tried to integrate. E. There were massive race riots as a result of a federal court order to bus white children into black neighborhoods for schooling.
A
Why did the Equal Rights Amendment fail to pass? A. It was not ratified by the necessary thirty-eight states. B. The Supreme Court had declared the amendment unconstitutionally vague before it could be submitted to the states. C. It was vetoed by President Gerald Ford. D. It won approval in the Senate but not in the House. E. It won approval in the House but not in the Senate.
A
"Due process of law" in the United States is generally defined by the A. First, Second, Third, and Fourth amendments. B. Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth amendments. C. Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth amendments. D. First, Second, Ninth, and Tenth amendments. E. Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth amendments.
B
"Strict scrutiny" is the level of judicial review the federal courts give to all cases that involve A. age classifications. B. racial classifications. C. ability classifications. D. sexual orientation classifications. E. gender classifications.
B
A ______ nation is one with unstable leadership, whose policies are driven by ideology rather than by economic or human costs and benefits. A. rational B. rogue C. nonsovereign D. terrorist E. sovereign
B
A benefit that is sought by an interest group and that once achieved cannot be denied to nonmembers is called a A. solidary benefit. B. collective good. C. purposive benefit. D. right. E. free rider.
B
A tax on imported goods is called a A. public good. B. tariff. C. monopoly tax. D. progressive tax. E. regressive tax.
B
An agreement between the president and another country that has the force of a treaty but does not require the Senate's "advice and consent" is called an A. international accord. B. executive agreement. C. international protocol. D. executive order. E. executive memorandum.
B
An example of the phenomenon called the gender gap would be that A. in families, it is usually women who determine how the family votes. B. more women than men vote for Democrats. C. more men than women have had their ballots invalidated. D. more men than women turn out to vote. E. more women than men vote for Republicans.
B
At a party convention, when an entire state delegation votes for the single candidate supported by the majority of its delegates, it is called the A. consensus mark. B. unit rule. C. prospective vote. D. butterfly ballot. E. retrospective vote.
B
By 2012, there were approximately ______ PACs in the United States. A. 150 B. 5,500 C. 25,000 D. 1,500 E. 15,000
B
Classic laissez-faire theory argues all of the following except that A. economic competition unleashes growth and innovation. B. a truly efficient government allows private enterprise to provide all government services. C. government monopolies depress economic growth. D. government should stay out of the private sector except when providing a select number of public goods. E. people's selfishness can promote the public good.
B
How did the Great Depression change American attitudes about welfare? A. It showed that the government could efficiently distribute public assistance. B. It revealed that poverty could be caused by a flawed economic system, not just by personal irresponsibility. C. It demonstrated that the government could choose between the deserving and undeserving poor in a more objective manner than private charities. D. It revealed that local governments were too corrupt to be trusted with welfare policies. E. It showed that government was not as capable in taking care of the poor as private charities.
B
How does an entitlement differ from a right? A. Unlike a right, only children receive entitlements. B. Unlike an entitlement, a right cannot be taken away by an act of Congress. C. Entitlements are only for minorities and the elderly. Rights apply to everyone. D. Unlike entitlements, only citizens have rights. E. Unlike a right, an entitlement can be revoked without the due process of law.
B
Interest groups are concerned with the ______ of government, while political parties are concerned with the ______ of government. A. lawfulness; political feasibility B. policies; personnel C. membership; authority D. values; goals E. legitimacy; power
B
Money swapping occurs when a(n) A. politician trades a vote on a piece of legislation for campaign contributions from an interest group. B. interest group makes a contribution to a not-for-profit group which, in turn, provides laundered campaign funds to politicians. C. interest group enters into an iron triangle with an executive agency and a congressional committee. D. interest group makes a contribution to a president who, in turn, appoints a member of the interest group to a position in an executive agency. E. PAC makes a soft money contribution to a political party in order to influence the party's platform.
B
Open-market operations describe the A. government policy, beginning in the 1950s, of reducing tariffs on foreign products. B. method by which the Federal Reserve buys and sells government securities to increase or decrease the supply of money in the economy. C. way in which the U.S. government purchases stocks and bonds from foreign corporations. D. requirements that publicly owned businesses honestly report their earnings and losses. E. policy of deregulation pursued during the 1980s by the Reagan administration.
B
Over the past three decades, the level of federal payroll tax has ______, and the level of federal corporate taxes has ______. A. stayed the same; stayed the same B. risen; fallen C. risen; risen D. fallen; risen E. fallen; fallen
B
The Eighth Amendment prohibits A. unlawful searches and seizures. B. cruel and unusual punishment. C. double jeopardy. D. the violation of habeas corpus. E. denial of a lawyer in felony trials.
B
The Kyoto Protocol was designed to A. set limits on the amount individuals can drive vehicles per year. B. set binding targets for greenhouse gas emissions to be met by each country. C. establish a global ban on whaling. D. reduce the debt obligations for African nations by over 50 percent. E. restrict the proliferation of nuclear reactors used to generate both weapons and energy.
B
The Supreme Court A. has ruled that candidates cannot solicit campaign contributions from supporters but can receive them if they are unsolicited. B. has ruled that campaign spending is a form of free speech. C. has made no comment pertaining to the issue of campaign contributions. D. has ruled that it is illegal for candidates to spend more than $10,000 of their own money to run for office. E. has ruled that excessive campaign contributions must be strongly regulated by Congress since the electoral process may be in danger of becoming corrupted.
B
The idea that the government can stimulate a slow economy by increasing public spending or cutting taxes is called A. rational choice theory. B. Keynesianism. C. monetarism. D. laissez-faire economics. E. social democracy.
B
The most consistently powerful nongovernment actors in determining economic policy are A. labor unions. B. business organizations. C. foreign nations. D. environmental groups. E. private citizens.
B
The policy of striking a nation that you fear might be contemplating hostile actions is called A. détente. B. preemption. C. appeasement. D. deterrence. E. diplomacy.
B
The power to raise or lower the tax rate is part of A. budgetary policy. B. fiscal policy. C. monetary policy. D. discretionary spending policy. E. the contracting power.
B
The socioeconomic status model explains one's political participation by examining an individual's A. membership in community organizations. B. level of education, income, and occupational status. C. legal right to vote. D. membership in political organizations. E. age.
B
The tax reform laws of 1981 and 1986 were significant because they A. made budget deficits illegal. B. significantly reduced the progressiveness of the federal income tax. C. permanently increased the reserve requirement. D. significantly increased the progressiveness of the federal income tax. E. lowered the federal funds rate.
B
What was the most significant education policy developed by the federal government in the nineteenth century? A. the development of a standard national elementary school curriculum B. the establishment of land-grant colleges C. the Elementary and Secondary Education Act D. the creation of compulsory elementary school education E. the creation of the G.I. Bill
B
Which area was not covered by the Civil Rights Act of 1964? A. employment B. military service C. school desegregation D. public accommodations E. voting
B
Which of the following are names of Latino civil rights organizations? A. HRC, Lambda Legal, GLAAD B. G.I. Forum, LULAC, MALDEF C. NRA, AARP, WWF D. NCAA, MLB, NFL E. NOW, NARAL, Emily's List
B
Which of the following is the best example of a public good? A. Harvard University B. the interstate highway system C. a computer D. the airline industry E. Wall Street
B
______ are government grants of cash or other valuable commodities, such as land, used to promote activities desired by the government. A. Tax credits B. Subsidies C. Contracts D. Categorical grants E. Business development funds
B
A majority system, which is used on a limited basis in the United States, requires that a candidate must win ______ to win an election. A. at least 25 percent of all votes cast B. at least 40 percent of all votes cast C. 50 percent plus one of all votes cast D. at least 33 percent of all votes cast E. at least 60 percent of all votes cast, plus a percentage of absentee ballots.
C
An iron triangle is made up of an alliance between A. the federal courts, the state courts, and interest groups. B. the media, a legislative committee, and the federal courts. C. a legislative committee, an interest group, and an executive agency. D. a legislative committee, an executive agency, and the federal courts. E. an interest group, an executive agency, and the media.
C
During midterm elections, voters are voting for A. the secretary of state. B. national-level referendums. C. members of Congress. D. federal judges. E. the president.
C
In the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Congress vastly expanded the role of the executive branch and the credibility of court orders by A. ordering the desegregation of the military. B. creating a Department of Civil Rights. C. requiring that federal grants-in-aid to state and local government for education be withheld from any school system practicing racial segregation. D. creating the strict scrutiny test. E. mandating that the southern states racially gerrymander their legislative districts to ensure that more African Americans were elected to Congress.
C
Miranda v. Arizona was important because it produced rules that must be used A. to determine if some element of the Bill of Rights should be applied to the states. B. to judge whether or not printed materials are pornographic. C. by the police before questioning an arrested criminal suspect. D. to determine whether a warrant should be issued for a police search. E. to determine if separation between church and state has been violated.
C
Public interest groups differ from other types of interest groups in that A. they were the first group to abandon lobbying and take up only grassroots activism. B. they were the first political associations to use the strategy of direct mailing. C. they claim to serve the common good, not just their own particular interests. D. unlike other interest groups, they have no membership requirements and allow any member of the public to join. E. unlike other interest groups, their status is like that of a charity, not a political organization.
C
Since the mid-1990s, by how much has the number of welfare recipients declined in the United States? A. over 80 percent B. between 5 and 10 percent C. over 50 percent D. The number of welfare recipients has actually risen 5 percent since the mid-1990s. E. between 20 and 30 percent
C
Some developing countries have accused the United States of hypocrisy because they believe the United States A. demands democracy from other countries while not allowing true democracy in its own political system. B. claims to support the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) but will not support the WTO. C. preaches free trade to others while still offering subsidies to their own farmers. D. pursues a policy of isolationism while also asking other countries to pursue a policy of appeasement. E. preaches against free trade to others while keeping open, unregulated markets at home.
C
Something that must be supplied by the government because it cannot be provided by the marketplace is A. a governmental appropriation. B. public option. C. a public good. D. pork. E. a commodity.
C
Supply-side economics is the idea that A. the best method of producing high levels of economic growth is to engage in high levels of government spending. B. increasing the marginal rate of taxation will create a productive economy by providing more revenue to finance government economic programs. C. reducing the marginal rate of taxation will create a productive economy by promoting levels of work and investment that would otherwise be discouraged by higher taxes. D. the government's role in the economy should be strictly limited to regulating the supply of money. E. the government should impose heavy tariffs on imported goods in order to protect domestic suppliers.
C
The "Americanization of politics" refers to A. the fact that people from around the world carefully follow American political developments. B. the growing tendency of new democracies to copy key features of the U.S. Constitution—such as the Bill of Rights and federalism—in their own constitutions. C. the spread of American campaign techniques and political consultants to elections conducted around the rest of the world. D. the fact that fewer and fewer immigrants are participating in the American political system. E. the increasingly important role patriotism plays in American election campaigns.
C
The Monroe doctrine refers to . the economic recovery package of aid from the United States to western Europe after World War II. B. the policy that the United States will launch a preemptive attack on any country harboring nonstate actors that threaten its national security. C. the idea that foreign powers should not meddle in the Western Hemisphere. D. the theory that the United States needed to have twice as many nuclear weapons as the Soviet Union's in order to remain secure. E. the treaty signed at the end of the War of 1812.
C
The first and most famous test for determining when the government could intervene to suppress political speech was called the A. strict scrutiny test. B. Lemon test. C. clear and present danger test. D. imminent lawless action test. E. speech plus test.
C
There are considerable disparities in benefits from state to state in noncontributory programs because A. some states do not have any citizens who need the benefits provided by noncontributory programs. B. the federal government specifies different levels of assistance to each state based on means testing and indexing. C. state governments are given grants-in-aid from the federal government to establish and operate their own programs rather than having one, uniform national program. D. some states choose to only employ contributory programs. E. many state constitutions prohibit state governments from accepting money for noncontributory programs from the federal government.
C
Those who believe in ______ argue that the government's role in regulating the economy should be limited to regulating the supply of money. A. fiscalism B. inflation C. monetarism D. laissez-faire capitalism E. Keynesianism
C
What is a poll tax? A. a fee that political parties charge people who want to become members and vote in their elections B. a tax the federal government charged to state governments in order to pay for the costs of running a federal election. C. a tax imposed by state governments for those registering to vote D. a tax that states impose on all citizens in order to pay for public opinion research E. a tax women had to pay if they wanted to vote in the nineteenth century
C
What was the primary problem with private charities before the development of the welfare state? A. They were unable to get the necessary government licenses to operate legally. B. They often kept donations for their own private use. C. They would make subjective decisions on who was deserving or undeserving of aid. D. They disrupted the constitutional separation of church and state. E. There were too many of them.
C
When potential recipients of a benefit must establish their genuine need, the government program is called A. indexed. B. progressive. C. means tested. D. in-kind. E. contributory.
C
Which of the following is not a reason why the No Child Left Behind Act has been controversial? A. Many states branded it an unfunded mandate. B. Teachers argued that "teaching to the test" undermined critical thinking skills. C. The standards were too lenient and almost every school met them easily. D. It vastly increased the role of the federal government in the public school system. E. The states were made responsible for setting standards and devising appropriate tests.
C
Which of the following is not an example of mandatory spending? A. farm price supports B. Social Security payments C. defense spending D. Medicare E. interest payments on the national debt
C
A(n) ______ is an incentive in the tax code for individuals and corporations to invest their money in ways the government desires in exchange for a reduction in tax liabilities. A. open-market operation B. federal funds rate C. categorical grant D. loophole E. subsidy
D
Accidental mobilization occurs when A. interest groups, rather than political parties, mobilize the majority of voters in an election. B. turnout in a midterm congressional election is much higher than analysts predict. C. people are mistakenly contacted by a political party on Election Day. D. individuals are exposed to political information that they did not explicitly seek out. E. a candidate makes a verbal gaffe that leads new groups of people to vote in an election.
D
Another name for lobbying is A. mobilizing. B. soliciting. C. stalking. D. petitioning. E. litigating.
D
Bill of Rights of 1944 and the National Defense Education Act were examples of the A. federal government's attempt to improve national security during the Cold War. B. kinds of proposals made by Ronald Reagan when he ran for president in 1980. C. federal government's attempt to recruit more soldiers to the armed forces prior to World War II. D. federal government's approach to education policy during the 1940s and 1950s. E. numerous amendments made to the Constitution in order to protect the rights of veterans of foreign wars.
D
Campaign consultants do all of the following except A. organize direct mailings. B. produce television commercials. C. conduct public opinion polls. D. print ballots for the election. E. develop the issues on which the candidate will focus.
D
Currently, the United Nations has ______ member states. A. 350 B. 630 C. 435 D. 192 E. 40
D
Early presidential primaries and caucuses are more important because A. they determine who the vice presidential nominee will be. B. they are held in the largest, most populated states. C. they encourage more candidates to run for the nomination in later primaries and caucuses. D. they can help a candidate secure media attention and financial support. E. they allocate more than 85 percent of all delegates in the nomination process.
D
How are election days in the United States different from those in Europe? A. Most Europeans vote at their place of employment. B. European elections typically use only mail-in ballots. C. Most European elections last three days. D. European elections are usually held on Sundays instead of working days. E. Most European nations hold elections on January 1.
D
In a crisis, which of the following has the greatest foreign policy influence? A. the Senate B. the public C. Congress D. the president E. the Supreme Court
D
In contemporary politics, local election campaigns tend to be ______, while statewide elections tend to be ______. A. caucuses; primaries B. back-loaded; front-loaded C. front-loaded; back-loaded D. organizationally driven and labor intensive; media-driven and capital intensive E. media-driven and capital intensive; organizationally driven and labor intensive
D
Plurality and majority systems tend to A. devolve into anarchy. B. make political parties illegal. C. evolve into single-party systems. D. decrease the number of political parties. E. increase the number of political parties.
D
Spending on medical programs such as Medicare and Medicaid has proven difficult to control because A. spending on Social Security has declined so significantly. B. state and local governments have refused to contribute to the costs of administering these programs. C. these programs are indexed to grow at two times the rate of inflation. D. of the growing number of people eligible and because of rising health care costs. E. recipients of these programs frequently abuse them.
D
The 2008 presidential election was significant because A. African American turnout declined to its lowest point in over forty years. B. younger people voted at far higher levels than older people. C. Latino turnout declined dramatically. D. African American turnout was nearly equal to white turnout for the first time in modern electoral history. E. poor people voted at a far higher rate than wealthy people.
D
The ______ is determined by the amount by which government spending exceeds government revenue in a fiscal year. A. inflation rate B. gross national product C. gross domestic product D. budget deficit E. reserve requirement
D
What is the key question behind civil rights protection? A. What limits are placed on the government's power over individuals? B. Do the federal courts have the authority to interpret the scope of civil rights as spelled out in the Constitution? C. What is the appropriate role of state governments? D. What is the proper meaning of equal rights? E. How has the expansion of the bureaucracy affected democracy?
D
What is the shadow welfare state? A. private charities that have filled the gap left by reductions in government spending B. the welfare payments that the government is committed to paying in the future C. the welfare distributed by private charities and religious organizations D. social benefits that are distributed by private employers who are being subsidized by the government E. the welfare that is distributed by local governments and special districts
D
Which of the following is not a power of the Federal Reserve Board? A. the power to control the reserve requirement B. the power to increase or decrease the interest rate it charges on the loans it extends to member banks C. the power to buy and sell government securities in order to increase or decrease the supply of money in the economy D. the power to enforce the federal government's antitrust policies E. the power to manipulate the interest rate charge by one bank to another on loans in the federal funds market
D
Which of the following social policies is currently the most costly to the government? A. public housing assistance B. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families C. food stamps D. Social Security E. Medicare
D
______ are programs where the government provides a tax deduction for spending on health insurance and other benefits by both employers and employees. A. Noncompulsory benefits B. Earned income tax credits C. Direct services D. Tax expenditures E. Supplemental Security Income
D
______ policies are designed to eliminate the abuses of powerful ______. A. Monetary; interest groups B. Fiscal; loopholes C. Taxation; gross domestic product indexes D. Antitrust; monopolies E. Redistributive; tariffs
D
A grassroots lobbying campaign occurs A. when a spontaneous show of political support for a particular position manifests itself. B. when interest groups organize to support a dark-horse presidential candidate. C. before a session of Congress formally begins. D. when an interest group buys advertisements in newspapers around the country in order to publicize an issue. E. when an interest group mobilizes its members and their families throughout the country to write their representatives in support of the group's position.
E
A recent controversy that has tested the constitutional definition of "search and seizure" has been A. attempts to restrict access to abortions. B. a mandatory waiting period for purchasing firearms. C. employers reading employees' e-mail messages. D. a prohibition against voluntary suicides. E. mandatory drug testing.
E
Approximately what percentage of the current federal budget is spent on entitlement programs, such as Social Security and Medicare? A. 75 percent B. 40 percent C. 20 percent D. 35 percent E. 60 percent
E
Charter schools are best described as A. the first schools built in any local district. B. private schools run by large corporations. C. schools that a district uses as the median by which to judge test scores. D. private schools that are funded with tax vouchers. E. public schools that are free to design special curricula.
E
Generally speaking, a recall effort begins with a A. lawsuit. B. law passed by the state legislature. C. law passed by Congress and signed by the president. D. decree by the governor. E. petition campaign.
E
If the Federal Reserve wants to help boost a sagging economy, which one of the following is the most direct way it can do this? A. Lower tariffs so that corporations can trade more freely with foreign countries. B. Raise the reserve requirement, restricting the amount of cash and negotiable securities banks must have on hand. C. Raise interest rates so that banks can earn more money on the loans they provide to individuals and businesses. D. Take money out of circulation so that the dollar becomes more valuable. E. Lower interest rates so that banks can provide more loans at cheaper rates to individuals and businesses.
E
Interest groups most effectively serve A. racial and ethnic minorities. B. government bureaucrats. C. the powerless. D. the working classes. E. the upper classes.
E
Political ______ is the process in which large numbers of people are organized for political action. A. citizenship B. saliency C. efficacy D. socialization E. mobilization
E
Social Security is a good example of A. outdoor relief. B. indoor relief. C. a noncontributory program. D. a means-tested program. E. a contributory program.
E
Social capital refers to A. an individual's belief in his or her ability to competently engage in personal interactions with other people. B. the fees associated with membership in a club or social group. C. the fund that interest groups raise during election campaigns. D. campaign contributions made by community organizations. E. community networks that motivate political participation.
E
The Fourth Amendment protects against A. self-incrimination. B. quartering military troops in private homes. C. cruel and unusual punishment. D. prior restraint. E. unreasonable searches and seizures.
E
The central thrust of federal housing policy has been to A. reduce homelessness. B. provide uniform housing safety standards. C. provide low-cost rental units for the poor. D. provide equitable housing for minorities. E. promote home ownership.
E
The foreign policy ideals that Americans have historically espoused assert that our foreign policies should A. focus on the interests of other nations at the expense of our own personal interests. B. focus on the interests of the United States at the expense of all other nations. C. promote the use of force to advance democracy around the world. D. focus on working with the United Nations to promote democracy around the world. E. have a higher purpose than the pursuit of our own interests and to use force only as a last resort.
E
The goals of American social policy are A. often changed drastically from administration to administration. B. determined not by popular opinion but by the Constitution. C. popular and receive wide support. D. similar to those seen in the social programs of other countries. E. often controversial.
E
The idea that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to achieve their goals is called A. in-kind benefits. B. outdoor relief. C. equality of results. D. contributory system. E. equality of opportunity.
E
The representation of a government to other foreign governments is called A. treaty. B. preemption. C. alliances. D. multilateralism. E. diplomacy.
E
What did the Great Depression and World War II do to the public's expectations regarding employment? A. They made Americans realize that unemployment was an unfortunate but largely irremediable occurrence. B. They showed that the government could only solve unemployment when inflation levels were kept high. C. They made Americans realize that unemployment could only be solved by a major international crisis, such as a war. D. They showed that ill-advised government programs could cause large increases in unemployment. E. They showed that the government could help to ensure full employment.
E
What was the significance of the Supreme Court case Goldberg v. Kelly? A. It held that the government could revoke assistance benefits without cause. B. It held that unequal welfare benefits were a violation of the equal protection clause. C. It allowed the executive branch, rather than Congress, to set public assistance rates. D. It established the right of noncitizens to receive public assistance. E. It held that public assistance benefits could not be revoked without due process of law.
E
Which of the following statements about the relationship between government and capitalism is false? A. Government rule-making means that people no longer need to rely on personal trust when conducting business. B. There is much disagreement among the public and politicians over the extent of the role the government should play in the economy. C. Government makes it possible for markets to function efficiently. D. Markets break down in nations that have weak governments. E. Before the Progressive era, the marketplace was untouched by government interference.
E
Which of the following was not one of the goals of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009? A. make longer-term investments to encourage job creation B. save existing jobs that might be lost due to the economic recession C. encourage economic growth D. develop weatherization projects and clean technology construction E. provide for a national health care system
E
