Unit 2 progress check: MCQ part A, Unit 2 progress check: MCQ part B, AP GOV MCQ unit 2

Prior to his confirmation, Democrats on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions questioned President Trump's Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price about the ethics of some of his investments. He was eventually confirmed with support of Republicans in the Senate. This check on presidential power illustrates that A the process of selecting Cabinet members is usually negotiated by making concessions to the minority party in the Senate B the process of confirming members of the president's Cabinet can lead to conflict with members of the Senate C presidents rely on the bully pulpit to get members of Congress to act on confirmations D even when an executive order is issued, members of the opposing party in the Senate can work to block them

B The process of confirming Cabinet appointments requires Senate approval. Because the rules in the Senate permit even minority members the opportunity to speak at length, controversial appointees sometimes are asked to answer difficult questions during their hearings.

Which of the following is the best example of a president using technology to communicate and obtain public support for a public policy agenda? A President Ronald Reagan reassuring the nation in a televised address after the Challenger disaster B President John F. Kennedy outlining Cold War challenges and urging Americans to civic action in his inaugural address C President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressing a joint session of Congress to seek a declaration of war after the attack on Pearl Harbor D President Richard Nixon claiming executive privilege to protect the recorded conversations he made in the White House

B The president's inaugural address is the first official action undertaken as president, and the speech often sets the tone and overall agenda for the administration. For President Kennedy, he used it to rally Americans to his belief of how the Cold War should be fought and to encourage them to be more civic-minded.

On February 13, 2016, following the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement that the Supreme Court vacancy should be left to the next president of the United States, who would be elected that November. Nonetheless, President Obama nominated circuit judge Merrick Garland to fill the vacancy. The Senate judiciary committee never held a hearing nor was a vote scheduled on the nomination. The scenario demonstrates that A the Senate prefers to pick members of the Supreme Court B there are very few qualified individuals who can serve as Supreme Court justices C because the judicial branch is elected, the Supreme Court must be responsive to public opinion D because federal judges are lifetime appointments, Senate confirmation can oftentimes be challenging

D Life-tenured appointments allow presidents to influence public policy through their judicial appointments for a long time after they leave office. The scenario shows a conflict between the Senate and the president. At the core of this conflict were the high stakes of confirming a judicial appointee which reflect ideological differences between the parties.

Which of the following correctly describes the facts in Shaw v. Reno (1993) ? A A lawsuit was filed by an individual living in an urban area who argued that his vote was less important than that of someone living in a rural area. B The gerrymandered district was challenged because state lawmakers were not involved in the drawing of the district lines. C The redistricting process was challenged after it merged two districts together, causing two incumbents to compete for the seat. D Redistricting in order to confine minority voters to a majority in one district was challenged under the Fourteenth Amendment.

D Shaw v. Reno was a case about a state legislature intentionally creating a district that had a majority of African Americans, diluting their representation.

Which of the following explains the role of interest groups in the iron triangle diagram?

Interest groups work with Congress and the bureaucracy to determine how best to regulate an industry.

During a television interview on July 1, 2018, Senator Lindsey Graham stated that "one of the concepts that really means a lot in America is stare decisis. That means you don't overturn precedent unless there's a good reason." About which ongoing debate was Senator Graham sharing his position?

Judicial activism versus judicial restraint

According to the line graph, which budget category will account for the least spending in 2024?

Net interest

Which of the following best describes the holding in Baker v. Carr (1962) ? A Congressional redistricting is subject to judicial review. B Congressional districts must be compact and contiguous. C Diluting minority representation by confining their majority to one or two districts is unconstitutional. D Racial gerrymandering is allowed in certain circumstances.

A In Baker v. Carr, the Supreme Court decided to review gerrymander cases, rejecting the argument that gerrymandering was a political question.

Which of the following scenarios exemplifies the principle of stare decisis?

A majority opinion of the United States Supreme Court dealing with school segregation states that the decision follows the precedent established in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954).

Which of the following statements about the relationship between Congress and the executive branch is best illustrated by the bar chart?

The budget process enables Congress to check the power of the executive branch.

In which year did the federal government experience its highest surplus based on the bar graph?

2000

Percentage of International Agreements That Were Executive Agreements Which of the following statements about the use of executive agreements by presidents is supported by the data in the pie charts?

The percentage of international agreements that were executive agreements has increased since 1839.

On July 31, 2018, the United States Department of Education announced in the Federal Register its intention to establish a committee focusing on the implementation of federal programs. Which is the likely product of this committee's work?

Rule-making

Which of the following clauses of the Constitution could the Supreme Court have used when deciding the caseMarbury v. Madison (1803) ?

"The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made."

On June 27, 1989, President George H.W. Bush called for the Flag Desecration Amendment, which would prohibit desecration of the American flag. Bush's comments were in response to the United States Supreme Court's 5—4 decision in Texas v. Johnson, which held that a state law banning desecration of the flag was in violation of the First Amendment. Which of the following explains why the president asked for a constitutional amendment to be passed?

A constitutional amendment would force the Supreme Court to accept the constitutionality of the anti-flag burning laws in subsequent cases.

Which of the following was the ruling in Shaw v. Reno (1993) ? A Creating districts where a minority is the majority does not violate the Ninth Amendment. B Racial gerrymandering violates the Fourteenth Amendment. C Districts must be equal in population size because of the Fourteenth Amendment. D Districts drawn in unusual shapes or sizes violate the Ninth Amendment.

B In Shaw v. Reno, the Supreme Court ruled that racial gerrymandering violates the concept of equal protection under the law in the Fourteenth Amendment.

On January 30, 2017, President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring that for each new regulation added, at least two existing regulations be eliminated. Which combination of government actors has the power to fulfill President Trump's executive order?

Bureaucratic departments and agencies

Which of the following is the best example of a president using the bully pulpit? A A wartime president writing a condolence letter to the mother of a son lost in combat B A president convening a cabinet meeting to address an economic crisis C A president making a televised speech to gain public support for a policy initiative D A president responding to questions about a scandal during a press conference

C The president is using the bully pulpit because the president is directly addressing the American people with the intent of garnering public support for a policy initiative.

Which of the following is a likely response by another branch of government to a controversial decision such as Engel v. Vitale (1962) which declared that school-sponsored prayer was a violation of the First Amendment?

Congress could strip the Supreme Court of appellate jurisdiction on cases dealing with prayer in school.

Which of the following is an accurate conclusion based on the data illustrated in the bar chart?

Despite the increased power of the president, the budget authority is still a major feature of congressional power.

Which of the following cases was most likely to derive the basis of its decision from the argument presented in The Federalist No. 78 that states: "that, accordingly, whenever a particular statute [contradicts] the Constitution, it will be the duty of the judicial tribunals to adhere to the latter and disregard the former"?

Marbury vs. Madison (1803)

In the case Randall v. Sorrell (2006), Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer argued that following judicial precedent "avoids the instability and unfairness that accompany disruption of settled legal expectations. For this reason, the rule of law demands that adhering to our prior case law be the norm. Departure from precedent is exceptional and requires special justification." Justice Breyer is referring to which of the following legal principles?

Stare decisis

On September 23, 1957, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a proclamation mandating the use of Arkansas National Guard members and federal armed forces to enforce the United States Supreme Court's decision in Brownv. Board of Education (1954) in Little Rock, Arkansas. Which limitation on judicial power is demonstrated in this scenario?

State and local government can refuse to enforce Supreme Court decisions.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was a law passed by Congress prohibiting discrimination based on sex. Which of the following describes how the policy is being implemented?

The bureaucracy will create rules for enforcement and will have the discretion to implement those rules.

In its 2003 decision, McConnell v. Federal Election Commission (2003), the Supreme Court upheld the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act's (BCRA) restriction on independent campaign spending by corporations and unions. However, in a 5-4 decision in the case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), the Supreme Court overturned this decision when it ruled that the government cannot ban independent political spending by a corporation or union because it is protected by the First Amendment. Which of the following is the most likely explanation for the Supreme Court's deciding to overturn the precedent it established just 7 years earlier?

There were ideological changes in the composition of the members of the Supreme Court due to presidential appointments.

Which of the following best explains the concept of the iron triangle, as illustrated in the diagram?

To show how interest groups, Congress, and the bureaucracy interact in a public policy area

One key interaction that Congress has with the bureaucracy as part of the iron triangle is to

increase the budget and authority of the bureaucracy to regulate industry

According to the passage, an attempt by Congress to place limitations on presidential power through legislation led to which of the following? A A signing statement by the president that declared that the legislation would not limit presidential power B A Supreme Court decision that ruled in favor of the power of Congress to check the president C A declaration of war against al-Qaeda as a result of the September 11 attacks D An impeachment proceeding against the president for abuse of power and violation of a treaty

A After Congress passed a law that addressed detainee treatment, President Bush issued a signing statement expressing that he would retain his executive authority to do what was necessary to protect the American people after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001.

In 1973, the United States Supreme Court handed down the controversial Roe v. Wade decision striking down state laws banning abortion. In response, many pro-life groups have organized to have the decision overturned. Which of the following represents an action that these groups are most likely to take to achieve their goal?

Become more actively involved in presidential campaigns so that presidential candidates will pledge to appoint justices who favor overturning Roe v. Wade.

When deciding Marbury v. Madison (1803), which of the following excerpts from The Federalist No. 51 could best be used to help Chief Justice John Marshall write the argument in favor of judicial review?

"But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others."

In a press briefing, the White House press secretary issues a statement criticizing members of Congress who refuse to act on the president's judicial nominees to the federal courts. This scenario best illustrates which of the following? A Congress does not consider judicial nominations important enough to act on. B Judicial nominees must pass both chambers of Congress, which slows down the process. C Members of the White House staff are strategically used to help the president pass an agenda. D Cabinet members have a tendency to clash with members of the opposing party.

C In this scenario, the press secretary is a member of the White House staff who is attempting to use the media to pressure congress to act on judicial confirmations.

Presidents tend to assert their power and if Congress does not claim its duty to check and balance the executive, then the balance tilts heavily toward the executive branch. For example, the congressional resolution authorizing the United States to respond to the al-Qaeda attacks against the United States in 2001 was applied far beyond the initial campaign in Afghanistan. It was interpreted by George W. Bush's administration as justifying findings that the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war did not apply in the war on terrorism; that harsh interrogation tactics were permissible . . . ; and that the use of intercepts of telephone conversations between American citizens and people abroad was condoned. . . . When, after the Supreme Court ruled in 2006 . . . that the Bush administration was in fact violating the Geneva Conventions, . . . Congress was compelled to pass new laws on detainee treatment. Bush signed the law but then added a separate 'signing statement.' . . . President Bush declared that he would implement the law 'in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President to supervise the unitary executive branch and as Commander in Chief . . . [in order to protect] the American people from further terrorist attacks.'" Sean Kay, America's Search for Security: The Triumph of Idealism and the Return of Realism, 2014 Which of the following is likely to occur as a result when Congress refuses to act as a check on the power of the president, according to the main idea of the passage? A The Supreme Court will intervene to check the power of the president. B The American people will vote in new members of Congress during the next election. C The president will be able to push the limits of constitutional authority. D Treaties, such as the Geneva Convention, will be treated as executive agreements.

C failure by Congress to check the power of the president will likely lead to the president exercising powers that some might consider to be beyond the scope of those laid out by the United States Constitution.

Which of the following is a correct interpretation of the data in the bar chart?

The president is not supportive of the EPA, but members of Congress have checked the president's power by not approving a cut in funding for the agency.

In the case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954), the Supreme Court ruled that school segregation was unconstitutional. Following the ruling, schools were ordered to desegregate, but at a high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, the governor ordered the state's National Guard to prevent African American students from entering the school. Only when President Eisenhower placed the National Guard under federal control and ordered troops to protect the students were they permitted to enter. This scenario illustrates which of the following?

Controversial decisions by the court are often challenged and action is sometimes required to ensure enforcement by other branches of government.

President Theodore Roosevelt took his case directly to the American people to gain public support for his progressive reform initiatives by appearing in a movie newsreel. This type of presidential communication is an example of which of the following? A Using the bully pulpit B Making use of a formal power C Drafting a signing statement D Issuing an executive order

A The president is using the bully pulpit because he is directly addressing the American people with the intent of garnering public support for his policy initiative.

According to the passage, which of the following occurred as a direct result of the congressional resolution authorizing action against al-Qaeda? A The Supreme Court authorized the use of force against al-Qaeda. B President Bush interpreted it broadly to allow him to conduct the war on terrorism without much further consultation with Congress. C Members of Congress passed a law that declared that the Geneva Conventions were not applicable to the war on terrorism. D President Bush issued a signing statement regarding the Geneva Conventions.

B The resolution led to a series of actions by the Bush administration in conducting the war on terrorism that Congress did not originally consider.

Social Security will account for how about much of projected spending in 2024, according to the line graph?

Six percent