When President George W. Bush appointed __________ and ___________ to the
Court, most people expected major changes.
A) John G. Roberts Jr./John Paul Stevens
B) John G. Roberts Jr./Robert Bork
C) John G. Roberts Jr./Samuel A. Alito Jr.
D) Samuel A. Alito Jr./Ruth Bader Ginsburg
E) Samuel A. Alito Jr./Sonia Sotomayor
One justification given for economic stimulus payments to Americans in 2008 was that
the government has a responsibility to prevent economic downturns. This is an example
of the philosophy of _________________.
A) deregulation
B) dtente
C) interventionism
D) protectionism
E) libertarianism
The number of presidential vetoes
A) is roughly equivalent to the number of vetoes Congress has overridden.
B) is just over 2,500.
C) decreased after the early 1800s.
D) has never been tabulated.
E) was highest during the George W. Bush administration.
One of the primary dangers of the nomination campaign is that
A) candidates can become overly cautious and not talk about issues.
B) many candidates ignore their party’s base.
C) candidates raise too much money.
D) candidates get too much media attention.
E) candidates can become too ideologically extreme.
Texas adopted a constitutional amendment in 1912 which authorized
A) complete county autonomy.
B) consolidated inter-county cities of the first class.
C) home-rule cities.
D) increased immigration from Mexico.
E) the creation of junior college systems as special districts in the state.
Which of the following are components of the Social Security Act of 1935?
I. Old-age insurance
II. Unemployment insurance
III. Workers’ compensation
IV. Increased tax refunds
A) I and II
B) I and IV
C) II and III
D) III and IV
E) I, II, and III
The traditional media
I. provide candidates with free advertising.
II. usually supply in-depth reports on the substance of campaigns.
III. follow campaigns much as they would a horse race.
IV. have little effect on people’s voting decisions.
A) I only
B) I and II
C) II and III
D) I and III
E) I, III, and IV
During conference, Supreme Court justices speak in order by
A) age.
B) interest.
C) ideology.
D) choice.
E) seniority.
Most candidates receive a majority of their campaign contributions from
A) individuals.
B) PACs.
C) the political parties.
D) a combination of parties and PACs.
E) corporations.
Which of the following people or groups influences congressional decision making?
I. Constituents
II. Political parties or colleagues
III. Political action committees
IV. Staff
A) I and III
B) II and III
C) I, II, and III
D) II, III, and IV
E) I, II, III, and IV
Increases in presidential popularity are often the result of
A) midterm elections.
B) international crises.
C) economic crises.
D) the actions of the vice president.
E) scandals.
________ was just one example of the weaknesses of the new government under the
Articles of Confederation.
A) The selection of a Southerner as president
B) Shays’s Rebellion
C) The Boston Tea Party
D) The Treaty of Paris
E) The federal income tax
How often must the Texas district lines be redrawn?
A) whenever the need arises based upon the determination of the Legislative
Redistricting Board
B) once a year
C) once every 5 years
D) once every 10 years
E) once every 15 years
Which kind of resolution expresses the will of both chambers without carrying the force
of law?
A) Housekeeping
B) Concurrent
C) Simple
D) Joint
E) Ad Hoc
The most effective lobbyists in Texas are usually
A) labor lobbyists.
B) business lobbyists.
C) environmental lobbyists.
D) public interest lobbyists.
E) minority interest lobbyists.
The “guns” and “butter” theory states that
A) the strength of a country’s army relies on how healthy they are.
B) refugees should be given food to keep them from becoming violent.
C) most citizens are more interested in domestic policy than foreign policy.
D) taxation on weapons should be higher than on food.
E) the economy will be stronger if military spending is increased and food subsidies are
decreased.
Among the reasons that public opinion polls have become critical players in politics is
the
A) sophistication of modern polling techniques.
B) rise in the number of public opinion polls.
C) increased reliance of polling by political actors.
D) advent of the Internet.
E) speed with which computers can process data.
Most states today choose their nominee for the president using
A) party caucuses.
B) national conventions.
C) initiatives.
D) primary elections.
E) superdelegates.
Which of the following is NOT a means in which the governor influences the legislative
process?
A) Issuing an emergency declaration for a legislator’s bill
B) Using his/her veto power over legislation
C) Calling the legislature into special session
D) Personally and formally introducing a bill in the legislature
E) Setting the agenda for a special session
Which court(s) represents the lowest level of the trial court system?
A) Constitutional county courts
B) Municipal and justice of the peace courts
C) Statutory county courts
D) District courts
E) Courts of appeal
Suppose you are a Democratic strategist, and you want to issue a statement that will
appeal to your Democratic base. On which of the following outlets will you MOST
likely attempt to issue your statement?
A) AM radio news station
B) FOX News
C) Network news station
D) Newspapers
E) Larry King Live
Private ownership of the media in the United States
I. is a mixed blessing.
II. is not much different than other nations where the government controls the media.
III. increases market pressures that make various networks compete for viewers.
IV. is detrimental to diversity in the news.
A) I only
B) II only
C) I and III
D) I and IV
E) I, III, and IV
Efforts to influence public officials through personal contacts with them is referred to as
A) grassroots lobbying.
B) electioneering.
C) litigation.
D) direct lobbying.
E) electioneering.
The establishment clause
A) requires the adoption of an official American religion.
B) erects a wall of separation between church and state.
C) inhibits citizens’ basic religious rights.
D) provides citizens with the opportunity to obtain federal dollars to create or build
churches, temples, or other houses of worship.
E) provides an absolute right to freedom of religious expression.
Who is allowed to call a special session of the legislature?
A) The governor
B) The Speaker
C) The lieutenant governor
D) The majority leaders of the two chambers
E) The governor in concert with the Speaker and lieutenant governor
Which of the following best describes how the Texas Constitution of 1876 has changed
since its enactment?
A) There has been only one major overhaul.
B) There have been several major overhauls.
C) The Constitution has undergone piecemeal revision.
D) The Constitution has doubled in size nearly every year since its enactment.
E) The Constitution has remained essentially unchanged from when it was first enacted.
The president pro tempore is
I. the youngest member of the Senate.
II. fifth in the line of succession to the presidency.
III. largely a ceremonial position.
IV. generally the most senior person of the majority party.
A) I and II
B) II and III
C) III and IV
D) II and IV
E) II, III, and IV
Which of the following was NOT a factor that contributed to the surge of social
regulation in the late 1960s and early 1970s?
A) Group-based social activism
B) Public awareness of hazards associated with modern products
C) Members of Congress saw an opportunity to enhance their reelection prospects by
championing such causes
D) Business became much greedier, thus prompting a backlash
E) Presidential support
Which of these countries is listed among the twelve countries on the “Enemies of the
Internet” list by the Reporters Without Borders for Press Freedom?
A) Iraq
B) Iran
C) Turkey
D) South Korea
E) Russia
From 1990 through 2008, the Texas economy has generally
A) underperformed relative to the national economy.
B) outpaced the overall national economy.
C) seen dramatic periods of fluctuation, going from boom to bust and back again.
D) been based on the exploration of outer space through NASA and the Johnson
Manned Space Center in Houston.
E) matched the performance of the national economy.
All of the following are elements of soft power EXCEPT
A) technological research.
B) political ideas.
C) military strength.
D) legal philosophies.
E) scientific research.
The National Election Studies ask respondents questions about their
I. party affiliation.
II. opinions on major candidates.
III. opinions on major issues.
IV. vote choice.
A) I and IV
B) I, II, and IV
C) I, II, and III
D) I, III, and IV
E) I, II, III, and IV
Included among the checks on the powers of the U.S. Supreme Court are:
I. Congress can alter the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
II. The Court’s decisions can be reversed by constitutional amendment.
III. Judges can be impeached and removed from office.
IV. The House of Representatives can appoint Supreme Court judges.
A) I and IV
B) II and III
C) I and II
D) I, II, and III
E) I, II, III, and IV
To determine how reliable a poll is, one must first determine
A) the margin of error.
B) the standard deviation.
C) the inaccuracy rate.
D) the sample size.
E) the modal response.