CHAPTER 20
American Democracy,
Then and Now
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The text suggests that the Supreme Court’s restriction of the government’s authority was probably
a.
the by-product of high levels of education among the members of the Court.
b.
engineered by the various chief justices.
c.
largely contrary to public opinion.
d.
largely consistent with public opinion.
e.
the logical consequence of reliance on precedent.
2. One of the great puzzles surrounding the ever-increasing expectations we have of government is the
fact that
a.
the Constitution is designed to make it difficult for government to act.
b.
the federal courts have facilitated these expectations.
c.
few government officials have welcomed such change.
d.
Americans seem to know less and less about government and politics.
e.
political participation has continually decreased.
3. Even in the 1930s, public opinion polls showed
a.
that as many as half the voters were skeptical of a federal unemployment
compensation program.
b.
that over 90 percent of Americans was supportive of Social Security.
c.
that most Americans were against the national highway system being built at the time.
d.
that most Americans wanted an activist foreign policy.
e.
None of the above is true.
4. When the Supreme Court declares that a feature of the Bill of Rights is applicable to the states as well
as the federal government, we say that feature has been
a.
excised.
b.
truncated.
c.
bifurcated.
d.
redacted.
e.
incorporated.
5. The Supreme Court used this amendment to the Constitution to apply most of the provisions of the Bill
of Rights to state governments.
a.
Eleventh Amendment
b.
Fourteenth Amendment
c.
Fifth Amendment
d.
Twenty-second Amendment
e.
Twenty-fourth Amendment
6. Numerous rights have been applied to the states via the __________ clause of the Fourteenth
Amendment.
a.
takings
b.
due process
c.
equal protection
d.
establishment
e.
fairness
7. The special protection the courts once granted property rights has been reduced so
a.
the government can regulate business more than in the past.
b.
the government can construct national plans.
c.
the government can assist the redistribution of income.
d.
the government can implement collective laws.
e.
the government can restrict businesses less than in the past.
8. Until the mid-twentieth century, the federal government
a.
spent large amounts of resources addressing social problems, such as abortion, crime, and
drug abuse.
b.
paid little attention to social problems.
c.
was larger than it is today.
d.
focused mostly on just transportation.
e.
None of the above is true.
9. During this president’s administration, the nation decided to build the interstate highway system.
a.
Franklin Roosevelt
b.
Harry Truman
c.
Dwight Eisenhower
d.
John Kennedy
e.
Lyndon Johnson
10. Until the 1930s, the Supreme Court
a.
restricted the authority of the government to regulate business.
b.
prevented the government from levying an income tax.
c.
refused, with some exceptions, to allow the delegation of broad discretionary power to
administrative agencies.
d.
Options A, B, C, and D are true.
e.
None of the above is true.
11. During the Old System, discussed in the text, most members of Congress
a.
served many terms.
b.
did not serve more than one or two terms.
c.
ran for the presidency.
d.
enjoyed the power of an activist federal government.
e.
All of the above are true.
12. Under the old system, the __________ restricted the regulation of business and prevented the
government from levying an income tax.
a.
Supreme Court
b.
Senate
c.
House of Representatives
d.
President
e.
None of the above is true.
13. Relaxed constraints on federal action means all of the following EXCEPT
a.
a citizen can use the federal courts to alter state policy.
b.
people began demanding federal policies regarding civil rights and consumer safety.
c.
the number of interest groups has decreased.
d.
political resources have become more widely distributed.
e.
All of the above are true.
14. The constraints on federal action have now weakened because
a.
the courts have altered their interpretation of the Constitution in ways that have not only
permitted, but sometimes even required government action.
b.
public opinion has changed in ways that support an expanded role for the
federal government.
c.
political resources have become more widely distributed.
d.
Options A and B are true.
e.
All of the above are true.
a.
15. A major development in the changing influence of the federal government was the new manner in
which the Supreme Court interpreted
a.
the Bill of Rights.
b.
its previous rulings on checks and balances.
c.
the Preamble to the Constitution.
d.
the Eighth Amendment.
e.
the Seventh and Eighth Amendments.
16. In the aftermath of the Great Depression, well-educated politically active people began demanding
federal policies regarding
a.
civil rights.
b.
public welfare.
c.
environmental protection.
d.
consumer safety.
e.
All of the above are true.
17. In the Old System, discussed by the text, a new federal proposal was debated based on
a.
legitimacy.
b.
transparency.
c.
duplication.
d.
effectiveness.
e.
justiciability.
18. Under the Old System, people voted
a.
at a high rate.
b.
at a low rate.
c.
for radical candidates.
d.
for national elections more than state and local ones.
e.
for candidates supportive of social programs.
19. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of what the authors call the Old System?
a.
A small agenda
b.
Low voter participation rates
c.
Dominance of states’ rights
d.
Focus on domestic affairs
e.
A small and somewhat personal presidency
20. Under the Old System, a dominant theme in the debates concerning the legitimacy of the scope of the
federal government’s power was the
a.
difficulty of quantifying efficiency.
b.
importance of checks and balances.
c.
need for congressional dominance.
d.
limits of federalism.
e.
importance of states’ rights.
21. Under the Old System, the presidency
a.
was small.
b.
was somewhat personal.
c.
had only a rudimentary White House staff.
d.
Options A, B, C, and D are true.
e.
None of the above is true.
22. It is now easier to gain access to the courts, and once there, one is more likely to encounter judges who
believe that
a.
precedent should be adhered to as closely as possible.
b.
courts should avoid political questions.
c.
the Constitution should be interpreted broadly to permit particular goals.
d.
the executive branch should dominate the legislative branch.
e.
state laws are superior to federal laws.
23. In the New System, the critical questions surrounding new proposals have focused on
a.
legitimacy.
b.
transparency.
c.
duplication.
d.
effectiveness.
e.
justiciability.
24. Under the Old System, the press understands that they should
a.
never ask the president follow-up questions.
b.
never quote the president directly.
c.
always submit press conference questions in writing in advance.
d.
quote the president in matters related to domestic affairs but not foreign affairs.
e.
have most printed material reviewed by the White House before publication.
25. The text suggests that, under the Old System, bold governmental action usually required
a.
a critical realignment.
b.
a divided government.
c.
a unified government.
d.
wartime crisis.
e.
an activist Supreme Court
26. Under the Old System, crises had a way of leaving the federal bureaucracy
a.
more efficient.
b.
more decentralized.
c.
larger than it was before.
d.
less organized.
e.
popular.
27. The text suggests that the New System began in the __________ but did not take its current form until
the __________.
a.
1910s; 1950s
b.
1920s; 1960s
c.
1930s; 1970s
d.
1940s; 1980s
e.
1950s; 1990s
28. In 1935, Congress debated whether the nation should have
a.
a Social Security system.
b.
Medicare.
c.
Medicaid.
d.
protections for Americans with disabilities.
e.
an interstate highway system.
29. Which of the following is a characteristic of the New System?
a.
A large policy agenda
b.
The diffusion and decentralization of power in Congress
c.
The multiplication of interest groups
d.
The end of debate over the legitimacy of government action
e.
All of the above
30. Which administration played a pivotal role in the transition from the Old to the New System?
a.
Kennedy
b.
Johnson
c.
Nixon
d.
Truman
e.
Eisenhower
31. Lyndon Johnson’s legislative program was called the
a.
New Deal.
b.
Square Deal.
c.
New Frontier.
d.
Great Society.
e.
Fair Deal.
32. Lyndon Johnson was able to get his Great Society programs through Congress because
a.
most of the public favored the programs.
b.
Democrats controlled both houses of Congress by large margins.
c.
most Republicans worked with him on these issues.
d.
he made an appeal to the public for his programs.
e.
the federal government had surplus funds to be spent.
33. All of the following were features of Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society legislation EXCEPT
a.
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).
b.
provision of federal aid to local schools.
c.
aid to the states to fight crime and rebuild slums.
d.
Medicaid.
e.
Medicare.
34. In the 1960s numerous assistance programs were collectively referred to as
a.
the War on Poverty.
b.
the One for All Program.
c.
Head Start.
d.
No Child Left Behind.
e.
the Equality Initiative.
35. Under the Old System and New System, checks and balances
a.
ensures executive dominance.
b.
goes against a committee system.
c.
is in contrast to federalism.
d.
makes starting a new program difficult.
e.
ensures a consolidated court system.
36. Under the Old System, power was somewhat centralized in the hands of
a.
party and Congressional leaders.
b.
party activists.
c.
interest group leaders.
d.
voters in primary elections.
e.
PACs.
37. Under the New System, power is in the hands of
a.
party activists.
b.
interest group leaders.
c.
members of Congress.
d.
heads of government agencies.
e.
All of the above are true.
38. After some initial complications, the legislative programs of Franklin Roosevelt began to
succeed because
a.
a Supreme Court justice changed his mind.
b.
the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court was changed.
c.
his reorganization plan for the Court was passed by Congress.
d.
some Supreme Court justices retired.
e.
Both A and D are true.
39. Franklin Roosevelt called his legislative programs the
a.
New Deal.
b.
Square Deal.
c.
New Frontier.
d.
Great Society.
e.
Fair Deal.
40. During the Johnson administration, a great majority of the members of the House of Representatives
came to enjoy
a.
a bipartisan atmosphere.
b.
fewer roll-call votes.
c.
the franking privilege.
d.
exponential pay raises.
e.
relatively secure seats.
41. The authors suggest one way of describing the New System is to call it a(n) __________ government.
a.
restrictive
b.
activist
c.
counter-majoritarian
d.
top-heavy
e.
bottoms-up
42. The text suggests that, as government gets bigger, its members spend less time __________ and more
time __________.
a.
debating; managing
b.
campaigning; advertising
c.
managing; assessing
d.
credit claiming; debating
e.
governing; contemplating
43. All parts of the government are becoming more
a.
centralized.
b.
bureaucratized.
c.
automated.
d.
efficient.
e.
popular.
44. The more government does, the more it will appear
a.
inconsistent.
b.
uncoordinated.
c.
cumbersome.
d.
connected.
e.
Options A, B, and C are true.
45. The ultimate cause of red tape, bureaucratic stalemates, and confusion might be the fact that
a.
public officials are self-interested.
b.
bureaucrats are incompetent.
c.
there is too much separation of powers.
d.
citizens want different and often conflicting things.
e.
federalism simply does not work.
46. When assessing the efficiency of the government, it is always important to remember that Americans
are especially energetic about
a.
asserting their rights.
b.
voting.
c.
lobbying their U.S. senators.
d.
complaining to the media.
e.
tracking the success of this or that program.
47. George W. Bush described his political philosophy as
a.
hope and change.
b.
time for change.
c.
compassionate conservatism.
d.
efficiency in assistance.
e.
smart government.
48. An activist government is __________ susceptible to control by electoral activity than a passive one.
a.
much more
b.
slightly more
c.
less
d.
always more
e.
increasingly
49. One perhaps ironic result of an activist government is
a.
an increase in public trust of government.
b.
a decline in interest group activity.
c.
a decline in voter turnout.
d.
an increase in party-related activity.
e.
an increase in the role of courts.
50. The rapid increase in the number and variety of interest groups and their enlarged role in
government are
a.
an unintended consequence of federalism.
b.
a rational response to the fact that elected officials can tend to only a few things.
c.
the inevitable result of a two-party system.
d.
the primary cause of increased voter turnout.
e.
the primary cause of divided government.
51. From time to time during the nineteenth century, federal officials might be blamed for, and thrown out
of office because of
a.
crime rates.
b.
the economy.
c.
the environment.
d.
civil rights.
e.
All of the above are true.
52. Today, the government is held responsible for
a.
crime.
b.
the economy.
c.
the environment.
d.
civil rights.
e.
All of the above are true.
53. Although we hold the president responsible for a variety of problems, it is certainly true that
a.
the president cannot address them efficiently without excessive use of the veto.
b.
few are relevant to the voting decisions of most Americans.
c.
most can be solved by less partisanship in Washington.
d.
most can be solved with a little assistance from Congress.
e.
many are totally beyond the president’s reach.
54. For Fiscal Year 2012, Barack Obama proposed a budget with an estimated deficit of more than
$__________.
a.
1 trillion
b.
400 million
c.
100 million
d.
20 million
e.
6 million
55. By 2009, the federal government had become the majority stockholder in what was once the world’s
largest __________ company.
a.
Steel
b.
Railroad
c.
Automotive
d.
Telephone
e.
Internet
56. Americans probably use __________ more frequently than the citizens of any other nation to make or
change public policy.
a.
the media
b.
the courts
c.
Protests
d.
Voting
e.
Boycotts
57. Which of the following statements concerning the enormous expansion of the scope and goals of the
federal government is incorrect?
a.
It has not been random or unguided.
b.
Power has been enlarged in some directions more than others.
c.
Certain goals have been served more frequently than others.
d.
The selection of goals has been shaped by our political culture.
e.
None of the above is true.
58. If the United States had adopted a parliamentary system, we might have expected all of the
following EXCEPT
a.
quicker adoption of majoritarian policies.
b.
more centralization of bureaucratic authority.
c.
even more opportunities for citizens to challenge government policies.
d.
greater executive control of government.
e.
higher and more centralized taxation.
59. Which of the following would have probably been least affected by the choice of a parliamentary
system by the Founders?
a.
Centralization of authority
b.
Foreign policy
c.
Executive power
d.
Taxation
e.
Social welfare policies
60. The authors speculate that taxes would probably have been __________ if the Founders had adopted a
parliamentary system in America.
a.
unaffected
b.
less controversial
c.
lower
d.
higher
e.
flat
TRUE/FALSE
1. The Supreme Court prevented the government from levying an income tax.
2. The interstate highway system was built during the administration of Dwight Eisenhower.
3. Provisions of the Bill of Rights have been extended to the states via the due process clause of the
Fourteenth Amendment.
4. The federal government actively sought to address the issue of drug abuse before the mid-
twentieth century.
5. Until the twentieth century, the Supreme Court refused to allow the delegation of broad discretionary
power to administrative agencies.
6. Today, the federal government is still only involved in a few areas of public policy.
7. Today, bureaucrats have less discretion than they did several decades ago.
8. Political elites change their minds more slowly than the average citizen.
9. Today, powerful bosses are the main people determining the party nominees for elections.
10. Under the Old System of American politics, leaders in the House and Senate had considerable power.
11. A dominant theme under the Old System of American politics was the importance of states’ rights.
12. Power was more decentralized under the Old System of American politics.
13. The Supreme Court virtually ceased opposing any economic legislation during the 1930s.
14. Lyndon Johnson used large liberal Democratic majorities in the House and the Senate to pass his Great
Society legislative program.
15. Members of the House of Representatives began to enjoy relatively secure seats during the 1930s.
16. As government gets bigger, its members must spend more time debating at length new ideas and less
time managing the consequences.
17. The conflicting goals of government are often a reflection of the conflicting desires of citizens.
18. Activism in government can be a cause of declining voter turnout.
19. The authors suggest that public disenchantment with government is likely to vanish as the government
plays a larger role in people’s lives.
20. The fragmentation and individualization of our political system have made it less susceptible to the
sway of ideas.
334 Chapter 20: American Democracy, Then and Now
ESSAY
1. Discuss the restraints on the growth of government that existed until the mid-1930s.
2. Identify the areas that the Founders probably felt were to be limits of federal government.
3. What are some constitutional features that make it hard for the government to act?
4. Describe some of the primary features of the Old System of American politics.
5. Compare the presidency in the New System with the institution in the Old System.
6. Describe some of the primary features of the New System of American politics.
7. What are the essential differences between the Old and New Systems of politics in the United States?
8. Discuss how Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal and Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society ushered in the
New System.
9. What are four consequences of the enlarged scope of governmental action?
10. What are some differences we would expect if the Founding Fathers had created a more parliamentary
regime, as in Great Britain?