CHAPTER 24
Government and Inequality
MULTIPLE CHOICE
197. If the vast majority of American voters are employees and the wealthy elite only make up
1% of the American population, how is it possible to say that the wealthy elite control
American politics?
a. the average employee has the same interests as the wealthy elite and have similar voting
patterns.
b. the average employee does not have the right to vote.
c. the average employee tends to be less interested in politics and votes less regularly.
d. the wealthy elite do not really control American politics.
198. How did gender affect American voting patterns in the 2004 election?
a. men and women had identical voting patterns.
b. the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the male vote and over
50% of the female vote.
c. the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the male vote and over 50%
of the female vote.
d. the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the male vote, and the
Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the female vote.
199. How did race affect American voting patterns in the 2004 election?
a. African American and white voters had identical voting patterns.
b. the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the white vote and over
50% of the African American vote.
c. the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the white vote and over 50%
of the African American vote.
d. the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the white vote, and the
Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the African American vote.
200. How did race affect American voting patterns in the 2004 election?
a. Asian and white voters had identical voting patterns.
b. the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the white vote and over
50% of the Asian vote.
c. the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the white vote and over 50%
of the Asian vote.
d. the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the white vote, and the
Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the Asian vote.
201. How did ethnicity affect American voting patterns in the 2004 election?
a. Latino and white voters had identical voting patterns.
b. the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the white vote and over
50% of the Latino vote.
c. the Democratic candidate, John Kerry, received over 50% of the white vote and over 50%
of the Latino vote.
d. the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the white vote, and the
Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the Latino vote.
202. How did class affect American voting patterns in the 2004 election?
a. All income groups had identical voting patterns.
b. the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the votes by those with
incomes over $75000 and over 50% of the votes by those with incomes less than
$20,000.
c. the Democratic candidate, John Kerry, received over 50% of the votes by those with
incomes over $75000 and over 50% of the votes by those with incomes less than
$20,000.
d. the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the votes by those with
incomes over $75000, and the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of
the votes by those with incomes less than $20,000.
203. How did class affect American voting turnout in the 2004 election?
a. All income groups had identical voting turnout.
b. the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the votes by those with
incomes over $75000 and over 50% of the votes by those with incomes less than
$20,000.
c. the Democratic candidate, John Kerry, received over 50% of the votes by those with
incomes over $75000 and over 50% of the votes by those with incomes less than
$20,000.
d. the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the votes by those with
incomes over $75000, and the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of
the votes by those with incomes less than $20,000.
204. omic Power and the
a. Economically powerful people help elect a president who then appoints these
economically powerful people to positions that allow them to increase their power even
further.
b. Economically powerful people help elect a president, who then fulfills his duty to
represent the public interest fairly and equally.
c. Those who have economic power are elected president and, in turn, become less
powerful.
d. Those who have economic power request feedback from the president in the form of
briefings and reports.
205. What are the two largest lobbies that attempt to influence public policy?
a. The two largest lobbies are the oil interests and the military armaments industry.
b. The two largest lobbies are the medical industry (hospitals, doctors, and health insurance
companies) and military armaments industry.
c. The two largest lobbies are unions and labor interests and the oil interests.
d. The two largest lobbies are the medical industry and the oil interests.
206. Taxes are controlled by governments at the local, state, and national (federal) levels. What
types of taxes are imposed by state and local governments but not by the federal
government?
a. income taxes and sales taxes.
b. property taxes and sales taxes.
c. income taxes and property taxes.
d. income taxes and excise taxes.
207. Sam has an income of $10,000 per year and pays $1000 in income taxes. Dave has an
income of $100,000 per year and pays $10,000 in income taxes. This is an example of
a. a progressive income tax.
b. a regressive income tax.
c. a proportional income tax.
d. an asymmetrical tax.
208. Rocky has an income of $10,000 per year and pays $500 in income taxes. Bullwinkel has
an income of $100,000 per year and pays $15,000 in income taxes. This is an example of
a. a progressive income tax.
b. a regressive income tax.
c. a proportional income tax.
d. an asymmetrical tax.
209. George has an income of $10,000 per year and pays $1000 in income taxes. Brad has an
income of $100,000 per year and also pays $1000 in income taxes. This is an example of
a. a progressive income tax.
b. a regressive income tax.
c. a proportional income tax.
d. an asymmetrical tax.
210. The Social Security tax is
a. a progressive tax up to a certain income level ($102,000 in 2008), and proportional above
that level.
b. a proportional tax up to a certain income level ($102,000 in 2008), and regressive above
that level.
c. a regressive tax up to a certain income level ($102,000 in 2008), and progressive above
that level.
d. a proportional tax up to a certain income level ($102,000 in 2008), and progressive above
that level.
211. How do taxes affect income inequality?
a. taxes have no effect on income inequality.
b. taxes tend to reduce income inequality, because only about 40% of taxes are progressive.
c. taxes tend to increase income inequality, because only about 40% of taxes are regressive.
d. taxes tend to reduce income inequality, because only about 40% of taxes are proportional.
212.
a. relative poverty is measured in terms of the incom
b. relative poverty is measured relative to the society in which a person lives.
c. relative poverty is measured in terms of certain global income level.
d. there is no difference.
APPENDIX 24.1
A Case Study
MULTIPLE CHOICE
213. The McCarthy era is named after
a. William McCarthy, a justice of the Supreme Court (1949 1962).
b. Mary McCarthy, author and activist during the 1960s.
c. Joseph McCarthy, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin (1947 1957).
d. Mike McCarthy, head coach of the Green Bay Packers (2006 2008).
214. In the case study, Private Jones was charged with
a. espionage on behalf of North Korea.
b. disloyalty and being a Communist sympathizer.
c. desertion.
d. murder of an army officer.