Which President introduced the concept of “preemptive war.”
a. Ronald Reagan
b. George Busch
c. George W. Busch
d. Lyndon B. Johnson
e. Bill Clinton
Which of the following is an argument against federalism?
a. That too much inequity exists between states in a federal system
b. That it prevents creation of a strong party system
c. The rigidity of the national government in confronting change
d. That it is difficult for governors to become president
e. That it is too simplistic for a nation with a large geographic area and population
A comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of people and the role of government is
called
a. a political culture.
b. a dogma.
c. an ideology.
d. the political spectrum.
e. political science.
A representative who is performing the role of an instructed delegate is
a. mirroring the views of the majority of the constituents who elected him or her.
b. supporting the president on all of his legislative programs.
c. acting according to the broad interests of the entire society.
d. supporting his or her political party.
e. representing other members of Congress.
A veto is
a. usually employed to punish members of the president’s party who disagree with him.
b. more likely when the president’s party controls Congress.
c. a clear-cut indication of the president’s dissatisfaction with legislation.
d. likely to be overridden about half the time.
e. required to be used at least once during each president’s term.
Conservatives generally place a high value on the principle of
a. poverty reduction.
b. government intervention.
c. social innovation.
d. order.
e. equality.
All of the following about American political culture is true EXCEPT
a. it is a set of attitudes and ideas about the nation and government.
b. it consists of symbols such as the American flag, the Liberty Bell, and the Statue of
Liberty.
c. it supports the political system.
d. it is only shared by Americans of similar backgrounds.
e. shared beliefs exist about values such as liberty, equality, and property.
Which of the following is NOT a function of U.S. political parties?
a. Taking the responsibility of operating the government
b. Acting as the organized opposition to the party in power
c. Signing up large numbers of committed, dues-paying members
d. Recruiting political candidates
e. Presenting alternative policies
The responsibility of the Federal Open Market Committee is to
a. seek a balanced trade policy.
b. negotiate with Congress in developing a budget.
c. decide how monetary policy should be carried out.
d. develop a rational trade policy through the United Nations Trade Information
Commission.
e. regulate the markets for stocks and bonds.
______ policy transfers income from certain individuals or groups to others.
a. Regulatory
b. Redistributive
c. Promotional
d. Foreign
e. Bipartisan
A model of federalism that looks on national and state governments as co-equal
sovereign powers, neither of which should interfere in the other’s sphere is called
a. confederalism.
b. cooperative federalism.
c. dual federalism.
d. separate-but-equal federalism.
e. post-war federalism.
Which of the following are the three levels of federal courts in the United States?
a. Appellate courts, the U.S. Supreme Court, and state supreme courts
b. State municipal courts, U.S. district courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court
c. U.S. district courts, intermediate U.S. courts of appeal, and the U.S. Supreme Court
d. Municipal courts, intermediate U.S. courts of appeal, and the U.S Supreme Court
e. Municipal courts, state courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court
All of the following are true of the president’s cabinet EXCEPT
a. originally, it consisted of only four officials.
b. they usually have some experience in the area of the cabinet position.
c. they are heads of executive departments.
d. it is thoroughly detailed in the Constitution as to what the cabinet should do.
e. the cabinet is an advisory group selected by the president to aid in making decisions.
If the results of an opinion poll look like the following: (Favor: 44%; Oppose: 45%; No
opinion: 11%), the results show an example of _______ opinion.
a. consensus
b. divided
c. dubious
d. favorable
e. unified
Regulatory policy
a. seeks to define what is and is not legal.
b. seeks to make income more evenly distributed across socioeconomic classes.
c. tries to promote the best interests of various groups over others.
d. attempts to maintain the status quo between different countries.
e. is created by cooperation between Democrats and Republicans.
When the Electoral College fails to elect a president, what happens?
a. The current president serves two more years and another general election is held.
b. The candidate who receives a plurality of the popular vote is elected.
c. The electors cast a second ballot to determine who will be elected.
d. The election is decided in the House of Representatives.
e. The election is decided in the Senate.
Government can be defined as
a. an institution within which decisions are made that resolve conflicts.
b. a figurehead institution with little actual authority.
c. any club that sets up a platform.
d. the same in most countries.
e. a concept with a universally accepted interpretation.
The right to property is all of the following EXCEPT
a. widespread in the United States.
b. likely to provide power and liberty to those who own it.
c. compatible with economic equality.
d. fundamental to the capitalist system.
e. a source of inequality in society.
______ policy seeks to foster or discourage various economic or social activities,
typically through subsidies or tax breaks.
a. Regulatory
b. Redistributive
c. Promotional
d. Foreign
e. Bipartisan
Before the advent of ______, a strong party organization at the local, state, or national
level could furnish most of the services candidates needed.
a. Democratic dominance
b. widespread political scandal
c. political apathy
d. television campaigning
e. print media campaigning
A political party is a group of political activists who
a. agree on all policy issues.
b. organize to win elections, operate the government, and determine public policy.
c. pay monthly dues to an ideological organization.
d. have been previously elected to office.
e. organize to stage protests.
According to the clear and present danger test, expression could be restricted if
a. it does not deal with a political question.
b. it is found to be offensive to religious organizations.
c. and only if the United States is at war.
d. the speaker is not a citizen of the United States.
e. evidence exists that such expression would cause a dangerous condition that
Congress has the power to prevent.
Which of the following is true regarding the establishment of cabinet departments?
a. The first cabinet department to be created was Treasury and the most recently created
was Education.
b. The first cabinet department to be created was State and the most recently created
was Homeland Security.
c. The first cabinet department to be created was War and the most recently created was
Energy.
d. The first cabinet department to be created was Treasury and the most recently created
was Health and Human Services.
e. The first cabinet department to be created was State and the most recently created
was Veterans Affairs.
One major set of ______ provides aid to state welfare programs.
a. categorical grants
b. program grants
c. federal mandates
d. block grants
e. municipal grants
The New York Times v. United States case
a. affirmed the no-prior-restraint doctrine.
b. upheld the government’s right to provide the public with information about Vietnam.
c. punished the New York Times for publishing secret documents.
d. affirmed the free speech of students in public schools.
e. ruled against the right of newspapers to protect their reporters’ identities.
Judicial review is
a. a method by which the president can check the judiciary.
b. the process of confirmation of federal judges by Congress.
c. the power of the courts to declare federal or state laws and other acts of government
unconstitutional.
d. not applicable to actions by state governments.
e. restricted to the Supreme Court in overturning decisions by lower courts.
The Office of Management and Budget is charged with
a. helping Congress write the budget.
b. helping the president prepare the annual budget.
c. revising the budget passed by Congress.
d. reducing the scope of the federal budget.
e. replacing the House Appropriations Committee.
Reforms to the Federal Election Campaign Act in 1974 did NOT
a. limit campaign contributions.
b. provide public funding for presidential elections.
c. provide public funding for congressional elections.
d. require disclosure of contributions and spending.
e. create the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
From 1801 to 1835, the Supreme Court was headed by Chief Justice __________.
a. Henry Clay.
b. Samuel Alito.
c. John Jay.
d. John Marshall.
e. Roger Taney.
The term amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief refers to
a. a legal argument supporting a desired outcome of a case, filed by an interested third
party not directly involved in the case.
b. a request that the Supreme Court order a lower court to send up the records of a case.
c. a Supreme Court order barring further testimony during oral arguments.
d. the belief that the Supreme Court should actively practice judicial review.
e. a legal argument made regarding a hypothetical or purely academic question.
The merit system refers to
a. job appointment based on competitive examinations.
b. a system of checks on Congress intended to prevent discrimination.
c. a process of selecting policies based on their value.
d. a system that was used for hiring bureaucrats under Andrew Jackson.
e. using work experience in lieu of educational qualifications when applying for federal
positions.
If a candidate is a highly visible incumbent seeking reelection,
a. name recognition may be a serious problem.
b. they should leave the major parties and run as an independent.
c. there may be little need for campaigning except to remind the voters of the
officeholder’s good deeds.
d. the strategy will be to keep as low a profile as possible.
e. the incumbent must devote almost every moment to campaigning to avoid seeming
overly confident and arrogant.