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Constitutional Underpinnings
Congress
Bureaucracy
Elections/ Voting Behavior
Political Ideology
100
1. All of the following were concerns about the Articles of Confederation that led to the calling of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 EXCEPT
A) dissatisfaction over safeguards of individual rights and liberties B) fear for the stability of the central government C) desire to promote trade among states D) the need to give the central government the power to levy taxes E) dissatisfaction with the central government’s ability to provide for national defense
100
All of the following make it difficult for Congress to make policy EXCEPT
a. Congress must worry about voters’ preferences, so it engages in arguments on important issues b. Congress does not choose the president, so there is no guarantee a bill will become law c. Congress operates through coalitions of several political parties, each of which represents different interests d. Congress is bicameral, and a bill must pass both houses e. Each member of Congress faces reelection, and the interests of the members of his or her district must be considered
100
Who exercises control over the bureaucracy?
a. There is very little control over the bureaucracy because agencies make regulations that have the force of law b. The executive branch controls the bureaucracy by appointing all federal employees c. Congress controls the bureaucracy because it has the power to fire agency heads d. The judicial branch controls the bureaucracy by reviewing regulations to make sure they are constitutional before they go into effect e. Both Congress and the executive branch have controls over the bureaucracy
100
Which of the following is TRUE about American elections over the past 100 years?
a. The suffrage has broadened, and the turnout has increased b. The suffrage has broadened, and the turnout has decreased c. The suffrage has narrowed, and the turnout has increased d. The suffrage has narrowed, and the turnout has decreased e. Suffrage has broadened, but there has been no change in turnout
100
Liberal preferences on various policy issues are displayed least often by
A. white Protestants B. white Catholics C. Hispanics D. blacks E. Jews
200
Which of the following is argued by James Madison in The Federalist paper number 10?
A) A system of republican representation helps to limit the excesses of factionalism. B) Small republics are better able to ensure individual liberty than are large republics C) The presence of a few large factions helps to protect the right of minorities. D) Participatory democracy is the surest way to prevent tyranny E) The elimination of the causes of factionalism is the best protection against tyranny.
200
How did the composition of Congress change between 1950 and 2002?
a. There was no big change in the number of ethnic minorities, but the number of women increased b. There was no change in the number of women, but the number of African Americans increased c. The percentage of African Americans in Congress is similar to the percentage of African Americans as a whole d. There are fewer Hispanics but more African Americans and women e. Although representation does not mirror the population as a whole, there are more minorities and women
200
How has the appointment of federal officials changed over time?
a. It has become more political because more government jobs have been created and are filled through patronage b. It is now based solely on merit; all federal government employees must take a civil service exam c. It is a combination of merit and political appointment with most jobs in the bureaucracy based on an exam or specific job qualifications d. Prospective employees take a civil service exam, and the person with the best score who is also a member of the president’s political party is awarded the position e. There is no set procedure for filling jobs in the bureaucracy; each agency has its own rules.
200
Which of the following candidates would most likely receive the most money from a PAC?
A) An incumbent who has consistently supported the PAC’s positions B) a challenger whose viewpoints are unknown C) a challenger whose viewpoints are opposed to the PAC’s. D) an incumbent who has not voted consistently to support the PAC’s positions in the past. E) any candidate who is likely to win.
200
The clearest liberalizing influence on individuals comes from
A. higher education B. organized religion C. the Democratic party D. All four influences have an equal effect on individuals E. the mass media
300
James Madison believed that various groups, or factions would compete within our democratic system. The result would be effective policy-making. Madison's theory can best be described as
A) hyperpluralism B) Marxism C) bureaucratic elitism D) pluralism E) elitism
300
What role does incumbency play in congressional elections?
a. Incumbents are more likely to be reelected in the House of Representatives than in the Senate b. More than 90% of all incumbent members of Congress are reelected. c. Incumbents are more likely to be reelected in the Senate than in the House d. Incumbency is helpful only when the economy is strong; more than half of all incumbents lose their reelection bids in a weak economy e. There is no correlation between incumbency and reelection
300
All of the following tend to be characteristics of non-voters EXCEPT
A. 18-24-year olds B. low income C. non-white D. church goers E. little education
300
A pure liberal is a person who ___ government initiatives concerning the economy and ____ government initiatives to coerce individuals into traditional ethical behavior.
A. supports, supports B. opposes, supports C. supports, opposes D. opposes, opposes
400
The case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1809) ruled that i. the federal government could exercise only the enumerated powers of the Constitution. ii. the implied powers in Article I of the constitution allowed Congress to create a nationally chartered bank. iii. the state governments could levy taxes on national government institutions. iv. neither states nor the federal government could tax one another v. The state courts had sole jurisdiction over regulatory affairs within their boundaries.
a. I, III, and V b. I and IV c. II and III d. II and IV e. IV and V
400
The representational view of Congress is based on the assumption that members want to get reelected and therefore vote to please their constituents. Under what circumstances is a member of Congress most likely to vote according to this view?
a. When a bill will bring “pork” to the congressmen’s district b. When constituents have a clear view on some issue and the issue has attracted attention c. When constituents have a clear view on an issue and the member of Congress agrees with the constituents’ views d. When there is a close race for reelection and a member of Congress is eager to please constituents e. When a small group of constituents goes to great lengths to make its views known to their senator or representative
400
From the standpoint of a federal agency, what is the advantage of an iron triangle?
a. It gives the agency allies in Congress, as well as in the private sector b. It allows federal agencies to receive funding directly from interest groups c. It provides agency heads with access to the media, so they can publicize their programs d. It gives the federal agency a direct link to the White House staff e. It prevents Congress from using oversight hearings as a means of cutting agency budgets
400
The most important influence on an individual's political socialization is his or her
A. religious leader B. co-workers C. school D. church E. family
400
Which of the following statements is incorrect?
a. Conservatives might find monetarism appealing. b. Socialists find economic planning appealing. c. Liberals find Keynesian economics appealing. d. Conservatives might find supply-side economics appealing. e. None of the above.
500
Under the original Constitution, which branch of branches of government were selected directly by the citizens I. the president and vice president II the Supreme Court III. the Senate IV. the House of Representatives
a. I and II b. I, III and IV c. III and IV d. III only e. IV only
500
A congressional committee was created to investigate any intelligence failures that might have occurred prior to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. What kind of committee does this represent?
a. Standing b. Joint c. Select d. Conference e. Oversight
500
Which of the following events prompted a significant increase in the federal bureaucracy?
A. World War II B. the Great Depression C. the Civil War D. A, B, and C E. none are correct
500
Which of the following are valid criticisms of the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire primary? I. Too much attention is paid to them because they are early. II. It is difficult for a candidate to gain momentum in either of these states. III. These states’ populations are not representatives of the country as a whole. IV. Because these states are small, these contests do not get enough media coverage.
A) I and II B) II and III C) I, II, and III D) I and III E) II and IV
500
What is one foreseeable political consequence of narrowcasting?
A. The print media will appeal to a greater percentage of the public B. Politicians will have more freedom to act according to their own agenda, because they will be able to avoid the public eye. C. Journalists will be forced to concentrate more on political issues than politicians D. The gap between the political elite and the politically uniformed majority will increase E. The public will have less access to political information