Foundations of American Democracy
What are the principles in each of the 7 Articles in the U.S. Constitution?
I Congress (legislative powers)
II POTUS (executive powers)
III SCOTUS (judicial powers)
IV Federalism (relationship between federal government and state government)
V The process of adding an Amendment to the constitution
-2/3 of Congress
VI Federal Law= Supreme Law of the Land
VII Ratification Process
-2/3 Congress, 3/4 State legislatures
If Congress disagrees with a federal court’s decision, it has the power to
a.Refuse to implement the ruling
b.Utilize purse string powers to remove funding from the Department of Jusitce
c.Propose a constitutional amendment
d.Require the court to hear the case again
c.Propose a constitutional amendment.
Explanation:If Congress disagrees with a federal court’s decision, one of the most significant powers it holds is to propose a constitutional amendment to override that decision. This process involves gaining approval from two-thirds of both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states. This method is a direct and formal way to change the interpretation of the Constitution as it pertains to the issue addressed by the court’s decision.
Which of the following statements is NOT true of the Supreme Court’s decision in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)?
A. It held that state governments could pass a law negating a federal law within their boundaries if they believed the federal law was unconstitutional.
B. It confirmed the supremacy of the federal government over state governments.
C. It determined that states could not levy taxes on federal government operations.
D. It interpreted the “necessary and proper” powers clause of the Constitution to mean that the federal government has implied powers not specifically stated in the Constitution.
E. It upheld the constitutionality of the national bank established by the federal government.
a.
Which of the following is the primary agent of political socialization?
a. Family
b. Gender
c. Race
d. Religion
a
Explanation:While all four options are agents of political socialization, the family has the greatest influence an individual’s political beliefs. More often than not, people take on the political beliefs of their parents.
A member of the United States Senate has introduced a bill that is struggling to make it to floor. Which course of action would most likely produce the highest likelihood of the bill receiving a vote with the entire Senate?
a. Filing for a discharge petition
b. Introducing a rider amendment
c. Introducing a concurrent resolution
d. Gathering support from other Senators to filibuster the bill once it arrives on the floor of the Senate
a.
Explanation:A discharge petition can be used to bring a bill out of committee and to the floor for consideration without requiring a report from the committee. It discharges the committee from giving further consideration to the bill. The signatures of a majority of House members are required to discharge a bill. The other answer choices would all decrease the likelihood of the bill becoming a law.
What are 2 pros and 2 cons of the electoral college?
varies but can include:
cons :
- no direct participation
- gerrymandering
- elitisim (citizens United)
- difficult for 3rd party entry
- impossible to impeach
- rural states over-enfranchisement
- apathy b/c of horse race journalism
- unpredictabiltiy of faithless electors
Pros:
+ small states represented
+ electors are Majority Party Loyalists and Party Members
+ Importance to Swing States
+ Preserve federalism
+ less voter fraud
Which of the following is a limit on a president’s ability to issue executive orders?
a. Congress can pass a law nullifying the president’s order
b. Executive orders expire at the end of the calendar year and must be reissued continuously to remain in effect
c. Executive orders are always subject to review by the Supreme Court before taking effect
d. A governor can issue a contradictory executive order that negates the president’s executive order within a state
a
Explanation:Congress can limit executive orders through several means, including passing legislation to override or modify specific executive orders, withholding funding for implementing certain orders, conducting oversight hearings to scrutinize executive actions, and potentially impeaching the president for abuse of power or violation of the Constitution.
4. While the practice of separate schools for black and white students was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), segregation in restaurants, stores, hotels, and other public accommodations remained legal until
A. the Supreme Court’s decision in Loving v. Virginia (1967)
B. the ratification of the Twenty-Fourth Amendment (1964)
C. the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
D. state legislatures eventually changed the laws permitting segregation
E. President Lyndon Johnson issued an executive order ending all segregation by race
c.
Which type of poll is conducted repeatedly over time to track changes in public opinion?
A. Exit poll
B. Benchmark poll
C. Tracking poll
D. Push poll
c.
Tracking polls measure how opinions change over time
Which of the following best illustrates a legal action by a lobbyist based on current law?
(A) A lobbyist provides a gift to a lawmaker after a long campaign to pass a law finally ends.
(B) A senator becomes a lobbyist immediately after resigning her office in order to advocate for greater gun control.
(C) A powerful lobby uses its vast financial resources to provide a commission bonus to lobbyists when they secure a vote in its favor.
(D) A lobbyist launches a pressure campaign to influence a lawmaker by sending them repeated mailings, scheduling meetings, and organizing protests.
d.
Explanation:As the law currently stands, a lobbyist can mount a pressure campaign using a variety of social pressure tools (D), but they cannot provide gifts to lawmakers (A). Lobbying firms are not allowed to provide commissions to lobbyists based on successful votes (C), nor can lawmakers become lobbyists immediately after leaving office (B)
Which of the following was a major weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
A. Congress had too much power to tax
B. The national government could not raise an army
C. The president had unlimited power
D. The Supreme Court could strike down state laws
b.
Under the Articles, the federal government had no power to tax, so it couldn’t fund an army. This weakness was exposed during Shays’ Rebellion, which showed the need for a stronger national government.
9. Which of the following actions of the president has no basis in the Constitution?
A. issuing executive orders
B. serving as leader of his political party
C. stationing U.S. troops at bases abroad
D. negotiating free trade agreements with other countries
E. proposing legislation to Congress
b.
Explanation : The Constitution does NOT mention political parties at all.So the president being the leader of their party is an informal role, not a constitutional one.
2 police officers are investigating the neighbors of a suspected felon. When they open the door of a neighbor, they see marijuana and a lit marijuana cigarette inside. What will happen to this evidence if brought to court
Both the marijuana and the cigarette can be used in court as they were in plain sight
This economic theory argues that government should increase spending during recessions and cut spending during expansions to stabilize the economy. What is this theory?
keynesian economics
How can a rise in political polarization, affect the legislative process?
Wording may vary: Increased polarization often leads to decreased bipartisanship, resulting in legislative gridlock, fewer compromises, and more frequent use of filibusters in the Senate.
This clause creates tension with the Tenth Amendment by allowing federal authority to expand beyond enumerated powers.
Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)
Members of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor are concerned about the nutritional quality of meals served at public schools in California. Which of the following is an action the committee can take to address its concern?
(A) Withhold funding for schools that fail to comply with federal nutritional guidelines
(B) Appoint a new state superintendent of public instruction in California
(C) Place a referendum on the ballot in California to increase the nutritional content of the state-run school lunch program
(D) Launch an investigative action and fine school officials who refuse to comply with nutritional guidelines
a.
Explanation:If the members of a House of Representatives committee are concerned about the nutritional content of school lunches in California, they are within their scope of authority to exercise the “power of the purse” and withhold funding to ensure compliance with new nutritional guidelines (A). The authority of the House of Representatives does not extend to the ability to place a referendum on a ballot (referendums are generated by the people (C)), issue punishments when people do not obey laws (the purview of the judicial branch) (D), or appoint new government officials in elected positions (B).
5. Which case MOST directly limits the government’s ability to censor the press before publication?
A. New York Times v. United States
B. Schenck v. United States
C. Tinker v. Des Moines
D. McDonald v. Chicago
a.
This case limited prior restraint, meaning the government cannot stop publication unless there is an immediate & direct threat
Which of the following is a core American political value?
A. One‑party rule
B. Economic planning
C. Equality of opportunity
D. Equality of outcome
c
“All men are created equal… endowed with certain unalienable Rights… among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
The phrase “created equal” and the right to “pursue happiness” form the philosophical basis for the American belief that everyone should have the same chance to succeed, not the same guaranteed outcome
This campaign tactic involves volunteers or staff going door‑to‑door or making direct contact with voters to persuade them or encourage turnout, and it is considered one of the most effective forms of voter mobilization. What is this tactic?
canvassing
3. Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the concept of “dual federalism”?
A. The federal government and states jointly fund a highway project
B. States regulate marriage laws while the federal government regulates interstate commerce
C. The federal government issues block grants to states
D. States challenge a federal mandate in court
b.
Dual Federalism, or layer cake federalism, means state and federal governments operate in completely separate spheres, each with their own exclusive powers.
A president signs an international agreement without Senate approval by relying on existing legislation—this type of agreement is known as this.
This level of judicial scrutiny is used when a law discriminates based on race or ethnicity and is the hardest standard for the government to meet. What is this standard?
strict scrutiny
A public opinion poll asks the following question:“Do you agree that responsible citizens should support the mayor’s plan to improve our city?”
Which polling problem does this question MOST clearly demonstrate?
A. Sampling error
B. Random digit dialing
C. Leading question
D. Margin of error
This concept explains why individuals may choose not to join an interest group because they can benefit from the group’s achievements without contributing. What is this concept?
free rider problem