Bonuses And Federalism Quiz Questions
- 1.
The “federalism bonus” in the Electoral College arises because
- A.
Every state receives an elector for each member it has in the House of Representatives.
- B.
Every state receives two electors to represent its members in the U.S. Senate.
- C.
Every state receives the same number of electors.
- D.
Every state receives a proportional share of the electors based on the size of its population.
Correct Answer
B. Every state receives two electors to represent its members in the U.S. Senate. -
- 2.
Under the federalism bonus, each elector from a small state, such as Wyoming, represents _____ state residents than does each elector from a large state, such as California.
- A.
Fewer
- B.
The same number
- C.
More
- D.
Depends on the results of the Electoral College lottery.
Correct Answer
A. Fewer -
- 3.
When writing the U.S. Constitution, the “Connecticut Compromise” or the “Great Compromise” created a bicameral legislature where representation in the U.S. Senate would be _________ and representation in the U.S. House would be ______________.
- A.
Based on states’ population sizes; equal across all states.
- B.
Equal across all states; based on states’ population sizes
- C.
Based on states’ population sizes; based on states’ population sizes
- D.
Equal across all states; equal across all states
Correct Answer
B. Equal across all states; based on states’ population sizes -
- 4.
In the 2000 presidential election, which candidate benefited from the federalism bonus?
- A.
Al Gore, the Democratic Party candidate
- B.
George Bush, the Republican Party candidate
- C.
Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate
- D.
Both Gore and Bush, but not Nader
Correct Answer
B. George Bush, the Republican Party candidate -
- 5.
In what percent of U.S. presidential elections held under the current two-party system has the federalism bonus NOT played a role in the outcome of the election?
- A.
10.1 percent
- B.
27 percent
- C.
52.5 percent
- D.
91.9 percent
Correct Answer
D. 91.9 percent -
- 6.
How would the “direct election plan” affect the structure of the Electoral College?
- A.
It would eliminate the Electoral College.
- B.
It would distribute all electors across the states on the basis of state population sizes.
- C.
It would give every state the same number of electors.
- D.
It would require that each state’s electors be bound to support the winner of the popular vote in the state.
Correct Answer
A. It would eliminate the Electoral College. -
- 7.
How would the “proportional plan” affect the structure of the Electoral College?
- A.
It would eliminate the Electoral College.
- B.
It would distribute each state’s electors across the candidates based on the proportion of the vote they received in the state.
- C.
It would distribute each state’s electors across the candidates based on the proportion of the vote they received in the nationwide vote.
- D.
It would give all the electors from all 50 states to the candidate who won the highest proportion of the vote nationwide.
Correct Answer
B. It would distribute each state’s electors across the candidates based on the proportion of the vote they received in the state. -
- 8.
After the 2000 presidential election
- A.
There were numerous calls to reform the Electoral College.
- B.
There were no serious proposals to reform the Electoral College.
- C.
The Electoral College was eliminated from future presidential elections.
- D.
The Electoral College was retained for future elections, though the federalism bonus was eliminated
Correct Answer
B. There were no serious proposals to reform the Electoral College. -
- 9.
Under the “district plan” it would be possible for one candidate to win some of a state’s electors while another candidate could win the rest of that state’s electors.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. True -
- 10.
Which of the reform plans could only be put in place through the passage of a constitutional amendment?
- A.
The direct election plan
- B.
The proportional plan
- C.
The district plan
- D.
All of these plans could only be put in place through a constitutional amendment
Correct Answer
A. The direct election plan -
- 11.
In presidential nomination politics a “Super Tuesday” is
- A.
The starting date of the national convention.
- B.
A Tuesday on which multiple states hold their presidential primaries or caucuses.
- C.
The Tuesday on which a presidential candidate has secured the number of delegates needed to win the nomination.
- D.
The date of the first presidential primary.
Correct Answer
B. A Tuesday on which multiple states hold their presidential primaries or caucuses. -
- 12.
In the early 20th century, delegates at the national conventions represented _________. Today, they represent ___________.
- A.
Presidential candidates; states.
- B.
National interest groups; states.
- C.
States; presidential candidates.
- D.
States; national interest groups
Correct Answer
C. States; presidential candidates. -
- 13.
The McGovern-Fraser Commission established new rules for the selection of convention delegates in the 1970s. This commission was established by
- A.
The Democratic Party.
- B.
The Republican Party.
- C.
Congress
- D.
A coalition of state legislatures.
Correct Answer
A. The Democratic Party. -
- 14.
The two national parties, in order to encourage states to hold their primaries or caucuses in late spring have offered incentives. Which of the following is one of those incentives?
- A.
An increase in the number of the state’s delegates
- B.
A reduction in the number of the state’s delegates.
- C.
A guarantee that the state will be one of the first primaries in the following presidential election year.
- D.
A guarantee that at least two candidates will remain in the race until that state has held its presidential primary.
Correct Answer
A. An increase in the number of the state’s delegates -
- 15.
What typically happens to a state that violates party rules on its date for holding presidential primaries?
- A.
The state receives an increase in the number of its delegates.
- B.
The state has a reduction in the number of its delegates.
- C.
The state’s presidential primary is cancelled by the national party.
- D.
A state receives no convention delegates in the next presidential election year.
Correct Answer
B. The state has a reduction in the number of its delegates. -
- 16.
The Democratic Party uses proportional representation for the distribution of delegates based on the primary vote in a state. Take a state with 10 delegates. If candidate A wins 40 percent of the vote, candidate B wins 30 percent of the vote, candidate C wins 20 percent of the vote and candidate D wins 10 percent of the vote, how many delegates will candidate A win?
- A.
1 delegate
- B.
4 delegates
- C.
10 delegates
- D.
No delegates
Correct Answer
B. 4 delegates -
- 17.
Some Republican primaries used winner-take-all rules. Take a state with 10 delegates. If candidate A wins 40 percent of the vote, candidate B wins 30 percent of the vote, candidate C wins 20 percent of the vote and candidate D wins 10 percent of the vote, how many delegates will candidate A win?
- A.
1 delegate
- B.
4 delegates
- C.
10 delegates
- D.
No delegates
Correct Answer
C. 10 delegates -
- 18.
The process by which more and more states try to move their presidential primaries or caucuses to the beginning of the nomination calendar is known as
- A.
Front-loading
- B.
Momentum
- C.
Retrograde motion
- D.
Stacking
Correct Answer
A. Front-loading -
- 19.
Why might a state choose to hold a late primary, such as scheduling it for late May?
- A.
T will be assured of having the last voice on the presidential nomination and thus have greater influence over the outcome of the nomination at the national convention.
- B.
Its primary or caucus will receive more coverage in the national press.
- C.
It can schedule its primaries for state offices on the same day as the presidential primary, and thus save the state and local governments millions of dollars.
- D.
It will be assured of having one of the earliest primaries in the subsequent presidential election year.
Correct Answer
C. It can schedule its primaries for state offices on the same day as the presidential primary, and thus save the state and local governments millions of dollars. -
- 20.
Which of the following groups DOES NOT currently play a role in the scheduling of presidential primaries and caucuses?
- A.
Congress
- B.
The two national parties
- C.
State legislatures
- D.
The parties in the states
Correct Answer
A. Congress -
- 21.
Who was William Marbury?
- A.
Jefferson’s Secretary of State
- B.
Adams’ Secretary of State
- C.
A judicial appointee
- D.
A Supreme Court justice
Correct Answer
C. A judicial appointee -
- 22.
What role did James Madison play in this case?
- A.
Jefferson’s Secretary of State
- B.
Adams' Secretary of State
- C.
A judicial appointee
- D.
A Supreme Court justice
Correct Answer
A. Jefferson’s Secretary of State -
- 23.
The political underpinnings of Marbury v. Madison was a dispute between
- A.
Congress and the president.
- B.
The federal government and the state of Maryland.
- C.
The Federalist Party and the Republican Party.
- D.
Maryland and Virginia.
Correct Answer
C. The Federalist Party and the Republican Party. -
- 24.
The sole connection that John Marshall had to this case was as the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. False -
- 25.
The 20th Amendment to the Constitution (ratified in 1933) set the start of the newly elected Congress as January 3rd. Prior to this change, the start of the new Congress occurred in which month?
- A.
February
- B.
March
- C.
April
- D.
May
Correct Answer
B. March -
- 26.
The Judiciary Act of 1801
- A.
Stated that the Supreme Court would have the power of judicial review.
- B.
Stated that the Supreme Court did not have the power of judicial review.
- C.
Created a large number of new judicial posts
- D.
Limited the role of the Supreme Court to appellate cases only, eliminating its original jurisdiction.
Correct Answer
C. Created a large number of new judicial posts -
- 27.
The Judiciary Act of 1802 repealed the Judiciary Act of 1801 and prevented the Supreme Court from hearing cases in 1802
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. True -
- 28.
When the Supreme Court justices were deciding Marbury v. Madison, they felt no political pressures to decide the case in one direction or another.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. False -
- 29.
The Supreme Court decision in Stuart v. Laird (1803) ruled that
- A.
Supreme Court justices would resume their duties as circuit court judges
- B.
The Supreme Court had no original jurisdiction.
- C.
Supreme Court justices did not have life-time appointments.
- D.
Supreme Court decisions needed to be unanimous.
Correct Answer
A. Supreme Court justices would resume their duties as circuit court judges -
- 30.
After the Marbury v. Madison case, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall
- A.
Was impeached and removed from office.
- B.
Resigned.
- C.
Was demoted from the position of Chief Justice to the position of Associate Justice.
- D.
Continued to serve on the Supreme Court for many years.
Correct Answer
D. Continued to serve on the Supreme Court for many years. -
- 31.
Regardless of its historical surroundings, the long term impact of Marbury v. Madison is the acceptance of the Supreme Court’s authority to rule on the constitutionality of laws passed by Congress.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. True -
- 32.
Law schools teach students that legal analysis is the same as policy analysis
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. False -
- 33.
The “facts of a case” as presented in court are unbiased, full accounts of the circumstances of the case.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. False -
- 34.
A broader understanding of a Supreme Court ruling might include additional information reflective of the case’s “horizontal dimension.” By this, the authors mean
- A.
The Constitutional provisions underlying the law.
- B.
The social and political settings surrounding a case.
- C.
A network of overlapping laws.
- D.
The number of times a Supreme Court ruling is referred to in subsequent decisions.
Correct Answer
B. The social and political settings surrounding a case. -
- 35.
Besides the “horizontal dimension,” a second set of considerations might arise from a _________ dimension
- A.
Vertical
- B.
Reflective
- C.
Third
- D.
Temporal
Correct Answer
D. Temporal -
- 36.
One reason that Chief Justice Earl Warren when writing the opinion in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) did not elaborate on the history of racial discrimination in the United States was to obtain the support of the Court’s conservative members in order to have a unanimous ruling.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. True -
- 37.
The immediate public reaction to the Brown v. Board of Education ruling was
- A.
Immediate acceptance by all segments of the American population.
- B.
Massive resistance by southern states to school desegregation.
- C.
Acceptance of inter-racial marriage.
- D.
Disinterest in the issues of civil rights.
Correct Answer
B. Massive resistance by southern states to school desegregation. -
- 38.
Public schools in the U.S. at the end of the 20th century continued to show de facto segregation.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. True -
- 39.
In a political or historical analysis of a Supreme Court case, the personal histories and partisanship of the judges ____________ be included in the analysis.
- A.
Would never
- B.
May
Correct Answer
B. May -
- 40.
Businesses that receive contracts from the federal government may not lobby Congress
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. False -
- 41.
Because of government contracting, high levels of expenditures by the federal government does not necessarily result in more government employees and larger government bureaucracies.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. True -
- 42.
The federal government currently has enough highly skilled employees to effectively monitor the performance of government contractors
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. False -
- 43.
The federal government uses contracting of services for both domestic policies and foreign policy areas, including military policy.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. True -
- 44.
Today, there is still no on-line resource to track federal government spending.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. False -
- 45.
“Inherently governmental functions” is one area where many agree outsourcing should not occur. All agencies across the federal government use the same definition of “inherently governmental functions” to decide which tasks to contract out and which to be performed by government employees.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. False -
- 46.
Federal contracts are awarded through a process that provides for free and fair competition for any business seeking these contracts
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. False -
- 47.
The outsourcing of governmental tasks to private industries occurred only since the 1980s.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. False -
- 48.
Which of the following IS NOT a characteristic of traditional government bureaucracies?
- A.
Hierachy
- B.
Routine tasks
- C.
Lack of discretion
- D.
Unprofessional service
Correct Answer
D. Unprofessional service -
- 49.
Today, the federal government spends more on contracting out government services than it does to pay federal employees.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. True -
- 50.
Education is one policy area in which services have not been contracted out to private businesses
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. False -
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Mar 21, 2022Quiz Edited by
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Mar 24, 2015Quiz Created by
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