Federal And State Governments Of The U.S.
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This is an exam for the big test.
- 1.
- A.
The Washington,D.C. Municipal Court
- B.
The Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands
- C.
The U.S District Courts
- D.
The Police Court of New York City
- E.
The Court of Military Appeals
- 2.Federal and state governments of the U.S. share the power to
- A.
Establish schools
- B.
Conduct foreign relations
- C.
Establish post offices
- D.
Charter banks
- E.
Issue money
- 3.
- A.
I, II, III, IV
- B.
II, I, III, IV
- C.
III, I, II, IV
- D.
IV, I, III, II
- E.
I, IV, III, II
- 4.The Following statement can be found in which part of the U.S. Constitutioin? "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
- A.
Fourteenth Amendment
- B.
Preamble
- C.
Article One, Section 5
- D.
Article One, Section 10
- E.
Bill of Rights
- 5.What principle protects citizens from being punished twice for the same crime?
- A.
Trial by jury
- B.
Presentment
- C.
Double jeopardy
- D.
Self-incrimination
- E.
Due process
- 6.What is the best example of close interaction between the two houses of legislature?
- A.
Iron triangle
- B.
Joint committees
- C.
Standing committees
- D.
Dual branch committees
- E.
Select committees
- 7.Political action committees are sometimes criticized for..
- A.
Limiting themselves to being only grass-roots organizations
- B.
Being dominated by foreign interests
- C.
Never supporting incumbent candidates
- D.
Encouraging strict campaign finance regulations
- E.
Making politicians dependent on their financial support
- 8.All the following are true about the majority leader of the Senate EXCEPT
- A.
He or she is the leader of the Senate majority party.
- B.
He or she is recognized first in debate.
- C.
He or she controls the scheduling of bills for floor consideration.
- D.
He or she has more power than Senate whips.
- E.
He or she is always selected from a different party than the vice president.
- 9.Marbury v. Madison is considered a critical Supreme Court case because it established the precedent of
- A.
Judicial review
- B.
Appellate jurisdiction
- C.
Juris prudence
- D.
Original jurisdiction
- E.
Checks and balances
- 10.The law which did the most to speed the demise of the spoils system and made merit the key qualification for hiring government civil servants was
- A.
The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978
- B.
The Pendleton Act of 1883
- C.
The Hatch Act of 1939
- D.
The Garfield Amendment of 1902
- E.
The Civil Service Reform Act of 1946
- 11.The most effective way that the Federal Reserve System can be used by the Government to influence the economy is to
- A.
Close banks which lend excessively to foreign countries and seldom to U.S. citizens
- B.
Take large amounts of money out of circulation in order to curb inflation
- C.
Raise or lower interests in order to influence interest rates of private banks
- D.
Levy taxes on luxury items in order to create more revenue for the government
- E.
Create new business by selling parts of federal agencies to the private sector
- 12.All the following have been suggested by experts as reasons for low voter turnout in the United States EXCEPT
- A.
Literacy requirements for voters
- B.
Cumbersome registration requirements
- C.
Weakening power of political parties
- D.
Apathy on the part of the electorate
- E.
Disiliusionment with politics in general
- 13.The Smith Act of 1940 occasionally put labor unions and the federal government at odds with each other because
- A.
Many labor unions were suspected of having communists or socialists among their membership who might advocate the violent overthrow of the government
- B.
The Smith Act forbade practices that might impede the profitable functioning of a business
- C.
The Smith Act forbade strikes in areas that were crucial to the functioning of the economy
- D.
Wages set by the Smith Act were often lower than the wages which many workers were currently receiving
- E.
Many labor union members expected consultation by the staff members of legislators before they made a law which would so profoundly affect union membership
- 14.What is the most accurate statement about political participation and political parties?
- A.
Voters feel a stronger affiliation to their political parties when they are voting for president than when voting for a congressional representative.
- B.
The Democratic and Republican parties hold conventions to nominate their presidential candidates in order to discourage participation by low-ranking members.
- C.
In major elections, there is usually a third major party that emerges to challenge the Republicans and Democrats.
- D.
The stronger the grass-roots support for a party, the more divisive the nominating conventions are likely to be.
- E.
The trend over the last 50 years has been a lessening of party loyalty, especially in national elections.
- 15.According to the information provided in the chart, which of the following statements is most accurate?
- A.
There were more undeclared candidates than Democratic candidates.
- B.
Republican membership contains a majority of people in the top 1/3 in income status.
- C.
Republicans and Democrats have an equal number of people in the middle 1/3 income status.
- D.
Republicans and Independents have an equal proportion of the members in the middle income status.
- E.
Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and Undeclareds have an equal number of members.
- 16.Suppose that 30 percent of registered Republican voters who opposed the Republican platform on abortion rights voted for a different candidate as a protest vote, and at the same time 29 percent of the registered Democrats voted Republican because of their strong support for the Republican platform on abortion rights.Which of the folloing hypotheses is LEAST supportable by this information?
- A.
Many voters are single-issue voters.
- B.
Party affiliation is no longer a strong influence on voting patterns.
- C.
Party platforms are formed with the purpose of bringing in a diverse group of supporters.
- D.
The amount of voters gained and lost by the abortion stance almost equalled out.
- E.
Abortion is a key issue for a candidate.
- 17.Republicans referring to previous epochs in their party's history that could be used to persuade minority groups to join would have the most success using which of the following examples?
- A.
Herbert Hoover's economic policies
- B.
Richard Nixon's treatment of college students protesters
- C.
Abraham Lincoln's election platform
- D.
Teddy Roosevelt's African safaris
- E.
George Bush's stance on haitian refugees
- 18."Grandfather clauses" in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which required all prospective voters either to pay a tax or pass a test except for those who grandfathers had been eligible to vote, had the effect of
- A.
Keeping the children of illiterates from voting
- B.
Weeding out people who would not vote wisely
- C.
Preventing women from voting
- D.
Discrminating against the elderly
- E.
Keeping African-Americans from voting
- 19."For present purposes we may and do assume that freedom of speech and of press-- which are protected from abridgement by Congress-- are among the fundamental personal rights and liberties protected by the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment from impairment by the states."This decision by the Supreme Court was important because?
- A.
It strengthened the power of states to interpret the Constitution
- B.
It affirmed the power of the Supreme Court to have the final say in interpreting the Bill of Rights
- C.
It led to the eventual overturning of the Fourteenth Amendment
- D.
It placed more stringent limits on freedom of speech
- E.
It weakened federalism in favor of a system that more equitably balanced state versus federal powers
- 20."For present purposes we may and do assume that freedom of speech and of press-- which are protected from abridgement by Congress-- are among the fundamental personal rights and liberties protected by the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment from impairment by the states."This decision would most likely have significance for?
- A.
A person accused of sedition by the Congress
- B.
A person found guilty of slander against a mayor and jailed by local authorities
- C.
A union organizer accused of murder
- D.
A Senator accused of perjury by a political opponent
- E.
A doctor being sued for malpractice in two different states
- 21.If legislation stalls before it reaches the House floor for debate, it can most likely be found in which committee?
- A.
Ethics Committee
- B.
Committee on Committees
- C.
Foreign Relations Committee
- D.
Ways and Means Committee
- E.
Rules Committee
- 22.Impoundments are most likely to be used by the president to
- A.
Release prisoners he feels were falsely incarcerated
- B.
Take property from people who did not pay taxes
- C.
Control illegal narcotics imports
- D.
Strip errant legislators of their powers
- E.
Control the Congress's spending through the refusal to use funds
- 23.A president has the most unchecked authority when he or she is
- A.
Creating and implementing the national budget
- B.
Negotiating and signing treaties with foreign nations
- C.
Creating and passing legislation
- D.
Repelling sudden attacks on the U.S.
- E.
Formally declaring war
- 24.Which of the following statements supports the elitist theory of U.S. politics?
- A.
To be elected, politicians must earn the support of a large cross section of the electorate.
- B.
Policial action committees often support candidates of meager financial means.
- C.
In the last two decades, almost every mainstream candidate for the presidency has been a millionaire.
- D.
Business leaders are often in desagreement over policy and political candidates.
- E.
There are more registered Democrats than Republicans.
- 25.Which of the following theories about the president's political approval rating and military action is best supported by historical examples?
- A.
The longer and more protracted a war is, the higher and stronger the current president's approval rating will be.
- B.
Short successful military engagements are followed by a sharp rise in the president's approval.
- C.
Every president tries to have at least one military action during his/her presidency, in order to solidify public approval
- D.
Presidents are always blamed when wars are lost and lauded when wars are won.
- E.
The higher the casualty rate of the enemy during a war, the higher the president's approval rating will be.
- 26.One factor which would support the practice of keeping federal bureaucrats in office longer than politicians is that
- A.
The government depends on bureaucrats' expertise in different areas that makes them hard to replace
- B.
Bureaucrats leaving office often blow the whistle on wasteful government practices
- C.
Government agencies are required by law to be free of political considerations
- D.
It is hard to fill agency positions since the hour are long and the pay is low
- E.
It will prevent assassinations like President Garfield's
- 27.One of the best ways that the federal Department of Education has to influence national education policy is
- A.
Establishing new schools where they are needed
- B.
Setting conditions for the distribution of financial aid
- C.
Hiring and firing teachers
- D.
Dictating standards to be used in certifying teachers
- E.
Closing schools that do not meet basic federal standards
- 28.Which person would most likely be paid a high salary to lobby for a large defense contractor?
- A.
An unemployed factory worker who needs part-time work while he goes back to school
- B.
An ex-government official who had a high position in the defense department
- C.
An antiwar protestor who has often lobied in Washington
- D.
An enlisted soldier stationed near Washington, D.C.
- E.
A high -level official in the current administration
- 29.Which of the following would most likely be criticized by those who feel that the presidential election process is not democratic enough?
- A.
The electoral collge
- B.
Media coverage
- C.
State primaries
- D.
Presidential debates
- E.
Third-party candidates
- 30.The popularity of media consultants in political campaigns points to
- A.
The increasing importance of door-to-door campaigning
- B.
The decreasing size of campaign budgets
- C.
The waning popularity of daily newspapers
- D.
The increasing need for candidates to be well-versed in the technical aspects of TV camera work
- E.
The importance of creating the desired television image and being able to create a negative television image for the opponent
- 31.All the following are common steps to the passage of a bill by Congress EXCEPT
- A.
Introduction into both the Senate and the House
- B.
Referral to committees for recommendations
- C.
Presidential approval of committee recommendations
- D.
House and Senate debate
- E.
House and Senate compromise
- 32.A judicial restrantist is most likely to
- A.
Apply judicial review whenever possible
- B.
Place the wishes of elected representatives as a high priority
- C.
Apply liberal philosophy to Supreme Court decisions
- D.
Hear large numbers of cases
- E.
Block many executive initiatives
- 33.The Treasury Note pictured above would most likely be issued by the federal government to
- A.
Pay back a foreign loan
- B.
Give an alternative to the cash tax refund
- C.
Raise money for a war in progress
- D.
Finance budget deficits
- E.
Increase the circulation of hard currency
- 34.Which of the following amendments to the Constitution had a large impact on U.S. voting practices? I. Fifteenth Amendment II. Nineteenth Amendment III. Twentieth AmendmentIV. Twenty-sixth Amendment
- A.
I only
- B.
I and II
- C.
I, II, and III
- D.
II, III, and IV
- E.
I, II, IV
- 35.What would be one likely reason for a president to enter into an executive agreement with a foreign country rather than sign a treaty.
- A.
An executive agreement avoids political wrangling with the Senate since it does not need to be ratified.
- B.
An executive agreement has more legal validity than a treaty.
- C.
A president can easily back down from an executive agreement with no recourse for the foreign country.
- D.
The Case Act of 1972 encouraged executive agreements.
- E.
An executive agreement requires prior Senate approval, making resulting negotiations easier for the president.
- 36.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could most likely be expected to run into resistance to its policies from
- A.
Environmentalists who feel that policies go too far and sacrifice the economy because of the environmental concerns
- B.
Farmers who want more protection for their livestock
- C.
Busieness interests that resent the high cost of environmental protection measures
- D.
Doctors who have fewer patients as the environment becomes cleaner
- E.
Universities that resent having to do environmental research for the government
- 37.Which of the following is the most accurate statement about presidential veto power?
- A.
Vetoes are used on over 50 precent of the bills that pass through the White House.
- B.
Republicans have been more likely to veto bills than have Democrats.
- C.
It is the most effective way for a president to influence the legislative process.
- D.
A veto is final and the Congress has no method of undoing it.
- E.
The use of the veto has declined in the last 30 years.
- 38.Which of the following agencies would be the most useful to a congressional member concerned about the safety of a nuclear power plant?
- A.
The Congressional Research Service
- B.
The General Accounting Office
- C.
The Office of Automation
- D.
The Congressional Budget Office
- E.
The Office of Technology Assessment
- 39.The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was significant because
- A.
It limited the president's power to use military force
- B.
It was result of the War Powers Resolution
- C.
It gave the president more flexibility regarding when and how to use military force
- D.
It showed how the Congress was opposed to giving more power to the president
- E.
It led to the end of the Vietnam War
- 40.The U.S. government since the Great Depression can be fairly described as all of the following EXCEPT
- A.
Smaller and less involved in people's daily welfare
- B.
Having more services for the needy
- C.
More socialistic in terms of public assistance programs
- D.
Having larger budgets and more expenses
- E.
Having more control over people's lives than many of the founders of the Constitution envisioned
- 41.All of the following can be considered important to the effectiveness of a lobbyist EXCEPT
- A.
Demonstrable grass-roots support for his.her stand on an issue
- B.
Connections with important decision makers
- C.
Large financial resources to spend on politicians
- D.
Familiarity with the political process
- E.
Good communications ability
- 42.The following quote is used on questions 44 and 45."Although the Court has not assumed to define 'liberty' with any great precision, that term is not confined to mere freedom from bodily restraint. Liberty under law extends to the full range of conduct which the individual is free to pursue, and it cannot be restricted except for a proper governmental objective.Segregation in public education is not reasonable related to any proper governmental objective, and thus to imposes on Negro children of the District of Columbia a burden that constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of their liberty in violation of a Due Process Clause.In view of our decision that the Constitution prohibits the states from maintaining racially segregated public schools, it would be unthinkable that the same Constitution would impose a lesser duty on the Federal Government. We hold that racial segregation in the public schools of the District of Columbia is a denial of the Due Process of law guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution."The opinions expressed in this decision are closest to those of?
- A.
Plessy v. Ferguson
- B.
McCulloch v. Maryland
- C.
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka
- D.
Zorach v. Clauson
- E.
Near v. Minnesota
- 43.Which statement about liberty are the Supreme Court justices who wrote this decision likely to agree with?
- A.
States should decide what the definition of liberty is.
- B.
The definition of liberty is clearly set out in the Constitution.
- C.
Liberty must be redefined with every Court decision.
- D.
Segregation denies black people their liberty.
- E.
Liberty simply means freedom from being physically enslaved.
- 44.
- A.
The corrupt state governments would lose power.
- B.
Federalism had already worked in several other countries.
- C.
States would hold the majority of governmental power.
- D.
A unified group of states could better protect the people.
- E.
Having several levels of government would be unwieldy.
- 45.The majority leader of the Senate would most likely wish to serve on which of the following committees and at what capacity?
- A.
Chair of a Select Committee on Ethics
- B.
Chair of the Joint Library Committee
- C.
Senior member of the Rules Committee
- D.
Chair of the Appropriations Commitee
- E.
Minority chair of the Foreign Relations Committee
- 46.Which of the following positions on the government payroll is most likely to have job security free from the bagaries of politics and elections?
- A.
A Senator's legislative assistant
- B.
A commissioner of an independent regulatory agency
- C.
A House member's case worker
- D.
The secretary of state
- E.
The president's press secretary
- 47.Which of the following is NOT an important milestone in U.S. liberalism?
- A.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
- B.
Deregulation of many industries in the 1980s
- C.
The New Deal reforms of the 1930s
- D.
Lyndon Johnson's Great Society
- E.
The Populist party convention of 1892
- 48.All of the following factors add to public disillusionment with members of congress in terms of their integrity and effectiveness EXCEPT?
- A.
Pork-barrel politics
- B.
Logrolling
- C.
Abscam of 1980
- D.
Frequent use of franking privileges
- E.
The hours currently spent on the job as compared to 100 years ago
- 49.Which statement about the Supreme Court and economic policy is most accurate?
- A.
Historically, the Supreme Court has had little influence on the economy.
- B.
Judicial restraintists believe that the Court has a responsibility to influence economic policy.
- C.
There has been a clear increase in the extent to which the Supreme Court has involved itself in the economy.
- D.
In the decades after the Civil War, the Supreme Court played a major role in economic policy.
- E.
Most historians have applauded the role that the Supreme Court played durin and after the Great Depression.
- 50.Which factor was the LEAST important in influencing voter tendencies in the 1992 presidential campaign?
- A.
Prolonged economic recession
- B.
Wide-ranged dissatisfaction with "politics as usual"
- C.
Foreign crises in Asia
- D.
Presidential debates
- E.
Preceived integrity of the candidates
- 51.Which of the following factors are most important to determinging a group's effectiveness in terms of the extent to which it influences politics? I. size II. Closeness to societal consensus III. racial compositionIV. organizational effectiveness
- A.
I only
- B.
I, IV only
- C.
I, II, III, IV
- D.
I, II, IV
- E.
III, IV
- 52.All of the following were important elements in the framing of the Constitution EXCEPT
- A.
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
- B.
The New Jersey Plan
- C.
The Great Compromise
- D.
The three-fifths compromise
- E.
The Virginia Plan
- 53.Opponents to the concept of comparable worth advocated by NOW and other women's rights groups would most likely argue that
- A.
Women have always had the same rights as men
- B.
It would increase expenses and make U.S. business less competitive
- C.
Women already earn as much as men
- D.
Women are physically unable to do many of the higher paying jobs
- E.
It would take away from needed government involvement in business
- 54.How would HUD, under its policies of the last two decades, handle a complaint about unfair housing practices?
- A.
Take the accused party to court
- B.
Refer the case to Congress for action
- C.
Refer the case to the local authorities when possible
- D.
Investigate and then fine the accused parties
- E.
Fine the state where the infraction took place
- 55.Minority interest groups would most likely support the Simpson-Mazzoli Immigration Act of 1986 because
- A.
It was designed to encourage illegal immigration
- B.
It favored Hispanic immigrants
- C.
It forced minority immigrants to leave
- D.
It gave many illegal aliens, who were minorities, a chance for citizen ship
- E.
It finally opened the U.S/Mexican border
- 56.Arranging legislative districts to favor incumbent legislators is called
- A.
Pork barrel
- B.
Apportionment
- C.
Ballot stuffing
- D.
Affirmative action
- E.
Gerrymandering
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