openstax 2nd Edition Test Questions & Answers

Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement

Review Questions

1. What goods are available to all without direct payment?
2. private goods
3. public goods
4. common goods
5. toll goods
6. In which form of government does a small group of elite people hold political power?
7. direct democracy
8. monarchy
9. oligarchy
10. totalitarian
11. What is the difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy?
12. What does government do for people?
13. The elite theory of government maintains that ________.
14. special interest groups make government policy
15. politicians who have held office for a long time are favored by voters
16. poor people and people of color should not be allowed to vote
17. wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no interest in meeting the needs of ordinary people
18. According to the pluralist theory of government, ________.
19. government does what the majority of voters want it to do
20. government policy is formed as a result of the competition between groups with different goals and interests
21. ordinary people acting on their own have a significant influence on government
22. wealthy people decide what government policy will be, and politicians have no interest in pleasing anyone else
23. Which of the following is a good example of a tradeoff?
24. The government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but also pleases ranchers by allowing them to rent public lands for grazing purposes.
25. The government pleases environmental activists by reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park but angers ranchers by placing their cattle in danger.
26. The government pleases oil companies by allowing them to drill on lands set aside for conservation but allows environmental activist groups to protest the drilling operations.
27. Groups that represent a variety of conflicting interests are all allowed to protest outside Congress and the White House.
28. Supporting the actions of the Democratic Party simply because one identifies oneself as a member of that party is an example of ________.
29. partisanship
30. ideology
31. latent preference
32. social capital
33. When a person is asked a question about a political issue that he or she has little interest in and has not thought much about, that person’s answer will likely reflect ________.
34. ideology
35. partisanship
36. intense preferences
37. latent preferences
38. What kinds of people are most likely to become active in politics or community service?
39. What political activities can people engage in other than running for office?

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. Is citizen engagement necessary for a democracy to function? Explain.
2. Which is the more important reason for being engaged: to gain power or improve the quality of life? Why?
3. Are all Americans equally able to become engaged in government? What factors make it more possible for some people to become engaged than others? What could be done to change this?
4. Which pathways of engagement in U.S. government do you plan to follow? Why do you prefer these approaches?
5. Are there any redeeming qualities to elitism and any downsides to pluralism? Are there benefits to having elites rule? Are there problems with allowing interest groups to exercise influence over government? Explain.

Chapter 2: The Constitution and Its Origins

Review Questions

1. British colonists in North America in the late seventeenth century were greatly influenced by the political thought of ________.
2. King James II
3. Thomas Jefferson
4. John Locke
5. James Madison
6. The agreement that citizens will consent to be governed so long as government protects their natural rights is called ________.
7. the divine right of kings
8. the social contract
9. a bill of rights
10. due process
11. What key tenets of American political thought were influential in the decision to declare independence from Britain?
12. What actions by the British government convinced the colonists that they needed to declare their independence?
13. What important power did the national government lack under the Articles of Confederation?
14. It could not coin money.
15. It could not declare war.
16. It could not impose taxes.
17. It could not conduct foreign affairs.
18. In what ways did Shays’ Rebellion reveal the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
19. According to the Great Compromise, how would representation in Congress be apportioned?
20. Each state would have equal representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
21. Congress would be a unicameral legislature with each state receiving equal representation.
22. Representation in the House of Representatives would be based on each state’s population and every state would have two senators.
23. Representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate would be based on a state’s population.
24. How did the delegates to the Constitutional Convention resolve their disagreement regarding slavery?
25. It was agreed that Congress would abolish slavery in 1850.
26. It was agreed that a state’s slave population would be counted for purposes of representation but not for purposes of taxation.
27. It was agreed that a state’s slave population would be counted for purposes of taxation but not for purposes of representation.
28. It was agreed that 60 percent of a state’s slave population would be counted for purposes of both representation and taxation.
29. What does separation of powers mean?
30. Why were The Federalist Papers written?
31. To encourage states to oppose the Constitution.
32. To encourage New York to ratify the Constitution.
33. To oppose the admission of slaveholding states to the federal union.
34. To encourage people to vote for George Washington as the nation’s first president.
35. What argument did Alexander Hamilton use to convince people that it was not dangerous to place power in the hands of one man?
36. That man would have to pass a religious test before he could become president; thus, citizens could be sure that he was of good character.
37. One man could respond to crises more quickly than a group of men like Congress.
38. It was easier to control the actions of one man than the actions of a group.
39. both B and C
40. Why did so many people oppose ratification of the Constitution, and how was their opposition partly overcome?
41. How many states must ratify an amendment before it becomes law?
42. all
43. three-fourths
44. two-thirds
45. one-half
46. What is the Bill of Rights?
47. first ten amendments to the Constitution that protect individual freedoms
48. powers given to Congress in Article I of the Constitution
49. twenty-seven amendments added to the Constitution over the years
50. document authored by Thomas Jefferson that details the rights of the citizens
51. What did the Fourteenth Amendment achieve?

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. What core values and beliefs led to the American Revolution and the writing of the Articles of Confederation? How do these values and beliefs affect American politics today?
2. Was Britain truly depriving colonists of their natural rights? Explain your reasoning.
3. Do the Constitution and the Bill of Rights protect the life, liberty, and property of all Americans? Why or why not?
4. Was the Bill of Rights a necessary addition to the Constitution? Defend your answer.
5. One of the chief areas of compromise at the Constitutional Convention was the issue of slavery. Should delegates who opposed slavery have been willing to compromise? Why or why not?
6. Is the federal government too powerful? Should states have more power? If so, what specific power(s) should states have?
7. What new amendments should be added to the Constitution? Why?

Chapter 3: American Federalism

Review Questions

1. Which statement about federal and unitary systems is most accurate?

1. In a federal system, power is concentrated in the states; in a unitary system, it is concentrated in the national government.
2. In a federal system, the constitution allocates powers between states and federal government; in a unitary system, powers are lodged in the national government.
3. Today there are more countries with federal systems than with unitary systems.
4. The United States and Japan have federal systems, while Great Britain and Canada have unitary systems.

2. Which statement is most accurate about the sources of revenue for local and state governments?

1. Taxes generate well over one-half the total revenue of local and state governments.
2. Property taxes generate the most tax revenue for both local and state governments.
3. Between 30 and 40 percent of the revenue for local and state governments comes from
4. grant money.
5. Local and state governments generate an equal amount of revenue from issuing licenses and certificates.
6. What key constitutional provisions define the scope of authority of the federal and state governments?
7. What are the main functions of federal and state governments?
8. In McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court invoked which provisions of the constitution?
9. Tenth Amendment and spending clause
10. commerce clause and supremacy clause
11. necessary and proper clause and supremacy clause
12. taxing power and necessary and proper clause
13. Which statement about new federalism is not true?
14. New federalism was launched by President Nixon and continued by President Reagan.
15. New federalism is based on the idea that decentralization of responsibility enhances administrative efficiency.
16. United States v. Lopez is a Supreme Court ruling that advanced the logic of new federalism.
17. President Reagan was able to promote new federalism consistently throughout his
18. administration.
19. Which is not a merit of cooperative federalism?
20. Federal cooperation helps mitigate the problem of collective action among states.
21. Federal assistance encourages state and local governments to generate positive externalities.
22. Cooperative federalism respects the traditional jurisdictional boundaries between states and federal government.
23. Federal assistance ensures some degree of uniformity of public services across states.
24. What are the main differences between cooperative federalism and dual federalism?
25. What were the implications of McCulloch v. Maryland for federalism?
26. Which statement about federal grants in recent decades is most accurate?
27. The federal government allocates the most grant money to income security.
28. The amount of federal grant money going to states has steadily increased since the 1960s.
29. The majority of federal grants are block grants.
30. Block grants tend to gain more flexibility over time.
31. Which statement about unfunded mandates is false?
32. The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act has prevented Congress from using unfunded mandates.
33. The Clean Air Act is a type of federal partial preemptive regulation.
34. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act establishes crosscutting requirements.
35. New federalism does not promote the use of unfunded mandates.
36. What does it mean to refer to the carrot of grants and the stick of mandates?
37. Which statement about immigration federalism is false?
38. The Arizona v. United States decision struck down all Arizona’s most restrictive provisions on illegal immigration.
39. Since the 1990s, states have increasingly moved into the policy domain of immigration.
40. Federal immigration laws trump state laws.
41. States’ involvement in immigration is partly due to their interest in preventing illegal immigrants from accessing public services such as education and welfare benefits.
42. Which statement about the evolution of same-sex marriage is false?
43. The federal government became involved in this issue when it passed DOMA.
44. In the 1990s and 2000s, the number of state restrictions on same-sex marriage increased.
45. United States v. Windsor legalized same-sex marriage in the United States.
46. More than half the states had legalized same-sex marriage by the time the Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal nationwide in 2015.
47. Which statement about venue shopping is true?
48. MADD steered the drinking age issue from the federal government down to the states.
49. Anti-abortion advocates have steered the abortion issue from the states up to the federal government.
50. Both MADD and anti-abortion proponents redirected their advocacy from the states to the federal government.
51. None of the statements are correct.
52. What does venue shopping mean?
53. Which of the following is not a benefit of federalism?
54. Federalism promotes political participation.
55. Federalism encourages economic equality across the country.
56. Federalism provides for multiple levels of government action.
57. Federalism accommodates a diversity of opinion.
58. Describe the advantages of federalism.
59. Describe the disadvantages of federalism.

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. Describe the primary differences in the role of citizens in government among the federal, confederation, and unitary systems.
2. How have the political and economic relationships between the states and federal government evolved since the early 1800s?
3. Discuss how the federal government shapes the actions of state and local governments.
4. What are the merits and drawbacks of American federalism?
5. What do you see as the upcoming challenges to federalism in the next decade? Choose an issue and outline how the states and the federal government could respond.

Chapter 4: Civil Liberties

Review Questions

1. The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution because ________.
2. key states refused to ratify the Constitution unless it was added
3. Alexander Hamilton believed it was necessary
4. it was part of the Articles of Confederation
5. it was originally part of the Declaration of Independence
6. An example of a right explicitly protected by the Constitution as drafted at the Constitutional Convention is the ________.
   1. right to free speech
   2. right to keep and bear arms
   3. right to a writ of habeas corpus
   4. right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment
7. The Fourteenth Amendment was critically important for civil liberties because it ________.
8. guaranteed freed slaves the right to vote
9. outlawed slavery
10. helped start the process of selective incorporation of the Bill of Rights
11. allowed the states to continue to enact black codes
12. Briefly explain the difference between civil liberties and civil rights.
13. Briefly explain the concept of selective incorporation, and why it became necessary.
14. Which of the following provisions is not part of the First Amendment?
15. the right to keep and bear arms
16. the right to peaceably assemble
17. the right to free speech
18. the protection of freedom of religion
19. The Third Amendment can be thought of as ________.
    1. reinforcing the right to keep and bear arms guaranteed by the Second Amendment
    2. ensuring the right to freedom of the press
    3. forming part of a broader conception of privacy in the home that is also protected by the Second and Fourth Amendments
    4. strengthening the right to a jury trial in criminal cases
20. The Fourth Amendment’s requirement for a warrant ________.
    1. applies only to searches of the home
    2. applies only to the seizure of property as evidence
    3. does not protect people who rent or lease property
    4. does not apply when there is a serious risk that evidence will be destroyed before a warrant can be issued
21. Explain the difference between the establishment clause and the free exercise clause, and explain how these two clauses work together to guarantee religious freedoms.
22. Explain the difference between the collective rights and individual rights views of the Second Amendment. Which of these views did the Supreme Court’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller reflect?
23. The Supreme Court case known as Kelo v. City of New London was controversial because it

________.

• 1. allowed greater use of the power of eminent domain
  2. regulated popular ride-sharing services like Lyft and Uber
  3. limited the application of the death penalty
  4. made it harder for police to use evidence obtained without a warrant

1. Which of the following rights is not protected by the Sixth Amendment?
   1. the right to trial by an impartial jury
   2. the right to cross-examine witnesses in a trial
   3. the right to remain silent
   4. the right to a speedy trial
2. The double jeopardy rule in the Bill of Rights forbids which of the following?
   1. prosecuting someone in a state court for a criminal act he or she had been acquitted of in federal court
   2. prosecuting someone in federal court for a criminal act he or she had been acquitted of in a state court
   3. suing someone for damages for an act the person was found not guilty of
   4. none of these options
3. The Supreme Court has decided that the death penalty ________.
   1. is always cruel and unusual punishment
   2. is never cruel and unusual punishment
   3. may be applied only to acts of terrorism
   4. may not be applied to those who were under 18 when they committed a crime
4. Explain why someone accused of a crime might negotiate a plea bargain rather than exercising the right to a trial by jury.
5. Explain the difference between a criminal case and a civil case.
6. Which of the following rights is not explicitly protected by some state constitutions?
   1. the right to hunt
   2. the right to privacy
   3. the right to polygamous marriage
   4. the right to a free public education
7. The right to privacy has been controversial for all the following reasons except ________.
   1. it is not explicitly included in the Constitution or Bill of Rights
   2. it has been interpreted to protect women’s right to have an abortion
   3. it has been used to overturn laws that have substantial public support
   4. most U.S. citizens today believe the government should be allowed to outlaw birth control
8. Which of the following rules has the Supreme Court said is an undue burden on the right to have an abortion?
   1. Women must make more than one visit to an abortion clinic before the procedure can be performed.
   2. Minors must gain the consent of a parent or judge before seeking an abortion.
   3. Women must notify their spouses before having an abortion.
   4. Women must be informed of the health consequences of having an abortion.
9. A major difference between most European countries and the United States today is ________.
   1. most Europeans don’t use technologies that can easily be tracked
   2. laws in Europe more strictly regulate how government officials can use tracking technology
   3. there are more legal restrictions on how the U.S. government uses tracking technology than in Europe
   4. companies based in Europe don’t have to comply with U.S. privacy laws
10. Explain the difference between a right listed in the Bill of Rights and a common-law right.
11. Describe two ways in which new technological developments challenge traditional notions of privacy.

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. The framers of the Constitution were originally reluctant to include protections of civil liberties and rights in the Constitution. Do you think this would be the case if the Constitution were written today? Why or why not?
2. Which rights and freedoms for citizens do you think our government does a good job of protecting? Why? Which rights and freedoms could it better protect, and how?
3. In which areas do you think people’s rights and liberties are at risk of government intrusion? Why? Which solutions would you propose?
4. What are the implications of the Supreme Court decision in Burwell v. Hobby?
5. How does the provision for and the protection of individual rights and freedoms consume government resources of time and money? Since these are in effect the people’s resources, do you think they are being well spent? Why or why not?
6. There is an old saying that it’s better for 100 guilty people to go free than for an innocent person to be unjustly punished. Do you agree? Why or why? What do you think is the right balance for our society to strike?

Chapter 5: Civil Rights

Review Questions

1. A group of African American students believes a college admissions test that is used by a public university discriminates against them. What legal standard would the courts use in deciding their case?
   1. rational basis test
   2. intermediate scrutiny
   3. strict scrutiny
   4. equal protection
2. The equal protection clause became part of the Constitution as a result of ________.
   1. affirmative action
   2. the Fourteenth Amendment
   3. intermediate scrutiny
   4. strict scrutiny
3. Which of the following types of discrimination would be subject to the rational basis test?
   1. A law that treats men differently from women
   2. An action by a state governor that treats Asian Americans differently from other citizens
   3. A law that treats whites differently from other citizens
   4. A law that treats 10-year-olds differently from 28-year-olds
4. What is the difference between civil rights and civil liberties?
5. The Supreme Court decision ruling that “separate but equal” was constitutional and allowed racial segregation to take place was ________.
   1. Brown v. Board of Education
   2. Plessy v. Ferguson
   3. Loving v. Virginia
   4. Shelley v. Kraemer
6. The 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery march was an important milestone in the civil rights movement because it ________.
   1. vividly illustrated the continued resistance to black civil rights in the Deep South
   2. did not encounter any violent resistance
   3. led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
   4. was the first major protest after the death of Martin Luther King, Jr.
7. What were the key provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
8. At the world’s first women’s rights convention in 1848, the most contentious issue proved to be _________.
   1. the right to education for women
   2. suffrage for women
   3. access to the professions for women
   4. greater property rights for women
9. How did NAWSA differ from the NWP?
   1. NAWSA worked to win votes for women on a state-by-state basis while the NWP wanted an amendment added to the Constitution.
   2. NAWSA attracted mostly middle-class women while NWP appealed to the working class.
   3. The NWP favored more confrontational tactics like protests and picketing while NAWSA circulated petitions and lobbied politicians.
   4. The NWP sought to deny African Americans the vote, but NAWSA wanted to enfranchise all women.
10. The doctrine that people who do jobs that require the same level of skill, training, or education are thus entitled to equal pay is known as ________.
    1. the glass ceiling
    2. substantial compensation
    3. comparable worth
    4. affirmative action
11. The Trail of Tears is the name given to the forced removal of this tribe from Georgia to Oklahoma.
    1. Lakota
    2. Paiute
    3. Navajo
    4. Cherokee
12. AIM was ________.
    1. a federal program that returned control of Native American education to tribal governments
    2. a radical group of Native American activists who occupied the settlement of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Reservation
    3. an attempt to reduce the size of reservations
    4. a federal program to give funds to Native American tribes to help their members open small businesses that would employ tribal members
13. Briefly describe the similarities and differences between the experiences of Native Americans and Native Hawaiians.
14. Mexican American farm workers in California organized ________ to demand higher pay from their employers.

a. the bracero program

b. Operation Wetback

c. the United Farm Workers union

d. the Mattachine Society

1. Which of the following best describes attitudes toward Asian immigrants in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries?
   1. Asian immigrants were welcomed to the United States and swiftly became financially successful.
   2. Asian immigrants were disliked by whites who feared competition for jobs, and several acts of Congress sought to restrict immigration and naturalization of Asians.
   3. Whites feared Asian immigrants because Japanese and Chinese Americans were often disloyal to the U.S. government.
   4. Asian immigrants got along well with whites but not with Mexican Americans or African Americans.
2. Why did it take so long for an active civil rights movement to begin in the LGBT community?

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. What is the better approach to civil rights—a peaceful, gradual one that focuses on passing laws and winning cases in court, or a radical one that includes direct action and acts of civil disobedience? Why do you consider this to be the better solution?
2. Should public funds be used to provide programs for Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians even though no one living today was responsible for depriving them of their lands? Why or why not?
3. Although some Native Hawaiians want the right to govern themselves, others want to secede from Hawaii and become an independent nation. If this is what the majority of Native Hawaiians want, should they be allowed to do so? Why or why not?
4. If a person’s religious beliefs conflict with the law or lead to bias against other groups, should the government protect the exercise of those beliefs? Why or why not?
5. In 1944, the Supreme Court upheld the authority of the U.S. government to order the internment of a minority group in the interest of national security, even though there was no evidence that any members of this group were disloyal to the United States. Should the same policy be applied today against U.S. Muslims or Muslim immigrants? Why or why not?

Chapter 6: The Politics of Public Opinion

Review Questions

1. Which of the following is not an agent of political socialization?
2. a family member
3. a religious leader
4. a teacher
5. a U.S. senator
6. How are most attitudes formed?
7. in adulthood, based on life choices
8. in childhood, based on early childhood experiences
9. in college, based on classes and majors
10. after college, based on finances
11. ________ political content is given by a media source that lets the reader or viewer know upfront there is a political bias or position.
    1. Overt
    2. Covert
    3. Explanatory
    4. Expository
12. Where do your beliefs originate?
13. Which agents of socialization will have the strongest impact on an individual?
14. The Bradley effect occurs when people ________.
    1. say they will vote for a candidate based on the candidate’s name
    2. say they will vote against a candidate because of the candidate’s race
    3. say they will vote for a candidate but then vote against him or her
    4. say they will vote in the next election but instead stay home
15. Which of the following is not part of a scientific poll design?
    1. a leading question
    2. a random sample
    3. a representative sample
    4. a low margin of error
16. A poll states that Hillary Clinton will receive 43 percent of the vote. There is an 8 percent margin of error. What do you think of the poll?
    1. It is a good poll and the margin of error is small.
    2. It is a good poll and the margin of error is acceptable.
    3. It is a non-representative poll and the margin of error is too high.
    4. The poll accurately predicts Clinton will receive 43 percent of the vote.
17. Why do pollsters interview random people throughout the country when trying to project which candidate will win a presidential election?
18. How have changes in technology made polling more difficult?
19. Why are social policies controversial?
    1. They require people to accept the authority of the government.
    2. They require government to balance the rights and liberties of different groups.
    3. They require the government to increase spending.
    4. They require a decrease in regulations and laws.
20. Which factor affects congressional approval ratings the most?
    1. presidential actions
    2. foreign events
    3. Supreme Court actions
    4. domestic events
21. Which institution has the highest average public approval ratings?
    1. the presidency
    2. the U.S. House of Representatives
    3. the U.S. Senate
    4. the Supreme Court
22. Why might one branch’s approval ratings be higher than another’s?
23. When are social and economic issues more likely to cause polarization in public opinion?
24. How do polls affect presidential elections?
    1. Polls help voters research information about each of the candidates.
    2. Polls tell voters the issues that candidates support.
    3. Polls identify the top candidates and the media interview those candidates.
    4. Polls explain which candidates should win the election.
25. Presidential approval ratings ________ over a president’s term of office.
    1. increase
    2. decline
    3. stay relatively stable
    4. seesaw
26. Which body of government is least susceptible to public opinion polls?
    1. the president
    2. U.S. Senate
    3. U.S. House of Representatives
    4. U.S. Supreme Court
27. Why would House of Representative members be more likely than the president to follow public opinion?
28. How do the media use public opinion polls during election season?

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. Why is diffuse support important to maintaining a stable democracy? What happens when a government does not have diffuse support?
2. What are the ways the media socialize a person?
3. Is public opinion generally clear, providing broad signals to elected leaders about what needs to be done? Why or why not?
4. When should political leaders not follow public opinion, and why?
5. Why should a poll be scientific rather than informal?
6. What heuristics, or cues, do voters use to pick a presidential candidate? Are these a good way to pick a president?

Chapter 7: Voting and Elections

Review Questions

1. Which of the following makes it easy for a citizen to register to vote?
   1. grandfather clause
   2. lengthy residency requirement
   3. National Voter Registration Act
   4. competency requirement
2. Which of the following is a reason to make voter registration more difficult?
   1. increase voter turnout
   2. decrease election fraud
   3. decrease the cost of elections
   4. make the registration process faster
3. What unusual step did Oregon take to increase voter registration?
   1. The state automatically registers all citizens over eighteen to vote.
   2. The state ended voter registration.
   3. The state sends every resident a voter registration ballot.
   4. The state allows online voter registration.
4. What effect did the National Voter Registration Act have on voter registration?
5. What challenges do college students face with regard to voter registration?
6. If you wanted to prove the United States is suffering from low voter turnout, a calculation based on which population would yield the lowest voter turnout rate?
   1. registered voters
   2. voting-eligible population
   3. voting-age population
   4. voters who voted in the last election
7. What characterizes those most likely to vote in the next election?
   1. over forty-five years old
   2. income under $30,000
   3. high school education or less
   4. residency in the South
8. Why do Belgium, Turkey, and Australia have higher voter turnout rates than the United States?
   1. compulsory voting laws
   2. more elections
   3. fewer registration laws
   4. more polling locations
9. What recommendations would you make to increase voter turnout in the United States?
10. Why does age affect whether a citizen will vote?
11. If you were going to predict whether your classmates would vote in the next election, what questions would you ask them?
12. A state might hold a primary instead of a caucus because a primary is ________.
    1. inexpensive and simple
    2. transparent and engages local voters
    3. faster and has higher turnout
    4. highly active and promotes dialog during voting
13. Which of the following citizens is most likely to run for office?
    1. Maria Trejo, a 28-year-old part-time sonogram technician and mother of two
    2. Jeffrey Lyons, a 40-year-old lawyer and father of one
    3. Linda Tepsett, a 40-year-old full-time orthopedic surgeon
    4. Mark Forman, a 70-year-old retired steelworker
14. Where and when do Electoral College electors vote?
    1. at their precinct, on Election Day
    2. at their state capitol, on Election Day
    3. in their state capitol, in December
    4. in Washington D.C., in December
15. In which type of election are you most likely to see coattail effects?
    1. presidential
    2. midterm
    3. special
    4. caucuses
16. What problems will candidates experience with frontloading?
17. Why have fewer moderates won primaries than they used to?
18. How do political parties influence the state’s primary system?
19. Why do parties prefer closed primaries to open primaries?
20. Susan is currently working two part-time jobs and is frustrated about the poor economy. On Election Day, she votes for every challenger on the ballot, because she feels the president and Congress are not doing enough to help her. What type of vote did she cast?
    1. retrospective
    2. prospective
    3. pocketbook
    4. straight ticket
21. Which factor is most likely to lead to the incumbency advantage for a candidate?
    1. candidate’s socioeconomic status
    2. gerrymandering of the candidate’s district
    3. media’s support of the candidate
    4. candidate’s political party
22. In what ways is voting your party identification an informed choice? In what ways is it lazy?
23. Do physical characteristics matter when voters assess candidates? If so, how?
24. Which of the following is not a step in the initiative process?
    1. approval of initiative petition by state or local government
    2. collection of signatures
    3. state-wide vote during a ballot election
    4. signature or veto by state governor
25. A referendum is not purely direct democracy because the ________.
    1. voters propose something but the governor approves it
    2. voters propose and approve something but the legislature also approves it
    3. government proposes something and the voters approve it
    4. government proposes something and the legislature approves it
26. What problems would a voter face when trying to pass an initiative or recall?
27. Why do some argue that direct democracy is simply a way for the wealthy and businesses to get their own policies passed?

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. What factors determine whether people turn out to vote in U.S. elections?
2. What can be done to increase voter turnout in the United States?
3. In what ways do primary elections contribute to the rise of partisanship in U.S. politics?
4. How does social media affect elections and campaigns? Is this a positive trend? Why or why not?
5. Should states continue to allow ballot initiatives and other forms of direct democracy? Why or why not?

Chapter 8: The Media

Review Questions

1. A local station that broadcasts national network programming is called a(an) ________ station.
   1. affiliate
   2. cable
   3. digital
   4. network
2. Cable programming is often ________.
   1. local
   2. national
   3. network
   4. sports
3. A conglomerate is a corporation that ________.
   1. owns all television news stations in a state
   2. owns many businesses and media networks
   3. owns only radio stations
   4. owns only televisions and newspapers
4. When acting as an agenda setter, the media ________.
   1. decides which issues deserve public attention
   2. covers presidential campaigns equally
   3. reports on corruption in government
   4. brings in advertising revenue for the media corporation
5. How can conglomerates censor information?
6. In what ways is media responsible for promoting the public good?
7. Why is social media an effective way to spread news and information?
8. Newspapers during the Revolutionary War period tended to ________.
   1. give fake news and sensationalize stories
   2. unite the colonists and provide information about the British
   3. print party propaganda
   4. attack colonial politicians
9. Muckraking occurs when newspapers ________.
   1. investigate problems in government and business
   2. investigate actions of celebrities
   3. print sensational news on the front page to sell papers
   4. print more editorials and opinion pieces to sell papers
10. Radio quiz shows and comedy shows were most popular in the ________.
    1. 1900s
    2. 1930s
    3. 1970s
    4. 1990s
11. Television news became a regular feature during ________ due to the public’s demand for

________ to explain current events.

• 1. WWI; images and maps
  2. Great Depression; charts and tables
  3. WWII; images and maps
  4. Vietnam War; charts and tables

1. Why did Franklin D. Roosevelt’s fireside chats help the president enact his policies?
2. How have modern presidents used television to reach out to citizens?
3. Why is soft news good at reaching out and educating viewers?
4. In which circumstance would the courts find libel?
   1. A reporter uses a source that incorrectly states a celebrity is using drugs.
   2. A columnist writes his opinion about whether an actor is hiding a drug problem.
   3. A television reporter delivers a story about increased drug use at the local college.
   4. A reporter writes that local college students are drug dealers but has no sources.
5. The Supreme Court determined that the right of the press to print classified material ________.
   1. is obsolete, and the press may never print classified material
   2. is partial, and the press may print classified material only if it does not compromise troops or covert operatives
   3. is complete, and the press may print anything it likes
   4. has not yet been defined
6. The Federal Communications Commission oversees the programming of which entities?
   1. television
   2. television and radio
   3. television, radio, and satellite
   4. television, radio, satellite, and cable
7. Which of the following is a reasonable exception to the Freedom of Information Act?
   1. medical records for government employees
   2. budget for the Department of Labor
   3. minutes from a president’s cabinet meeting
   4. transcript of meetings between Department of State negotiators and Russian trade negotiators
8. Why is it a potential problem that the equal-time rule does not apply to candidates’ supporters?
9. Under what circumstances might a journalist be compelled to give up a source?
10. Which of the following is an example of episodic framing?
    1. a story on drug abuse that interviews addicts and discusses reasons for addiction and government responses to help addicts
    2. a story on how drug abuse policy has changed since 1984
    3. a story on candidates’ answers to a drug question in a debate
    4. a story detailing arguments against needle exchange programs
11. According to research, why might a woman decide not to run for office?
    1. She feels the work is too hard.
    2. She fears her positions will be covered too closely by the press.
    3. She fears the media will criticize her family.
    4. She fears the campaign will be too expensive.
12. Media coverage of a race tends to ________.
    1. accurately portray all races equally
    2. accurately portray whites and blacks as victims
    3. overrepresent whites and the elderly as poor
    4. overrepresent African Americans as poor
13. How might framing or priming affect the way a reader or viewer thinks about an issue?
14. Why would inaccurate coverage of race and gender affect policy or elections?

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. In what ways can the media change the way a citizen thinks about government?
2. In what ways do the media protect people from a tyrannical government?
3. Should all activities of the government be open to media coverage? Why or why not? In what circumstances do you think it would be appropriate for the government to operate without transparency?
4. Have changes in media formats created a more accurate, less biased media? Why or why not?
5. How does citizen journalism use social media to increase coverage of world events?

Chapter 9: Political Parties

Review Questions

1. Which supporter of federalism warned people about the dangers of political parties?
   1. John Adams
   2. Alexander Hamilton
   3. James Madison
   4. George Washington
2. Which of the following was not a third-party challenger?
   1. Whig Party
   2. Progressive Party
   3. Dixiecrats
   4. Green Party
3. Why were the early U.S. political parties formed?
4. What techniques led the Democratic Party to national prominence in the 1830s through 1850s?
5. In which type of electoral system do voters select the party of their choice rather than an individual candidate?
   1. proportional representation
   2. first-past-the-post
   3. plurality voting
   4. majoritarian voting
6. Which of the following does not represent a major contributing factor in party realignment?
   1. demographic shifts
   2. changes in key issues
   3. changes in party strategies
   4. third parties
7. What impact, if any, do third parties typically have on U.S. elections?
8. In what ways do political parties collude with state and local government to prevent the rise of new parties?
9. Which level of party organization is most responsible for helping the party’s nominee win the presidency?
   1. precinct
   2. county
   3. state
   4. national
10. How do members of the party organization differ from party identifiers? What role does each play in the party as a whole?
11. Why is winning votes so important to political parties? How does the need to win elections affect party structures?
12. What are the positives and negatives of partisan polarization?
13. What is the sorting thesis, and what does it suggest as the cause of party polarization?
14. Does gerrymandering lead to increased polarization?
15. How have the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street Movement affected partisan politics?

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. Is it possible for a serious third party to emerge in the United States, positioned ideologically between the Democrats on the left and the Republicans on the right? Why or why not?
2. In what ways are political parties of the people and in what ways might they be more responsive to elites?
3. If you were required to become active in some aspect of a political party, what activity and level of party organization would you choose and why?
4. Is it preferable for the U.S. government to have unified party control or divided government? Why?
5. In general, do parties make the business of government easier or harder to accomplish?

Chapter 10: Interest Groups and Lobbying

Review Questions

1. Someone who lobbies on behalf of a company that he or she works for as part of his or her job is ________.
   1. an in-house lobbyist
   2. a volunteer lobbyist
   3. a contract lobbyist
   4. a legislative liaison
2. How are collective goods different from private goods?
   1. Collective goods offer particularized benefits, while private goods are broadly distributed.
   2. Collective goods and private goods both offer particularized benefits.
   3. Collective goods and private goods both offer broadly distributed benefits.
   4. Collective goods offer broadly distributed benefits, while private goods offer particularized benefits.
3. Why might several competing corporations join together in an association?
   1. because there is often strength in numbers
   2. because they often have common issues that may affect an entire industry
   3. because they can all benefit from governmental policies
   4. all the above
4. What benefits do private and public interests bring to society? What are some disadvantages of private and public interests?
5. What type of incentives appeal to someone’s concern about a cause?
   1. solidary incentives
   2. purposive incentives
   3. material incentives
   4. negative incentives
6. Which of the following is the best example of a solidary benefit?
   1. joining a group to be with others like you
   2. joining a group to obtain a monetary benefit
   3. joining a group because you care about a cause
   4. joining a group because it is a requirement of your job
7. What are some ways to overcome collective action problems?
8. Why do some groups have an easier time overcoming collective action problems?
9. What changes have occurred in the lobbying environment over the past three or four decades?
   1. There is more professional lobbying.
   2. Many interests lobby both the national government and the states.
   3. A fragmentation of interests has taken place.
   4. all the above
10. Which of the following is an aspect of iron triangles?
    1. fluid participation among interests
    2. a great deal of competition for access to decision-makers
    3. a symbiotic relationship among Congressional committees, executive agencies, and interest groups
    4. three interest groups that have formed a coalition
11. What does group participation provide to citizens?
12. Why don’t lower-income groups participate more in the interest group system?
13. What are some barriers to participation?
14. Which of the following is true of spending in politics?
    1. The Supreme Court has yet to address the issue of money in politics.
    2. The Supreme Court has restricted spending on politics.
    3. The Supreme Court has opposed restrictions on spending on politics.
    4. The Supreme Court has ruled that corporations may spend unlimited amounts of money but unions may not.
15. What is a difference between a PAC and a super PAC?
    1. PACs can contribute directly to candidates, but super PACs cannot.
    2. Conservative interests favor PACs over super PACs.
    3. Contributions to PACs are unlimited, but restrictions have been placed on how much money can be contributed to super PACs.
    4. Super PACS are much more likely to support incumbent candidates than are PACs.
16. How do interest groups lobby the judicial branch?
17. How do interest groups and their lobbyists decide which lawmakers to lobby? And where do they do so?
18. Revolving door laws are designed to do which of the following?
    1. prevent lawmakers from utilizing their legislative relationships by becoming lobbyists immediately after leaving office
    2. help lawmakers find work after they leave office
    3. restrict lobbyists from running for public office
    4. all the above
19. In what ways are lobbyists regulated?
    1. Certain activities are prohibited.
    2. Contributions must be disclosed.
    3. Lobbying is prohibited immediately after leaving office.
    4. all the above
20. How might disclosure requirements affect lobbying?

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. How might we get more people engaged in the interest group system?
2. Are interest groups good or bad for democracy? Defend and explain your answer.
3. Why does it matter how we define interest group?
4. How do collective action problems serve as barriers to group formation, mobilization, and maintenance? If you were a group leader, how might you try to overcome these problems?
5. Is it possible to balance the pursuit of private goods with the need to promote the public good? Is this balance a desired goal? Why or why not?
6. How representative are interest groups in the United States? Do you agree that “all active and legitimate groups have the potential to make themselves heard?” Or is this potential an illusion? Explain your answer.
7. Evaluate the Citizens United decision. Why might the Court have considered campaign contributions a form of speech? Would the Founders have agreed with this decision? Why or why not?
8. How do we regulate interest groups and lobbying activity? What are the goals of these regulations? Do you think these regulations achieve their objectives? Why or why not? If you could alter the way we regulate interest group activity and lobbying, how might you do so in a way consistent with the Constitution and recent Supreme Court decisions?

Chapter 11: Congress

Review Questions

1. The Great Compromise successfully resolved differences between ________.
   1. large and small states
   2. slave and non-slave states
   3. the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution
   4. the House and the Senate
2. While each state has two senators, members of the House are apportioned ________.
   1. according to the state’s geographic size
   2. based on the state’s economic size
   3. according to the state’s population
   4. based on each state’s need
3. The process of redistricting can present problems for congressional representation because ________.
   1. districts must include urban and rural areas
   2. states can gain but never lose districts
   3. districts are often drawn to benefit partisan groups
   4. states have been known to create more districts than they have been apportioned
4. Which of the following is an implied power of Congress?
   1. the power to regulate the sale of tobacco in the states
   2. the power to increase taxes on the wealthiest one percent
   3. the power to put the president on trial for high crimes
   4. the power to override a presidential veto
5. Briefly explain the benefits and drawbacks of a bicameral system.
6. What are some examples of the enumerated powers granted to Congress in the Constitution?
7. Why does a strong presidency necessarily sap power from Congress?
8. Senate races tend to inspire ________.
   1. broad discussion of policy issues
   2. narrow discussion of specific policy issues
   3. less money than House races
   4. less media coverage than House races
9. The saying “All politics is local” roughly means ________.
   1. the local candidate will always win
   2. the local constituents want action on national issues
   3. the local constituents tend to care about things that affect them
   4. the act of campaigning always occurs at the local level where constituents are
10. What does Campbell’s surge-and-decline theory suggest about the outcome of midterm elections?
11. Explain the factors that make it difficult to oust incumbents.
12. A congressperson who pursued a strict delegate model of representation would seek to ________.
    1. legislate in the way he or she believed constituents wanted, regardless of the anticipated outcome
    2. legislate in a way that carefully considered the circumstances and issue so as to reach a solution that is best for everyone
    3. legislate in a way that is best for the nation regardless of the costs for the constituents
    4. legislate in the way that he or she thinks is best for the constituents
13. The increasing value constituents have placed on descriptive representation in Congress has had the effect of ________.
    1. increasing the sensitivity representatives have to their constituents demands
    2. decreasing the rate at which incumbents are elected
    3. increasing the number of minority members in Congress
    4. decreasing the number of majority minority districts
14. How has the growing interpretation of earmarks and other budget allocations as corruption influenced the way congresspersons work?
15. What does polling data suggest about the events that trigger exceptionally high congressional approval ratings?
16. House leaders are more powerful than Senate leaders because of ________.
    1. the majoritarian nature of the House—a majority can run it like a cartel
    2. the larger size of the House
    3. the constitutional position of the House
    4. the State of the Union address being delivered in the House chamber
17. A select committee is different from a standing committee because ________.
    1. a select committee includes member of both chambers, while a standing committee includes only members of the House
    2. a select committee is used for bill reconciliation, while a standing committee is used for prosecutions
    3. a select committee must stay in session, while a standing committee goes to recess
    4. a select committee is convened for a specific and temporary purpose, while a standing committee is permanent
18. Explain how the committees demonstrate a division of labor in Congress based on specialization.
19. Stopping a filibuster requires that ________.
    1. a majority of senators agree on the bill
    2. the speaker steps away from the podium
    3. the chamber votes for cloture
    4. the Speaker or majority leader intervenes
20. Saying a bill is being marked up is just another way to say it is being ________.
    1. tabled
    2. neglected
    3. vetoed
    4. amended
21. The key means of advancing modern legislation is now ________.
    1. committees
    2. the actions of the leadership
    3. the budget process
    4. the filibuster
22. Briefly explain the difference between the classic model of legislating and the modern process.

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. The framers of the Constitution designed the Senate to filter the output of the sometimes hasty House. Do you think this was a wise idea? Why or why not?
2. Congress has consistently expanded its own power to regulate commerce among and between the states. Should Congress have this power or should the Supreme Court reel it in? Why?
3. What does the trend toward descriptive representation suggest about what constituents value in their legislature? How might Congress overcome the fact that such representation does not always best serve constituents’ interests?
4. What factors contributed most to the transformation away from the classic legislative process and toward the new style?

Chapter 12: The Presidency

Review Questions

1. Many at the Continental Congress were skeptical of allowing presidents to be directly elected by the legislature because ________.
   1. they were worried about giving the legislature too much power
   2. they feared the opportunities created for corruption
   3. they knew the weaknesses of an electoral college
   4. they worried about subjecting the commander-in-chief to public scrutiny
2. Which of the following is a way George Washington expanded the power of the presidency?
   1. He refused to run again after serving two terms.
   2. He appointed the heads of various federal departments as his own advisors.
   3. He worked with the Senate to draft treaties with foreign countries.
   4. He submitted his neutrality proclamation to the Senate for approval.
3. How did presidents who served in the decades directly after Washington expand the powers of the presidency?
4. What factors contributed to the growth of presidential power in the twentieth century?
5. How did the election of 1824 change the way presidents were selected?
   1. Following this election, presidents were directly elected.
   2. Jackson’s supporters decided to create a device for challenging the Electoral College.
   3. The election convinced many that the parties must adopt the king caucus as the primary method for selecting presidents.
   4. The selection of the candidate with fewer electoral votes triggered the rise of party control over nominations.
6. Which of the following is an unintended consequence of the rise of the primary and caucus system?
   1. Sometimes candidates unpopular with the party leadership reach the top.
   2. Campaigns have become shorter and more expensive.
   3. The conventions have become more powerful than the voters.
   4. Often incumbent presidents will fail to be renominated by the party.
7. What problems exist with the Electoral College?
8. The people who make up the modern president’s cabinet are the heads of the major federal departments and ________.
   1. must be confirmed by the Senate
   2. once in office are subject to dismissal by the Senate
   3. serve two-year terms
   4. are selected base on the rules of patronage
9. A very challenging job for new presidents is to ______.
   1. move into the White House
   2. prepare and deliver their first State of the Union address
   3. nominate and gain confirmation for their cabinet and hundreds of other officials
   4. prepare their first executive budget
10. How do presidents work to fulfill their campaign promises once in office?
11. President Theodore Roosevelt’s concept of the bully pulpit was the office’s ________.
    1. authority to use force, especially military force
    2. constitutional power to veto legislation
    3. premier position to pressure through public appeal
    4. ability to use technology to enhance the voice of the president
12. In what ways have first ladies expanded the role of their office over the twentieth century?
13. How were presidents in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries likely to reach the public? Were these methods effective?
14. The passage of the Tenure of Office Act of 1867 was just one instance in a long line of ________.
    1. struggles for power between the president and the Congress
    2. unconstitutional presidential power grabbing
    3. impeachment trials
    4. arguments over presidential policy
15. Which of the following is an example of an executive agreement?
    1. The president negotiates an agreement with China and submits it to the Senate for ratification.
    2. The president changes a regulation on undocumented immigrant status without congressional approval.
    3. The president signs legally binding nuclear arms terms with Iran without seeking congressional approval.
    4. The president issues recommendations to the Department of Justice on what the meaning of a new criminal statute is.
16. How have the methods presidents use to negotiate with their party and the opposition changed over time?
17. What strategies can presidents employ to win people over to their way of thinking?

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. What are the opportunities and limitations for presidential leadership in the contemporary political system?
2. How have presidents used their position to increase the power of the office?
3. What role has technology played increasing the power and reach of presidents?
4. Under what conditions will presidents use direct action? When might they prefer passing a formal policy through Congress as a bill?
5. What do the conditions under which presidents decide to make public pleas suggest about the limits of presidential power?

Chapter 13: The Courts

Review Questions

1. The Supreme Court’s power of judicial review ________.
   1. is given to it in the original constitution
   2. enables it to declare acts of the other branches unconstitutional
   3. allows it to hear cases
   4. establishes the three-tiered court system
2. The Supreme Court most typically functions as ________.
   1. a district court
   2. a trial court
   3. a court of original jurisdiction
   4. an appeals court
3. In Federalist No. 78, Alexander Hamilton characterized the judiciary as the ________ branch of government.
   1. most unnecessary
   2. strongest
   3. least dangerous
   4. most political
4. Explain one positive and one negative aspect of the lifetime term of office for judges and justices in the federal court system. Why do you believe the constitution’s framers chose lifetime terms?
5. What do you find most significant about having a common law system?
6. Of all the court cases in the United States, the majority are handled ________.
   1. by the U.S. Supreme Court
   2. at the state level
   3. by the circuit courts
   4. by the U.S. district courts
7. Both state and federal courts hear matters that involve ________.
   1. civil law only
   2. criminal law only
   3. both civil and criminal law
   4. neither civil nor criminal law
8. A state case is more likely to be heard by the federal courts when ________.
   1. it involves a federal question
   2. a governor requests a federal court hearing
   3. it involves a criminal matter
   4. the state courts are unable to come up with a decision
9. The existence of the dual court system is an unnecessary duplication to some but beneficial to others. Provide at least one positive and one negative characteristic of having overlapping court systems in the United States.
10. Which court would you consider to be closest to the people? Why?
11. Besides the Supreme Court, there are lower courts in the national system called ________.
    1. state and federal courts
    2. district and circuit courts
    3. state and local courts
    4. civil and common courts
12. In standing by precedent, a judge relies on the principle of ________.
    1. stare decisis
    2. amicus curiae
    3. judicial activism
    4. laissez-faire
13. The justices of the Supreme Court are ________.
    1. elected by citizens
    2. chosen by the Congress
    3. confirmed by the president
    4. nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate
14. Do you believe federal judges should be elected rather than appointed? Why or why not?
15. When it comes to filling judicial positions in the federal courts, do you believe race, gender, religion, and ethnicity should matter? Why or why not?
16. The Supreme Court consists of ________.
    1. nine associate justices
    2. one chief justice and eight associate justices
    3. thirteen judges
    4. one chief justice and five associate justices
17. A case will be placed on the Court’s docket when ________ justices agree to do so.
    1. four
    2. five
    3. six
    4. all
18. One of the main ways interest groups participate in Supreme Court cases is by ________.
    1. giving monetary contributions to the justices
    2. lobbying the justices
    3. filing amicus curiae briefs
    4. protesting in front of the Supreme Court building
19. The lawyer who represents the federal government and argues cases before the Supreme Court is the ________.
    1. solicitor general
    2. attorney general
    3. U.S. attorney
    4. chief justice
20. What do the appointments of the Supreme Court’s two newest justices, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, reveal about the changing court system?
21. When using judicial restraint, a judge will usually ________.
    1. refuse to rule on a case
    2. overrule any act of Congress he or she doesn’t like
    3. defer to the decisions of the elected branches of government
    4. make mostly liberal rulings
22. When a Supreme Court ruling is made, justices may write a ________ to show they agree with the majority but for different reasons.
    1. brief
    2. dissenting opinion
    3. majority opinion
    4. concurring opinion
23. Which of the following is a check that the legislative branch has over the courts?
    1. Senate approval is needed for the appointment of justices and federal judges.
    2. Congress may rewrite a law the courts have declared unconstitutional.
    3. Congress may withhold funding needed to implement court decisions.
    4. all of the above
24. What are the core factors that determine how judges decide in court cases?
25. Discuss some of the difficulties involved in the implementation and enforcement of judicial decisions.

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. In what ways is the court system better suited to protect the individual than are the elected branches of the government?
2. On what types of policy issues do you expect the judicial branch to be especially powerful, and on which do you expect it to exert less power?
3. Discuss the relationship of the judicial branch to the other branches of government. In what ways is the judicial more powerful than other branches? In what ways is SCOTUS less powerful than other branches? Explain.
4. What should be the most important considerations when filling judge and justice positions at the federal level? Why?
5. The shirking of jury duty is a real problem in the United States. Give some reasons for this and suggest what can be done about it.
6. Take a closer look at some of the operational norms of the Supreme Court, such as the Rule of Four or the prohibition on cameras in the courtroom. What is your opinion about them as long-standing traditions, and which (if any), do you believe should be changed? Explain your answer.

Chapter 14: State and Local Government

Review Questions

1. ________ dictate the terms and conditions state governments would have to meet in order to qualify for financial assistance in a specific policy area.
   1. Categorical grants
   2. Block grants
   3. Unfunded mandates
   4. Crossover sanctions
2. The Tenth Amendment created a class of powers exclusive to state governments. These powers are referred to as ________.
   1. enumerated powers
   2. implied powers
   3. reserved powers
   4. none of the above
3. Dillon’s Rule gives local governments the freedom and flexibility to make decisions for themselves.
   1. True
   2. False
4. Under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government was quite weak relative to the states. What changes were made to strengthen the role of the federal government under the U.S. Constitution?
5. In a ________ political culture, the government is seen as a mechanism for maintaining the existing social order or status quo.
   1. moralistic
   2. individualistic
   3. traditionalistic
   4. nativistic
6. Under a ________ political culture, citizens will tend to be more tolerant of corruption from their political leaders and less likely to see politics as a noble profession in which all citizens should engage.
   1. moralistic
   2. individualistic
   3. traditionalistic
   4. nativistic
7. ________ was the first state to institute all mail-in voting and automatic voter registration.
   1. California
   2. Oregon
   3. Washington
   4. New York
8. A ________ is an officeholder who represents the will of those who elected him or her and acts in constituents’ expressed interest.
   1. delegate
   2. trustee
   3. politico
   4. citizen
9. In a ________ legislature, members tend to have low salaries, shorter sessions, and few staff members to assist them with their legislative functions.
   1. professional
   2. citizen
   3. hybrid
   4. unicameral
10. A(n) ________ veto allows the governor to cross out budget lines in the legislature-approved budget, while signing the remainder of the budget into law.
    1. amendatory
    2. line-item
    3. reduction
    4. Frankenstein
11. Which branch would you consider to be closest to the people? Why?
12. Under consecutive term limits, legislators can serve one time for the number of years allotted and are not permitted to ever compete for the office again.
    1. True
    2. False
13. The most common term limit across the states that have imposed them is ________ years.
    1. four
    2. six
    3. eight
    4. twelve
14. When term limits have been overturned, the most common method was ________.
    1. a bill passed by the state legislature
    2. a decision by the state Supreme Court
    3. a voter referendum
    4. a governor’s decree
15. Term limits have produced a statistically significant increase in the number of women serving in state legislatures.
    1. True
    2. False
16. Currently, ________ states have term limits in place.
    1. five
    2. ten
    3. fifteen
    4. twenty
17. Under the mayor-council system, the ________.
    1. legislative and executive responsibilities are separated
    2. political and administrative functions are separated
    3. mayor chairs the city council
    4. city council selects the mayor
18. Which of the following is not one of the three forms of county government?
    1. the commission system
    2. the council-elected executive system
    3. the mayor-council system
    4. the council-administrator system
19. What are the primary responsibilities of municipal governments?

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having so many levels of subnational governments in the United States? Explain.
2. In which level of substate government would you be most likely to get involved? Why?
3. Is it preferable for representatives in the state legislature to behave as trustees or as delegates? Why?
4. Do term limits seem to have more advantages or disadvantages? Defend your answer.

Chapter 15: The Bureaucracy

Review Questions

1. During George Washington’s administration, there were ________ cabinet positions.
   1. four
   2. five
   3. six
   4. seven
2. The “spoils system” allocated political appointments on the basis of ________.
   1. merit
   2. background
   3. party loyalty
   4. specialized education
3. Two recent periods of large-scale bureaucratic expansion were ________.
   1. the 1930s and the 1960s
   2. the 1920s and the 1980s
   3. the 1910s and the 1990s
   4. the 1930s and the 1950s
4. Briefly explain the underlying reason for the emergence of the spoils system.
5. The Civil Service Commission was created by the ________.
   1. Pendleton Act of 1883
   2. Lloyd–La Follette Act of 1912
   3. Hatch Act of 1939
   4. Political Activities Act of 1939
6. The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 created the Office of Personnel Management and the ________.
   1. Civil Service Commission
   2. Merit Systems Protection Board
   3. “spoils system”
   4. General Schedule
7. Briefly explain the benefits and drawbacks of a merit system.
8. Which describes the ideal bureaucracy according to Max Weber?
   1. an apolitical, hierarchically organized agency
   2. an organization that competes with other bureaucracies for funding
   3. a wasteful, poorly organized agency
   4. an agency that shows clear electoral responsiveness
9. Which of the following models of bureaucracy best accounts for the way bureaucracies tend to push Congress for more funding each year?
   1. the Weberian model
   2. the acquisitive model
   3. the monopolistic model
   4. the ideal model
10. An example of a government corporation is ________.
    1. NASA
    2. the State Department
    3. Amtrak
    4. the CIA
11. Briefly explain why government might create a government corporation.
12. The Freedom of Information Act of 1966 helps citizens exercise oversight over the bureaucracy by ________.
    1. empowering Congress
    2. opening government records to citizen scrutiny
    3. requiring annual evaluations by the president
    4. forcing agencies to hold public meetings
13. When reformers speak of bureaucratic privatization, they mean all the following processes except ________.
    1. divestiture
    2. government grants
    3. whistleblowing
    4. third-party financing
14. Briefly explain the advantages of negotiated rulemaking.

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. What concerns might arise when Congress delegates decision-making authority to unelected leaders, sometimes called the fourth branch of government?
2. In what ways might the patronage system be made more efficient?
3. Does the use of bureaucratic oversight staff by Congress and by the OMB constitute unnecessary duplication? Why or why not?
4. Which model of bureaucracy best explains the way the government currently operates? Why?
5. Do you think Congress and the president have done enough to protect bureaucratic whistleblowers? Why or why not?

Chapter 16: Domestic Policy

Review Questions

1. Which of the following is not an example of a public policy outcome?
2. the creation of a program to combat drug trafficking
3. the passage of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
4. the passage of tax cuts during the George W. Bush administration
5. none of the above; all are public policy 3outcomes
6. Public policy ________.
7. is more of a theory than a reality
8. is typically made by one branch of government acting alone
9. requires multiple actors and branches to carry out
10. focuses on only a few special individuals
11. What are some of the challenges to getting a new public policy considered and passed as law?
12. Toll goods differ from public goods in that ________.
13. they provide special access to some and not all
14. they require the payment of a fee up front
15. they provide a service for only the wealthy
16. they are free and available to all
17. Which type of policy directly benefits the most citizens?
18. regulatory policy
19. distributive policy
20. redistributive policy
21. self-regulatory policy
22. Of the types of goods introduced in this section, which do you feel is the most important to the public generally and why? Which public policies are most important and why?
23. Social Security and Medicare are notable for their assistance to which group?
24. the poor
25. young families starting out
26. those in urban areas
27. the elderly
28. Setting aside Social Security and Medicare, other entitlement programs in the U.S. government ________.
29. constitute over half the budget
30. constitute well under one-quarter of the budget
31. are paid for by the states with no cost to the Federal government
32. none of the above
33. What societal ills are social welfare programs designed to address?
34. Which stage of the public policy process includes identification of problems in need of fixing?
35. agenda setting
36. enactment
37. implementation
38. evaluation
39. Policy analysts seek ________.
40. evidence
41. their chosen outputs
42. influence
43. money
44. In the implementation phase of the policy process, is it better to use a top-down approach or a bottom-up approach on Federal policies? Why?
45. A deficit is ________.
46. the overall amount owed by government for past borrowing
47. the annual budget shortfall between revenues and expenditures
48. the cancellation of an entitlement program
49. all the above
50. Entitlement (or mandatory) spending is ________.
51. formula-based spending that goes to individual citizens
52. a program of contracts to aerospace companies
53. focused on children
54. concentrated on education
55. When times are tough economically, what can the government do to get the economy moving again?

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. What might indicate that a government is passing the policies the country needs?
2. If you had to define the poverty line, what would you expect people to be able to afford just above that line? For those below that line, what programs should the government offer to improve quality of life?
3. What is the proper role of the government in regulating the private sector so people are protected from unfair or dangerous business practices? Why?
4. Is it realistic to expect the U.S. government to balance its budget? Why or why not?
5. What in your view is the most important policy issue facing the United States? Why is it important and which specific problems need to be solved?
6. What are some suggested solutions to the anticipated Social Security shortfall? Why haven’t these solutions tended to gain support?
7. Whose role is more important in a democracy, the policy advocate’s or the policy analyst’s? Why?
8. Which stage of the policy progress is the most important and why?

Chapter 17: Foreign Policy

Review Questions

1. Why are foreign policy issues more complicated than domestic policy issues?
2. They are more specific.
3. They are more complex.
4. The international environment is unpredictable.
5. They are more expensive.
6. Which of the following is not a foreign policy type?
7. trade policy
8. intelligence policy
9. war-making
10. bureaucratic oversight
11. The goals of U.S. foreign policy include ________.
12. keeping the country safe
13. securing access to foreign markets
14. protecting human rights
15. all the above
16. What are two key differences between domestic policymaking and foreign policymaking?
17. A sole executive agreement is likely to be in effect longer than is a treaty.
18. true
19. false
20. All the following are examples of sharply focused foreign policy outputs except ________.
21. presidential summits
22. military uses of force
23. emergency spending measures
24. international agreements
25. The War Powers Resolution ________.
26. strengthened congressional war powers
27. strengthened presidential war powers
28. affected the presidency and congress equally
29. ultimately had little impact on war-making
30. The federal budget process matters in foreign policy for all the following reasons except ________.
31. Congress has the power of the purse, so the president needs its approval
32. the budget provides the funding needed to run the foreign policy agencies
33. the budget for every presidential action has to be approved in advance
34. the budget allows political institutions to increase funding in key new areas
35. Which types of foreign policy outputs have more impact, broadly conceived ones or sharply focused ones? Why?
36. In terms of formal powers in the realm of foreign policy, ________.
37. the president is entirely in charge
38. the president and Congress share power
39. Congress is entirely in charge
40. decisions are delegated to experts in the bureaucracy
41. Why do House members and senators tend to be less active on foreign policy matters than domestic ones?
42. Foreign policy matters are more technical and difficult.
43. Legislators do not want to offend certain immigrant groups within their constituency.
44. Constituents are more directly affected by domestic policy topics than foreign ones.
45. Legislators themselves are not interested in foreign policy matters.
46. Neoconservativism is an isolationist foreign policy approach of a nation keeping to itself and engaging less internationally.
47. true
48. false
49. President George W. Bush was a proponent of liberal internationalism in his foreign policy.
50. true
51. false
52. The U.S. policy of containment during the Cold War related to keeping ________.
53. terrorism from spreading
54. rogue countries like North Korea from developing nuclear weapons
55. communism from spreading
56. oil prices from rising
57. The use of drones within other countries’ borders is consistent with which school of thought?
58. liberal internationalism
59. neoconservativism
60. neo-isolationism
61. grand strategy
62. What are the pros and cons of the neoconservative foreign policy approach followed in recent decades?

Critical Thinking Questions

Assume rating/grading scale for the question ranges from 0 to 3 points.

1. In your view, what are the best ways to get the community of nations working together?
2. What are the three most important foreign policy issues facing the United States today? Why?
3. Which is more important as an influencer of foreign policy, the president or a cabinet department like the Department of State or Defense? Why?
4. What do you think is the most advantageous school of thought for the United States to follow in foreign policy in the future? Why?
5. If you were president and wanted to gather support for a new foreign policy initiative, which three U.S. foreign policy actors would you approach and why?

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