Q&A Hero

Q: One function of __________ is to provide public services that the private sector is unwilling or unable to do.

Q: Which statement best characterizes the hearing process of a formal bill? a. A formal bill receives a hearing and goes to the floor when the vice president requests it. b. A formal bill receives a hearing or floor time only when extensively marked up. c. A formal bill receives a hearing when pocket vetoed, but seldom goes to the floor. d. Few formal bills receive a hearing, but many are marked up and sent to the floor. e. Most formal bills receive a hearing, but few are marked up and sent to the floor.

Q: In which case did the Supreme Court first recognize the exclusionary rule, which bars the use of illegally seized evidence at trial? a. Weeks v. U.S. b. Gideon v. Wainwright c. Furman v. Georgia d. House v. Bell e. Griswold v. Connecticut

Q: In the United States, the national government derives its power from which of the following? a. states b. courts c. legislature d. citizens e. laws

Q: Since the economic crisis that began in 2008, the national debt has declined.

Q: An interest group filing an amicus curiae brief is an example of __________. a. grassroots or outside lobbying b. how interest groups influence elections c. lobbying an executive branch agency d. how groups influence the president e. lobbying the judicial branch

Q: One consequence of ambiguity in the laws passed by Congress is that government agencies exercise __________ in the implementation of those laws.

Q: According to the trustee model of representation, legislators are __________. a. obligated to follow a strict interpretation of the Constitution b. obligated to present the views of their constituents c. obligated to use their own opinions in decision making d. trusted by their constituents because they are natives of their home districts e. trusted to choose between their own opinions and the views of their constituents

Q: New York Times Co. v.Sullivan held that there must be proof of which of the following in order to find libel against a public figure? a. property loss b. actual malice c. an audience d. a written record e. actual harm

Q: The "Intolerable Acts" was the colonists' name for the __________ Acts of 1774. a. Stamp b. Tea c. Coercive d. Mercantile e. Commerce

Q: Why is monetary policy often the preferred way to address an economic crisis? a. because even though it is hard to implement, it has fewer long-term consequences than deficit spending. b. because it is both easy to implement and has fewer long-term consequences than deficit spending c. because it is both easy to implement and has fewer long-term consequences than regulatory policies d. because monetary policy can lower taxes, which increases consumer spending and quickly stimulates the economy e. because monetary policy can quickly put more money directly into the hands of the wealthy who then save it

Q: Which of the following is an example of a faction, as conceptualized by Madison in Federalist No. 10? a. the media b. women c. an interest group d. the legislature e. the executive branch

Q: The purpose of the __________ was to prohibit federal employees from engaging in partisan political activities.

Q: In the House of Representatives, the __________ decides who will speak on the floor, and rules on points of order. a. majority leader b. majority whip c. minority leader d. president pro tempore e. Speaker

Q: In matters of religion, the free exercise clause protects individuals from which of the following? a. discrimination b. persecution c. governmental intrusion d. segregation e. dissenting opinions

Q: As depicted in Figure 2.1, What Are the Separation of Powers and How Do Checks and Balances Work Under the U.S. Constitution?, the executive branch is in charge of which of the following? a. passing federal laws b. declaring war c. interpreting federal laws d. making foreign treaties e. establishing lower courts

Q: Deregulation of which of the following industries was probably the biggest factor contributing to the economic crisis that began in 2008? a. the airline industry b. the energy industry c. the investment banking industry d. the litigation industry e. the medical technology industry

Q: Which of the following is an example of the free rider (or collective action) problem? a. an elected official accepting bribes from an interest group b. an elected official relying on information from lobbyists c. an environmental group struggling to raise funds for a "clean air" campaign d. an environmental group disagreeing on what policy goals to pursue e. a political action committee contributing to candidates from both major political parties

Q: When the Environmental Protection Agency sets standards for air pollution, it is fulfilling the __________ function of the federal bureaucracy.

Q: The role of Senate minority leader is important because __________. a. he or she represents the opposition in negotiations with the majority leader b. he or she serves as chief assistant to the majority leader c. he or she serves as the national spokesperson for the party d. the House does not have this position e. the Senate is more hierarchically driven than the House

Q: The Sixth Amendment sets out basic requirements for which type of due process? a. civil b. substantive c. criminal d. procedural e. constitutional

Q: The First Continental Congress was a response to which of the following? a. Stamp Act b. Intolerable Acts c. Coercive Acts d. Boston Massacre e. Townshend Acts

Q: If you subscribe to Keynesian economic policies, you are most concerned with __________. a. exports b. imports c. inflation d. money supply e. unemployment

Q: How do interest groups lobby the executive branch? a. by filing lawsuits b. by appearing at administrative hearings to offer information c. by offering political action committee (PAC) contributions to agency heads d. by filing amicus curiae briefs e. by drafting and introducing bills

Q: The Social Security Administration rendering a decision about whether an individual was wrongly denied disability payments illustrates the __________ function of the federal bureaucracy.

Q: What demonstrates the Founders' desire to insulate the Senate from popular displeasure? a. terms of two years, with all seats open for each election b. terms of four years, with one-third of seats open for election every two years c. terms of four years, with two-thirds of seats open for election every two years d. terms of six years, with one-third of seats open for election every two years e. terms of six years, with two-thirds of seats open for election every two years

Q: The Supreme Court has used selective incorporation to __________ the rights of states. a. protect b. limit c. expand d. define e. enforce

Q: Which of the following specifies the procedure for amending the Constitution? a. Article I b. Article III c. Article V d. Article VI e. Article IX

Q: Which of the following is a possible solution to the long-term problem of solvency in the Social Security program? a. Eliminate the prescription drug program for seniors. b. Increase the states' financial contribution. c. Increase the minimum retirement age. d. Lower the minimum retirement age. e. Lower the payroll tax contribution.

Q: How do interest groups lobby the courts? a. through letter-writing campaigns addressed to particular judges b. by publishing editorials in major newspapers stating their views on cases c. by bringing lawsuits to the courts on behalf of classes of citizens d. by testifying before congressional committees e. by meeting with judges to express their views on cases

Q: The president appoints, but cannot dismiss, officials who serve on __________.

Q: The president pro tempore __________. a. has the power to nullify legislation with a pocket veto b. has the power to select the majority leader c. is an honorific office awarded to the senior senator of the majority party d. is a role bequeathed to the vice president by the Constitution e. personally presides over the Senate floor when it is in session

Q: What type of due process protects citizens from arbitrary or unjust state or federal laws? a. procedural b. constitutional c. substantive d. individual e. prospective

Q: What is the principle that each branch of the federal government has the means to thwart or influence actions by other branches of government? a. weights and measures b. checks and balances c. balances and powers d. checks and freedoms e. freedom and power

Q: According to Table 13.2, the largest number of Americans benefit from which means-tested program? a. Social Security b. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program c. Supplemental Security Income d. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families e. Unemployment insurance

Q: Which of the following is an example of grassroots/outside lobbying? a. a petition sent to representatives in Congress b. an organization asking members for donations to support the group's work c. a meeting held with a legislator in the legislator's home district d. a group submitting written testimony in a congressional hearing e. a group forming a coalition with another group that has similar policy goals

Q: The __________ led to the creation of a bipartisan commission to oversee appointments to the federal bureaucracy.

Q: What advantage does a subcommittee offer the legislative process? a. expedited approval of joint committee floor submissions b. expedited approval of standing committee floor submissions c. greater division of labor d. oversight of joint committees e. oversight of standing committees

Q: What kind of speech is by its very utterance intended to inflict injury or incite an immediate breach of peace? a. hate speech b. symbolic speech c. political speech d. fighting words e. obscenity

Q: Under the Constitution, the president is elected by which of the following? a. Election College b. Congressional College c. Electoral College d. Presidential College e. State College

Q: If a government wanted to use monetary policy to increase economic growth, which of the following steps should be taken? a. Decrease interest rates to increase the amount of money in supply. b. Increase the amount of foreign currency kept on reserve in U.S. banks. c. Increase the amount of public revenue for investment by raising taxes. d. Increase the government spending on public works projects. e. Print a larger amount of money to increase the money supply.

Q: Which of the following is an example of an economic interest group? a. the National Rifle Association b. the American Association of Retired People (AARP) c. the Chamber of Commerce d. the National Organization for Women e. the National Education Association

Q: When the U.S. Department of Transportation stipulates how many hours truck drivers can be on the road per week, the department is creating a(n) __________.

Q: The true leader of the Senate is the __________, elected by the majority party. a. majority leader b. president pro tempore c. Senate Chair d. Speaker e. vice president

Q: The Supreme Court briefly outlawed which of the following in the 1970s by asserting that it was being imposed in an arbitrary manner? a. capital punishment b. school prayer c. access to court-appointed counsel d. symbolic speech protection e. the exclusionary rule

Q: What type of legislature did the United States have under the Articles of Confederation? a. bicameral b. unified c. divided d. populist e. unicameral

Q: Which of the following was the biggest contributor to the economic crisis that began in 2008? a. deregulation of the investment banking industry b. high levels of government spending c. increased wage demands by labor unions d. inflationary policies by the Federal Reserve e. massive increases in federal budget deficits

Q: Which of the following is an example of a trade association? a. the AFL-CIO b. the National Association of Manufacturers c. the American Association of Retired People (AARP) d. the National Rifle Association e. the National Wildlife Federation

Q: The Government Issue (G.I.) Bill was introduced following __________.

Q: How have Americans rated members of Congress in recent years? a. Americans are increasingly supportive of congressional members. b. Americans are ambivalent about the performance of Congress. c. Individual members of Congress and Congress as a whole have received high approval ratings. d. Individual members of Congress rate slightly higher than Congress as a whole, but approval ratings are at an all-time low. e. Ratings are low across the board, but individual members of Congress receive the lowest approval ratings.

Q: The Supreme Court has ruled that states can limit abortions if the regulations do not pose which of the following? a. a bar to equal protection b. a due process violation c. a prior restraint d. an undue burden e. a substantial inconvenience

Q: Under the Articles of Confederation, a(n) __________ judiciary was established, but all other courts were left to the states. a. maritime b. taxation c. criminal d. admiralty e. military

Q: What is the long-term concern about the Social Security Trust Fund? a. The rate of Social Security payroll taxes will continue to decrease. b. The number of current retirees contributing to the fund will continue to decrease. c. The working poor will not have access to Social Security medical benefits. d. There will be too few workers contributing to support the increasing number of retirees. e. There will be too many people paying into the Social Security system.

Q: On Table 11.2, Who Identifies as a Democrat? A Republican?, Hispanics are most likely to identify as __________. a. Democrats b. Independents c. Republicans d. Libertarians e. Greens

Q: After a president nominates an individual to be a Cabinet secretary, that appointment must be confirmed by __________.

Q: __________ committees exist in both the House and Senate, may be temporary or permanent, and usually have a focused responsibility. a. Conference b. Joint c. Select/Special d. Standing e. Temporal

Q: Which Supreme Court case developed the exclusionary rule? a. Parker v.Gideon b. New York Times Co. v. Sullivan c. Mapp v.Ohio d. Wolf v.Colorado e. Gideon v.Wainwright

Q: Which of the following generally opposed the idea of a strong national government because it would take power away from the states and would tax heavily? a. Anti-Federalists b. Federalists c. Tories d. Whigs e. Republicans

Q: What is the purpose of government regulation of the economy?a. to increase the revenue collected by the federal governmentb. to increase the overall level of taxes paid by produces in the economyc. to increase the level of profits for multinational corporationsd. to minimize the costs of doing business for corporationse. to minimize the effects of negative externalities

Q: What has become the most powerful predictor of congressional voting in recent years? a. economic stance b. campaign finances c. hot-button issues d. party labels e. trust

Q: The largest Cabinet department is the __________.

Q: The __________ is where congressional Democrats gather to select their leadership at the beginning of each term. a. conference committee b. electoral college c. leadership conference d. party caucus e. party conference

Q: The USA PATRIOT Act enhances the government's ability to do which of the following? a. examine private records b. take personal property c. imprison citizens without trial d. indict foreign enemies e. control public schooling

Q: The Articles of Confederation required __________ consent from the states for ratification. a. three-fifths b. unanimous c. two-thirds d. majority e. three-fourths

Q: Which of these statements best describes the influence of interest rate adjustments by the Federal Reserve? a. They always lead to lower rates of marginal taxes. b. They can lead to higher unemployment in years of budget deficits. c. They can spur economic growth by increasing the cost of money for business. d. They can spur economic growth by increasing the available money supply. e. They increase corporate profits by making money more available.

Q: Modern national party conventions serve what ends? a. They assemble delegates who will be assessed for their future political potential based on their writing of a largely inconsequential party platform. b. They mobilize supporters for the nominee, who has basically already been decided. c. They deliberate on the party's choices for presidential and vice-presidential nominees. d. They hold elections to determine the new party leaders. e. They write the party platform, which will be crucial over the next four years.

Q: __________ often holds oversight hearings to investigate the policies and performance of agencies and departments in the federal bureaucracy.

Q: A rise in party unity is indicative of __________. a. cooperation across party lines b. cooperation between Congress and the executive branch c. decreasing party polarization d. high bipartisanship levels e. low bipartisanship levels

Q: Miranda rights include the right to which of the following? a. a phone call b. due process c. a jury trial d. be free from search and seizure e. counsel

Q: Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution contains which powers of Congress? a. enumerated b. restrictive c. military d. implied e. executive

Q: Which of the following best characterizes the federal budget process? a. complicated b. effective c. fair d. fast e. streamlined

Q: The most visible instrument that parties use to formulate, convey, and promote public policy is __________. a. its articles b. its constitution c. its platform d. its procedural document e. its regulations

Q: Under __________, jobs in the federal bureaucracy are awarded on the basis of skills and expertise.

Q: What occurs during the appropriations process? a. Congress grants funds to federal agencies and programs. b. Congress makes laws. c. Congress acquires requested oversight material from the executive. d. Congress instructs the president to eliminate federal agencies. e. Congress creates new federal agencies.

Q: Which test examines the constitutionality of religious establishments? a. Orange b. Lemon c. Free Exercise d. Prior Restraint e. Due Process

Q: In what year was the Bill of Rights added to the Constitution? a. 1776 b. 1788 c. 1789 d. 1798 e. 1791

Q: Why might some businesses lobby for increased regulation by the federal government? a. because they do not know that regulations always hurt them b. to lower their overall tax rate b. to gain access to federal bureaucrats who will act in their interests d. to increase their profit margins to better serve the public good e. to protect themselves from domestic and foreign competitors

Q: Party identification is __________. a. most determined by one's parents and is declining in its utility to predict voter behavior b. most determined by geography and is declining in its utility to predict voter behavior c. most determined by one's parents and is increasing in its utility to predict voter behavior d. most determined by geography and is increasing in its utility to predict voter behavior e. most determined by one's parents and has maintained constant utility in predicting voter behavior

Q: According to the __________ Act, federal agencies must solicit public comments before issuing new rules and regulations.

Q: Why are there currently 435 members in the House of Representatives? a. The Constitution requires a specific ratio of representatives to constituents. b. The Constitution stipulates this number. c. The number has changed to reflect gerrymandering. d. The number has grown each decade, according to census data. e. The number is fixed at this limit by a statute.