Q&A Hero

Q: Roughly what percentage of Americans rarely or never vote? a. 15 percent b. 25 percent c. 35 percent d. 45 percent e. 50 percent

Q: Justices who do not agree with the outcome of a case write __________ opinions.

Q: Which presidential power gives the president the ability to control what happens inside departments and agencies during their terms and to shape the federal judiciary (including the Supreme Court) far into the future? a. appointment b. veto c. pardon d. take care e. impeachment

Q: How does the clear and present danger test operate?

Q: In U.S. v. Lopez, the Supreme Court ruled that Congress lacked constitutional authority under the __________clause to regulate guns within 1,000 feet of a school. a. necessary and proper b. commerce c. elastic d. supremacy e. reserved powers

Q: Why did the United States join the North American Free Trade Agreement? a. to increase the number of markets readily available for American goods b. to prevent the salaries of American workers from increasing faster than inflation c. to relocate manufacturing jobs to Mexico to take advantage of cheaper labor d. to slow down the pace of globalization e. to make it harder for Japanese cars to compete in the American marketplace

Q: Which of the following religious groups maintains the most consistent voting patterns? a. Buddhist voters b. Catholic voters c. Jewish voters d. Muslim voters e. Protestant voters

Q: The justices meet in a closed conference __________ a week when the court is hearing oral arguments.

Q: In order to prevent tyranny, what did Benjamin Franklin think had to be included in the Constitution? a. a resolution to limit the president's power to send troops into battle b. a process for dealing with a vacancy in the office of the president c. a process of impeachment d. a limit to the number of terms a president can serve e. a process for the people to directly elect the president

Q: What is an unfunded mandate? a. when the federal government creates programs without providing sufficient funds b. when a state government requires a federal action c. when the federal government prohibits the states to take a certain action d. when a state government prohibits a federal action e. when an order requires joint state and federal action

Q: Why is the adjective cold used to describe the Cold War? a. It began with a shortage of coal and heating fuel in Europe. b. It hindered the spread of democracy in Western Europe. c. It was a tense period of time without much use of direct combat. d. It was a period of time in which there was no interaction between major world powers. e. It froze military alliances in their pre"World War II configurations.

Q: The solicitor general handles all appeals on behalf of the __________ before the Supreme Court.

Q: Why is there the potential for conflict over virtually all aspects of government? a. National legislatures choose the chief executives, so the unified parties need to be in control. b. All constitutional powers are shared. c. There is always a divided government. d. Parties have been ideologically incohesive since the mid-1990s. e. There are no checks and balances between the executive and legislative branches of government.

Q: Which of the following is an example of a reserved power of the states? a. establishing a post office b. coining money c. imposing the death penalty d. conducting foreign relations e. declaring war

Q: How is terrorism different from traditional military force? a. Terrorism usually involves military targets. b. Terrorism is typically designed to instill fear in the general public. c. Terrorism is typically better financed. d. Only governments engage in terrorism. e. Only nongovernmental political actors engage in terrorism.

Q: Candidate debates became a regular part of presidential campaigns in which decade? a. the 1950s b. the 1960s c. the 1970s d. the 1980s e. the 1990s

Q: Article III guarantees that the __________ of federal judges will not be reduced during their service on the bench.

Q: Which examines the cost implications of a proposed bill? a. secretary of the treasury b. Office of Management and Budget c. secretary of commerce d. chief of staff e. federal reserve

Q: Which type of federalism is characterized by a system of separate but equally powerful state and national governments? a. combined b. cooperative c. dual d. progressive e. pure

Q: How has U.S. foreign policy in Iran and North Korea been similar for much of the past decade? a. It has been largely focused on economic development. b. It has been largely driven by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. c. It has been largely determined by the wealth of natural resources the countries possess. d. It has emphasized diplomacy over military action. e. It has been driven by the threat the countries pose to the United States.

Q: The ability of an office holder to fend off challenges from quality challengers is known as the __________. a. detain-off effect b. max-out effect c. run-out effect d. scare-off effect e. take-off effect

Q: The president, with the __________ and __________ of the Senate, appoints all federal judges.

Q: What role does a president play when celebrating a national holiday? a. chief of state b. chief of staff c. chief diplomat d. chief legislator e. chief executive

Q: What is the difference between substantive and procedural due process?

Q: What was the dominant model of federalism in the 1950s? a. cooperative b. dual c. progressive d. republican e. unified

Q: Why is it difficult to coordinate the work of the various intelligence agencies that comprise the U.S. intelligence community? a. The head of the intelligence community is the head of the CIA, which operates completely independently of the other agencies in the intelligence community. b. Although all agencies share a budget, there is little communication among them. c. Each agency controls its own budget and does not always share its intelligence with the other agencies in the intelligence community. d. The Department of Homeland Security gathers intelligence, but then assigns the responsibility for acting on that information to various other agencies. e. The FBI and CIA work together only during times of national crisis.

Q: A member of the Electoral College is known as a(n) __________. a. collegian b. elector c. partisan d. selector e. surrogate

Q: Advocates of judicial restraint generally agree that judges should be strict __________; that is, they should interpret the Constitution as the Framers wrote and originally intended it.

Q: What role was Thomas Jefferson performing as president when he made the Louisiana Purchase? a. chief executive b. chief of staff c. chief diplomat d. chief legislator e. commander in chief

Q: As discussed in "The Living Constitution" box, the Defense of Marriage Act potentially violates which clause of the Constitution? a. Commerce b. Supremacy Clause c. Due Process d. Equal Protection e. Full Faith and Credit

Q: Which of the following would George Washington most likely approve of? a. containment b. the Truman Doctrine c. isolationism d. NAFTA e. NATO

Q: What institution is responsible for electing the president of the United States? a. Electoral Choice b. Electoral College c. Electoral Mandate d. Electoral Symposium e. Electoral University

Q: The circuit courts hear appeals from the __________ courts.

Q: Which is one of the reasons that power and responsibility of the presidency has grown? a. Congress has grown weaker. b. The United States became a simple free market economy. c. The President's role increased, so the role of government could decrease. d. Modern presidents have to exercise powers as commander in chief, while earlier presidents did not. e. The United States became a world power.

Q: The power to __________ and __________ includes the right to place conditions on the receipt of federal money. a. buy; sell b. charge; transact c. create; produce d. regulate; limit e. tax; spend

Q: During the height of the Cold War, what would the United States likely have done if it had discovered that the Soviet Union had previously unknown stockpiles of nuclear weapons? a. negotiate a bilateral trade agreement b. engage in a military conflict with the Soviet Union c. stockpile additional nuclear weapons in the United States d. withdraw from NATO e. extend diplomatic immunity to the Soviet Union

Q: Which presidential ticket was the first to use the Internet in a national campaign? a. Obama and Biden b. McCain and Palin c. Gore and Lieberman d. Dole and Kemp e. Clinton and Gore

Q: Judicial __________ is a philosophy of judicial decision making that posits judges should use their power broadly to further justice.

Q: Which best describes the president's constitutional duty to Congress? a. The president must give Congress an occasional update on the state of the union. b. The president must have at least one Cabinet member of the opposing party. c. The president must inform Congress of actions potentially leading to war. d. The president must inform Congress of the reasoning behind a veto. e. The president must maintain party support in Congress.

Q: During the __________, national power was significantly expanded. a. Revolutionary War b. Civil War c. World War I d. World War II e. Vietnam War

Q: Which of the following is the president most likely to consult with for advice about how to best take advantage of the strengths of the various service branches when conducting a military operation? a. the Central Intelligence Agency b. the director of National Intelligence c. the secretary of Homeland Security d. the secretary of state e. the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Q: The brief, clever quotes that candidates hope will be replayed after media events are known as __________. a. sound bites b. bon mots c. adages d. pearls of wisdom e. spin text

Q: Of all the federal courts, only the __________ is established by the Constitution.

Q: What is the purpose of the Council of Economic Advisers? a. to advise the president on economic policy b. to assess legislative proposals for budgetary issues c. to lobby Congress in defense of the president's budget d. to prepare the president's budget e. to review and recommend agency spending

Q: Why does the plight of the Guantanamo detainees raise concerns about civil liberties?

Q: What are reserved powers? a. Powers specifically delegated to the national government by the Constitution. b. Powers specifically delegated to state governments by the Constitution. c. Powers not specifically delegated to the national government by the Constitution. d. Powers not specifically delegated to state governments by the Constitution. e. Those powers not specifically delegated to the national government by the Declaration of Independence.

Q: Which of the following is an example of the exercise of America's soft power? a. President John F. Kennedy's authorization of the Bay of Pigs b. President George W. Bush's demand that the Taliban government of Afghanistan turn over Osama bin Laden and close terrorist camps c. the Paris Peace Agreement d. the Roosevelt Corollary e. Secretary of State Clinton's visit to Africa to address members of the small-business program in Zambia

Q: What Supreme Court decision determined that no limits could be placed on the amount of his or her own money a candidate spends in an election? a. Citizens United v. FEC b. Buckley v. Valeo c. McCain v. NRA d. BCRA v. United States e. Citizens United v. Valeo

Q: Courts can only decide cases that present __________ controversies.

Q: The use of __________ in foreign matters is an example of the president acting as a global leader. a. pocket vetoes b. executive privilege c. executive agreements d. executive orders e. signing statements

Q: Most of the world's nations, including China, France, and Great Britain, have __________ as their type of government, as discussed in the "Explore Your World" box. a. unitary systems b. confederations c. democracies d. federal systems e. republics

Q: Terrorists are most likely to target which of the following? a. elected officials b. members of the military c. civilians d. bureaucrats e. political dissidents

Q: In one recent election, researchers found that individual donors accounted for what percent of contributions to presidential candidates? a. 35 b. 50 c. 70 d. 85 e. 90

Q: A lawyer's spoken presentation to the court of the legal reasons that his or her client should win is called the __________.

Q: Which of the following is an example of the rally-round-the-flag effect? a. George H. W. Bush was reelected after winning the first Gulf War. b. Jimmy Carter gained respect during his handling of the Iranian hostage crisis. c. During the Watergate investigation, Richard Nixon's approval ratings soared. d. George W. Bush's popularity was boosted following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. e. Ronald Reagan's approval rating increased sharply during the Iran-Contra scandal.

Q: In cases like Dred Scott v.Sandford (1857), the Supreme Court's decision___________ the scope of national power, while it ___________ that of the states. a. limited; also limited b. broadened; also enhanced c. enhanced; narrowed d. narrowed; enhanced e. limited; interfered with

Q: Which of the following would the president be most likely to consult to determine the best way to use the military to destroy North Korea's nuclear capabilities? a. the secretary of defense b. the secretary of Homeland Security c. the secretary of state d. the director of National Intelligence e. the national security advisor

Q: The __________ is the bureaucratic agency in charge of monitoring campaign activity. a. Federal Election Board b. Election Finance Commission c. Federal Voting Committee d. Voter Regulation Board e. Federal Election Commission

Q: Only the Supreme Court can review the decisions of state courts.

Q: According to the Constitution, how is the president supposed to be elected? a. appointment through Congress b. appointment through state legislatures c. direct election by popular vote d. election through the Electoral College e. party primaries followed by popular vote

Q: __________ grants typically allocate federal dollars based upon population. a. Block b. Categorical c. Commerce d. Federal e. Unified

Q: Because of NAFTA, an American business owner may be able to save money through which of the following? a. by setting up a shell corporation in the Cayman Islands to avoid U.S. taxes b. by moving a manufacturing plant from the United States to Mexico, where labor is cheaper c. by purchasing cheap goods from China without paying taxes or tariffs d. by outsourcing customer service jobs to India e. by purchasing government-issued bonds to cover basic business expenses

Q: The person closest to the candidate who makes the essential day-to-day decisions is the __________. a. campaign manager b. finance chair c. communications director d. press secretary e. chief campaign consultant

Q: The United States has a dual system of justice.

Q: Which executive power was intended as a "qualified negative" by the Framers? a. the power over the military b. the power to appoint judges c. the power to make treaties d. the power to pardon e. the power to veto

Q: How did the concept of prior restraint help early Americans address the Alien and Sedition Acts?

Q: Which clause of the U.S. Constitution did the Supreme Court interpret in McCulloch v.Maryland? a. Commerce b. Dormant Commerce c. Due Process d. Equal Protection e. Supremacy

Q: In which of the following areas is the United States most likely to become embroiled in a dispute with China? a. trade policy b. antiterrorism policy c. military conflict d. immigration policy e. environmental policy

Q: Campaign consultants were first used in campaigns in the __________. a. 1920s b. 1930s c. 1940s d. 1950s e. 1960s

Q: Marbury v.Madison significantly expanded the power of the federal judiciary.

Q: Which presidential oversight includes the State of the Union address? a. The president can issue executive orders and party agenda. b. The president is commander in chief of the armed forces. c. The president is in charge of federal departments and agencies. d. The president is the negotiator in chief with foreign nations. e. The president must inform and convene Congress.

Q: The Framers adopted a federal system of government partly because they feared __________. a. centralizing power in one institution b. decentralization by the states c. limiting the national government d. regulation of interstate commerce e. to challenge the power of the states

Q: Which of the following is most consistent with the concept of diplomacy? a. counterintelligence b. military threats c. military action d. negotiation e. confrontation

Q: Most candidates running in a general election tend to move their campaigns toward the __________. a. far right of the party line b. far left of the party line c. current domestic issues d. ideological center e. current international issues

Q: Rotating three-judge panels decide cases in the federal courts of appeals.

Q: Which of these presidents is arguably the first modern president? a. Franklin Delano Roosevelt b. Herbert Hoover c. Ronald Reagan d. Theodore Roosevelt e. Woodrow Wilson

Q: Which amendment, identified in Figure 3.2 How is Governmental Power Distributed in the Federal System?, gave Congress the power to levy and collect taxes on incomes without apportioning them among the states? a. Seventeenth b. Sixteenth c. Fourteenth d. Tenth e. Fifth

Q: What can Congress do to influence foreign and defense policy if it is not satisfied with the way the president has handled foreign policy? a. Congress can fire ambassadors who are not executing foreign policy according to Congress's wishes. b. Congress can reduce appropriations for executing the president's foreign and defense policy. c. Congress can command the military to execute foreign policy according to Congress's wishes. d. Congress can change foreign policy with a joint declaration of two-thirds of each chamber, which does not require the president's signature. e. Congress can appoint a new secretary of state who will implement foreign policy according to Congress's wishes.

Q: Evaluate the development of party polarization, using specific examples. Consider both polarization within political parties and in the electorate. Does polarization create apathy or activism? What evidence supports your position?

Q: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit is a constitutional court.