Political Science Exam

What is divided government?

When one major political party controls the presidency and the other major party holds a majority in Congress.

Who confirms all federal judges?

The U.S. Senate.

What is stare decisis?

The principle that courts follow precedent to maintain stability in the law.

Who appoints all federal judges?

The executive branch, specifically the president.

What is the primary goal of congressional party leaders?

To win and maintain a majority of seats in their respective chamber of Congress.

How does the Supreme Court choose the cases it hears?

It has discretion to select most cases and hears only a small fraction of appealed cases each term.

What is congressional oversight?

Congress monitoring executive agencies through hearings and subpoenas to ensure laws are properly enforced.

What has happened to the number of interest groups in the U.S. since the mid-1900s?

The number has grown dramatically.

What are the three levels of the federal court system?

District Courts, Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court.

What happens to most bills introduced in Congress?

Most do not become law and die in committee, are ignored, or are stopped by filibusters.

What power does Congress have over the federal judiciary?

Congress creates the structure of the lower federal courts and determines the number of Supreme Court justices.

What does the presidential veto allow the president to do?

Reject a congressional bill, but not a Supreme Court decision.

How many votes are needed in the Senate for cloture?

Sixty votes are required to invoke cloture and end or prevent a filibuster.

What is the paradox of public opinion about Congress?

People tend to approve of their own representative but disapprove of Congress as a whole.

What powers does the judicial branch lack?

It lacks both the power of the purse and the power of the sword.

How does the Supreme Court most often function?

It most typically serves as an appellate court.

How did Alexander Hamilton describe the judiciary in Federalist No. 78?

He described it as the least dangerous branch of government.

Where are most court cases in the United States handled?

The majority are handled at the state level.

What types of law do both state and federal courts hear?

Both hear civil and criminal cases.

When is a state case more likely to be heard in federal court?

When it involves a federal question.

What are the lower courts in the national court system?

District courts and circuit courts.

What principle do judges rely on when standing by precedent?

The principle of stare decisis.

How are Supreme Court justices selected?

They are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

How many justices serve on the Supreme Court?

One chief justice and eight associate justices.

How does a case get placed on the Supreme Court's docket?

When four justices agree to hear it.

How do interest groups commonly participate in Supreme Court cases?

By filing amicus curiae briefs.

Who represents the federal government before the Supreme Court?

The solicitor general.

What is judicial restraint?

When judges defer to the decisions of elected branches of government.

What is a concurring opinion?

An opinion written by a justice who agrees with the majority decision but for different reasons.

What do interest group campaign donations buy?

They buy access to elected officials, not votes.

Where does Congress get much of its power to regulate?

From the interstate commerce clause.

What does it mean that Congress is bicameral?

It has two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

What is judicial review?

The power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional, established by Marbury v. Madison.

How does the presidential veto affect Congress?

It forces Congress to consider the president's preferences when writing legislation.

Which chamber has the tradition of the filibuster?

Only the Senate.

How are Supreme Court decisions enforced?

The Court relies on the executive branch to implement and enforce its rulings.

Who determines the internal rules of Congress?

Each chamber—the House and the Senate—sets its own rules and procedures.

What is social capital?

Connections among people and their willingness to interact and help one another.

What is totalitarianism?

A system of government in which the state is all-powerful and citizens have no rights.

What is the Bradley effect?

When people give dishonest poll responses to avoid appearing racist or politically incorrect.

What are common goods?

Resources that everyone may use but that are limited in supply.

What is the party-in-the-electorate?

Voters who identify with and usually support a political party.

Does early voting increase incumbency advantage?

No; incumbency advantage remains high due to factors like name recognition, gerrymandering, and strong fundraising.

What is the margin of error (sampling error)?

A measure showing how much a poll's results may differ from the true opinion of the total population.

What is media agenda-setting?

When the media influence public attention by deciding which issues are worth covering.

What is the goal of party gerrymandering?

To draw district boundaries that help one political party win as many legislative seats as possible.

What role does a free press play in U.S. representative democracy?

It informs citizens so they can hold elected officials accountable.

Does the Constitution mention political parties?

No, political parties are not mentioned in the Constitution.

What is the strongest predictor of voting behavior?

Partisanship, or loyalty to a political party.

Why were some at the Continental Congress wary of direct election of the president by Congress?

They feared it would create opportunities for corruption.

How did George Washington expand presidential power?

By appointing heads of executive departments to serve as his personal advisors.

What is a major challenge for new presidents regarding appointments?

Nominating and securing Senate confirmation for cabinet members and hundreds of other officials.

What is the bully pulpit?

The president's ability to use the office to influence public opinion and pressure policymakers.

What is the "bully pulpit"?

The president's ability to use the office to influence public opinion and pressure policymakers.

Who makes up the modern president's cabinet?

The heads of major federal departments, all of whom must be confirmed by the Senate.

What is ballot fatigue?

When voters stop voting for offices or initiatives at the bottom of a long ballot.

What is a caucus?

A town-hall style method of candidate nomination, mainly used in presidential elections; Iowa is a key example.

What is an example of an executive agreement?

When the president enters a legally binding international agreement, such as nuclear arms terms with Iran, without congressional approval.

What is party realignment?

A long-term shift in party identification, such as Southern White voters moving to the Republican Party or African Americans aligning with the Democratic Party.

What is prior restraint?

Government action that prevents the press from publishing certain information, such as stopping disclosure of an undercover spy's identity.

How do young voters compare in turnout?

Young voters have historically low voter turnout rates.

Who runs elections in the United States?

State governments, exercising a reserved power not listed for the federal government in the Constitution.

What is framing in the media?

Presenting an issue in a particular way, such as labeling the southern border situation a 'crisis.'

What is the primary goal of political parties?

To win elections, control government, and implement policy preferences.

What is a closed primary?

A primary election in which only registered party members may vote.

Why can a candidate win with only a plurality in U.S. elections?

Because of first-past-the-post, single-member district elections, which also contribute to a two-party system.

What is the main agent of political socialization?

Parents.

What is the incumbency advantage?

The benefits of holding office that increase the likelihood of reelection.

What is the coattail effect?

When a popular presidential candidate helps other candidates from the same party win elections.

What is strict scrutiny?

A test used by the Supreme Court to evaluate laws that classify people by race, religion, or national origin under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Who were the Federalists?

Supporters of the Constitution who advocated for its ratification, including authors of influential pro-Constitution essays.

How did the Great Compromise resolve representation disputes?

By creating a bicameral Congress with a population-based House and an equally represented Senate.

What is eminent domain?

The government's power under the 5th Amendment to take private property for public use with just compensation.

What is double jeopardy?

A civil liberty that prevents a person from being tried twice for the same crime by the same level of government.

What power does the judicial branch have over constitutional rights?

The power to interpret and reinterpret rights and liberties in the Constitution.

What is one benefit of federalism?

It allows states to act as laboratories of democracy and experiment with policies.

What is a concurrent power?

A power shared by both state and federal governments, such as taxation.

Why can the federal government regulate most economic activity?

Because of its expressed power to regulate interstate commerce.

What is the marble cake metaphor?

A description of federalism where state and federal powers are blended and interconnected.

What did the Great Compromise achieve?

It resolved conflicts between large and small states over representation in Congress.

How are members of Congress apportioned?

Each state has two senators, while House members are apportioned based on state population.

Why can redistricting be problematic?

Districts are often drawn to benefit partisan groups, affecting fair representation.

What is a first-past-the-post, single-member district election?

An election in which the candidate with the most votes wins.

What is the delegate model of representation?

When a representative votes according to the preferences of constituents, regardless of personal views or outcomes.

Why are House leaders more powerful than Senate leaders?

Because the House operates on majoritarian rules, allowing the majority to control the chamber.

What was the original function of the U.S. Senate?

To represent the states.

What is a select committee?

A temporary committee created for a specific purpose, unlike permanent standing committees.

What is required to stop a filibuster?

A successful cloture vote.

What must happen before a bill goes to the president?

Both chambers must pass identical versions, with differences resolved by a conference committee.

What does it mean when a bill is "marked up"?

It means the bill is being amended.

What is an unfunded mandate?

A federal requirement imposed on states without providing funding, such as accessibility requirements under the ADA.

Why did Anti-Federalists want a Bill of Rights?

They feared a national government that was too powerful.

How does the Constitution address slavery?

It refers to slavery indirectly through euphemisms rather than explicitly naming it.

How did the Constitution address abusive legislative power?

By specifically listing the powers granted to Congress.

What is separation of powers?

The division of government into three branches, each with distinct powers.

What was the purpose of the Electoral College?

To give states significant influence in selecting the president.

What is venue shopping?

A strategy in which interest groups choose the level and branch of government most likely to support their goals.

What is a writ of habeas corpus?

A petition allowing someone in custody to ask a judge to determine whether their detention is legal.

How does the First Amendment support lobbying?

It guarantees the right to petition the government for redress of grievances.

What is partisanship?

Strong support or loyalty, sometimes blind, to a political party.