Unit Exam

In which of the following ways did the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883 change the federal bureaucracy?

It provided for the selection of most government employees based on a competitive exam rather than political affiliation.

Which of the following describes an example of policy development within an iron triangle?

Scientists from the Sierra Club successfully petition the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to declare fruit bats an endangered species.

If Congress wanted to gather more information on the situation outlined above, how could an agency like the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) most likely assist Congress in this process?

Testify before a Congressional committee

Which row below correctly identifies a way that the airlines could influence Congress during their investigation based on how the airline is impacted?

ROW C

Which of the following best illustrates an example of the Department of Veterans Affairs fulfilling the responsibilities it was given by Congress?

Guaranteeing housing loans for those who have served in the military.

Which of the following best illustrates the discretionary authority of the Department of Education?

Reducing the income qualifications for educational grants to attend college.

Which of the following falls within the discretionary authority of the Environmental Protection Agency?

Establishing reporting requirements for facilities based on a chemical's toxicity and proximity to other facilities and populations.

A presidential candidate campaigned with the promise to have the federal bureaucracy build a wall on the southern border. Upon election, which of the following actions would be the best course of action for the President to quickly get the federal bureaucracy working on this measure

An executive order could be signed authorizing Homeland Security to divert funds for border security to research and plan the building of a wall while awaiting further funding.

Which of the following represents an exercise of the discretionary authority of the Department of Transportation?

Deciding which specific items are prohibited from being brought onto airplanes in carry-on luggage.

Which of the following strategies would best suit the Armed Services Committee in its oversight role of the military?

The committee should launch an independent, Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation of the defense contractor.

As a result of the Constitution's use of this language,

federal courts cannot issue advisory opinions.

Based on the constitutional provision above, in which of the following cases would federal courts have jurisdiction?

A lawsuit brought by the national government.

A political scientist would most likely use Federalist No. 78 to illustrate which of the following?

The independent nature of the national judiciary.

Which of the following gives the best justification for the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review as established by the landmark Supreme Court case Marbury v Madison?

Vested Power.

Which of the following Anti-Federalist authors inspired the writing of Federalist No. 78?

"Brutus."

Which of the following best reflects Marbury’s perspective in the Marbury v. Madison court case

Marbury wanted Madison to do his job and deliver his commission.

In Federalist No. 78, Alexander Hamilton claims that

judicial review is best left up to the states, from which the national government receives its power

Which of the following best represents the court's use of the power described by John Marshall in the excerpt above?

The Supreme Court rules that a state law violates the Constitution and is therefore unenforceable.

Which principle is best embodied in Marshall's statement that "[i]t is emphatically the province and duty of the Judicial Department to say what the law is"?

Judicial review.

Based on the excerpt, what is an obstacle to stare decisis?

Supreme Court justices may disagree on which precedents to apply when deciding cases.

Why did Judge Ginsburg state "I hope you will judge my qualifications principally on that written record"?

Senators may wonder whether confirming Judge Ginsburg will shift the application of Supreme Court precedents.

What does the suit of armor in the image represent?

It suggests that Supreme Court nominees will defend their prior rulings because they are expected to make similar rulings during their life terms.

What is a central theme of Federalist No. 78?

The importance of independence in judicial rulings.

Which of the following groups would most likely support the expansion of judicial review?

Advocates of judicial activism.

The Supreme Court’s decisions in Marbury v. Madison and McCulloch v. Maryland are similar in that

implied powers of the federal government were established.

In which of the following instances can the Supreme Court utilize the power of judicial review?

After an executive order is issued.

How does the suit of armor reflect the relationship between the Supreme Court and the public?

The public may debate the legitimacy of the Supreme Court's power when the Court issues controversial decisions.

Which public official responsible for nominating Supreme Court justices is not identified in the cartoon?

the president of the United States

Which of the following describes a scenario in which Congress is exercising its constitutional powers to limit the Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court declares legislation unconstitutional, and Congress responds by eliminating federal court jurisdiction over future cases involving the same issues.

Which of the following is a constitutional method by which Congress can limit the powers of the federal judiciary?

Alter the appellate jurisdiction of the federal courts.

In which of the following ways can the president lessen the impact of a federal court decision?

Issue an executive order to the Justice Department limiting its enforcement.

Which of the following correctly describes the relationship between the powers of Congress and the powers of the Supreme Court?

Congress may pass modified legislation if the Supreme Court finds earlier legislation unconstitutional.

The primary purpose of which of the following amendments was to limit the impact of a specific decision of the Supreme Court and thus act as a check on the judiciary?

16th Amendment

Based on the excerpt, which viewpoint was shared by the "disorderly mob"?

The president should support a restrained approach to enforcing Brown v. Board of Education (1954).

Which approach to judicial decision-making is reflected in the Supreme Court's 1896 claim that "A statute which implies ... a legal distinction between the white and colored races ...has no tendency to destroy the legal equality of the two races...."

judicial restraint

In which of the following situations is a president most likely to be successful in getting their legislative agenda passed by Congress?

The president's approval rating among likely voters is over 70 percent.

Which of the following presidential appointments holds the potential for having the longest lasting influence of any president?

A nominee to the Supreme Court who is the youngest candidate in American history.

Based on the excerpt, why did Vice President Pence support Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education?

He was expected to support the president's agenda as part of his responsibilities.

Based on the image, what is the purpose of the Executive Office of the President (EOP)?

The EOP upholds the president's domestic, foreign, and defense policy agenda.

Which of the following best describes a reason that a president might choose to make an executive agreement with a foreign nation rather than a treaty?

The Senate is evenly split between the president's party and the opposition party.

Which of the following is one of the duties of the president specified by the Constitution?

From time to time, the president must give information to the Congress and make recommendations for their consideration.

Which constitutional principle is reflected in the image?

separation of powers

Why does the image include the year that each Supreme Court justice was appointed?

Reporting the year of each justice's appointment reflects the likely impact of the president who appointed them.

Based on the image, which statement reflects a long-term influence of presidents?

Supreme Court opinions will reflect conflicting constitutional interpretations.

Which of the following is true about the impeachment process in the United States?

Federal officials and state officials can be subject to impeachment if they are accused of a crime.

If you were a political strategist employed by the president, what advice would you give the president to best enable their policy agenda to have the best chance of success after the election?

Campaign vigorously for Republicans in the Senate facing reelection to maintain your ability to seat a justice of your choice on the Court

If the sitting president is a Republican, which of the following is the most accurate explanation of these results?

Before the mid-term the president had a greater chance of fulfilling their policy agenda than after the election.

According to the 22nd Amendment, which of the following is ineligible to be elected president of the United States?

a former president who was elected to two consecutive terms more than 5 years ago

Which of the following is true based on the poll results shown above?

A majority of members of both political parties believe it would be too risky to give more power to the president.

Which of the following scenarios is most consistent with the use of executive powers that Hamilton argued for in Federalist 70?

The president orders military defenses to be strengthened in response to credible threats based on recent foreign intelligence.

To which of the following Anti-Federalist arguments against the Constitution was Hamilton responding in Federalist 70?

The potential for tyranny under a single, energetic executive

Which of the following is an example of a limit that the Constitution places on presidential power?

A president may not be re-elected after having also served more than 2 years of another president's term.

The Constitution imposes term limits for individuals serving in which of the following offices?

President

Which of the following constitutional amendments has eliminated the concern expressed in the cartoon above?

22nd Amendment

Which of the following describes the information presented in this graph?

President Obama received more social media attention and response than Mitt Romney during the 2012 election

Which of the following is an accurate conclusion based on the chart and your knowledge of the 2012 election?

President Obama was more able to utilize social media to gain attention during the campaign.

What is the purpose of the bully pulpit?

It is a tool for presidents to share their policy views with the public.

What was the goal of President Johnson's message?

He wanted public support for broadening economic opportunities for African Americans and other marginalized groups.

Based on the excerpt, why did President Johnson deliver these remarks at Howard University's commencement?

He wanted to confirm his intent to use his formal and informal powers to advance civil rights.

What advantage does modern technology give the President over Congress when they are not in agreement?

Modern technology allows the President to reach the people quickly and directly to rally support for causes

Which of the following is an accurate description of the information in the pie chart?

Discretionary spending was projected to be less than half of the overall federal budget.

Which of the following correctly identifies an implication of the graph?

Laws creating entitlements limit Congress' ability to decrease the federal deficit.

Which of the following statements provides an accurate comparison of enumerated and implied powers of Congress as specified by the U.S. Constitution?

Row D.

Row C

How does Madison’s concern about factions in this excerpt help explain why debate in the House of Representatives is more formal than in the Senate?

Larger groups, like the House, require stricter rules to control conflict and disorder.

In light of Madison’s description of factions, why might the Senate encourage open-ended debate (such as the filibuster)?

With fewer members, it is easier to manage extended disagreements without losing order.

Which of the following best aligns with what Madison might perceive to be challenges representatives face in the House compared to the Senate?

House members must balance the demands of many competing groups, making it harder to maintain orderly debate.

How does Madison’s argument in this passage about House term lengths balance with the framers’ decision to give Senators six-year terms?

House terms are short to keep members accountable to voters, while Senate terms are longer to provide stability and resistance to sudden shifts.

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of representation in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives

Row D

Which of the following statements accurately describes why the policy-making process in the U.S. Senate is more deliberative than that of the House of Representatives?

Flexible floor debate rules allow the minority party ample opportunity to throw up impediments to legislation it opposes.

Which of the following statements accurately describes why the Senate has continued to respect the practice of Senate "holds"?

Placing limits on Senate "holds" may increase the likelihood of filibusters taking place.

The President, upon returning home, is faced with conservative backlash that hopes to stop the President by having what happen?

Having the Senate reject the ratification of the treaty.

Which of the following statements accurately describes a facet of the policy-making process in the U.S. House of Representatives?

Committee action in the House of Representatives is more influential than floor action in rendering a final decision on legislation.

The chart above supports which of the following conclusions?

The vice president's power of casting tiebreaking votes as president of the Senate is seldom used.

Which structural difference best explains why individual senators often have more influence over the fate of legislation than individual representatives in the House?

The Senate’s unlimited debate rules allow members to delay or block bills.

Based on the table, why are debates in the House of Representatives generally more structured and time-limited than in the Senate?

The House is larger and requires tighter management of speaking time

Which of the following is a consequence of the ruling established in Baker v. Carr?

When redistricting, states must create relatively similarly sized districts to ensure voter equality.

Shaw v. Reno (1993) has the most in common with which of the following Supreme Court cases?

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Which of the following most clearly states the outcome of Baker v. Carr (1962)?

The redistricting of state legislative districts is justiciable by the Federal Courts

Baker v. Carr (1962) impacted the nature of political representation in which of the following ways?

Throughout the country, in states which had not made it a practice to regularly reapportion, overrepresented rural locales lost seats and underrepresented urban locales gained seats.

In general, with regards to most states in the country, rural areas gained seats, and urban areas lost seats.

Redistricting plans based on race must be held to a high standard of scrutiny under the Fourteenth Amendment and ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965

The application of majority-minority districts has been limited in recent decades and cannot be applied in states using race to redistrict. Which of the following is the reason for this?

The ruling of Shaw v. Reno

Which of the following is a consequence of partisan gerrymandering?

incumbents for the House of Representatives are more likely to have safe seats without much competition from challengers.

With a short, two-year term of office, members of the House of Representatives should be more responsive to the will of the American people in order to carry out their constitutional duty of

initiating all revenue and appropriation bills.

Which of the following statements accurately describes how the selection of chairpersons to both standing committees and select special committees empowers the Speaker of the House in the policy-making process?

The Speaker of the House can satisfy the majority party by making sure that the bills they submit are passed in a timely fashion.