Untitled Flashcards Set

Quiz - The Presidency

Question 1

5 / 5 pts

The measure we use to gauge public support of the president is called _________.

Correct!

Approval rating

Political rating

Public Support rating

Presidential effectiveness rating

Question 2

5 / 5 pts

Neustadt argues that the president's primary power is:

Executive orders

Popularity

Veto

Correct!

Persuasion

Question 3

5 / 5 pts

The division of duties between the president and vice president is clearly defined in the constitution

Correct!

False

True

Question 4

5 / 5 pts

Which of the following is not true about the electoral college?

It can discourage voting

It disadvantages minorities

Correct!

Today, it is likely to disadvantage Democrats and Republican equally

It increases the power of swing states

It influences how presidential candidates campaign

Question 5

5 / 5 pts

When Presidents threaten to veto legislation 

Congressional behavior depends on whether there is divided government or not

Congress is unlikely to alter the proposed bill based on threat alone

Correct!

Congress is more likely to alter the proposed bill

Congress will likely change the proposed bill if the President has vetoed many bills in the past

Question 6

5 / 5 pts

The Vice President 

Can only vote in the senate when there is divided government

Can never vote in the senate

Can always cast a vote in the senate

Correct!

Can only cast a vote when the senate is tied

Question 7

5 / 5 pts

Vice presidents preside over the _____.

House

The Appropriation Committee

Correct!

Senate

The Cabinet

Question 8

5 / 5 pts

Executive orders give the president the power to pass legislation

True

Correct!

False

Question 9

5 / 5 pts

The president _____ by directly addressing the public in order to win support for oneself or one’s ideas

debates congress

vetoes Congress

gerrymanders

Correct!

goes public

Question 10

5 / 5 pts

During the writing of the constitutions some suggested that the country have a plural executive

False

Correct!

True

Question 11

5 / 5 pts

Most of the Presidents legislative proposal become law

True

Correct!

False

Question 12

5 / 5 pts

The framers of the Constitution feared ______.

Correct!

the office of the president might become too powerful

any executive would be rejected by the states

they had not given the presidential office enough power

the executive office would become a puppet for Congress

Answer the following questions based on the two assigned articles

Question 13

5 / 5 pts

How does the debate over military deployment at the southern border reflect broader tensions between state and federal authority?

The federal government does not control National Guard units

The National Guard is strictly a federal institution

Correct!

Governors may resist or support federal military actions based on political affiliation

States want more power over immigration laws

Question 14

5 / 5 pts

Suppose a governor refuses to comply with a presidential order to deploy the National Guard. What is the likely federal response?

The National Guard becomes inoperable

Correct!

The president can federalize the National Guard to bypass the governor

The Supreme Court must intervene

The president must accept the governor’s decision

Question 15

5 / 5 pts

If a military officer receives an order that seems unconstitutional, what should they consider before acting?

Whether Congress has debated the issue

Whether the Supreme Court has pre-approved the action

Correct!

Whether it is a “manifestly unlawful” order under the UCMJ

If the president personally approved it

Question 16

5 / 5 pts

Why might the broad discretion given to the president in military matters be controversial?

It makes Congress more powerful than the president

It limits the military’s independence

Correct!

It allows unilateral decisions without oversight

It eliminates the role of the judiciary in military affairs

Question 17

5 / 5 pts

Why might Democrats be less reliant on the unitary executive theory?

They prefer judicial intervention in policy matters

Correct!

They view the administrative state as aligned with their values

They believe in congressional supremacy

They seek to reduce government oversight

Question 18

5 / 5 pts

Why do Republicans view the administrative state as hostile?

It primarily serves defense and national security interests

Correct!

They see it as an extension of Democratic policies

It provides too much power to Congress

It has not expanded since the 1980s

Question 19

5 / 5 pts

How did progressive reformers contribute to the administrative state?

By consolidating power in Congress

By advocating for a return to limited government

By seeking to reduce bureaucratic agencies

Correct!

By creating a professionalized bureaucracy to implement policy

Question 20

5 / 5 pts

If a future president wanted to limit the unitary executive theory’s influence, what might they do?

Correct!

Strengthen Congress’s ability to oversee executive agencies

Reduce the size of federal agencies

Appoint loyalists to key bureaucratic positions

Expand the role of the Supreme Court in policy-making

Quiz - The Judiciary

Question 1

5 / 5 pts

Which of the following is not a form of statuary law?

Family law

Traffic law

Criminal law

Correct!

Administrative law

Question 2

5 / 5 pts

The ability to hear a case from its origin and to establish the facts pertaining to it, including conducting a trial and rendering a verdict, is known as

court practices

intermediary jurisdiction

Correct!

original jurisdiction

ultimate jurisdiction

Question 3

5 / 5 pts

Circuit Court judges ____________ 

serve 8 years, unless they are impeached

serve 4 years, unless they are impeached

serve 6 years, unless they are impeached

Correct!

serve for life, unless they are impeached

Question 4

5 / 5 pts

The Dynamic Court Approach argues that courts have limited ability to produce fundamental social change 

Correct!

Flase

True

Question 5

5 / 5 pts

One of the most unique characteristics regarding the Supreme Court is that

justices cannot be impeached

the president has very little role influencing who is on the courts

Correct!

the Constitution never specified the number of Court justices

Congress has very little role in shaping the courts

Question 6

5 / 5 pts

Which of the following does not lead to a case to be decided in the federal court system?

Diversity of citizenship

Whether is concerns federal law

Correct!

The severity of the crime

Whether is concerns federal constitutionality

Question 7

5 / 5 pts

Rosenberg believes that courts are effective in producing fundamental social change

Correct!

False

True

Question 8

5 / 5 pts

Mass murderers are not necessarily put on trial in a federal court

False

Correct!

True

Question 9

5 / 5 pts

Judicial review 

allows the courts to check bills constitutionality during the lawmaking process

Correct!

allows the courts to check the executive and legislative branches, if they have exceeded constitutional authority

allows the courts to check only Congress, if it has exceeded constitutional authority

allows the courts to check lower courts

Question 10

5 / 5 pts

A judge that that bases his/her decision on past case law follows the concept of

Civil law

Statutory law

Legal pluralism

Correct!

Precedent

Question 11

5 / 5 pts

Which of the following is not true 

All of these are not true

President Trump's federal court nominations made the federal courts even less representative of the diversity that exists among the American population

President Trump nominated a significantly smaller proportion of women to serve on federal courts

Correct!

President Trump nominated a significantly smaller proportion of white men to serve on federal courts

President Trump nominated a significantly smaller proportion of Hispanic justices to serve on federal courts

Question 12

5 / 5 pts

What unusual aspect of judicial campaigns is highlighted in the video on elected judges that is included in this week's lecture?

Judges are required to disclose their political party in campaign ads.

Judges must submit their rulings for public approval before they take effect.

Judicial elections are held every two years, regardless of term length.

Correct!

Many judicial campaign ads focus on irrelevant qualities like singing ability or personal hobbies.

Question 13

5 / 5 pts

According to the video on elected judges that is included in this week's lecture, what is a key difference between elected judges and federally appointed judges?

Correct!

Elected judges must campaign for their position, while federally appointed judges go through a Senate confirmation process

According to the video on elected judges that is included in this week's lecture, what is a key difference between elected judges and federally appointed judges?

Elected judges are chosen based on their legal experience, while federally appointed judges are randomly selected

Both elected and federally appointed judges go through a public voting process

Answer the following questions based on the two assigned articles 

Question 14

5 / 5 pts

In Carson v. Makin, what policy was being challenged?

Correct!

A Maine policy that excluded religious schools from a tuition assistance program

A law preventing students from praying in public schools

A ban on state funding for any private school

A requirement that public schools provide religious instruction

Question 15

5 / 5 pts

What reasoning did the Court give for ruling in favor of the football coach in Kennedy v. Bremerton?

Correct!

The school discriminated against him by suppressing religious speech while allowing secular speech

The school was required to promote religious expression

The school was enforcing a long-standing constitutional principle

The school was violating Title IX

Question 16

5 / 5 pts

What is the main argument of the article regarding the Supreme Court's recent rulings on religious freedom?

The Court has taken a neutral stance on religious cases

The Court has reinforced the Lemon test

Correct!

The Court is prioritizing religious liberty over concerns about establishing religion

The Court has strengthened the separation of church and state

Question 17

5 / 5 pts

How does originalism define constitutional interpretation?

Judges should interpret the Constitution based on personal morality.

Correct!

Judges should apply the Constitution based on the original public meaning at the time of ratification.

Judges should modify the Constitution as they see fit.

Judges should rely solely on modern interpretations of constitutional language.

Question 18

5 / 5 pts

According to Levy, what is the relationship between textualism and originalism?

They are completely unrelated legal theories.

Correct!

They both seek to limit judicial discretion but have distinct methods.

Textualism is only concerned with dictionary definitions.

Textualism is a subset of originalism.

Question 19

5 / 5 pts

How does Levy argue that originalism actually allows for judicial activism?

Correct!

It forces judges to impose their own historical interpretations. ✅

It eliminates flexibility in constitutional decision-making.

It relies too heavily on precedent.

It leads to purely subjective interpretations.

Question 20

5 / 5 pts

What is the main argument of Ken Levy's article?

The Constitution explicitly supports originalism.

Textualism and originalism are interchangeable terms

Correct!

Originalism is flawed and does not prevent judicial activism

Originalism is the best method for interpreting the Constitution.

Quiz - Interest Groups and Campaign Financing

Question 1

5 / 5 pts

How do PACs differ from super PACs?

PACs cannot endorse candidates, while super PACs can

PACs can accept unlimited corporate contributions, while super PACs cannot

Super PACs are government-funded, while PACs rely on private donations

Correct!

PACs can give money directly to candidates, while super PACs cannot

Question 2

5 / 5 pts

What was the key ruling in the Citizens United v. FEC case?

It banned PACs from donating directly to candidates

Correct!

It allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts in elections as long as they did not coordinate with candidates

It required corporations to disclose all political donations in real-time

It restricted corporate and union spending in elections

Question 3

5 / 5 pts

What is the primary function of interest groups in the American political system?

Correct!

To influence public policy and government decisions

To provide funding for political candidates

To directly create laws

To win elections and gain political power

Question 4

5 / 5 pts

Which of the following is an example of the collective action problem?

Correct!

Citizens who support environmental protection but do not participate in activism

A single corporation lobbying Congress for tax breaks

Political parties failing to win elections

A senator introducing a bill that does not pass

Question 5

5 / 5 pts

How does Olson’s theory of collective action explain the success of business interest groups?

Businesses are more democratic than other groups

Correct!

Business groups have concentrated benefits and strong incentives to act

Business groups are required by law to participate in politics

The government prioritizes business interests over public concerns

Question 6

5 / 5 pts

How do interest groups help address the limitations of political parties?

Correct!

By focusing on specific issues that political parties may not fully address

By providing direct government services to citizens

By replacing political parties in the election process

By controlling the judicial branch

Question 7

5 / 5 pts

How do interest groups overcome the collective action problem?

Correct!

By using selective incentives to encourage participation

By relying only on voluntary participation

By reducing membership requirements

By avoiding controversial political issues

Question 8

5 / 5 pts

What is a key characteristic of social movements that is different from interest groups?

Social movements have more structured memberships

Correct!

Social movements are more grassroots and less formalized

Social movements are more hierarchical

Social movements have stronger lobbying power

Question 9

5 / 5 pts

Why do business interest groups have more influence compared to other types of interest groups?

They represent a majority of American citizens

Correct!

They have more financial resources and can spend more on lobbying

They have direct control over government decisions

They are required by law to be consulted on policy decisions

Question 10

5 / 5 pts

Why do interest groups often support incumbents over challengers?

Incumbents always win elections

Challengers are legally restricted from receiving PAC donations

Correct!

Incumbents have a proven legislative record that aligns with their interests

Challengers tend to reject corporate donations

Question 11

0 / 5 pts

Correct Answer

Interest groups seek to influence policy without running candidates for office

Question 12

5 / 5 pts

What is one possible consequence of unlimited corporate spending in elections?

Voter turnout will increase significantly

Elections may become more democratic due to increased funding

Correct!

Wealthy interest groups may have disproportionate influence over policies

Smaller candidates will receive more equal funding

Answer the following questions based on the assigned articles

Question 13

5 / 5 pts

What does the study suggest about traditional views of lobbying in political science?

Correct!

They underestimate the role of personal relationships and informal meetings

They assume that all lobbying efforts have equal influence

They overemphasize the importance of campaign contributions

They focus too much on federal lobbying instead of state-level interactions

Question 14

5 / 5 pts

What is the main argument of the article regarding social lobbying?

Social lobbying is illegal in most states

Correct!

Social lobbying increases the likelihood of legislators supporting a policy

Office lobbying is the only effective way to influence legislators

Social lobbying is less effective than office lobbying

Question 15

5 / 5 pts

How does social lobbying impact the general public’s ability to influence legislators?

Correct!

It limits access since most voters cannot engage in social lobbying

It gives ordinary citizens the same opportunities as lobbyists

It ensures legislators consider all perspectives equally

It increases transparency in policymaking

Question 16

5 / 5 pts

What method did the researchers use to study social lobbying?

Correct!

Conducting a randomized experiment in the California state legislature

Analyzing past campaign finance records

Observing lobbyists at public events

Conducting a series of in-depth interviews with legislators

Question 17

5 / 5 pts

What ethical concerns arise from business-funded grassroots campaigns?

They make political engagement more equal.

They strengthen democratic participation.

Correct!

They may mislead the public about the source of advocacy.

They reduce corporate influence in politics.

Question 18

5 / 5 pts

What was a key difference between the soda tax proposals in San Francisco and Berkeley?

The San Francisco tax was passed while Berkeley’s failed.

The Berkeley tax was higher than San Francisco’s.

Correct!

The Berkeley proposal required a lower threshold to pass.

The San Francisco tax was widely supported by businesses.

Question 19

5 / 5 pts

How does Walker characterize the civic participation promoted by public affairs consultants?

Spontaneous and grassroots-driven

Entirely ineffective

Correct!

Short-term and transactional

Deep and deliberative

Question 20

5 / 5 pts

How might the short-term mobilization strategy of grassroots consulting firms impact long-term political engagement?

It leads to a more informed electorate.

Correct!

It discourages sustained civic involvement.

It strengthens local democratic institutions.

It fosters deep and lasting political debates.

Quiz - Political Parties

Question 1

5 / 5 pts

Political realignment is _________.

a partial change in political party

a change in party dominance in congress

when people abandon their political beliefs and become independent

a change in party leadership

Correct!

a fundamental and long lasting changes in political parties

Question 2

5 / 5 pts

The process that has led both democrats and republicans have become less politically diverse is called 

Polarization

Homogenization

Segmentation

Correct!

Sorting

Question 3

5 / 5 pts

In the 18 hundreds, The Republican party __________.

Correct!

replaced the Whigs’

replaced the Patriots'

replaced the Libertarians'

replaced the Federalists’

Question 4

5 / 5 pts

In the early 20th century, the party that most clearly supported and promoted racial segregation was

The Whig Party

The Republican Party

None of these

Correct!

The Democratic Party

Question 5

5 / 5 pts

The constitution

Correct!

does not mention political parties

discussed political parties but did not provide clear guidelines

vaguely mentioned political parties

provided clear guidelines for political parties

Question 6

0 / 5 pts

Broad ideological differences within each of the two major parties in Congress have

Correct Answer - decreased dramatically in recent decades

Question 7

5 / 5 pts

Which party has most commonly taken advantage of racist attitudes to gain support for reducing welfare spending? 

The Democratic Party

None of these

The Libertarian Party

Correct!

The Republican Party

Question 8

5 / 5 pts

In the US, the winner of the election is determined based on a ______________

majority system

Correct!

plurality system

democratic system

consensus system

Question 9

5 / 5 pts

Southern Democrats supported the civil rights movement.

True

Correct!

False

Question 10

5 / 5 pts

______________ explains our two party system

Median voter law

Dual systems law

Correct!

Duverger's law

Plurality law

Question 11

5 / 5 pts

Which of the following is not a result/consequence of polarization?

Correct!

More centrist voters

Gridlock

Increasing numbers of “extremist” politicians

Public dissatisfaction

Question 12

5 / 5 pts

According to centrist voter theory

Voters tend to vote for the same party every election

Extremists candidates have a higher chance of wining

Polarization is inevitable in a median voter situation

Correct!

Moderate candidates have a high chance of winning

Answer the following questions based on the two assigned articles 

Question 13

5 / 5 pts

How does the article challenge the common perception that Republicans are more ideologically consistent than Democrats?

By arguing that Democrats actually have no ideological cohesion

By asserting that partisanship is more important than ideology

Correct!

By showing that Republicans are internally divided on key policy issues

By arguing that Democrats actually have no ideological cohesion

Question 14

5 / 5 pts

What is the primary reason the authors argue that Republicans struggle to govern despite controlling Congress and the White House?

Lack of experience in governance

Strong Democratic opposition

Correct!

Ideological inconsistency within the party

A lack of leadership from the President

Question 15

5 / 5 pts

Based on the authors’ findings, why might Republican leaders struggle to maintain party unity on legislative issues?

Republicans face stronger opposition from interest groups than Democrats do

Republican voters are less politically engaged

Correct!

Republicans prioritize ideological principles over specific policy details

Republican leaders lack policy expertise

Question 16

5 / 5 pts

Why might Republicans' abstract messaging about "freedom" and "small government" help maintain party unity?

Correct!

It provides a common ideological theme without forcing agreement on policy specifics

It prevents internal party conflict by aligning everyone on detailed policy positions

It makes the party more appealing to independent voters

It ensures that voters always support conservative policies

Question 17

5 / 5 pts

It reduced the influence of religious issues in elections

Political realignment is unaffected by racial divisions

Correct!

Conservative whites in the South have shifted to the GOP, while liberal whites in the Northeast and Midwest lean Democratic

The South has become more Democratic

The North East has become a Republican stronghold

Question 18

5 / 5 pts

How might changes in immigration policy affect the partisan divide?

Correct!

Restrictive policies could deepen the racial polarization between parties

More lenient immigration policies would lead nonwhite voters to support Republicans

Immigration has little impact on party affiliation

White voters are unaffected by immigration policy changes

Question 19

5 / 5 pts

Why does Abramowitz argue that elite polarization is not imposed on a centrist electorate?

Correct!

The electorate itself is deeply polarized, mirroring elite divisions

Political elites tend to be more moderate than voters

Political parties are more unified than voters

Voters lack strong ideological commitments

Question 20

5 / 5 pts

How did the Republican Party’s stance on abortion contribute to political polarization?

Correct!

It led to a lasting alliance with religious conservatives

It strengthened the Democratic Party’s appeal to moderate religious voters

It caused a split among conservative voters

It reduced the influence of religious issues in elections