Exam 3

Question 1

A major reason for the U.S. two-party system is:

Answer 1

Our first-past-the-post (winner take all) elections.

Question 2

Which of the following describes a group of people who organize to win elections, operate the government, and determine public policy?

Answer 2

A political party.

Question 3

What is it called when the number of seats in congress is reallocated among the states after a census?

Answer 3

Reapportionment.

Question 4

Which of the following describes an organization that actively attempts to influence government policy in a particular area?

Answer 4

An interest group.

Question 5

What type of laws prohibit lawmakers from becoming lobbyists immediately after leaving office?

Answer 5

Revolving door laws.

Question 6

Which of the following was not a previous third-party challenger in the U.S.?

Answer 6

Reform Party.

Question 7

What is it called when a candidate wins with the most votes cast but not necessarily more than half of the votes?

Answer 7

Plurality vote.

Question 8

Individuals representing organizations that influence legislations and government actions are known as:

Answer 8

Lobbysits.

Question 9

What landmark Supreme Court ruling case granted corporations, interest groups and unions the right to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections?

Answer 9

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

Question 10

Over the past generation, a large and growing percentage of voters describe themselves as:

Answer 10

Independents.

Question 11

Why did the U.S. develop a bicameral legislature with both a House and Senate?

Answer 11

As a compromise between small and large population states.

Question 12

In addition to lawmaking, Congress also has the following responsibility:

Answer 12

All of the above.

Question 13

The real leadership power in the Senate rets in the hands of:

Answer 13

The Senate majority and minority leaders and their whips.

Question 14

What is the name of the committee that is formed to work out differences between House and Senate bills?

Answer 14

Conference committee.

Question 15

The top power holder in the House of Representatives is the:

Answer 15

Speaker of the House.

Question 16

Redrawing of the boundaries of the congressional districts within each state is known as:

Answer 16

Redistricting.

Question 17

True or false, members of the U.E. Congress closely mirror the demographic makeup of United States citizens.

Answer 17

False.

Question 18

The power to ratify treaties and confirm presidential appointments belongs to:

Answer 18

The Senate.

Question 19

The framers believed that the bulk of the law-making power that would be exercised by the national government should be in the hands of:

Answer 19

The legislature.

Question 20

Most of the actual work of legislating in the U.S. Congress is preformed:

Answer 20

In committees and subcommittees.

Question 21

What is it called when the president uses their public platform to push their agenda?

Answer 21

Bully Pulpit.

Question 22

The people selected by the president for cabinet positions (heads of major federal departments):

Answer 22

Must also be confirmed by the senate.

Question 23

What term refers to the ability of the president and executive branch officials to withhold certain information from Congress and/or the courts?

Answer 23

Executive privalige.

Question 24

Presidents have the power to change the direction of the Supreme Court and the federal judiciary by:

Answer 24

Appointing new judges for Senate consideration who in theory have philosophies similar to the president.

Question 25

The president's power to forgive a federal criminal offenses is called:

Answer 25

A pardon.

Question 26

In most cases, in order to become a law, bills must be:

Answer 26

A and B.

Question 27

Which of the following is an unintended consequence of the rise of the primary and caucus system.

Answer 27

Presidential candidates that are not supported by party leadership my receive the nomination.

Question 28

What responsibilities of the president relates to their role as the ultimate decision-maker in military matters?

Answer 28

Commander in Chief.

Question 29

What is the period called that is viewed as critical to achieving the major policy goals of a new administration?

Answer 29

The first 100 days.

Question 30

If the electoral college fails to give any presidential candidate a majority, the election of the president:

Answer 30

Is determined in the House.

Question 31

Laws that require that most public business be done in public sessions are:

Answer 31

Sunshine laws.

Question 32

The Weberian Model of bureaucracy advocates:

Answer 32

Both A and B.

Question 33

What concept refers to the replacement of government services provided by for-profit companies?

Answer 33

Privatization.

Question 34

What is a person called who publicizes waste, fraud, or other misdeeds committed within a public bureaucracy or other organization?

Answer 34

Whistleblower.

Question 35

Which of the following models of bureaucracy best accounts for the way bureaucracies tend to push Congress for more funding each year?

Answer 35

Acquisitive Model.

Question 36

What is the name given to a large organization, structured hierarchically, that carries out specific functions?

Answer 36

Bureaucracy.

Question 37

What is it called when leaders offer government positions to reward individuals for their political support?

Answer 37

Merit system.

Question 38

The spoils system can be viewed as:

Answer 38

A system of awarding bureaucratic jobs to political supporters.

Question 39

A major control that Congress has over the federal bureaucracy is:

Answer 39

The authority to extend or limit appropriations (spending).