Deck 8: The United States

Question 1

Which of the following statements about the U.S. trade deficit is TRUE?

A) The U.S. trade deficit has steadily declined.
B) The U.S. trade deficit has only negative economic impacts upon the American economy and consumer.
C) The trade deficit is solely a result of the United States reducing tariffs thus allowing for more foreign goods to enter the American market.
D) The fact that the U.S. dollar is a main international reserve currency helps to offset the negative economic impact of the trade deficit.
E) All of these are true.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Factors in the success of the U.S. economy include all of the following EXCEPT

A) a substantial amount of arable land that allows for enough production for both the domestic and foreign markets.
B) few enemies that can challenge United States control over its transportation resources.
C) a system of navigable rivers and waterways.
D) diverse natural resources.
E) a more than century old large-standing military to defend its trade routes.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Which of the following about immigration to the United States is INCORRECT?

A) Prior to the 2008 recession, over 1 million people legally immigrated to the United States annually, while about 500,000 people did so illegally.
B) The U.S. immigration policy is an example of a redistributive policy.
C) The United States has historically used immigration to solve its labor shortages and grow its economy.
D) The United States is one of only four countries that allows immigration of those who do not already have a cultural tie to the country.
E) While previous waves of immigrants experienced only 1 - 2 generations of political and societal exclusion, today's immigrants who possess skills and education acculturate even quicker.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which statement about the distribution of income in the United States is CORRECT?

A) The unequal distribution of income in the United States is comparable to that of other advanced democracies.
B) The distribution of income in the United States has been steadily becoming more equal over the past 30 years.
C) The distribution of income is much more unequal in the United States than in other advanced democracies and has been steadily rising over the past 30 years.
D) The unequal distribution of income in the United States has become of particular concern to U.S. politicians since 1980 due to fears of class warfare.
E) The unequal distribution of income in the United States is fairly evenly spread across racial groups.

Question 5

Which statement about the United States' geographical setting is INCORRECT?

A) It has always had low population densities.
B) It is rich in natural resources.
C) Occupying nearly a fourth of North America, it is larger than any other country in the world.
D) It has many protected ports and navigable rivers, making trade much easier.
E) It has two neighbors, neither of which is a military threat.

Question 6

The U.S. single-member-plurality (SMP) is an electoral system in which

A) candidates run for a single seat from a specific geographic district.  The winner is the person who receives the most votes cast.
B) voters rank their preferences among the candidates.  The winner is the candidate who receives the majority of the votes cast.
C) a plurality of voters choose multiple officials to represent a specific geographic district.
D) candidates run for a single seat from a specific geographic district.  The winner is the person who gets over fifty percent of the votes cast.
E) the distribution of seats is allocated to multiple parties on the basis of the overall percentage of votes received by each party in the election.

Question 7

All of the following are TRUE about the Bill of Rights EXCEPT

A) this term refers to the first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution.
B) it establishes a set of specific prohibitions on the U.S. national government.
C) it was necessary for the ratification of the Constitution.
D) it specifies limits on governmental action that were initially directed at the U.S. federal government but now applies to the states as well.
E) it has helped to limit the power of the federal courts.

Question 8

The Federal Reserve Board

A) was the central policy-making agency in the wake of the 2008 economic downturn seeking to avert a recession in the United States.
B) is a mechanism whereby the country's money supply is controlled by elected officeholders.
C) lacks autonomy because of Congressional control, which has raised concerns about the United States to act as a global leader.
D) has too many ties to the U.S. banking industry, because its leaders are appointed by the heads of major banks.
E) is part of the U.S. Treasury Department.

Question 9

Which of the following about the New Deal is INCORRECT?

A) During the New Deal, the U.S. federal government established a national safety net including the Social Security program.
B) During the New Deal period, the U.S. Congress asserted its dominance over the presidency in the policy-making process.
C) During the New Deal, the size of the U.S. government expanded greatly.
D) While the New Deal introduced policies and programs that were significantly different from those  before the Great Depression, the new policies still reflected underlying American values.
E) Class-based politics were kept to a minimum during the New Deal era.

Question 10

The Articles of  Confederation

A) made the national government dependent upon voluntary contributions from the states.
B) gave the national government control of foreign affairs.
C) rested the power of the national government with the executive although states still had to approve of his decisions.
D) gave the federal government the ability to regulate interstate commerce.
E) established a federal system of government.

Question 11

Police powers refer to the

A) powers held by U.S. states to regulate public safety, health and welfare.
B) ability of the national government to enforce federal criminal codes within state boundaries.
C) ability for individuals to make "citizens' arrests."
D) ability of Congress to declare martial law.
E) power of the federal government over state militias.

Question 12

The term divided government refers to

A) the period in which the Southern states seceded from the union.
B) a period in which one party controls the presidency and another controls at least one chamber of the Congress.
C) a period in which the national government is controlled by one party and a sizeable number of states are controlled by another party.
D) the period between the presidential election and the formal vote by the Electoral College.
E) the separation of powers between the presidency and the Congress.

Question 13

Coming after the Civil War, the Fourteenth Amendment

A) specifically prohibited the ability of states to nullify federal laws.
B) made it possible for states to secede without approval of the Congress.
C) extended citizenship to all persons born in the United States.
D) placed all voting laws and regulations under the control of Congress.
E) abolished slavery.

Question 14

The U.S. dollar has historically served as the major international reserve currency. This means that

A) the United States lends other countries large sums of money.
B) most international economic transactions take place in U.S. dollars.
C) other countries and investors keep their savings in U.S. dollars.
D) dollars are accepted in more countries worldwide.
E) the United States controls major international economic institutions like the IMF and World Bank.

Question 15

The United States has promoted economic growth by all of the following EXCEPT

A) building roads and canals.
B) providing grants to universities and other private actors to incubate new industries.
C) encouraging large-scale immigration.
D) spurring exports.
E) regulating the production of particular goods.

Question 16

Since 1968, one party has controlled the presidency, the House of Representatives, and the Senate only __ times.

A) 3
B) 5
C) 6
D) 4
E) 9

Question 17

In political economy, the term laissez-faire means that the federal government's involvement in the economy

A) traditionally was not limited at all, but due to the process of privatization has become more limited.
B) involves the establishment of a national plan identifying desirable priorities for economic and social development.
C) is limited to macroeconomic policy-making.
D) is limited to regulating interstate commerce and commerce with foreign nations.
E) is significant due to its policy of nationalization, whereby the state assumes ownership and operation of private companies.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT true about the U.S. economic policy?

A) A key American economic principle is that economic success is tied to a free market.
B) American government intervention in economic matters is limited by its commitment to the principle of laissez-faire.
C) U.S. policy-makers have tended to cede power to private actors who are not necessarily concerned with the impact of their activities upon the broader economy.
D) With the formation of the Federal Reserve Board in 1913, the national government increased its ability to regulate the U.S. economy.
E) Interstate and foreign commerce are regulated by the national government.

Question 19

The 2008 election was unusual because

A) it produced an evenly divided Senate for the first time in a century.
B) the same party won not only the presidency but also majority control in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
C) it was the first time a non-Christian won the presidency.
D) an independent candidate won the presidency for the first time.
E) one party won the presidency and Senate, while the other won the House of Representatives.

Question 20

The U.S. government subsidizes agriculture in all of the following ways EXCEPT

A) guaranteeing a minimum price for many commodities.
B) providing subsidized crop insurance.
C) paying farmers to leave some land fallow.
D) subsidizing crops sold abroad.
E) strictly regulating the flow of immigration to the United States.

Question 21

Which of the following statements about environmental regulations in the United States is NOT true?

A) Environmental protection represents one of the few areas in which the government has taken a limited role in regulating the activities of private actors.
B) While 1970s-era environmental regulations produced visible successes, this has not been followed by a continuing national commitment to environmentalism.
C) President Obama proposed a system of "cap and trade" energy regulations, which were subsequently adopted by Congress.
D) The United States has fewer environmental regulations than other advanced democracies.
E) States have tended to act in the absence of federal action on environmental issues as exemplified by several states adopting emissions caps that broadly follow the guidelines of the Kyoto Protocols that has not been adopted by the national government.

Question 22

The Affordable Care Act is

A) an example of a distributive policy.
B) an example of a redistributive policy.
C) mainly redistributive but has some distributive elements.
D) mainly distributive but has some redistributive elements.
E) an example of a regulatory policy.

Question 23

The U.S. Constitution has been amended ___ times since 1787.

A) 20
B) 22
C) 21
D) 28
E) 27

Question 24

Which of the following has NOT been a factor in presidents increasing their power relative to Congress?

A) Presidents have increasingly been able to speak directly to the electorate.
B) Presidents oversee a greatly expanded federal bureaucracy.
C) The roles of commander-in-chief and head of state place the president at the center of military and international affairs.
D) The president has increasingly been able to demand party loyalty among members of Congress.
E) Unlike members of Congress, presidents can claim to have a national constituency.

Question 25

Federalism results in all of the following EXCEPT

A) a division of authority between the national and state governments.
B) citizens having responsibilities to both their state government and the national government.
C) citizens being simultaneously citizens of the United States and citizens of one of the states.
D) citizens being accountable to both state and national laws.
E) a balanced relationship between the legislature, judiciary, and executive.

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT an example of how the founders intended to make Congress the central branch of government in the U.S. Constitution?

A) By concentrating the most important powers in the U.S. Congress
B) By relegating to the presidency only a poorly defined administrative role
C) By granting Congress oversight powers over presidential leadership
D) By granting both legislative and budgetary powers to Congress
E) By establishing the requirement that the President present a yearly state of the union address to Congress

Question 27

The Constitution gives the president all of the following powers EXCEPT the ability to

A) act as commander-in-chief.
B) grant pardons.
C) make treaties.
D) make major appointments such as judges, ambassadors, and the cabinet.
E) issue decrees.

Question 28

All 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution have resulted from a process of ratification by

A) a simple majority in both chambers of Congress.
B) two-thirds of each chamber of Congress as well as passage by three-quarters of the states.
C) two-thirds of each chamber in Congress as well as passage by a simple majority of the states.
D) two-thirds of each chamber of Congress as well as the approval of a simple majority of the electorate in a national referendum.
E) a plurality of the electorate in a national referendum.

Question 29

Which of the following statements about the role of the United States in the global economy is NOT true?

A) Since the end of World War II, the United States has played a central role in the international political economy by dominating multinational bodies like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
B) The dominant position of the United States has been challenged by the rise of the European Union.
C) The U.S. dollar has been challenged as the world's dominant trading currency by the euro.
D) There have been increased calls domestically for the United States to isolate itself from the regulation of the world economy in part because of the impacts of globalization on the United States' economy.
E) The separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches, and the local constituencies of members of Congress, ensures continuing resistance to the U.S.'s international role.

Question 30

Congress can override a presidential veto by a

A) simple majority vote (over 50%) in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
B) two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
C) super-majority (75%) vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
D) simple majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate but only if the Supreme Court agrees.
E) super-majority (90%) majority in either the House of Representatives or the Senate.

Question 31

Progressive income taxation means that

A) those with higher incomes pay a higher percentage of tax.
B) all citizens pay the same amount in taxes regardless of income.
C) taxes on investments that generate additional revenue is higher than those on income.
D) those with higher incomes pay a lower percentage of tax.
E) taxes increase as governmental spending increases.

Question 32

Distributive policies

A) take resources from one group and allocates them to a more disadvantaged group.
B) tend to receive less public support than do redistributive policies.
C) are exemplified by programs that help the poor.
D) tend to receive more public support than do redistributive policies.
E) are extensively used to regulate public safety and welfare in the United States.

Question 33

Class-based political movements and tensions have not arisen in the United States because of all of the following EXCEPT

A) unions have been weak due to state and national laws that limit their ability to organize.
B) there is a general acceptance that the inequalities in income provide an incentive for the poor to improve themselves.
C) immigration policy has focused attention on cultural differences, thus reducing the salience of class divisions.
D) candidates refrain from addressing the class implications of public policies.
E) the minimal gap between rich and poor in the country.

Question 34

Regulations

A) determine how a law is actually implemented.
B) are written by Congress.
C) set broad principles rather than specific rules about how legislation is to be implemented.
D) are written in a way that is independent of the input of interested parties.
E) all of these

Question 35

All of the following about the U.S. deficit is true EXCEPT

A) Running a deficit-bringing in less than is spent-can be beneficial in the short run as it allows the government to borrow money to help stimulate the economy.
B) Unlike the national government, most state governments do not have the ability to continually run a large annual deficit.
C) The size of the national debt could slow national economic growth because it diverts money that could be spend on private sector activities.
D) In 2014, the national government will spend about $230 billion in interest on a national debt that is about $17.5 trillion.
E) The term national debt refers to the gap between income and expenditures run by the federal government.

Question 36

Which of the following is NOT illustrative of the structural weakness of the presidency?

A) Presidents must rely upon the operations of Congress
B) In terms of formal powers, the president is weaker than Congress
C) The president must receive support from Congress to implement his/her agenda
D) The president can make treaties, but these must have the approval of two-thirds of the Senate
E) The president's role as the commander-in-chief of the U.S. military

Question 37

Amendments to the Constitution, passed since the Bill of Rights, have generally focused upon

A) extending democratic election procedures and changing procedural deficiencies in the original Constitution.
B) expanding the scope of individual freedoms from governmental power.
C) expanding the power of the government to regulate the economy.
D) limiting the power of special interests in the United States.
E) reducing waste and inefficiency in government.

Question 38

All of the following are true about the separation of powers EXCEPT

A) it grants each branch of government independent powers so that no one branch can permanently dominate the others.
B) it helps make the policy-making and governing process in the United States inefficient.
C) it can be seen in the power of the president to veto a law and by Congress' power to override a presidential veto.
D) it prevents any one branch of government from carrying out its responsibilities without the cooperation of the other branches.
E) it is seen in the ability of the federal government and states to limit each other.

Question 39

The cabinet is

A) established by the Constitution.
B) fixed in size.
C) comprised of the chief officers of the judiciary.
D) comprised of the chief officers of the major executive departments.
E) appointed by Congress as a means to exercise power over the president.

Question 40

In the twentieth century, the government expanded its role in protecting workers. Which of the following statements is NOT true about this expansion?

A) It included the establishment of minimum standards for unemployment insurance and insurance against workplace injuries, although these benefits and eligibility requirements vary dramatically by state.
B) These programs for workers are primarily distributive in nature.
C) It included expanded regulation of pension systems.
D) The United States offers fewer guarantees to its workers than do other advanced democracies.
E) These protections receive less public support than do programs to assist the poor.

Question 41

Which of the following about the U.S. military is NOT true?

A) The president is commander-in-chief, but on a day-to-day basis U.S. forces serve under a non-political officer corps.
B) It has had to dedicate few of its resources to defending U.S. territory.
C) Many of its traditional responsibilities have been transferred to reserve units and to private contractors working for the Defense Department.
D) The costs of maintaining the U.S. military has significantly decreased due to the increased use of private contractors and reserve units, and the closure of military bases.
E) After World War II, the U.S. military has been given new responsibilities to support U.S. multilateral and regional defense agreements.

Question 42

The congressional system of committees and subcommittees

A) permits members of Congress to more easily address issues of particular concern to their constituencies.
B) makes Congress less efficient.
C) forces members of Congress to become generalists, who are knowledgeable of the substance of all facets of government.
D) limits the input of interest groups in the legislative process.
E) facilitates the process of discussion and debate in Congress.

Question 43

The bowling alone phenomenon refers to

A) less people being part of networks where they can discuss politics and potentially organize for political action.
B) social movements becoming increasingly focused on single issues.
C) the increasing reliance of candidates on the support of a single PAC.
D) interest groups becoming increasingly focused on single issues.
E) the president increasingly becoming the central political actor in U.S. politics.

Question 44

Electoral participation is low among all of the following EXCEPT

A) the youth.
B) minorities.
C) the poor.
D) the lower educated.
E) the elderly.

Question 45

The Republican coalition in the electorate includes all of the following EXCEPT

A) upper-income voters.
B) residents of rural areas.
C) minority voters.
D) evangelical Christians.
E) small business owners.

Question 46

The Democratic Coalition in the electorate includes all of the following EXCEPT

A) racial and ethnic minorities.
B) unionized workers.
C) workers in export-oriented businesses.
D) social conservatives.
E) working women.

Question 47

Every two years, ______________ of the House of Representatives and ______________ of the Senate are up for reelection.

A) one-third; all
B) all; one-third
C) all; two-thirds
D) half; half
E) all; half

Question 48

The Founders designed the House of Representatives to be more responsive to popular will. This is evidenced by all of the following EXCEPT

A) the longer terms of office of its members.
B) the size of the districts being smaller than those of the Senate.
C) the fact that, in theory, the entire chamber can be replaced in a single election.
D) the fact that seats in the House are allocated by population and thus are altered every ten years based on the results of the U.S. census.
E) its committee system, which allows each member to specialize in a particular area of interest to their constituency.

Question 49

The courts have become more powerful because of all of the following EXCEPT

A) the expansion of federal regulatory powers.
B) the fact that groups, as well as individuals, can challenge laws.
C) the courts gaining some enforcement abilities by maintaining longer jurisdiction over cases.
D) the courts providing a venue for groups and individuals whose interests were neglected by other democratic institutions but who could claim constitutional civil rights protection.
E) the rise of the security state following the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Question 50

The term iron triangle refers to the relationship between

A) the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the federal government.
B) interest groups, congressional committees, and government agencies.
C) federal, state, and local governments.
D) the military, the president, and the State Department.
E) the federal government, the governments of its allies, and multinational institutions.

Question 51

Marbury v. Madison established

A) the principle of judicial review.
B) the ability of the federal government to regulate interstate commerce.
C) the authority of the federal government to hold "enemy combatants" indefinitely.
D) that international legal principles are part of the law of the land in the United States only so long as the country signed a treaty specifically addressing such principles.
E) the principle of the freedom of choice.

Question 52

Which statement about the U.S. legislative process is NOT correct?

A) For a bill to become a law, it must first be reviewed by the relevant committee in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, although in reality, few bills get such a hearing.
B) Only a bill that has received support from the relevant committee can be debated in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
C) Debate of a bill can be limited on the floor of the Senate by the Rules Committee.
D) For a bill to become a law, it must be passed in the same form by both the House of Representatives and the Senate before being sent to the president.
E) The House and Senate leadership are central to deciding which bills receive hearings.

Question 53

Which of the following about U.S. voters is NOT true?

A) Although an increasing number of people label themselves as "independents," they tend to lean reliably toward one party or another.
B) Generally, Democrats are less likely to vote on Election Day, especially in an off year.
C) The electorate is evenly divided between the two parties, especially when one accounts for independents who lean towards one party or another.
D) Republicans are strongest in the South and Mountain West whereas Democrats are strongest in the Northeast and West Coast.
E) Of the two parties, the Republicans have a more fragile coalition.

Question 54

Following September 11, 2001, the U.S. government agencies concerned with domestic security became concentrated in the

A) Department of Defense.
B) Department of Homeland Security.
C) Department of State.
D) Department of National Intelligence.
E) Federal Bureau of Investigations.

Question 55

Which of the following statements about the membership of the U.S. Congress is NOT true?

A) Most members of Congress are highly educated, with law being the most common profession.
B) About 35% of both the House of Representatives and the Senate are women.
C) The Senate is usually less racially diverse than the House of Representatives.
D) Historically, members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate have tended to be white male Protestants.
E) Membership in both the Senate and the House of Representatives has been more diverse than the people holding the presidency.

Question 56

The federal bureaucracy is comprised of about ______ civil servants.

A) 5 million
B) 3 million
C) 2 million
D) 1 million
E) 7 million

Question 57

The primary religious divide in contemporary America is between

A) those who feel religion provides guidance for political action and those who do not.
B) Christians and non-Christians.
C) Catholics and Protestants.
D) those who identify with a religion and those who do not.
E) those who feel that we should adopt a national religion and those who do not.

Question 58

Which of the following is NOT true about the U.S. judiciary?

A) Despite the steady increase in its power, the judiciary remains structurally weaker than the other branches.
B) The courts, and especially the Supreme Court, have moved steadily to the ideological right.
C) With courts being increasingly involved in contentious national issues, the Senate has taken its confirmation role more seriously and has slowed the confirmation of appointees.
D) The power of the courts ultimately rests with their ability to persuade the citizenry that their procedures are fair and that their judgments are based on the Constitution and law.
E) The courts must rely on Congress to enforce their decisions.

Question 59

A(n) ________ is a narrow form of interest group that seeks to influence policy by making financial contributions to candidates and parties in U.S. politics.

A) political action committee
B) quango
C) anomic group
D) federal election committee
E) social movement

Question 60

Which of the following statements about the Tea Party is CORRECT?

A) It is a decentralized movement largely organized within the Democratic Party.
B) Tea Party activism emerged in response to anger within the U.S. electorate over the withdrawal of U.S. military personnel from Afghanistan and Iraq.
C) It emerged as a political force before the election of Barack Obama as president of the United States.
D) Had the candidates endorsed by Tea Party groups not defeated their opponents in the 2010 and 2012 primaries, it is highly likely that the Republican Party would have gained control of the Senate.
E) Given current trends, it is not likely that it will be much of a political force in the 2016 elections.

Question 61

The writers of the Constitution purposefully established a federal government organized on the principle of separation of powers and thus established a system of checks and balances. Explain what powers each branch has and how each has used these to check the powers of the others. What impact does this have upon the policy-making process, both domestic and foreign? Support your answer with specific examples.

Question 62

Describe what the authors mean by mediating institutions.  What were the traditional roles of these?  How are such roles changing?  Is such change good or bad for American democracy?

Question 63

Describe how twentieth-century presidents have been able to expand the powers of the presidency.  Despite this expansion, describe how the presidency remains weak structurally.

Question 64

Who votes and who does not in the United States? What are the implications of this for American democracy?

Question 65

What aspects of the U.S. political system make it unlikely that there will be more than two (major) parties? Is this beneficial or harmful to American democracy? Offer specific evidence to substantiate your argument.

Question 66

Describe how divided government enhances the structural features of both federalism and the separation of powers to make the U.S. system even more inefficient in addressing societal needs quickly and decisively.

Question 67

Describe how having multiple entry points in the policy-making process can be said to both enhance and harm American democracy.

Question 68

How has the governments, both federal and state, intervened in the economy? How is such intervention reconciled with principles such as laissez-faire and the free market?

Question 69

The voting rate in the United States is lower than in most other advanced democracies. Assess the structure of American electoral politics and the requirements for voting to evaluate why this might be the case. Under the constitutional system, what can be done to increase the share of the population that votes? Is lower voter turnout a sign of troubled democracy or of a citizenry satisfied with the status quo?

Question 70

Citing specific examples, explain how historical events have shifted power from state governments to the national government. How has this affected American federalism? Is the principle still applicable?