Deck 7: Governors

Question 1

The gubernatorial role as chief legislator depends heavily on the governor's ability to

A) develop a positive relationship with the legislature.
B) attain an 80- to 90-percent party majority in the legislature.
C) place bills directly into the "hopper."
D) gain press coverage for almost any event or issue.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following statements about the governors' role as chief administrator is true?

A) The role has been expanded because it has become necessary to micromanage the state's day-to-day affairs.
B) The role has been undercut by the shift of state programs and dollars to the federal level.
C) The role has been strengthened by reforms that have concentrated executive powers in the governor's office.
D) The role has been welcomed by nearly all governors, who prefer it to the role of policymaker.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

A governor's formal powers include

A) the tenure of the office, opportunities to appoint some agency heads, and charisma.
B) the tenure of the office, the power of appointment, the right to hire professional staff, and charisma.
C) the tenure of the office, the power of appointment, the power to veto legislation, and the authority to reorganize the executive branch, and these powers are the same from state to state.
D) the tenure of the office, the power of appointment, the power to veto legislation, and the authority to reorganize the executive branch, but these powers vary from state to state.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Governors serve as the major points of contact between their states and the president, Congress, and national agencies. This role is known as

A) intergovernmental coordinator.
B) intragovernmental coordinator.
C) economic development coordinator.
D) legislative-judicial facilitator.

Question 5

The pocket veto, which is available in fourteen states, allows the governor to

A) reject a bill in its entirety.
B) reject a bill by refusing to sign it after the legislature has adjourned.
C) strike out one or more objectionable sections of a bill.
D) delete individual letters and numbers to change a bill's content.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a factor that has contributed to stronger policy leadership from chief executives in recent years?

A) larger and more capable staffs
B) more integrated executive branch with department heads appointed by the governor
C) stronger legislative committee systems that reduce the influence of parties
D) the assistance of the National Governors Association

Question 7

Which of the following characterizations BEST describes modern-day governors?

A) well-qualified chief executives with some legislative experience
B) back-slapping, cigar-smoking wheelers and dealers
C) educated individuals who, in practice, are mostly figureheads
D) well-qualified chief executives with solely private sector experience

Question 8

If a governor unilaterally issues a rule that affects executive branch operations or activities, he or she is using the power of

A) a bureaucratic order.
B) an executive amendment.
C) an executive order.
D) an executive agreement.

Question 9

Which of the following statements accurately depicts the gender and racial diversity of state governors?

A) They are very representative as a whole of the population in terms of race and gender.
B) They are solely white males, except for several women who succeeded their husbands upon their death in office.
C) They are predominantly white males, but now are somewhat more representative of the population, with several Latinos, African Americans, and women serving or having served.
D) They are mostly white males, but black and white females have now won 25 percent of the gubernatorial seats.

Question 10

When a governor appoints a new agency head solely on the basis of the individual's party membership, or dispenses contracts or other favors to political supporters, he or she is engaging in

A) gerrymandering.
B) synergism.
C) patronage.
D) civil service hiring.

Question 11

What role does incumbency play in gubernatorial political races?

A) It provides no significant advantage because around three-quarters of incumbent governors have lost their bids for reelection during the past twenty years.
B) It is the deciding factor, far outweighing money and the strength of the candidate's political party in the state electorate.
C) It is rarely a factor because so few sitting governors can legally run for a second term.
D) It provides an important edge over an opponent, as reflected in the fact that during the past thirty-five years, around three-quarters of incumbents have retained their seats.

Question 12

According to the study cited in the text, the amount of tension between the executive and legislative branches is influenced by which of the following three factors?

A) pork barrel politics, the condition of the national economy, and whether the state is located in the Sunbelt
B) the level of control exercised by the governor's party over the legislature, the price of oil, and the amount of time until the next presidential election
C) the state's financial condition, the education level of the governor versus the education levels of the leaders in the legislature, and gubernatorial charisma
D) the size of the majority and minority parties, the personalities of the governor and legislative leaders, and the amount of time until the next election year

Question 13

Traditionally, the power to reorganize state government belongs to the

A) governor, under constitutional authority in thirty-six states.
B) legislature, and few states have altered this power.
C) legislature, but today more than twenty states grant their governor this authority.
D) governor, but today more than twenty states grant their legislature this authority.

Question 14

The governor's ability to hire, fire, motivate, and punish is severely restricted by several factors, including:

A) the courts, merit-system rules and regulations, and political agendas.
B) other elected executive branch officials kowtowing to his or her administrative and political agendas.
C) economic development proposals.
D) conflicting responsibilities related to his or her role as top policymaker.

Question 15

The formal powers of governors are those derived from

A) the political support the governor can accrue.
B) the U.S. Constitution.
C) their personal traits and charisma.
D) the state constitution.

Question 16

The most successful governors are those who employ their informal powers to maximize the formal powers, a concept known as

A) synergism.
B) gerrymandering.
C) patronage.
D) pork barrel politics.

Question 17

Cutting the ribbon for a new highway, or pinning the winning medal to the winner of a beauty contest are examples of which gubernatorial role?

A) top policymaker
B) chief legislator
C) ceremonial leader
D) economic development promoter

Question 18

How has gubernatorial power changed over the past several decades?

A) There has been no increase in formal powers, but great increases in the personal qualifications of the incumbents.
B) The power structure has begun to mirror that of post-Civil War governors.
C) Gubernatorial power has deteriorated because the national government has increasingly encroached upon states' rights.
D) Gubernatorial power has increased as the formal powers and personal qualifications of the incumbents have increased.

Question 19

Appointment power is considered by governors to be a valuable tool for

A) ensuring reelection.
B) avoiding executive branch corruption.
C) delegating unwanted responsibilities.
D) managing the state bureaucracy.

Question 20

The governor's budget effectively sets the legislative agenda at the beginning of each session because

A) it frames the important policy issues and attaches price tags to them.
B) once a governor sets the budget, legislatures have no control in a majority of states.
C) this informal power is greater than the formal powers of the legislative veto.
D) in most states, if the legislature does not adopt the governor's budget, the governor can recess the legislative session.

Question 21

Which of the following statements about the duties of the secretary of state in state government is true?

A) performs the same duties as the secretary of state in the national government
B) usually responsible for overseeing agricultural policy
C) primarily involved in record keeping and election responsibilities
D) most often responsible for disbursement of state funds

Question 22

Most governors dominate the policy agenda in their states by working closely with legislative leaders.

Question 23

Governors with strong negotiating and bargaining skills, high levels of public support, and the ability to exercise public relations and media skills may be described as possessing

A) weak informal powers.
B) strong informal powers.
C) weak formal powers.
D) strong formal powers.

Question 24

As governor, an individual serves as top policymaker, chief legislator, chief administrator, ceremonial leader, intergovernmental coordinator, economic development promoter, and political party leader.

Question 25

During the early days of the nation, the state legislature, rather than voters, typically elected governors.

Question 26

The cost of gubernatorial campaigns is less expensive today than in the past because of public financing.

Question 27

Governors are elected by a statewide constituency and therefore tend to take a broad, comprehensive, long-range view of issues, whereas legislators, who represent relatively small geographical areas and groups of voters, are more likely to take a piecemeal, parochial approach to policymaking.

Question 28

The governor's role as intergovernmental coordinator is becoming less important with each passing year, a reflection of the diminishing power of the states in American federalism.

Question 29

Which executive official is responsible for rendering formal written opinions on legal issues, and can also question the constitutionality of a statute or administrative rule?

A) lieutenant governor
B) secretary of state
C) treasurer
D) attorney general

Question 30

Only three African Americans have been elected governor.

Question 31

Which of the following statements about gubernatorial impeachment is true?

A) It requires a trial before the lower house of the state legislature.
B) Only twenty-three governors have ever been impeached.
C) It is universally available in the fifty states as a remedy for "high crimes and misdemeanors."
D) It is dependent on a simple majority vote of the upper chamber of the legislature for conviction and removal from office.

Question 32

When a governor displays favoritism in distributing government monies or other resources to a particular program, jurisdiction, or individual, it is an example of pork barrel politics.

Question 33

The office of lieutenant governor ensures orderly succession in the event of the loss of the governor, and this office

A) exists in all 50 states.
B) exists in all but five states.
C) is always filled by a member of the governor's opposing political party.
D) must be filled by a member of the governor's political party.

Question 34

The average salary of United States governors is $130,595.

Question 35

In order to foster a positive relationship with the media, a governor must

A) become "chummy" with news agency executives.
B) delegate public relations responsibilities to his or her professional staff.
C) avoid unprofessional forms of media coverage like social media and blogs.
D) be honest, forthright, and available.

Question 36

Because the excesses of some colonial governors appointed by the English Crown created strong dislike and distrust of executive power by the early American settlers, the first state constitutions concentrated political power in the legislative branch.

Question 37

Which of the following duties is NOT typically part of a lieutenant governor's responsibilities?

A) appointing judges
B) serving as presiding officer of the state senate
C) accepting special assignments from the governor
D) making bill assignments to committees

Question 38

Which of the following statements about the duties of the state treasurer is true?

A) the official trustee and manager of state funds
B) primarily involved in record keeping and election responsibilities
C) manages state funds but is legally divorced from responsibility for their investment
D) solely responsible for managing state pension funds

Question 39

According to the text, which of the following personal characteristics is critically important to a governor's success?

A) leadership
B) business acumen
C) a sense of humor
D) high self-esteem

Question 40

Today, the average number of professional and clerical gubernatorial staff members is approximately

A) 62.
B) 15.
C) 210.
D) 29.

Question 41

Four of the past five presidents were former governors.

Question 42

Surveys of past governors indicate that they consider appointment power to be the most important weapon in their arsenal when it comes to managing state bureaucracy.

Question 43

All governors have the power to line-item veto.

Question 44

Governors are expected to perform many demanding roles in the state government. Discuss the different roles of the governor. Is there a particular role you find to be most important? Which one might be viewed as least important? Finally, could a governor be successful if he or she only focused on the most important role and neglected the least important?

Question 45

States that grant their governors strong formal powers include Alabama and Georgia.

Question 46

The pocket veto, which is available in fourteen states, allows the governor, after the legislature has enacted a bill and then adjourned, to reject it by refusing to sign it.

Question 47

On average, governors veto around 15 percent of the bills that reach their desks.

Question 48

The attorney general is the state's chief legal counsel.

Question 49

Only the governors of Nevada, Maine, and six other states do not have line-item veto power.

Question 50

Of the more than 2,100 governors who have held office, 500 have actually been impeached or removed from office or resigned under a cloud of legal problems.

Question 51

During the twentieth century, Jim Thompson of Illinois was the only governor to serve four consecutive four-year terms.

Question 52

Eighteen states do NOT elect the governor and lieutenant governor as a team.

Question 53

The only state in which the governor does not have any veto power is Nebraska.

Question 54

Today, more than twenty states specifically authorize their chief executive to reorganize the bureaucracy through executive order.

Question 55

Gubernatorial elections have become distinct from national elections now that thirty-nine states hold them in nonpresidential election years.

Question 56

Fifteen states do not have lieutenant governors.

Question 57

The states elect some 300 officials to their executive branches, not counting the fifty governors.

Question 58

New Hampshire and Vermont are the only states that restrict their governors to a single two-year term.

Question 59

Executive orders are rules, regulations, or policies issued by the governor to affect executive branch operations or activities.

Question 60

The most recent governors to leave office in disgrace were James McGreevey of New Jersey, Eliot Spitzer of New York, and Rod Blagojevich of Illinois.

Question 61

Describe the other key executive branch officials in state government. How do these officials contribute to the overall success of the state? How do they support the governor in his or her role?

Question 62

Describe the formal and informal powers generally held by governors. Discuss which of the powers in general (informal vs. formal) are the most important for a successful governor to employ.

Question 63

Trace the historic shifts, since the founding of the Republic, in the formal powers of the state governors. Cite the major themes in public opinion or the political eras that have led to those shifts in the allocation of power.

Question 64

You were just elected governor of your state. You now have to hire a staff and prepare your agenda. Explain your priorities. What do you need to do to advance them, and with whom do you need to build a coalition to achieve your objectives?