Deck 15: How American Government Has Changed

Question 1

Public opinion polls taken during the Great Depression indicated that as many as ___ the voters were opposed to a federal unemployment compensation program.

A) two-thirds of
B) three-fourths of
C) one-quarter of
D) half
E) one-third of

Answer 1

half

Question 2

Which of the following statements regarding the "old system" is incorrect?

A) People voted at a high rate.
B) Political leadership was professionalized.
C) Only a few major issues were under discussion at any time.
D) Members of Congress had a large staff.
E) There were strong leaders in Congress.

Answer 2

Members of Congress had a large staff.

Question 3

A dominant theme in the "old system" was

A) executive privilege.
B) ordered liberty.
C) the right to privacy.
D) fundamental rights.
E) states' rights.

Answer 3

states' rights.

Question 4

Under the "old system," bold action usually was taken when

A) presidential elections were not close.
B) the nation was facing a crisis.
C) the Supreme Court overstepped its bounds.
D) one party dominated Congress.
E) presidential contests focused on personalities and not issues.

Question 5

Under the "old system," there was a clear understanding that what the president said in a press conference

A) was to be treated like a trial balloon.
B) was to be taken lightly.
C) was never to be quoted directly.
D) was to be quoted directly.
E) was to be given the force of law.

Question 6

Which of the following statements regarding the relationship between wars and the federal bureaucracy is correct?

A) Wars generally have left the bureaucracy larger.
B) Wars generally have left the bureaucracy smaller.
C) Wars generally have had no effect on the size of bureaucracy.
D) Wars generally have reinforced the negative view that citizens have of the bureaucracy.
E) Wars have solidified congressional power over the bureaucracy.

Question 7

The criticism today is that government is more concerned with __________ than ruling.

A) compromising
B) replicating
C) organizing
D) managing
E) litigating

Question 8

Under the "old system," __________ made it difficult for the federal government to start a new program.

A) interest groups
B) parties
C) checks and balances
D) congressional leaders
E) the courts

Question 9

Under the "old system," power was

A) decentralized.
B) centralized.
C) fluid.
D) transitional.
E) elastic.

Question 10

The transition from the "old system" to the "new system" occurred primarily during the administrations of __________ presidents.

A) third-party
B) Republican
C) conservative
D) Democratic
E) unpopular

Question 11

The Supreme Court, for the first time, generally ceased to oppose any economic legislation by the

A) 1920s.
B) 1930s.
C) 1950s.
D) 1980s.
E) 1990s.

Question 12

The administrations of Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson were notable in that they featured

A) large Democratic majorities in Congress.
B) exceptional cooperation from the Supreme Court.
C) large turnovers in Congress.
D) a slowdown in military activity.
E) resistance to getting new programs enacted into law.

Question 13

During the 1960s, members of the House of Representatives began to enjoy

A) a high level of public confidence in opinion polls.
B) considerable control over the state of the economy.
C) a reduction in interest-group pressures.
D) cooperation and nonpartisan goodwill among its members.
E) relatively secure seats.

Question 14

In the "new system," __________ elections emerged as the critical feature of presidential races.

A) partisan
B) nonpartisan
C) run-off
D) primary
E) recall

Question 15

For much of our history, the Constitution was interpreted in ways that limited what policies the government could adopt.

Question 16

A vast majority of Americans supported federal unemployment compensation programs during the Great Depression.

Question 17

Today, the Supreme Court severely limits the federal government's authority to regulate business.

Question 18

Today, most of the amendments in the Bill of Rights apply to state governments as well.

Question 19

The text suggests that greater knowledge tends to mean more expectations of government.

Question 20

Under the "old system," the government had a small agenda, but people voted at a high rate.

Question 21

A dominant theme in the "old system" was states' rights.

Question 22

Under the "old system," the president was never to be quoted directly.

Question 23

Wars generally have been associated with reductions in the size of the bureaucracy.

Question 24

The "new system" took its present form in the 1030s.

Question 25

Under the "new system," power has been centralized in Congress.

Question 26

It is said that today the federal government is more concerned with ruling than managing.

Question 27

Under the "old system," checks and balances made it difficult to start a new program.

Question 28

Franklin Roosevelt came to Washington with huge majorities in Congress.

Question 29

Under the "new system," primary elections became less important.

Question 30

When the New Politics operated, the federal government did little that was important.

Question 31

Explain why, for most of our history, elected politicians did not propose programs to benefit the public (or potential voters).

Question 32

Write an essay in which you describe what the text calls the "old system."

Question 33

Write an essay in which you describe what the text calls the "new system."

Question 34

What does the text describe as the "essential differences" between the "old system" and the "new system"?

Question 35

Discuss the challenges that lie ahead for the New Politics.