Midterm Exam

A  organizes an annual party convention

B  is run by the party chair and conducts party business during the four years between national conventions

C  requires all party members to pay dues

D  has no role in the presidential elections

A  the fewest votes

B  a two-thirds majority

C  more than half the votes

D  the most votes, with less than half the votes

A  at their precinct, on Election Day

B  in Washington D.C., in December

C  in their state capitol, in December

D  at their state capitol, on Election Day

A  McConnell v. Federal Election Commission

B  Citizens United v Federal Election Commission

C  McCain–Feingold Act

D  Buckley v. Valeo

A  social status

B  a college education

C  a lack of an education

D  a higher income

A  based upon the number of representatives the state has in the House of Representatives.

B  based upon the number of representatives the state has in Congress.

C  by the Supreme Court.

D  based upon the voter turnout in that state in the previous election.

A  To become president of the United States a candidate must receive a plurality of the electoral votes cast

B  The United States Constitution requires that the electoral votes be allocated equally to all states

C  Electoral votes are allocated to states based upon the number of representatives they have in the state legislatures

D  To become president of the United States a candidate must receive a majority of the electoral votes cast

A  the “privileges and immunities” clause

B  the “extradition” clause

C  the “full faith and credit” clause

D  the supremacy clause

A  enumerated powers

B  concurrent powers

C  implied powers

D  inherent powers

A  concurrent powers

B  implied powers

C  ex-post facto law

D  full faith and credit

A  by a majority vote in both houses of Congress and the president’s signature

B  by a majority vote in both houses of Congress and by the United Nations

C  by a majority vote in both houses of Congress and a ruling by the Supreme Court

D  by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress, followed by passage by three-fourths of the state legislatures

A  Article VI

B  Article IV

C  Article V

D  Article X

A  can serve unlimited terms of office

B  can also serve as a state governor at the same time

C  no longer has the power to negotiate treaties

D  has the power to appoint judges, ambassadors, and other high officials with Senate approval.

A  directly by the state legislatures.

B  directly by popular vote.

C  directly by Congress.

D  indirectly by an electoral college.

A  passing bills of attainder and ex-post facto laws

B  passing bills of attainder but not ex-post facto laws

C  banning the media

D  from eliminating other branches of government

A  It gives the power to impeach to the Senate

B  the power to remove the president to the House of Representatives

C  granting titles of nobility

D  It grants the right of the president to veto legislation passed by Congress and the right of Congress to override this veto with a two-thirds vote in both houses.

A  James Madison, John Jay, Thomas Paine

B  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay

C  Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton

D  John Jay, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson

A  no provisions for state governments

B  a unicameral system with no checks and balances

C  no judicial court system

D  a federal system that included three branches of government based upon the principle of separation of powers and checks and balances

A  a House of Representatives apportioned by the number of free inhabitants plus 3/5 of slaves and a Senate consisting of two members from each state selected by the state legislators

B  a House of Representatives apportioned by the number of free inhabitants plus a Senate consisting of two members elected by the people

C  a bicameral legislature in which both houses would be apportioned according to the number of free inhabitants plus 3/5 of the slaves

D  a Senate apportioned by the number of free inhabitants and a judiciary consisting of two members from each state selected by the state legislators

A  England

B  Spain

C  China

D  France

A  is also known as the Articles of Confederation

B  provided a justification for the colonies’ action of severing their ties with England

C  granted Congress the power to coin money, enter into treaties, and regulate commerce

D  provided for a central government to govern a new country

A  the idea that republican virtues are best nurtured in small states

B  distinct spheres of responsibility for the three branches of the national government

C  the idea that true republicanism can only occur in large states.

D  the principle that government power shall be divided and that those divisions should balance or check one another to prevent tyranny.

A  1865, 1900

B  1787, 1879

C  1776, 1849

D  1812, 1859

A  Publius

B  the anti-Federalists

C  the State of Rhode Island

D  the Federalists

A  requires candidates to obtain a plurality of the votes before taking office

B  requires candidates to obtain a majority of the votes before taking office

C  can only be applied to Congressional races

D  can only be applied to gubernatorial and presidential races

A  be a watchdog over the government

B  provide information about public policy

C  present electoral choices

D  provide free election ads for candidates running for office

A  a two-thirds majority

B  the most votes without going over 50%

C  more than half the votes

D  the fewest votes

A  to kick out an incompetent public official

B  to make a new law or amend the state constitution

C  to impeach the Governor

D  to impeach judges

A  permits all voters to select from a “blanket” list of candidates

B  permits voters to switch parties and vote for another party’s candidates

C  permits only those registered in a party to vote on that party’s candidates

D  allows for the repeal of laws

A  the idea that only the power elite can influence governmental decisions

B  rule by an oligarchy

C  is very conservative in nature

D  the idea that every person carries equal weight in our society when decisions are made

A  the idea that only the power elite can influence governmental decisions

B  involves playing video games

C  politics is a similar to a sporting event that involves players and teams in the hopes of winning the competition

D  a conversation that identifies the compelling issues of the day

A  53 electoral votes

B  55 electoral votes

C  56 electoral votes

D  54 electoral votes

A  the pursuit of property and a free-market economy

B  Life, liberty, and property

C  Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

D  Life, liberty, and free medical care

A  Harold Lasswell

B  Robert Dahl

C  John Locke

D  C. Wright MIlls

A  to abolish the Bill of Rights as required for security

B  to secede from the nation upon legislative action

C  to create laws which conflict with the U.S. Constitution

D  to create its own laws in many areas

A  the attitudes and actions of people that sustain and buttress the political system

B  what people and groups want from the political system

C  a course of action that is shaped by government officials

D  the response of the rest of society to the decisions made by authorities in a political system

A  the expression of attitudes about government and politics

B  an opinion about music, movies, or fashions

C  the process by which a person acquires a set of political attitudes and forms opinions about social issues

D  the process in which people acquire political views, beliefs and opinions

A  the expression of attitudes about government and politics

B  an opinion about music, movies, or fashions

C  the process by which a person acquires a set of political attitudes and forms opinions about social issues

D  a “power elite” governs

A  a system of opinions espoused by a political party

B  a coherent set of beliefs about the purpose and scope of government

C  a set of prejudices and fears about the world

D  a coherent set of values that often leads to totalitarianism

A  communication with legislators or other government officials to try to influence their decisions.

B  an attempt to influence the government solely through the courts

C  the process by which a person acquires a set of political attitudes and forms opinions about social issues.

D  a group who seeks to influence government by electing candidates to public office.

A  a group who seeks to influence the government to respond to the shared attitudes of its members

B  those who will actually be interviewed in a political poll

C  a group who seeks to influence government by electing candidates to public office

D  the process in which a person acquires a set of political attitudes and forms opinions about social issues

A  a “power elite” governs

B  People govern through political leaders who are nominated as candidates of political parties and are elected by the people

C  different decisions made by different sets of leaders

D  the media rules

A  the pursuit and exercise of demands

B  the ability to influence and control others

C  the making of binding rules for society that determine the distribution of resources

D  the response of the rest of society to the decisions made by authorities

A  a direct democracy

B  an indirect or representative democracy

C  a unitary democracy

D  an aristocracy

A  rule by religion

B  rule by the people

C  rule by the few

D  rule by one

A  in person at a mall

B  by telephone

C  be email

D  in person at their home

A  television and newspapers only

B  Fox and CNN, but not the New York Times

C  newspapers, magazines, internet, television and radio

D  newspapers but not magazines

A  allows news programs and stations to grant air time to their preferred candidate and deny the opposition candidate

B  requires that news programs & stations provide opposing candidates equal air time.

C  that television stations present contrasting points of view.

D  bans all air time for candidates

A  the single-member district (SMD)

B  proportional representation

C  welcomes the involvement of minor parties

D  the multi-member district (MMD)

A  committing a crime

B  participating in political parties

C  belonging to interest groups

D  voting in free elections to choose those who govern

A  a member of a political community to whom rights and obligations are attached

B  the formal vehicle through which policies are made and affairs of state are conducted

C  can never really exist

D  the formal vehicle through which the people’s concerns are ignored