Government ch. 7-11 – Flashcards

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A criticism of interest-group pluralism is
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its class bias in favor of those with greater financial resources
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The best description of the ideal of pluralism is that
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interest should be free to compete with each other for governmental influence
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the teamsters and the AFL-CIO are examples of what kind of interest group?
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a labor group
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Interest groups are concerned with the ___of government, while political parties are concerned with the ___ of government.
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policies; personnel
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The christian Coalition is best described as a(n)___group
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ideological
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The National League of Cities is a good example of
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a public-sector interest group
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Which of the following is NOT a key organizational component of interest groups
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newsletter and website
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The major organizational factors shared by most interest groups are
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leadership, money , an agency or office, and members
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When paid staff conduct most of the daily business of a group, that group is best described as
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staff organization
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A benefit that is sought by and interest group and that once achieved cannot be denied to nonmembers is called a
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collective good
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The free-rider problem occurs because
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the benefits of a group's actions are broadly available and cannot be denied to nonmembers
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The solidary benefits of interest groups include
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identification with the purpose or ideology of the group
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If one enjoys the benefits a of a group's collective efforts but did not contribute to those efforts, one is a
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free-rider
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When membership in an organization allows for a reduction in the price of a museum ticket it is called a
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promotion offer
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A___ is the best example of an informational benefit provided by many interest groups.
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newsletter
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why is it important for interest groups to offer selective benefits
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it is necessary to limit the extent of the free-rider problem
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One way the AARP has been effective at overcoming the free-rider problem is by providing__ benefits to its members.
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selective
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members of interest groups in the United States are typically people
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with higher levels of income and education
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The increased number and importance of interest groups
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is a response to an increase in the size and activity of government
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Over the last forty years, the number and scale of interest groups at he national level has
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dramatically increased
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what distinguishes lobbying from other strategies of influence?
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lobbyists try to exert pressure directly on government officials themselves.
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Lobbying is
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an attempt by an individual or group to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of congress or a state legislature
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What is the most important beneficial resource that lobbyist provide government officials?
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information
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An iron triangle is made up of an alliance between
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a legislative committee, and interest group, and an executive agency
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How can interst groups use litigation as a strategy of influence?
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filing amicus curiae briefs, financing lawsuits, and bringing a suit on behalf of the group
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Which of the following groups has had the greatest success with a strategy of litigation
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NAACP
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A full page, fully paid spread in the New York Times publicizing a major oil company is best described as
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going public
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When interest groups take out advertisements and hold marches, these are examples of
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mobilizing public opinion
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In recent years, the religious right has had a great effect on American politics through
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grassroots mobilization
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What is the primary function of a political action committee?
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to raise and distribute money to election campaigns
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What type of group generally has the most trouble retaining members
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citizens
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The most important qualification for bien g a lobbyist is
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experience with Washington, D.C. and government operations
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Lobbyists targets ___ with their direct lobbying strategies
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All three branches of government
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The most common interest in Washington D.C. are
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corporations and business trade associations
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Efforts to regulate lobbying activities more effectively may conflict with
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the First Amendment right to petition government
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Which of the following is a correct statement?
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Interest groups form both in response to new government policy and to create new policies.
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Professional lobbyists are often:
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all of the above (lawyers, former members of congress, and former employees of government agencies)
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By what means can interest groups influence elections?
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financial support and campaign activism
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A two chamber legislature is called
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bicameral
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A unites States representative serves for a
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two-year term
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How many United states representatives are elected every two years?
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all of them
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How long is a senate term?
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six years
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Which house of congress is more responsive to interest groups?
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House of Representatives
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Congress's composition is mostly:
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white males
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Why doesnt congress reflect the general population?
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to be successful in congress, it helps to be well-financed and well-educated
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why wouldnt a congress person go against the wishes of his or her district?
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he or she may be fearful of losing the congressional seat & he or she probably thinks the same way as his or her constituents.
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Which of the following affects who gets elected and what he or she does once in office?
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all of the above (who decides to run, incumbency advantage, and the way congressional district lines are drawn)
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Which of the following is not true?
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political actions committees are controversial because they are legal
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The incumbent is the person:
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holding the political office for which he or she is running
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When a legislator is prevented from running for re-election, it is done through:
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term limits
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redistricting occurs
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every ten years after the census
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patronage ensures that
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politicians have loyal people working under them.
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projects that benefit a congress person's district and help him or her get reelected are called
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pork barrel
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what position has the most power in the House of Representatives
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Speaker of the House
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What position has the most power in the Senate?
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Majority leader
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Permanent committees that focus on a particular policy area are called:
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standing committees
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A temporary committee that deals with special problems that fall outside of the jurisdiction of existing committees is called:
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a select committee
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Which permanent committee is formed by members from both houses of congress?
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Joint committee
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Which committee is temporarily convened to work out the differences between the senate and the House versions of a bill?
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conference committee
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A congress person's staff is important because they:
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all of the above (develop policy ideas, draft legislation, and negotiate with lobbyists)
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what committee determines the length of debate on a bill in the House
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Rules committee
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When a senator holds the floor by continually speaking to prevent a vote on a bill, he or she is carrying out a:
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filibuster
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what is the procedure that ends a filibuster in the senate?
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cloture
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A president may prevent a bill from becoming law by utilizing:
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his or her veto power
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A presidential veto my be overridden by:
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two-thirds vote in congress
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A roll-call vote means that:
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each legislature's vote is recorded by the clerk.
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which sector tends to have the most influence at the committee stage?
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interest groups
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Article II of the constitution establishes what about the presidency?
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expressed powers (enumerated powers)
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Powers claimed by a president that are not expressed in the constitution but are inferred from it are called
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inherent powers
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what is the term for the power of the president to command the national military and state national guard?
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commander in chief
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what is an agreement made between the president and another country that has the force of a treaty but does not require the senates "advise and consent"?
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executive agreement
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The war powers resolution was passed over which president's veto?
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Nixon
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Which is not a role of the president?
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chief magistrate
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what is the name of the speech that the president must give congress from time to time?
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state of the union
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the veto power of eh president is classified as what type of power?
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legislative
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The power of an executive to veto specific provisions of an appropriations bill is called the:
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line-item veto
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what term refers to the president's ability to bring a policy agenda before congress?
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legislative initiative
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When the president makes rules directly without congressional approval he or she is using:
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an executive order
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The president appoints the heads of major departments for a group called
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Cabinet
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The presidential foreign policy council composed of many of the president's closest advisers and the 'inner cabinet' is called the:
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National Security council
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The permanent agencies that perform the defined management tasks for the president are within the
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Executive Office of the President
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The agency that prepares the national budget and provides oversight for presidential program finances is the:
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Office of management and budget
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What is an enumerated function of the vice president?
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presiding over the senate and casting tie-breaking votes
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When does the vice president take over ruling the country?
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if the president dies
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What is the equivalent of the US presidency in Great Britain?
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The prime minister and queen/king
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What is the claim by a victorious candidate that the electorate has given him or her special authority to carry out campaign promises?
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mandate
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Why did presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Bush have such a low "batting average" with congress?
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The opposing political party controlled congress
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What is an attempt to be above partisan bickering in congress?
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bipartisanship
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Why does the media focus a great deal of attention on the president?
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News is money, and the president is easy news
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Who greatly expanded the power of the president by reaching out to the people for support?
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FDR
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What is the general trend of presidential approval ratings?
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a tendency to decline over time
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What is the generally favorable reaction of the public to presidential actions taken in foreign policy cises?
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rallying effect
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What is the term for the complex hierarchical structure of offices, tasks, and rules used by large scale institutions?
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bureaucracy
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which of the following is not a function of the bureaucracy?
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appropriations
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The carrying out of policy decisions is left to the
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bureaucracy
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why do bureaucrats, an unelected group of people, essentially make law?
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all of the above
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When departments and agencies put policies into action it is called:
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implementation
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Why do we have a merit system in the bureaucracy?
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to prevent partisan firings
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What is the largest subunit of the executive branch?
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department
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What is an "independent agency"?
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an agency that is not part of a cabinet department
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why is it important to have independent agencies?
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to insulate the organization from partisan influence
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the head of a department is called a
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secretary
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which agency is not an independent agency?
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State Department
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what type of agency is delegated by congress to have broad powers over a sector of the economy or a type of commercial activity?
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regulatory agency
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what is the term for an agency that is responsible for collecting taxes?
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revenue agency
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what is the largest unit of the justice department
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criminal division
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which is a division of the justice department that handles no litigation?
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Federal Bureau of Investigation
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Which is not a division of the Justice Department?
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Federal Reserve Board
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Which department is concerned with external national security?
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State and Defense
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What is the center of military and policy management in the United States?
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Joint Chiefs of Staff
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What is the use of taxing and spending powers to manipulate the economy called?
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fiscal policy
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Which is the primary department administering fiscal policy?
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Treasury
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Which institution facilitates the exchange of cash, checks, and credits among member banks?
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Federal Reserve System
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What is the Federal Reserve Board's most powerful tool?
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raising and lowering interest rates
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Many of the tax exemptions can be attributed to what insitution?
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congress
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Which term is policy of reducing or eliminating restraints on the conduct of private institutions?
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deregulation
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If a program formerly controlled by the public sector is picked up by the private sector, this is called:
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privatization
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Who is the individual or organization that brings a complaint in court?
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plaintiff
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The individual or organization against whom a complaint is brought in a criminal or civil case is called a:
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defendant
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A system of jurisprudence, including private law, used to settle disputes that so not involve criminal penalties is called:
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civil law
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A precedent allows a judge
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to use prior court decisions as a basis for deciding present cases
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What term is used for the category of law encompassing private law, civil law, and criminal law in which one party argues that a license is unfair?
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public law
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Which of the following is the first court to hear a criminal or civil case?
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trial court
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The highest court in a particular state or in the United States is the
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Supreme court
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Appellate courts
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do not hear new evidence and witnesses
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What are the negotiated agreement in criminal cases between the state and a defendant?
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plea bargains
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Which court can hear cases involving treaties with other nations?
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Federal courts
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Why are federal court rulings important?
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They interpret ultimately what the constitution means
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What is the sphere of a court's power and authority called?
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jurisdiction
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The constitution gives what court the final say in all litigation?
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the supreme court
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The justice on the supreme court who presides over the writing of opinions is
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the chief justice
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how many justices serve on the supreme court?
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nine
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which of the following is a true statement?
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The constitution made no provisions regarding the court's size.
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How are federal judges appointed?
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The president nominates a candidate
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The practice of asking approval of the senators from a federal judge nominee's state before an official nomination is made by the president is called:
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senatorial courtesy
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The person who acts as the government lawyer before the supreme court is the
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solicitor general
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A brief that is filed not by the direct participants in a case is called a
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friend of the court
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the individuals that federal judges employ to research legal issues are called:
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law clerks
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The power of the Supreme court to rule the acts of the other two branches unconstitutional is called:
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judicial review
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What supreme court case established Judicial review?
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Marbury v Madison
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The clause that states that all government activities must comply with the consitution is called the:
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supremacy clause
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The requirement that every police officer informs a person of his or her rights when being arrested is called:
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the Miranda rule
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When nominating a justice to the U S supreme court, presidents:
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Have sole authority to appoint the person to the judgeship with approval of any other political body
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Which of the following is not an accurate description of appointees to the US Supreme court?
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they are typically representative of he public at large
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A supreme court Justice who votes with the majority but does so for different constitutional reasons may write a:
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concurring opinion
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the constitution gives congress power over the supreme court to:
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rewrite legislation it feels the court has misinterpreted
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What can influence major shifts in the supreme court position on broad issues?
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change in membership of the court & political trends & public opinion
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The federal district courts are:
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All of the above
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The highest law in the land in the United States is
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the constitution
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The primary funtion of the judiciary is to
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interpret law
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the judiciary in the United States
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is a co-equal branch of government with the legislative and executive branches
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In the case Bush V Gore over the issue of whether to count "undervotes" in Florida, the Supreme Court:
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ended the 2000 presidential elections by not permitting the manual recount of "undervotes"
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