USPS Exam Prep Questions And Answers (202472025)
What is strict scrutiny? - ✔✔a test courts will apply when a stature, regulation, or other government
action distributes burdens or benefits based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion
What are the two components of the strict scrutiny test? - ✔✔narrowly tailored (little as possible
negative effect on other groups, such as short in duration, and no other race neutral alternative)
and serve a compelling government interest
What is example case where strict scrutiny was applied? - ✔✔Korematsu v. United States (1944),
which was when government forced japanese americans into relocation camps following pearl
harbor
- supreme court ruled that the war justified the relocation camps as the compelling government
interest
- so this is an example of even when clear evidence of racial discrimination is not enough to
overturn a governmental action
How does strict scrutiny exemplify the concepts of federalist 51? - ✔✔- strict scrutiny provides
basis for protecting the rights of the minority
- makes it harder for discrimination laws to survive by creating an extra test that they must pass
- also overall exemplifies ideas of checks and balances in federalist 51 b/c supreme court uses strict
scrutiny test to check powers of legislative + executive branches that they are not discriminating
against certain classes
What protection does strict scrutiny provide? - ✔✔- provides protection for suspect classes, who
are groups of people that have been historically excluded from political process, economic, and
social opportunities
What are three ways the constitution improved upon the articles of confederation? - ✔✔- granted
powers of taxation to congress
- established the supremacy clause
- created a national army
What were some problems with the Articles of Confederation? - ✔✔- nearly went bankrupt b/c
could not tax states, had to beg states for money
, - nat'l gov't did not have any real power, more of a league of friendship among states
- there was no nat'l army problem w/ shea's rebellion
How did constitution grant powers of taxation? - ✔✔- under article I, section 8
- gave congress the "power to lay and collect taxes"
What was the supremacy clause? - ✔✔- established that federal law and constitution took
precedence over state laws
- enhanced effectiveness of national government
- under article VI
What was shea's rebellion? - ✔✔uprising in MA where farmers went after bankers, gov't of MA
had to hire private army b/c no national army only state militias
What under the constitution created national army? - ✔✔- article I, sect 8, gave congress power to
raise and support armies
- also established executive branch, which made president commander and chief of armed forces
What is a collective action problem? - ✔✔production of certain types of widely desired goods
requires cooperation among citizens, but self-interest incentivizes individuals to not cooperate
enjoying the benefits without incurring the costs
- leads to underproduction of public goods
What is the free rider problem? - ✔✔- type of collective action problem
- when individual contribution to success of collective effort is so small, individuals will be
tempted to free ride and not contribute, while enjoying the benefits
What is an example of the free rider problem? - ✔✔- voting
- the probability that individuals' vote will tip the skills in favor of one candidate is almost 0,
incentivizing people not to vote and free ride off others contributions
What is strict scrutiny? - ✔✔a test courts will apply when a stature, regulation, or other government
action distributes burdens or benefits based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion
What are the two components of the strict scrutiny test? - ✔✔narrowly tailored (little as possible
negative effect on other groups, such as short in duration, and no other race neutral alternative)
and serve a compelling government interest
What is example case where strict scrutiny was applied? - ✔✔Korematsu v. United States (1944),
which was when government forced japanese americans into relocation camps following pearl
harbor
- supreme court ruled that the war justified the relocation camps as the compelling government
interest
- so this is an example of even when clear evidence of racial discrimination is not enough to
overturn a governmental action
How does strict scrutiny exemplify the concepts of federalist 51? - ✔✔- strict scrutiny provides
basis for protecting the rights of the minority
- makes it harder for discrimination laws to survive by creating an extra test that they must pass
- also overall exemplifies ideas of checks and balances in federalist 51 b/c supreme court uses strict
scrutiny test to check powers of legislative + executive branches that they are not discriminating
against certain classes
What protection does strict scrutiny provide? - ✔✔- provides protection for suspect classes, who
are groups of people that have been historically excluded from political process, economic, and
social opportunities
What are three ways the constitution improved upon the articles of confederation? - ✔✔- granted
powers of taxation to congress
- established the supremacy clause
- created a national army
What were some problems with the Articles of Confederation? - ✔✔- nearly went bankrupt b/c
could not tax states, had to beg states for money
, - nat'l gov't did not have any real power, more of a league of friendship among states
- there was no nat'l army problem w/ shea's rebellion
How did constitution grant powers of taxation? - ✔✔- under article I, section 8
- gave congress the "power to lay and collect taxes"
What was the supremacy clause? - ✔✔- established that federal law and constitution took
precedence over state laws
- enhanced effectiveness of national government
- under article VI
What was shea's rebellion? - ✔✔uprising in MA where farmers went after bankers, gov't of MA
had to hire private army b/c no national army only state militias
What under the constitution created national army? - ✔✔- article I, sect 8, gave congress power to
raise and support armies
- also established executive branch, which made president commander and chief of armed forces
What is a collective action problem? - ✔✔production of certain types of widely desired goods
requires cooperation among citizens, but self-interest incentivizes individuals to not cooperate
enjoying the benefits without incurring the costs
- leads to underproduction of public goods
What is the free rider problem? - ✔✔- type of collective action problem
- when individual contribution to success of collective effort is so small, individuals will be
tempted to free ride and not contribute, while enjoying the benefits
What is an example of the free rider problem? - ✔✔- voting
- the probability that individuals' vote will tip the skills in favor of one candidate is almost 0,
incentivizing people not to vote and free ride off others contributions
