PLSC 1 Exam 2- Questions and Answers Latest Version 2024-2025 (Rated A+)
Which is the best example of an agent when the president is the principal?
- Speaker of the House
- state supreme court justice
- soldier
- agency head
- reporter - Answers Agency head
A president may be removed from office if he or she is impeached by the ________ and convicted by the
________.
- House of Representatives; Supreme Court
- Supreme Court; Senate
- electoral college; Supreme Court
- Supreme Court; House of Representatives
- House of Representatives; Senate - Answers House of Representatives; Senate
Which is an agreement between the United States and one or more foreign countries concluded solely
with presidential approval?
- treaty
- international law
- executive agreement
- executive order
- administrative law - Answers executive agreement
Why would presidents utilize executive orders?
- popularity with the press
- only used on popular issues
- overturning them requires an act of Congress
- easy to overturning case a president changes his or her mind on an issue
,- automatic adoption by Congress - Answers overturning them requires an act of Congress
Over time, presidential powers have grown due to which of the following?
- wars
- depressions
- civil unrest
- wars and depression, but not civil unrest
- wars, depressions, and civil unrest - Answers wars, depressions, and civil unrest
The president needs the approval of the ________ for appointments, and the ________ for declaring
war.
- house; senate
- senate; senate
- house and senate; house
- house and senate; senate
- senate; house and senate - Answers senate; house and senate
How can divided government shape bargaining between Congress and the president?
- Fewer laws are passed under divided government, so bargaining between the branches is easier.
- More laws are passed under divided government, so bargaining between the branches is more
difficult.
- The preferences of Congress and the president are further apart, making passing legislation easier.
- The preferences of Congress and the president are further apart, making passing legislation more
difficult.
- Congress rationally anticipates numerous presidential vetoes and thus passes no legislation. - Answers
The preferences of Congress and the president are further apart, making passing legislation more
difficult.
How do veto threats shape Congress's creation of legislation?
- The president continually gives speeches on the floor of the House, and Congress adjusts based on
these multiple speeches.
,- The Supreme Court takes these veto threats as statements of law and will strike down contrary laws
passed by Congress.
- The press generates these veto threats, and the president, sensing their unpopularity, takes these
threats to Congress.
- Legislation is rarely changed by presidential veto threats.
- Content of legislation is often changed to more closely match the president's preferences. - Answers
Content of legislation is often changed to more closely match the president's preferences.
Which refers to a government in which the president is a member of one party and the majority in
Congress is controlled by another?
- divided government
- separation of powers
- checks and balances
- political parity
- net neutrality - Answers divided government
What is an example of a formal presidential power?
- organizing press conferences
- leading public opinion
- appointing judges
- leading a political party
- winning reelection - Answers appointing judges
In a 1990 court case, President Ronald Reagan refused to make public his dairies written around the
time of the Iran-Contra affair. This refusal is an example of a president utilizing which power?
- signing statements
- executive decision making
- executive privilege
- power over domestic security
- power of diplomacy - Answers executive privilege
, The presidency is less democratically accountable than Congress due to ________.
- election by the electoral college
- differing terms in office
- the ability to go public
- powers specified in Articles I and II
- election of House members by state legislatures - Answers election by the electoral college
President Barack Obama appointed Charles Rivkin to serve as ambassador to France. Mr. Rivkin had
previously served as the California finance cochair for President Obama's election campaign, raising
more than $500,000 for the election effort. President Obama's appointment of Mr. Rivkin may be
considered part of a/the ________.
- logroll
- pork barrel
- spoils system
- selective service
- bureaucracy - Answers spoils system
What is an example of an informal presidential power?
- declaring war
- being commander in chief
- vetoing legislation
- signing executive treaties
- leading a political party - Answers leading a political party
The Supreme Court has granted wider latitude to the president in his or her role as ________ than as
________ due to powers stated in the Constitution.
- commander in chief; executor of the laws
- party leader; executor of the laws
- commander in chief; party leader
- Speaker; majority leader
Which is the best example of an agent when the president is the principal?
- Speaker of the House
- state supreme court justice
- soldier
- agency head
- reporter - Answers Agency head
A president may be removed from office if he or she is impeached by the ________ and convicted by the
________.
- House of Representatives; Supreme Court
- Supreme Court; Senate
- electoral college; Supreme Court
- Supreme Court; House of Representatives
- House of Representatives; Senate - Answers House of Representatives; Senate
Which is an agreement between the United States and one or more foreign countries concluded solely
with presidential approval?
- treaty
- international law
- executive agreement
- executive order
- administrative law - Answers executive agreement
Why would presidents utilize executive orders?
- popularity with the press
- only used on popular issues
- overturning them requires an act of Congress
- easy to overturning case a president changes his or her mind on an issue
,- automatic adoption by Congress - Answers overturning them requires an act of Congress
Over time, presidential powers have grown due to which of the following?
- wars
- depressions
- civil unrest
- wars and depression, but not civil unrest
- wars, depressions, and civil unrest - Answers wars, depressions, and civil unrest
The president needs the approval of the ________ for appointments, and the ________ for declaring
war.
- house; senate
- senate; senate
- house and senate; house
- house and senate; senate
- senate; house and senate - Answers senate; house and senate
How can divided government shape bargaining between Congress and the president?
- Fewer laws are passed under divided government, so bargaining between the branches is easier.
- More laws are passed under divided government, so bargaining between the branches is more
difficult.
- The preferences of Congress and the president are further apart, making passing legislation easier.
- The preferences of Congress and the president are further apart, making passing legislation more
difficult.
- Congress rationally anticipates numerous presidential vetoes and thus passes no legislation. - Answers
The preferences of Congress and the president are further apart, making passing legislation more
difficult.
How do veto threats shape Congress's creation of legislation?
- The president continually gives speeches on the floor of the House, and Congress adjusts based on
these multiple speeches.
,- The Supreme Court takes these veto threats as statements of law and will strike down contrary laws
passed by Congress.
- The press generates these veto threats, and the president, sensing their unpopularity, takes these
threats to Congress.
- Legislation is rarely changed by presidential veto threats.
- Content of legislation is often changed to more closely match the president's preferences. - Answers
Content of legislation is often changed to more closely match the president's preferences.
Which refers to a government in which the president is a member of one party and the majority in
Congress is controlled by another?
- divided government
- separation of powers
- checks and balances
- political parity
- net neutrality - Answers divided government
What is an example of a formal presidential power?
- organizing press conferences
- leading public opinion
- appointing judges
- leading a political party
- winning reelection - Answers appointing judges
In a 1990 court case, President Ronald Reagan refused to make public his dairies written around the
time of the Iran-Contra affair. This refusal is an example of a president utilizing which power?
- signing statements
- executive decision making
- executive privilege
- power over domestic security
- power of diplomacy - Answers executive privilege
, The presidency is less democratically accountable than Congress due to ________.
- election by the electoral college
- differing terms in office
- the ability to go public
- powers specified in Articles I and II
- election of House members by state legislatures - Answers election by the electoral college
President Barack Obama appointed Charles Rivkin to serve as ambassador to France. Mr. Rivkin had
previously served as the California finance cochair for President Obama's election campaign, raising
more than $500,000 for the election effort. President Obama's appointment of Mr. Rivkin may be
considered part of a/the ________.
- logroll
- pork barrel
- spoils system
- selective service
- bureaucracy - Answers spoils system
What is an example of an informal presidential power?
- declaring war
- being commander in chief
- vetoing legislation
- signing executive treaties
- leading a political party - Answers leading a political party
The Supreme Court has granted wider latitude to the president in his or her role as ________ than as
________ due to powers stated in the Constitution.
- commander in chief; executor of the laws
- party leader; executor of the laws
- commander in chief; party leader
- Speaker; majority leader
