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POLS 207 Exam
Correct Questions, Answers and Key
Political Concepts.
Which policies are state/local governments responsible for?
ANSWER: policies concerning healthcare, health and welfare (biggest 2),
transportation, public safety, civil rights, physical environment, and taxation
Which policies are the federal government responsible for?
ANSWER: financial and budgetary matters, through the enumerated power to lay
and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the
common defense and general welfare of the United States
What is policy conservatism?
ANSWER: a state's tendency to limit welfare benefits, deregulate business, keep
taxes low, and generally less reliance on government and more reliance on
individuals and the marketplace to achieve social goals; fits better with
individualistic culture
What is policy liberalism?
ANSWER: a state's tendency to expand welfare benefits, regulate business, adopt
progressive state income taxes, and generally use government to achieve social
goals; fits better with moralistic culture
Federalism ANSWER: way of organizing nation/state/country so that 2 or more
levels of gov have authority over the same land and people; shared power; not
common; decentralizes power, politics, and power
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Unitary ANSWER: centralized power
Confederation ANSWER: decentralized power
Why are states called "laboratories of democracy?"
ANSWER: they can more easily implement new policies than the national
government; policy innovators
What is nullification?
Answer: theory not practice; states reserve right to invalidate any federal law
which that state has deemed unconstitutional with respect to u.s. constitution;
violates full faith and credit
What are enumerated or delegated powers?
Answer: powers specifically given to the federal government in constitution
(article 1, section 8); includes power to coin money, declare war, raise and
maintain armed forces, and establish a post office
What are implied powers?
Answer: powers given to congress that aren't in the constitution; gives congress the
power to do whatever is 'necessary & proper' to carry out expressed powers
What is the 10th amendment?
POLS 207 Exam
Correct Questions, Answers and Key
Political Concepts.
Which policies are state/local governments responsible for?
ANSWER: policies concerning healthcare, health and welfare (biggest 2),
transportation, public safety, civil rights, physical environment, and taxation
Which policies are the federal government responsible for?
ANSWER: financial and budgetary matters, through the enumerated power to lay
and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the
common defense and general welfare of the United States
What is policy conservatism?
ANSWER: a state's tendency to limit welfare benefits, deregulate business, keep
taxes low, and generally less reliance on government and more reliance on
individuals and the marketplace to achieve social goals; fits better with
individualistic culture
What is policy liberalism?
ANSWER: a state's tendency to expand welfare benefits, regulate business, adopt
progressive state income taxes, and generally use government to achieve social
goals; fits better with moralistic culture
Federalism ANSWER: way of organizing nation/state/country so that 2 or more
levels of gov have authority over the same land and people; shared power; not
common; decentralizes power, politics, and power
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Unitary ANSWER: centralized power
Confederation ANSWER: decentralized power
Why are states called "laboratories of democracy?"
ANSWER: they can more easily implement new policies than the national
government; policy innovators
What is nullification?
Answer: theory not practice; states reserve right to invalidate any federal law
which that state has deemed unconstitutional with respect to u.s. constitution;
violates full faith and credit
What are enumerated or delegated powers?
Answer: powers specifically given to the federal government in constitution
(article 1, section 8); includes power to coin money, declare war, raise and
maintain armed forces, and establish a post office
What are implied powers?
Answer: powers given to congress that aren't in the constitution; gives congress the
power to do whatever is 'necessary & proper' to carry out expressed powers
What is the 10th amendment?
