POLS 1150 Exam 1, questions and answers 100% correct

POLS 1150 Exam 1, questions and answers 100% correct Free speech and a free press are essential to which principle of traditional democratic theory? enlightened understanding Which principle of traditional democracy theory is violated in circumstances in which the wealthy have influence far exceeding what would be expected based on their numbers? citizen control of the agenda When the U.S. government is more limited and smaller than other advanced industrialized countries is a reflection of the strength of which type of economic policies? laissez-faire What is true of public policy? It includes all decisions and non decisions made by government. The who of politics includes voters, candidates, groups and parties; the what refers to which of the following? the substance of politics and government-benefits and burdens The U.S. Constitution was adopted in response to the weaknesses of the Articles of __________. Confederation Which philosopher greatly influenced the colonists' views on the role of government? John Locke Which of the following was a powerful economic group during the colonial era? New England Merchants The colonists generally believed that a constitution should mark the limits of what type of government power? Legitimate Which congress debated and drafted the Declaration of Independence? The Continental Congress The United States was the __________ nation to adopt a federal system of government. First What was the dominant form of federalism early in the history of the United States? Dual In Gibbons v. Ogden, the Supreme Court held that Congress has the power to regulate __________ activity. Commercial What is an example of a shared power between states and the federal government? The power to tax What is an example of a formula grant? Medicaid The true leader of the Senate is the __________, elected by the majority party. Majority Leader In the Senate, and particularly in the House of Representatives, it takes a large shift in votes to affect the outcomes of most elections. To increase turnover in the membership of Congress, some reformers have proposed __________ for representatives and senators. Term Limitations Why are there currently 435 members in the House of Representatives? The number is fixed at this limit by a statute. What best represents the trend of party polarization over the last three decades? The parties have become more homogeneous internally as they have pulled apart ideologically. The Constitutional Convention resulted in what form of legislature? Bicameral How long are terms in the House? 2 years How long are terms in the Senate? 6 years What is the American political system defined as? A constitutional, representative democracy What are the requirements for a Republic? Majority with protection of minority rights What was Shay's Rebellion? Farmers revolted to try and win a stronger national government What was the purpose of the Philadelphia Convention? To establish a republic What was the 3/5 Compromise? A compromise between Southern and Northern states reached during the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 in which three-fifths of the population of slaves would be counted for enumeration purposes regarding both the distribution of taxes and the apportionment of the members of the United States House of Representatives. In terms of representation, what kind of representation did New Jersey want? Virginia? Equal; Proportional What was the Connecticut Compromise? An agreement during the Constitutional Convention that Congress should be composed of a Senate, in which states would be represented equally, and a House, in which representation would be based on a State's population How does the Constitution limit the government? Through grants of power, denials of power, the separation of powers (checks & balances), elections, amendments, and federalism (which protects individual liberties) What is Constitutionalism? Basic principle that government and those who govern must obey the law; the rule of law What is Judicial Review? Authority given the courts to review constitutionality of acts by the executive/state/legislature; est. by the Marbury v. Madison case What is included in the Amendment Process? 1) An amendment is proposed (must receive a 2/3 vote of approval in both houses) 2) Ratification (must receive a 3/4 vote of approval by state legislatures) What are some examples of non- constitutional checks and balances on the government? The media, political parties, trends towards direct democracy, and the growth of regulatory agencies What is Federalism? The sharing of powers between federal and state governments. What is Sovereignty? The authority to rule without interference from another government What is Dillon's Rule? A court ruling that local governments do not have any inherent sovereignty but instead must be authorized by state government; local governments are "creatures of the state" What are examples of different structures of government? Federalism, unitary, and confederation How is power structured in a Unitary form of government? Power is concentrated in the national government, and sub divisional (state) governments act as agents; i.e. France or Japan How is power structured in a Confederation form of government? Power is concentrated in the sub divisional (state) governments, and the national government is not sovereign (they get all of their powers from the states) Why was Federalism needed in the United States? Because it provided checks and balances, unity without uniformity, experimentation in government, and it keeps the government close to the people What are Checks and Balances? A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power What did the Supremacy Clause establish? It makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits (Article VI of the Constitution) What are Expressed Powers? Powers directly stated in the constitution What is an example of an Expressed Power? The Interstate Commerce Clause What are Implied Powers? Powers inferred from the expressed powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions What is an example of an Implied Power? The Necessary and Proper Clause Necessary and Proper Clause Clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3), which sets forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress, in addition to its expressed powers, has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the national government