BE SURE TO WRITE YOUR NAME ON YOUR ANSWER SHEET!!
IMPORTANT: MAKE ALL ERASURES COMPLETELY - IT IS YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO CLEARLY INDICATE YOUR CHOSEN
ANSWER. RESPONSES THAT ARE NOT COMPLETELY ERASED
WILL BE COUNTED AS INCORRECT. THIS EXAM IS WORTH 100
POINTS.
Temple College
Government 2302
Summer, 1999
THIS EXAM IS
Exam #1
Y2K COMPLIANT.
MULTIPLE CHOICE. INSTRUCTIONS: Answer each of the following
multiple choice questions by marking the letter on your scan-tron form that
corresponds to the BEST response. 71 questions/1.41 points each/100 points
total.
1. In class, we proposed two opposing lines of argument concerning the apparent lack
of efficiency and effectiveness of government in the United States. Which of the
following is the proper pair of criticisms?
a. incompetent or corrupt politicians AND uninformed voters
b. uninformed voters AND the amount of money in election campaigns
c. incompetent or corrupt politicians AND a decentralized political system
d. none of these
2. The framers of the U.S. Constitution attempted to prevent tyranny by
a. requiring that congress defer to the other branches of government.
b. not giving congress many powers.
c. making tyranny unconstitutional.
d. decentralizing political power through institutional mechanisms such as separation
of powers.
3. Both politics and policy differ between the American and parliamentary versions of
democracy. The form of democracy developed in the United States is a product of
a. its constitutional system.
b. the treaty that ended the American Revolution.
c. the dominance of strong political parties in the American system.
d. the “Connecticut Compromise.”
4. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the American system, but IS of the
parliamentary system?
a. The legislature may remove the executive on grounds of policy disagreement.
b. The executive and members of the legislature are separately elected.
c. Members of the legislature are constitutionally-prohibited from serving in the
executive’s cabinet.
d. Divided party government is highly probable.
5. In a parliamentary system, the prime minister is usually chosen by the
a. nation’s voters. b. legislature’s majority party. c. cabinet.
d. ruling monarch.
6. According to Richard Beth (“Principle Characteristics of the Parliamentary System”),
which of the following is NOT a likely feature of politics in a parliamentary system?
a. legislative/executive deadlock b. strong political parties
c. coalition government d. all of these ARE likely features.
7. An important implication of our comparison of the parliamentary and American
systems is that the structure of a political system emphasizes some values and not
others. Which values are BEST served by the decentralized nature of the American
system?
a. efficient and effective government
b. effective, but prudent government
c. circumscribed (limited), deliberate government
d. crippled, impotent government
8. The concept of separation of powers was included in the Constitution to prevent
a. a major dispute between the federal government and the state governments.
b. A major dispute over power between the states.
c. A major dispute over power between the House and the Senate.
d. Tyranny (concentration of power resulting in governmental abuse of individual
liberties).
9. A bicameral legislature is
a. a legislature made up of two chambers.
b. Required to meet every other year.
c. A requirement for each state.
d. Both a and b.
10. According to FEDERALIST #10, “There are two methods for curing the mischiefs of
factions: ….” Which of the following did Madison prefer?
a. removing the factions
b. controlling the effects of factions
c. eliminating the need for factions
d. prohibiting the establishment of factions
11. According to FEDERALIST #51, “In republican government,
a. the executive authority necessarily predominates.”
b. Economic activity is left to the invisible hand of the market place.”
c. the judicial authority necessarily predominates.”
d. the legislative authority necessarily predominates.”
12. As drafted by the Philadelphia convention in 1787, the Constitution divided powers
among three branches of government because
a. the founding fathers wanted to ensure plenty of important positions for
themselves.
b. separation of powers would serve to limit the power of the government and
therefore protect individual rights.
c. the founding fathers lacked the practical experience to recognize the
awkwardness of the system they had created.
d. this is the most efficient way to organize government.
13. Which of the following statements BEST characterizes the principle of separation
of powers under the U.S. Constitution?
a. Legislative, executive, and judicial powers are separated exercised by three
independent branches of government.
b. The three levels of government in the American system (national, state, and local)
all have separate and unrelated areas of autonomous power.
c. Democrats should either control the Congress or the presidency while the
Republicans control the other -- but neither should control both at the same time.
d. Each state has sovereignty to control the activities within its own borders.
14. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the two chambers of
Congress reflected the social class biases of the founding fathers. Which of the
following statements is TRUE?
a. The House was to be composed of the elite of society while the Senate was
meant to represent the lower classes of people.
b. The House was meant to represent the people while the Senate was to be
controlled by the Whigs, an elitist party that was a carry over from England.
c. The House was to meant to represent the people while the Senate was meant to
represent the states.
d. The House was to meant to represent the states while the Senate was meant to
represent religious and ethnic minority groups.
15. Which two basic functions or responsibilities given Congress by the Constitution
appear to be inherently at odds with one another?
a. oversight and law-making b. law-making and representation
c. representation and logrolling d. logrolling and redistricting
16. A fragmented Congress
a. is likely to have members with a constituency focus.
b. is relatively insulated from interest group pressures.
c. is tightly organized around strong political parties.
d. all of the above.
17. Which of the following BEST describes the "natural" state of Congress?
a. efficient b. integrated c. fragmented d. unprofessional
18. Subgovernment or policy triangle refers to the relationship among federal agencies
(bureaus), interest groups, and __________ in a given area of public policy.
a. the news media b. cabinet officers c. the White House staff
d. none of these
19. The concept of LOGROLLING refers to
a. action taken by a senator that attempts to prevent a bill from passing in the
Senate.
b. a method that is used to keep one bill on the floor for an extended period of time,
thus blocking all legislation.
c. an arrangement by which two or more members of Congress agree in advance to
support each other’s bills.
d. a method that the president uses when he wants to prevent the passage of
legislation.
20. The "hurdles" which a bill has to clear in the legislative process are called
a. "stop-gaps." b. "delay points." c. "veto points." d. "counter-points."
21. A typical bill, complete with appropriations measures and riders (non-germane
amendments), would probably have to clear somewhere between _______________
of the "hurdles" alluded to in question #20.
a. 5 - 10 b. 20 - 30 c. 50 - 70 d. 10,000 - 20,000
22. A filibuster is
a. an attempt to prevent the passage of a bill by halting action through unlimited
debate.
b. an attempt to persuade others to vote for a particular bill in return for a favor at a
later date.
c. a device used to force a bill out of a standing committee.
d. a new 3/4 lb. beef sandwich at the Dairy Queen.
23. Which of the following is most likely to use a filibuster?
a. a House member who supports a bill that is likely to be passed by the majority.
b. a Senator who supports a bill that is likely to be passed by the majority.
c. a. a House member who opposes a bill that is likely to be passed by the majority.
d. a Senator who opposes a bill that is likely to be passed by the majority.
24. Most of the actual work of legislating is
a. performed by interest groups and then acted upon by Congress.
b. accomplished in state legislatures and then the more acceptable ideas are acted
upon by Congress.
c. performed by the president and his staff and then routinely accepted by Congress.
d. performed by the committees and subcommittees within Congress.
25. By far, the most important committees within Congress are the
a. joint resolution committees. b. special investigative committees.
c. standing committees. d. none of these.
26. A conference committee is
a. a special committee convened to resolve the differences between the Congress
and the president on legislative issues.
b. called into session when the president has vetoed an appropriations bill with a
pocket veto.
c. a special committee convened to reconcile differences between House and
Senate versions of a bill.
d. a special committee in the House that assists the Speaker in enacting his party’s
legislative agenda.
27. Which of the following statements would BEST characterize Americans'
expectations regarding presidential leadership?
a. Americans are generally undemanding of presidential leadership.
b. Americans have unrealistically high expectations of their presidents.
c. Americans are so thoroughly disgusted with presidential lying and corruption that
they seem to have no expectations whatsoever of presidential leadership.
d. The expectations of Americans are generally consistent with the reality of
presidential power.
28. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the express powers of
the president are
a. broad grants of power that all heads of government are assumed to have.
b. situations that require the president to take quick action.
c. powers that are expressly written into the Constitution.
d. powers stemming from Supreme Court decisions concerning the area of foreign
policy.
29. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the inherent powers
of the president are
a. rare situations when the vice-president must take control of the government due
to the death or resignation of the president.
b. powers that are transferred from one president to the next providing they are of
the same political party.
c. specific grants of power for the president within the Constitution.
d. powers derived from the loosely worded language in the Constitution which state
that the president “shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.”
30. If you subscribed to the literalist theory of presidential power you would believe that
the president has
a. inherent powers. b. inherent and statutory powers. c. only express powers.
d. no powers.
31. The president's role as a leader in the legislative process
a. became almost non-existent with the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt.
b. was at its height at the end of the 19th century.
c. is largely a phenomenon that has occurred since the Great Depression.
d. is prescribed by the Constitution; therefore, his degree of influence never
changes.
32. Tom Wicker ("Whatever Became of Jimmy Carter?") suggests that Carter was a
statesman because
a. he was most interested in how his decisions would affect his political fortunes.
b. he most often made decisions based on what he believed was morally correct
without respect to the political consequences.
c. he was able to cultivate strong working relationships with all of his constituencies,
making it much easier for him to secure support for his legislative initiatives.
d. he had a talent for telling the American people exactly what they wanted to hear.
33. Which of the following powers are explicitly delegated to the president by the
Constitution?
1. to be commander-in-chief 2. to act as manager of the economy
3. to be domestic crisis manager 4. to be chief foreign policy maker
5. to appoint the Speaker of the House of Representatives
a. 1, 2, and 3 b. 1, 2, 3, and 4 c. all of these d. 1 only
34. The personal political skill of the president
a. has little bearing on public perceptions of his leadership ability.
b. is far less important than the constitutional powers of the president.
c. is a primary source of presidential power.
d. really does not vary much from one president to another.
35. A president who comes to Washington with a clear set of predetermined goals, who
pursues those goals unbendingly, and who refuses to engage in political
compromise with other leaders (e.g., those in Congress) will probably
a. be seen as a strong and successful president.
b. be unsuccessful at cultivating strong working relationships with important
constituencies such as Congress and the news media.
c. over-power all political resistance.
d. be impeached.
36. The BEST example of the type of president described in the previous question is
a. Ronald Reagan. b. Lyndon Johnson. c. Jimmy Carter. d. Franklin Roosevelt.
37. Which of the following accurately describe the reality of presidential power?
1. unlimited 2. personal 3. negative 4. episodic 5. mythical
a. 1 and 4 b. 1 and 5 c. 1, 2, and 3
d. 2, 3, and 4
38. Which term indicates that the president does NOT have the power to continuously
control or manage the legislative process?
a. limited b. episodic c. micromanage d. negative
39. In contrast to the powers given to the president by the Constitution, the powers
constitutionally granted to Congress are described in terms that are more
a. detailed. b. moral. c. discretionary. d. general.
40. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the “fourth branch of
government” is a term often used to describe the
a. impact of congressional staff on public policy-making.
b. role of interest groups in the governmental system.
c. federal bureaucracy.
d. role of political parties.
41. Bureaucracy is the name given to
a. any large branch of government that has power to interpret laws.
b. any organization that has major problems when attempting to accomplish its
goals.
c. a group of people who work together to enforce policies in a way that prevents
quick results.
d. a large organization which is structured hierarchically and which is supposed to
carry out specific functions.
42. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the federal
bureaucracy in the United States
a. enjoys a greater degree of autonomy compared to governmental bureaucracies in
other countries.
b. is more restricted than governmental bureaucracies in other countries.
c. is less efficient than governmental bureaucracies in other countries.
d. suffers from more frequent turnover of personnel than governmental
bureaucracies in other countries.
43. According to Max Weber, a bureaucracy should
a. set up regulations that prevent the average person from quickly understanding the
purpose of the rule.
b. prevent specialization for it only leads to delay in policy implementation.
c. only exist within a democratic form of government.
d. be an apolitical organization.
44. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the Weberian Model
of bureaucracy advocates
a. a rational decision-making process.
b. a hierarchical organization.
c. expanded budgets and increased size of the bureaucracy.
d. both a and b.
45. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the Acquisitive Model
of bureaucracy states
a. decision-making should be a rational process.
b. organization should be hierarchical.
c. bureaucracies seek expanded budgets and increased size.
d. both a and b.
46. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the Monopolistic
Model of bureaucracy states
a. decision-making should be a rational process.
b. organization should be hierarchical.
c. bureaucracies are not competitive and are therefore inefficient.
d. both a and b.
47. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the Garbage Can
Model of bureaucracy states
a. decision-making should be a rational process.
b. bureaucracies are rudderless entities with little formal organization.
c. bureaucracies seek expanded budgets and increased size.
d. both a and b.
48. Which federal bureaucracies have the broadest areas of program implementation
responsibility?
a. independent agencies and regulatory commissions. b. government corporations.
c. the cabinet departments. d. the Executive Office of the Presidency.
49. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the function of
independent regulatory agencies is to
a. provide a check on the power of the cabinet departments.
b. make and implement rules and regulations in a particular sector of the economy
to protect the public interest.
c. regulate the actions of congressional committees.
d. establish guidelines for the creation of government corporations.
50. __________ provide services that could theoretically be provided by the private
sector but, for some reason, Congress has determined that they should be linked to
government.
a. Government corporations b. Presidential agencies
c. Cabinet departments d. Independent regulatory commissions
51. An example of a government corporation is
a. Federal Express, a private mail service for packages and bulk mail.
b. the Department of Defense when it sells weapons systems to other countries.
c. the Tennessee Valley Authority, which supplies electricity to customers in certain
southern states.
d. the United States District Court in Washington, D.C.
52. Which of the following is among the reasons discussed in class for the rapid growth
in bureaucracies during the late 1880s, the 1930s, and the 1960s?
1. advances in science and technology
2. the perceived need for regulation of business activities
3. increased government responsibilities in providing income security
4. the American cultural belief in progress (technology fix)
5. bureaucratic imperialism
a. all of these b. 1 and 3 c. 1, 2, and 4 d. 2, 3, and 5
53. Presidential attempts to significantly affect the structure and operation of federal
bureaucracies have
a. been very successful.
b. been a result of hard work and are beginning to pay off.
c. been almost completely unsuccessful.
d. had significant when Congress has been controlled by Republicans.
54. One of the most important differences between private corporations and public
bureaucracies is that the latter are
a. much larger.
b. much more labor intensive.
c. not organized to make a profit.
d. subject to change much more frequently.
55. Because laws are often drafted in such vague and general terms, agencies
a. are given the impossible task of determining the intent of Congress.
b. defer to interest groups for direction.
c. decide how best to carry out the wishes of Congress.
d. often refuse to carry out these vague policies.
56. A realistic view of the role of bureaucracy in policy making is where agencies and
departments of government
a. play a neutral role in policy making.
b. only provide relevant information to the policy makers.
c. administer the decisions of Congress without attempting to influence policies.
d. play an important role in policy making.
57. Social regulatory policies
a. impose costs on businesses to produce positive social outcomes.
b. usually affect only one or two businesses.
c. are designed to stabilize an industry.
d. often result in the formation of limited monopolies.
58. Generally, “old-style” regulatory commissions
a. dealt with a single industry.
b. were governed by a board of 7 to 15 commissioners.
c. often became “captured” by regulated industries.
d. all of these.
59. According to McConnell and Brue [ECONOMICS, Chapter 32 (photocopied reading)],
“industrial concentration” refers to
a. firms that are absolutely large.
b. firms that are relatively large.
c. firms that are either absolutely or relatively large.
d. firms that are both absolutely and relatively large.
60. According to McConnell and Brue [ECONOMICS, Chapter 32], which of the following
laws stated that contracts and conspiracies in restraint of trade, monopolies,
attempts to monopolize, and conspiracies to monopolize are illegal?
a. Sherman Act
b. Clayton Act
c. Federal Trade Commission Act
d. Wheeler-Lea Act
61. According to McConnell and Brue, which of the following laws has given the Federal
Trade Commission the task of preventing false and misleading advertising and the
misrepresentation of products?
a. Sherman Act
b. Clayton Act
c. Federal Trade Commission Act
d. Wheeler-Lea Act
62. According to McConnell and Brue, the overall effect of deregulation of American
industry over the past couple of decades has been
a. higher prices, higher costs, and decreased output
b. higher prices and higher costs, but increased output
c. lower prices and lower costs, but decreased output
d. lower prices, lower costs, and increased output
63. According to McConnell and Brue, which of the following is a major criticism leveled
against social regulation by its opponents?
a. It is procompetitive.
b. It will decrease the rate of innovation in the economy.
c. It will increase the amount of price-fixing among businesses.
d. It will require too long a time lag for it to achieve its objectives.
64. According to McConnell and Brue, supporters of social regulation contend that
a. there is a pressing need to reduce the number of mergers in American business.
b. the presence of “natural monopoly” requires strong regulatory action by
government.
c. the social benefits of this type of regulation will exceed its social costs over time.
d. administrative and compliance costs are often exaggerated.
65. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the market for “smog
futures” refers to
a. the buying and selling of pollution allowances.
b. California air pollution standards.
c. The possibility of smog control in the near future.
d. Air pollution in its worst form.
66. Which of the following logical fallacies do you commit when you state reasons or
premises that are irrelevant to your conclusion?
a. begging the question
b. slippery slope
c. non sequitur
d. ad hominem
67. Which of the following logical fallacies do you commit when you assume that there is
a cause and effect relationship between Event A and Event B simply because Event
A preceded Event B in the order of time?
a. traditional wisdom
b. slippery slope
c. straw man
d. post hoc fallacy
68. Which of the following logical fallacies do you commit when you attack an opponent
rather than his or her arguments?
a. non sequitur
b. false dilemma
c. post hoc fallacy
d. ad hominem
69. Which of the following logical fallacies do you commit when an equivocation results
from using a term or concept that has more than one meaning?
a. two wrongs make a right
b. ambiguity
c. straw man
d. false dilemma
70. Which of the following logical fallacies do you commit when you assert that, if a first
action is taken, a second, but undesirable action will result, which will then lead to
another even more undesirable result, and so on?
a. begging the question
b. straw man
c. post hoc fallacy
d. slippery slope
71. Which of the following logical fallacies do you commit when you erroneously reduce
the number of alternatives to (usually) just two?
a. begging the question
b. false dilemma
c. two wrongs make a right
d. post hoc fallacy