American Government CLEP Study Guide 2022

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following statements best reflects the pluralist theory of American politics?

  • All political opinions are equally represented.
  • Democracy must be led by a single political party.
  • Public policies emerge from compromises reached among competing groups. (correct)
  • Political power is concentrated among a small elitist group.

Which of the following is generally the most significant influence on an individual's identification with a particular political party?

  • Education
  • Geographic location
  • Family (correct)
  • Socioeconomic status

Which of the following committee assignments would confer the most power and influence on members of the House of Representatives?

  • Appropriations
  • Judiciary
  • Ways and Means (correct)
  • Foreign Affairs

Which of the following statements about Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka is correct?

<p>It declared segregation by race in the public schools unconstitutional. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Prior to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, literacy tests were used by some southern states to

<p>Prevent African Americans from exercising their right to vote. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The practice whereby individual senators can veto federal judicial nominations in their respective states is called

<p>senatorial courtesy</p> Signup and view all the answers

Differences between House and Senate versions of a bill are resolved

<p>in a conference committee</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following principles protects a citizen from imprisonment without trial?

<p>Due process (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The passage of legislation in Congress often depends on mutual accommodations among members. This suggests that, to some extent, congressional behavior is based on

<p>The principle of reciprocity (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements accurately describes the president's veto power?

<p>A president sometimes threatens to veto a bill that is under discussion in order to influence congressional decision making. (A), Congress is usually unable to override a president's veto. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

All of the following issues were decided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 EXCEPT

<p>Voting qualifications of the electorate (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The principle of stare decisis refers to which of the following?

<p>The judicial principle of following precedents that were established in previous court decisions</p> Signup and view all the answers

The usefulness to the president of having cabinet members as political advisers is undermined by the fact that

<p>the loyalties of cabinet members are often divided between loyalty to the president and loyalty to their own executive departments</p> Signup and view all the answers

All of the following are constitutional rights that neither the federal government nor the states can restrict EXCEPT the right to

<p>Be indicted by grand jury (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the electoral history of the United States, third parties have been effective vehicles of protest when they

<p>dramatized issues and positions that were being ignored by the major parties</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines the term 'judicial activism'?

<p>Judges attempting to influence public policy through their case decisions (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

High levels of political participation have been found to be positively associated with which of the following?

<p>All of the above (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the past 30 years, the single most important variable in determining the outcome of an election for a member of the House of Representatives has been

<p>incumbency</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the concept of federalism embodied in the United States government?

<p>The Constitution divides power between a central government and its constituent governments, with some powers being shared. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The power of the Rules Committee in the House of Representatives primarily stems from its authority to

<p>limit the time for debate and determine whether amendments to a bill can be considered</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a function of the White House Office?

<p>Advising the president on political decisions (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

A major difference between political parties and interest groups is that interest groups generally do NOT

<p>Run candidates for office (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

An election is a realigning or critical election if

<p>It produces a significant shift in voter coalition. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

Pluralist Theory

  • Public policies arise from compromises among competing groups, reflecting the pluralist theory of American politics.

Political Party Identification

  • Family influence generally ranks as the most significant factor in an individual's political party identification.

House of Representatives Power

  • The Ways and Means Committee provides the highest level of power and influence to its members in the House of Representatives.

Brown v. Board of Education

  • This landmark case declared that segregation by race in public schools is unconstitutional.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

  • Prior to this Act, literacy tests were employed by southern states to disenfranchise African American voters.

Senatorial Courtesy

  • A practice where individual senators can block federal judicial nominations within their states.

Conference Committee

  • A conference committee resolves discrepancies between House and Senate versions of a bill.

Due Process

  • This principle safeguards citizens from being imprisoned without trial.

Congressional Behavior

  • Legislation passage often relies on mutual accommodations, indicating that congressional behavior operates on the principle of reciprocity.

Presidential Veto Power

  • Presidential vetoes can influence Congress; however, only about one-third of bills passed by Congress are vetoed, and overriding a veto is typically challenging for Congress.

Constitutional Convention of 1787

  • Significant issues resolved at this convention did not include the voting qualifications of the electorate.

Stare Decisis

  • This judicial principle mandates that courts follow precedents established in previous decisions.

Cabinet Members' Loyalties

  • Cabinet members may struggle with divided loyalties between their allegiance to the president and their responsibilities to their departments.

Constitutional Rights

  • While numerous rights are protected from restriction, the right to be indicted by a grand jury is not uniquely protected for both federal and state jurisdictions.

Third Parties in Elections

  • Historically, third parties have effectively protested issues that major parties ignored, influencing public discourse.

Judicial Activism

  • Defined as judges' attempts to shape public policy through their decisions.

Political Participation

  • High levels of political participation correlate positively with a strong interest in politics, a sense of political efficacy, and a sense of civic duty.

Incumbency

  • In recent elections, incumbency has emerged as the most critical factor influencing the outcomes for House of Representatives members.

Federalism

  • The U.S. government exemplifies federalism by dividing power between a central government and its constituents while allowing for some shared powers.

Rules Committee in the House

  • The Rules Committee has significant authority to regulate debate duration and determine whether amendments to legislation may be considered.

White House Office Function

  • The White House Office primarily advises the president on political decisions.

Political Parties vs. Interest Groups

  • Unlike political parties, interest groups do not typically seek slots on electoral ballots.

Realigning or Critical Election

  • An election is termed realigning or critical when there is a lasting shift in party coalitions.

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