California Government Exam Questions
Course Introduction
California Government explores the structure, functions, and dynamics of state and local government in California. The course examines the states constitution, political institutions, the roles of the governor and legislature, policy-making processes, and the influence of interest groups and direct democracy. Students will analyze how California's demographic diversity, economy, and social challenges shape public policy and governance. Emphasis is placed on understanding the unique features of California's political landscape and how they compare to broader national trends.
Recommended Textbook
Governing California in the Twenty-First Century 5th Edition by J. Theodore Anagnoson
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10 Chapters
301 Verified Questions
301 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/273
Page 2
Chapter 1: California Government: Promise and Practice
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4474
Sample Questions
Q1) A majoritarian government is one where
A) large numbers of people do not vote.
B) citizens have the power to influence political decisions through direct democracy.
C) direct democracy plays no role.
D) the courts make the majority of political decisions.
Answer: B
Q2) From 2008 to 2012, what was California's poverty rate?
A) 8.5 percent
B) 13.7 percent
C) 15.3 percent
D) 16.2 percent
Answer: C
Q3) What are the major factors that continue to fuel a crisis in California and how can they be changed?
Answer: Answer will vary
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3
Chapter 2: The Constitution and the Progressive Legacy
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What level of vote does the California Constitution require before the legislature can propose a constitutional amendment?
A) a simple majority in both houses of the legislature
B) a simple majority in the members that are present in both houses of the legislature
C) a two-thirds majority in both houses of the legislature
D) a three-fourths majority in both houses of the legislature
Answer: C
Q2) Elections by which a political party nominates candidates to represent it in the general election are called
A) nonpartisan elections.
B) recall elections.
C) run off elections.
D) primary elections.
Answer: D
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4
Chapter 3: Interest Groups and the Media in California
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4476
Sample Questions
Q1) In-house lobbyists differ from contract lobbyists because they
A) offer their services directly to the public.
B) donate more money to political candidates.
C) work only for a specific interest group.
D) focus solely on lobbying the executive branch.
Answer: C
Q2) The elitist theory suggests that
A) the political system in California is controlled by a few wealthy individuals who can bribe political officials to change public policy and laws.
B) the political system is considered a marketplace in which a multitude of interest groups compete to control public policy.
C) there are one or two elite groups within California that have enough resources and influence to control policy and law enforcement.
D) there are many active interest groups, but the power rests in the hands of a few groups such as large national and multinational corporations, universities, and public policy institutes.
Answer: D
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5
Chapter 4: Parties and Elections in California
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31 Verified Questions
31 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What proposition established a blanket primary and was eventually ruled to be unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court?
A) Proposition 11
B) Proposition 34
C) Proposition 198
D) Proposition 208
Q2) How much money did Meg Whitman spend running for governor in 2010?
A) $60 million
B) $160 million
C) $180 million
D) $200 million
Q3) Which of the following is a positive aspect of third parties in California?
A) Third parties rarely act as spoilers.
B) Third parties do not draw votes away from the two major parties.
C) Third parties help focus public attention on important political issues.
D) Third parties reduce voter turnout in close elections.
Q4) What groups comprise the California electorate, and which are most and least likely to vote?
Q5) How has the initiative process fared in California, and what criticisms of it have been made?
6
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Chapter 5: The California Legislature
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4478
Sample Questions
Q1) The leader of the California Assembly is called the
A) majority leader.
B) speaker.
C) majority pro tem.
D) governor.
Q2) What is the structure of the California legislature?
A) There are two chambers, which consist of the Assembly and Parliament.
B) There are two chambers, which consist of the House of Representatives and Senate.
C) There is only one chamber as the Senate dominates.
D) There are two chambers, which consist of the Assembly and the Senate.
Q3) How many bills did the California legislature pass in the 2013-2014 legislative session?
A) 988
B) 1,191
C) 1,431
D) 1,970
Q4) What are some of the negative aspects of term limits on the California legislature?
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Chapter 6: The Governor and the Executive Branch
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What specific area requires the governor to get the legislature's cooperation?
A) budget
B) interest group connections
C) the line-item veto
D) great speeches
Q2) How is the bureaucracy in California organized? How does it relate to the governor?
Q3) The state board of equalization is charged with the responsibility of
A) distributing state highway funds.
B) auditing all state expenditures.
C) controlling the expenditures of the executive branch.
D) overseeing the assessment and administration of property taxes.
Q4) The governor is the commander-in-chief of
A) all military forces stationed in California.
B) the California National Guard.
C) all county sheriff's departments.
D) only the police department in Sacramento.
Q5) Describe the informal powers of the governor of California. How have these powers been used?
Q6) What factors suggest that the governor of California is "invisible"?
Page 8
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Chapter 7: The California Judiciary
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) How many superior courts are located in California?
A) 58
B) 98
C) 126
D) 187
Q2) Which U.S. Supreme Court justice has been a vocal critic of state judicial elections?
A) Sonia Sotomayor
B) Sandra Day O'Connor
C) Carol Corrigan
D) John Roberts
Q3) Jurisdiction refers to
A) the power of the governor to overturn decisions made by the California Supreme Court.
B) the kind of law the court handles and the geographic location.
C) the ability of the Assembly to withhold a bill before a vote within the chamber.
D) the ability of the Senate to withhold a bill before a vote within the chamber.
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Chapter 8: The State Budget and Budgetary Limitations
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4481
Sample Questions
Q1) What category accounts for the largest expenditure in California's budget?
A) higher education
B) education (K-12)
C) corrections and rehabilitation
D) health and human services
Q2) What is the average sales tax in California?
A) 7.25 percent
B) 7.50 percent
C) 7.75 percent
D) 8.25 percent
Q3) What arguments do liberals and conservatives make about taxes in California?
Q4) California's bond rating has been increased to A from just above junk status mainly because
A) the state's income no longer fluctuates.
B) the state's revenues have increased in recent times.
C) the governor no longer uses the line-item veto.
D) the state's population desires to pay higher taxes.
Q5) Why does income from taxes vary in California? Which taxes are likely to vary the most?
Q6) What was the intent of Proposition 13? What impact did it have in California?
Page 10
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Chapter 9: Local Government
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4482
Sample Questions
Q1) In California, what is the general purpose of local governments, such as cities and counties?
A) manage interstate highways, regulate foreign trade, and maintain weapons and training for security agencies such as Homeland Security
B) fight fires, clean streets, and protect the health, safety, welfare, and overall quality of life of all who live within their jurisdiction
C) regulate banks, alcohol and gun sales, print currency, and exchange intelligence information with various law enforcement agencies
D) protect the border, regulate interstate commerce, negotiate with foreign countries, and monitor the sale of prescription drugs, alcohol, and guns
Q2) Two types of incorporated cities are
A) general law cities and non-Dillon's Rule cities.
B) home rule cities and Dillon's Rule cities.
C) general law cities and charter cities.
D) charter cities and home rule cities.
Q3) What are the functions of county governments in California and how are they organized?
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Chapter 10: Public Policy in California
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4483
Sample Questions
Q1) The biggest problem facing groundwater in California is A) evaporation.
B) underutilization.
C) soil erosion.
D) contamination.
Q2) The Affordable Care Act has had what effect in California?
A) during the first six months over a million people purchased health insurance
B) little or no impact
C) less people have health insurance now than in 2012
D) driven the cost of health insurance down by over 50 percent
Q3) Medicaid does NOT pay for medical treatment for A) the poor.
B) U.S. citizens.
C) undocumented immigrants.
D) couples without children.
Q4) Ethnically, most people without health insurance in California are
A) African American.
B) Caucasian.
C) Asian American.
D) Latino.
Page 12
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