Comparative State Government Practice Exam
Course Introduction
Comparative State Government explores the diverse structures, functions, and processes of state governments within a federal system, primarily focusing on the United States while incorporating comparative perspectives from other nations. The course examines the constitutional frameworks, legislative, executive, and judicial branches, patterns of political participation, policy development, and intergovernmental relations at the state level. Through analysis of case studies and current events, students gain insights into how different states address social, economic, and political challenges, the influence of regional and historical contexts, and the impact of state governments on citizens daily lives.
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) From 1904 to 2012, how many initiatives has California had?
A) 352
B) 329
C) 209
D) 178
Answer: A
Q2) What did Proposition 28 change?
A) It allows legislators to serve 12 years.
B) It allows the governor to seek unlimited terms.
C) It lowered the requirement for tax increases from two-thirds to a simple majority.
D) It permits the governor to appoint mayors in charter cities.
Answer: A
Q3) What are the term limits for statewide offices such as the governor, attorney general, and secretary of state?
A) one term (6 years)
B) two terms (8 years)
C) two terms (12 years)
D) unlimited terms
Answer: B
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Page 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) In California, voters can propose a constitutional amendment through A) a recall election.
B) the referendum.
C) the initiative process.
D) a primary election.
Answer: C
Q2) A characteristic of California government that is NOT a legacy of the Progressive movement is
A) nonpartisan elections.
B) the office block ballot.
C) strong political parties.
D) the recall.
Answer: C
Q3) The goal of the Progressive movement was to reduce the power of A) local government.
B) the California Supreme Court.
C) presidential candidates.
D) corporations and corrupt politicians.
Answer: D
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Page 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) What are contract lobbyists?
A) They are employees of a trade, professional, or labor association and represent that group's interest only.
B) They are lobbyists that seek long-term contracts, usually five to ten years, for development and construction companies that build administrative buildings, courts, and fire and police stations.
C) They are advocates-for-hire and often represent multiple clients on a variety of issues at the same time.
D) They specialize in policy that involves the governor, president, and foreign heads of state.
Answer: C
Q2) Which of the following is an example of a public interest group?
A) National Football Association
B) Sierra Club
C) Blue Cross of California
D) Screen Actors Guild
Answer: B
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Chapter 4: Parties and Elections in California
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31 Verified Questions
31 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What groups comprise the California electorate, and which are most and least likely to vote?
Q2) 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.
Q3) How much money did Meg Whitman spend running for governor in 2010?
A) $60 million
B) $160 million
C) $180 million
D) $200 million
Q4) What methods did the Progressives utilize to weaken political parties in California? What was the ultimate impact on political parties in California?
Q5) Professional campaign managers, pollsters, and media consultants are
A) rarely used in political campaigns in California.
B) never used at the statewide level of political campaigns.
C) used extensively in campaigns and cost a great deal of money.
D) illegal in California.
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Chapter 5: The California Legislature
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The committee system in the state legislature allows for
A) specialization and attention to detail on the part of legislators.
B) less input by lobbyists.
C) greater input by third party leaders.
D) greater public scrutiny of the legislature's working habits.
Q2) State senate districts
A) have roughly 2 million voters.
B) are roughly twice as large as assembly districts.
C) are reapportioned every five years.
D) have more voters in urban districts than in rural districts.
Q3) What are the two types of representation?
A) forward and reverse
B) formal and informal
C) delegate and trustee
D) political and delegation
Q4) What type of items may pass in California's legislature?
A) executive orders, border disputes, and city ordinances
B) county measures, laws, and city ordinances
C) laws, constitutional amendments, and resolutions
D) foreign treaties, resolutions, and constitutional amendments
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Chapter 6: The Governor and the Executive Branch
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30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The official who enforces state laws and oversees district attorneys in California is the
A) secretary of state.
B) controller.
C) attorney general.
D) superintendent of public instruction.
Q2) What is the plural executive and what impact does it have on the governor of California?
Q3) After the primary election in 2010, Governor Schwarzenegger
A) tried to run unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor.
B) was a lame duck governor and made no public appearances.
C) campaigned actively and successfully for Proposition 14 and against Proposition 24.
D) accepted an appointment as the ambassador to Austria.
Q4) How is the bureaucracy in California organized? How does it relate to the governor?
Q5) What factors suggest that the governor of California is "invisible"?
Q6) Why is the role of the governor in the budget process and his line-item veto power considered among his strongest powers?
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Page 8
Chapter 7: The California Judiciary
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30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Why did Proposition 215 conflict with federal law?
A) Federal law requires that emergency services cannot be denied to illegal immigrants.
B) Federal law permits marijuana to be distributed and sold in the District of Columbia.
C) Federal law mandates that for states to receive federal highway funds that the drinking age within that state must be 21.
D) Federal law classifies marijuana as a controlled substance and makes its cultivation, possession, sale, and consumption illegal.
Q2) How many judges serve on the California Supreme Court?
A) 3
B) 5
C) 7
D) 9
Q3) What kind of caseload do the California courts have? How do the courts expedite the disposition of civil and criminal cases?
Q4) Discuss an example of the conflict between federal and state law that California courts have to adjudicate.
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Page 9
Chapter 8: The State Budget and Budgetary Limitations
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Cite some examples of how various propositions have limited the ability of the state government in California to allocate and spend tax revenues.
Q2) 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
Q3) Which of the following is NOT part of the budget forming process in California?
A) proposal by the executive branch
B) enactment by the legislature
C) approval by the California Supreme Court
D) implementation by the executive branch
Q4) The publicly funded agencies most affected by the restrictions of Proposition 13 are
A) fire departments.
B) police departments.
C) school districts.
D) prisons.
Q5) What arguments do liberals and conservatives make about taxes in California?
Q6) What was the intent of Proposition 13? What impact did it have in California?
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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) What are the five most populous counties in California?
A) Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Kern, and Monterey
B) Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Riverside
C) Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Santa Clara, and Sacramento
D) Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Santa Clara
Q2) In terms of land area, what is the largest county in California?
A) Los Angeles
B) San Francisco
C) Kern
D) San Bernardino
Q3) What U.S. city was the starting point for the Occupy Movement?
A) Oakland
B) San Francisco
C) New York
D) Washington, D.C.
Q4) How many counties are there in the state of California?
A) 27
B) 30
C) 45
D) 58
Page 11
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Chapter 10: Public Policy in California
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Indian tribes in California who operate casinos
A) have "sovereign immunity" from lawsuits if you are injured on the casino property.
B) all cover their employees for worker compensation.
C) pay property and sales tax on the casino property.
D) will routinely grant you the right to sue them if you are injured on the casino property.
Q2) Part of the reason that infrastructure repair and upkeep are not more pressing concerns in California is due to
A) interference from the federal government.
B) the fact that few repairs are needed.
C) the political system, with two- and four-year terms, taking a short-term approach.
D) the high cost of public education.
Q3) 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
Q4) What is the condition of California's infrastructure? What can be done about it?
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