Government and Public Policy Exam Review
Course Introduction
Government and Public Policy explores the structures, functions, and processes of governmental institutions, and examines how public policies are formulated, implemented, and evaluated. The course investigates the roles of elected officials, bureaucrats, interest groups, and citizens in shaping public policies at the local, national, and global levels. Students will analyze key policy areas such as health, education, environment, and economic regulation while discussing contemporary issues, ethical considerations, and the impact of political ideology on policy outcomes. Through case studies and critical discussions, the course aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between government action and societal change.
Recommended Textbook
American Government Institutions and Policies 16th Edition by James Q. Wilson
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Chapter 1: The Study of American Government the Study of
American Government
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Sample Questions
Q1) When the cost and benefits of a policy are narrowly concentrated,they are
A) limited to a relatively small number of citizens.
B) spread over many, most, or even all citizens.
C) enjoyed by many demographics.
D) limited a geographic region.
E) spread over a number of states.
Answer: A
Q2) Most people holding national political office are
A) middle class.
B) middle age.
C) males.
D) Protestant.
E) All of these are correct.
Answer: E
Q3) Explain what a democracy is and note some prominent examples of this form of government throughout history.
Answer: According to Aristotle's rule of the many: Democracy is a system in which all or most citizens participate directly in either holding office or making policy.Examples: Ancient Greece (4th century B.C.); New England town meetings.
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Chapter 2: The Constitution the Constitution
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Sample Questions
Q1) The Constitutional Convention delegates' defense of liberty as a natural right was derived from the writings of the philosopher
A) John Locke.
B) Montesquieu.
C) Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
D) Thomas Hobbes.
E) Immanuel Kant.
Answer: A
Q2) One of the biggest mistakes made by the Framers of the Constitution was
A) making the government too strong.
B) not making the government strong enough.
C) not including a bill of rights.
D) giving too much power to James Madison.
E) giving too much power to George Washington.
Answer: C
Q3) The Framers of the Constitution did not agree with the philosophy of Hobbes.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Chapter 3: Federalism Federalism
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Sample Questions
Q1) A federal republic derives its powers from
A) the people.
B) the states.
C) the Congress.
D) the courts.
E) None of these are correct.
Answer: A
Q2) William H.Riker's critical conclusion is that the main effect of federalism since the Civil War has been supporting
A) poverty.
B) racism.
C) corruption.
D) fraud.
E) sexism.
Answer: B
Q3) The wording of the U.S.Constitution regarding the federal government's right to make laws is purposely vague and elastic.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Chapter 4: American Political Culture American Political Culture
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following statements about economic equality applies most accurately to Americans?
A) Most Americans believe that all people should be paid on the basis of their economic needs: "equality of results."
B) Most Americans believe that everyone has the right to get ahead: "equality of opportunity."
C) Most Americans believe in the preferential treatment of women and minorities in hiring: "equality of access."
D) Most Americans believe in the idea of having a top limit on what people can earn: "equality of wealth."
E) Most Americans believe that citizens who participate in politics should have guaranteed income: "equality of participants."
Q2) The text suggests that Americans have a "preoccupation" with
A) law.
B) rights.
C) order.
D) conflict.
E) commerce.
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Chapter 5: Civil Liberties Civil Liberties
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Sample Questions
Q1) Senator Joseph McCarthy became a powerful policy entrepreneur by claiming that
A) the Japanese posed a West Coast security threat.
B) hippies were undermining Christianity.
C) communists had infiltrated the government.
D) homosexuals were transmitting AIDS to heterosexuals.
E) secular humanists were indoctrinating educators.
Q2) Obscenity is protected by the First Amendment.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Congress can regulate gun purchases and gun use even though the government cannot ban guns.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The Supreme Court has ruled that high school students have the same rights as adults in expressing their beliefs.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Discuss how the Supreme Court interpreted the freedom of speech provision of the Bill of Rights in Schenck v.United States.
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Chapter 6: Civil Rights Civil Rights
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Sample Questions
Q1) In 2012,Tammy Baldwin became the first openly gay politician elected to the U.S.Senate.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Under the Supreme Court's decision in Roe,states may ban abortions
A) in the first trimester.
B) in the first and second trimesters.
C) in the second trimester.
D) in the second and third trimesters.
E) in the third trimester.
Q3) In a 2003 case involving admissions practices at the University of Michigan,the Supreme Court reaffirmed its decision in Bakke by rejecting the use of
A) a numerical goal.
B) an exact numerical advantage.
C) a plus factor.
D) a racial measure.
E) an ethnic policy mark.
Q4) The Supreme Court's deep division over affirmative action is evident in its opinions.Give five general standards that seem to be emerging from its decisions.
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Chapter 7: Public Opinion Public Opinion
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Sample Questions
Q1) A public opinion pollster might need to make as many as __________ phone calls to get just about one thousand respondents for a survey.
A) 2,000
B) 4,000
C) 6,000
D) 10,000
E) 15,000
Q2) When public opinion shifts,policy tends to
A) remain stable.
B) move in the opposite direction.
C) follow public opinion.
D) follow only the opinion of the political elite.
E) follow only the opinion of the general public.
Q3) Discuss the use of heuristics in making political decisions,their benefits,and their costs.
Q4) Studies suggest that steadfast conservatives lean toward the Republican Party.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Describe how polls are conducted.
Q6) What role did the Framers think public opinion should play in government?
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Chapter 8: Political Participation Political Participation
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Sample Questions
Q1) This presidential election year witnessed the lowest level of voter turnout since 1924.
A) 2008
B) 2012
C) 2004
D) 1996
E) 1992
Q2) In 1971,ratification of the __________ to the U.S.Constitution extended voter eligibility to all persons age 18 or older.
A) Twenty-Third Amendment
B) Twenty-Fourth Amendment
C) Twenty-Five Amendment
D) Twenty-Sixth Amendment
E) Twenty-Seventh Amendment
Q3) The rise of the Internet has little effect on political participation.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Voter fraud today is more prevalent than in the nineteenth century.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 9: Political Parties Political Parties
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Sample Questions
Q1) The spread of the direct primary has made it more difficult for parties to control who is nominated for elective office.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Describe the relationship between national and state or local parties,especially with regards to fundraising,money,and personnel.
Q3) Which statement is incorrect?
A) Typically, a majority of Democrats vote for the Democratic candidate.
B) Typically, a majority of Republicans vote for the Republican candidate.
C) Typically, a majority of independents vote for the independent candidate.
D) Typically, a plurality of independents vote for either the Democratic or Republican candidate.
E) Typically, most independents vote for the two major parties.
Q4) One unintended consequence of the convention and primary system was that it
A) pushed candidates toward the center.
B) pushed candidates away from the center.
C) gave more control to party leaders.
D) discouraged activists from participating in elections.
E) None of these are correct.
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Chapter 10: Elections and Campaigns Elections and Campaigns
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Sample Questions
Q1) Media's influence on voters is greatest when
A) people have the least knowledge about an issue.
B) people are very well informed about an issue.
C) people understand enough about an issue to know that it's important, but not enough to form a cohesive perspective.
D) voters are already extensively familiar with the candidates.
E) None of these are correct.
Q2) In Israel and the Netherlands,the names of candidates for the legislature do not even appear on the ballot.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Presidential elections are held every
A) 2 years.
B) 4 years.
C) 6 years.
D) 8 years.
E) 10 years.
Q4) Discuss the benefits of incumbency for Congressional elections.
Q6) Compare and contrast presidential and congressional campaigns. Page 12
Q5) Explain gerrymandering and the limits of its effects on Congressional elections.
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Chapter 11: Interest Groups Interest Groups
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following statements about a social movement is generally true?
A) The more extreme its position, the smaller its size.
B) The more liberal its position, the larger its size.
C) The more moderate its position, the smaller its size.
D) The more purposive its membership incentives, the smaller its size.
E) It can only take place when courts are open to the prospect of radical change in the law.
Q2) The Dakota Access Pipeline project was opposed primarily by
A) conservatives.
B) Think Thanks.
C) union leaders.
D) feminist activists.
E) environmental activists.
Q3) The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946 was __________ by the Supreme Court.
A) expanded
B) declared unconstitutional
C) limited to only direct contact with members of Congress
D) never actually reviewed
E) amended
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Chapter 12: The Media the Media
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Q1) In New York Times v.Sullivan,the Supreme Court ruled that public officials may not win a libel suit unless they can prove not only that the statement was false,but also that
A) it was false to a ludicrous degree.
B) the writer knew it was false or had a reckless disregard for the truth.
C) no reasonable person would have been able to discern its falseness without significant effort.
D) any reasonable person would have been able to discern its falseness without significant effort.
E) the writer honestly believed it to be true.
Q2) To attract large readership to their papers,Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst had their newspapers focus on
A) objectivity in their coverage.
B) sensationalism in their coverage.
C) partisanship in their coverage.
D) only domestic stories.
E) only international stories.
Q3) Discuss the cases of Myron Farber and Judith Miller to illustrate how the courts have ruled on confidentiality of sources.
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Chapter 13: Congress Congress
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Q1) Which is NOT a power of Congress specifically enumerated in Article I,Section 8?
A) To lay and collect taxes, duties, impost, and excise
B) To borrow money
C) To fix the standards of weights and measures
D) To declare war
E) To grant titles of nobility
Q2) Unlike in the House,the scheduling of legislation in the Senate is
A) controlled by the Rules Committee.
B) initiated by means of a discharge petition.
C) governed by closed rather than open rules.
D) determined by the majority and minority leaders.
E) determined ad hoc.
Q3) How many members are there in the U.S.House of Representatives?
A) 400
B) 435
C) 535
D) 100
E) 200
Q4) Identify three major staff agencies in Congress.Explain their work.
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Chapter 14: The Presidency the Presidency
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Q1) Andrew Jackson established the precedent that a president's veto can be used
A) only on constitutional grounds.
B) without first having a law declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
C) even when Congress is still in session.
D) on policy grounds even when a bill may appear to be constitutional.
E) without the advice and consent of the Senate.
Q2) The last president who never used public polls was
A) Calvin Coolidge.
B) Dwight Eisenhower.
C) Harry Truman.
D) Herbert Hoover.
E) William Taft.
Q3) Which elastic phrase has become a significant source of presidential power?
A) "With the advice and consent of the Senate"
B) "With all deliberate speed"
C) The "full faith and credit" clause
D) The "necessary and proper" clause
E) "Take care that the laws be faithfully executed"
Q4) Identify three ways in which presidents have organized personal staff and comment on the advantages and disadvantages of each.
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Chapter 15: The Bureaucracy the Bureaucracy
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Q1) Define bureaucracy and give examples of types of bureaucracies.
Q2) By definition,a bureaucracy must have each of the following EXCEPT
A) a large size.
B) divided authority.
C) a complex structure.
D) elected officials.
E) no one person who can make all of the decisions.
Q3) The __________ to the Constitution allows the federal government to tax income.
A) Sixteenth Amendment
B) Nineteenth Amendment
C) Twenty-first Amendment
D) Twenty-second Amendment
E) Twenty-sixth Amendment
Q4) During the early years of the federal government,only this department held much power.
A) Department of the Interior
B) War Department
C) Post Office Department
D) State Department
E) Treasury Department
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Chapter 16: The Judiciary the Judiciary
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Q1) The Supreme Court entered its most active period with the arrival of Chief Justice
A) Warren.
B) Rehnquist.
C) Burger.
D) Taft.
E) White.
Q2) The Court of Military Appeals is an example of a
A) constitutional court.
B) district court.
C) court of appeal.
D) legislative court.
E) supreme court.
Q3) The litigation involving four police officers accused of beating Rodney King illustrates the fact that
A) some defendants are tried in both state and federal courts.
B) some cases can be tried only in state courts.
C) civil rights cases can be tried only in federal courts.
D) one level of government can block the prosecutions of another.
E) cases cannot be appealed across the state and federal judiciary.
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Chapter 17: Domestic Policy Domestic Policy
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Q1) In 2015,about __________ Americans received Social Security benefits.
A) 25 million
B) 20 million
C) 60 million
D) 55 million
E) 50 million
Q2) A means tested social program is limited to people of certain
A) social statuses.
B) education levels.
C) income levels.
D) age groups.
E) states.
Q3) Compared with European countries,environmental policymaking in the United States tends to be
A) less regional.
B) more centralized.
C) more adversarial.
D) less client centered.
E) more uniform.
Q4) Explain how the environmental movement was created by entrepreneurial politics.
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Chapter 18: Economic Policy Economic Policy
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Q1) The first unified presidential budget did not appear until the
A) 1820s.
B) 1860s.
C) 1880s.
D) 1920s.
E) 1930s.
Q2) Reagan's strategy in the budget battle of 1981 was to
A) focus on specific controversial programs and leave remaining programs at current spending levels.
B) pass a May budget resolution that called for further cuts in most programs.
C) form a consensus of liberals and conservatives.
D) get Congress to vote for a total package of cuts before it voted for particular cuts.
E) reduce party leaders to a subordinate role in the process by insisting on particular cuts on the front end of the process.
Q3) Keynesianism argues that lower taxes will provide incentives for people to work,save,and invest.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 19: Foreign and Military Policy Foreign and Military Policy
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Q1) The decision to go to war is an example of __________ politics.
A) majoritarian
B) interest-group
C) entrepreneurial
D) client
E) None of these are correct.
Q2) The War Powers Act of 1973 was passed
A) with huge majorities in Congress and the support of the president.
B) with a narrow majority in Congress and the support of the president.
C) to strengthen the power of the president.
D) over a presidential veto.
E) due to military overreach in the Middle East.
Q3) Identify and discuss the four worldviews discussed in thisChapter.
Q4) The view that defense policy protects everyone,and that everyone pays for it typifies defense policymaking as ___________ politics.
A) client
B) entrepreneurial
C) interest group
D) majoritarian
E) neo-institutional
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Chapter 20:
American Democracy, Then and Now
American Democracy, Then and Now
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Q1) Which of the following policy questions would most likely be asked in the New System?
A) Would a new federal program abridge states' rights?
B) Should the federal government enter a new policy area?
C) How can we fix and pay for an existing policy?
D) Is it legitimate for the federal government to pass certain legislation?
E) None of these are correct.
Q2) All parts of the government are becoming more
A) centralized.
B) bureaucratized.
C) automated.
D) efficient.
E) popular.
Q3) Which administration played a pivotal role in the transition from the Old to the New System?
A) Kennedy
B) Johnson
C) Nixon
D) Truman
E) Eisenhower
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