Question 1

In education policy, the national and state governments often cooperate or share resources. For example, Congress may mandate certain educational standards, while local governments operate the daily function of schools. What is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

A)   dual federalism
B)   cooperative federalism
C)   intergovernmentalism
D)   cooperationism
E)   interventionismF) B) and C)
G) None of the above

Question 2

Which of the following best describes how the Founders decided to deal with the question of national versus state power in the U.S. Constitution?

Accepted Answer

A)   The Constitution clearly and overwhelmingly gives power to the national government.
B)   The Constitution clearly and overwhelmingly gives power to the state governments.
C)   The Constitution says nothing, but the Supreme Court solved the issue in Marbury v. Madison (1803) .
D)   The Constitution establishes that the powers of state governments and the powers of national governments should not overlap.
E)   The Constitution leaves these questions for future generations to decide.F) None of the above
G) B) and D)

Question 3

What distinguishes a ballot initiative from a referendum?

Accepted Answer

A)   Nothing. The terms are interchangeable.
B)   A ballot initiative is financed by private citizens or organizations. A referendum is financed by the state.
C)   A referendum is used to consider constitutional questions. A ballot initiative is used for ordinary legislation.
D)   A ballot initiative is used to consider changes to federal law. A referendum is used to consider changes in state law.
E)   A referendum considers legislation proposed by a legislature. A ballot initiative considers legislation proposed directly by citizens.F) B) and C)
G) C) and D)

Question 4

Some policy analysts have shown that states and cities that enact relatively high taxes to pay for extensive social programs ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   are often successful at addressing social problems that are not effectively managed at the federal level
B)   force surrounding states and cities to adopt similar policies as a result of coordination problems
C)   are most successful at attracting federal block grants
D)   lose wealthy residents and businesses to lower-tax states and cities, leaving social programs underfunded
E)   usually do so through institutions of direct democracy, such as the ballot initiativeF) A) and C)
G) A) and B)

Question 5

As the national government has grown stronger over time, the system has come to resemble ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   a layer cake; because each level of government, national and state, is sovereign in its own sphere and operates largely independently of the others
B)   a layer cake; because in many policy areas, the national and state governments cooperate or share resources
C)   a marble cake; because in many policy areas, the national and state governments cooperate or share resources
D)   a marble cake; because each level of government, national and state, is sovereign in its own sphere and operates largely independently of the others
E)   a marble cake; because federal or state jurisdiction over policy areas is in flux and depends on the solutions offered by the respective governments.F) B) and C)
G) A) and B)

Question 6

Historically, how has the American political system responded to large economic and military crises?

Accepted Answer

A)   rejecting centralized decision making and enhancing the power of state governments
B)   embracing centralized decision making and increasing the power of the national government
C)   surrendering national sovereignty and turning over authority to international organizations
D)   becoming skeptical of democracy and eliminating institutions of direct democracy in the states
E)   becoming hostile to government in general and imposing constitutional restrictions on government activity at all levelsF) C) and E)
G) A) and B)

Question 7

Which constitutional arrangement most clearly balances the desire to maintain regional autonomy with the need to ensure effective national governance over areas like national security?

Accepted Answer

A)   national system
B)   unitary system
C)   confederal system
D)   federal system
E)   international systemF) All of the above
G) B) and D)

Question 8

What does the elastic clause of the U.S. Constitution do?

Accepted Answer

A)   It provides that Congress shall have the power to enact all legislation that is "necessary and proper" to carry out its enumerated powers.
B)   It declares that state laws must conform to the federal constitution.
C)   It provides that all powers not enumerated to the federal government in the Constitution will be given to the states.
D)   It provides that the federal government has power to try criminals who have committed crimes across multiple state boundaries.
E)   It allows states to leave the union as long as they may demonstrate just cause.F) A) and D)
G) B) and C)

Question 9

The relationship between state governments and municipal governments under the principle of Dillon's Rule most nearly reflects which constitutional relationship between national and state governments?

Accepted Answer

A)   federalism
B)   confederation
C)   intergovernmentalism
D)   unitary system
E)   internationalismF) None of the above
G) A) and C)

Question 10

A political system in which each level of government-national and state-is sovereign in its own spheres of policy authority is ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   dual federalism
B)   cooperative federalism
C)   direct democracy
D)   representative democracy
E)   intergovernmentalismF) B) and E)
G) A) and D)

Question 11

Which of the following is a distinguishing characteristic of federalism in contrast to the confederal system?

Accepted Answer

A)   Subunit governments retain full sovereignty.
B)   The national government cannot compel subunit governments to act.
C)   United action requires voluntary compliance.
D)   Subunit governments face serious collective action problems that inhibit them from achieving the common good.
E)   Subunit governments have constitutionally protected status.F) B) and C)
G) B) and D)

Question 12

When do central governments often gain power and become either confederated or federated?

Accepted Answer

A)   when the subunits face collective dilemmas they cannot overcome
B)   when a revolution occurs, overthrowing a monarch
C)   when factions form, leading to disagreements among constituents
D)   when a dictator assumes authority and compels subunit governments to give up power
E)   when states fail to pay their taxes owed to the national governmentF) C) and D)
G) A) and B)

Question 13

Which of the following are you less likely to see in a confederation than in a federation?

Accepted Answer

A)   legislative body
B)   executive
C)   court system
D)   national military
E)   taxes and/or finesF) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Question 14

Which form of local government most closely mirrors U.S. national government?

Accepted Answer

A)   city councils
B)   mayoral
C)   council-manager
D)   school boards
E)   school superintendentF) None of the above
G) C) and E)

Question 15

Which of the following eras was most renowned for centralizing power in the federal government and establishing of numerous federal agencies designed to regulate business and monopolies?

Accepted Answer

A)   Progressive Era
B)   The Great Depression
C)   New Deal Era
D)   Great Society Era
E)   Post 9/11 EraF) C) and D)
G) B) and E)

Question 16

The U.S. Congress passes a law on the regulation of Internet piracy, a concept that the framers obviously could not have conceived of. How does Congress justify their ability to pass a law like this?

Accepted Answer

A)   The supremacy clause gives Congress the power to pass legislation that applies nationally and nullifies any contradicting state laws. Given the need of nation-wide policy on Internet piracy, Congress is the best actor in this case.
B)   The Tenth Amendment allows the federal government to assume powers not allocated to the states. As Internet piracy could not have been mandated in the Constitution, the federal government has jurisdiction.
C)   The elastic clause, or the "necessary and proper" clause, allows Congress to pass laws that are necessary and proper to the continuation of the republic.
D)   The Supreme Court gave Congress this right in the decision Cox v. McCubbins (1797) .
E)   The Third Amendment protects citizens from unreasonable search and seizure. However, because Internet piracy is a federal crime, Congress has the ability to permit justified search and seizure to protect the intellectual property of online resources.F) B) and C)
G) B) and E)

Question 17

What did former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis refer to as "laboratories of democracy"?

Accepted Answer

A)   the ability of state governments to establish universities and research centers
B)   the presence of institutions of direct democracy in many states
C)   state governments' ability to experiment with new policy solutions that may not have been adopted elsewhere
D)   the absence of historical precedent for the establishment of federalism in the U.S. Constitution
E)   the constitutional requirement that each state have a republican form of governmentF) A) and B)
G) C) and E)

Question 18

What is the content and significance of the Tenth Amendment?

Accepted Answer

A)   It states that no powers in the constitution shall be construed to disparage the rights of the people. It prevents the federal government from claiming unreasonable power over its citizens. Most recently, it has protected citizens from unchecked surveillance of their personal lives.
B)   It states that no powers in the constitution shall be construed to disparage the rights of the people. It has been used as grounds for many successful voting rights movements in the past, including the enfranchisement of women in the Nineteenth Amendment.
C)   It states that all powers not enumerated to the federal government will be reserved for the states. It was integral for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in assuaging the fears of the Anti-Federalists who believed the power of the federal government would lead to an abuse of power over the states and people.
D)   It guarantees citizens protection from unreasonable search and seizure. This amendment has upheld the rights of accused criminals in numerous court cases since its establishment.
E)   It states that all powers not enumerated to the federal government will be reserved for the states. It prevented the growth of the federal government in the twentieth century.F) C) and D)
G) D) and E)

Exam 3: Federalism

The U.S. Congress passes a law on the regulation of Internet piracy, a concept that the framers obviously could not have conceived of. How does Congress justify their ability to pass a law like this?

Correct Answer
verified

The relationship between state governments and municipal governments under the principle of Dillon's Rule most nearly reflects which constitutional relationship between national and state governments?

Correct Answer
verified

Historically, how has the American political system responded to large economic and military crises?

Correct Answer
verified

Which constitutional arrangement most clearly balances the desire to maintain regional autonomy with the need to ensure effective national governance over areas like national security?

Correct Answer
verified

When do central governments often gain power and become either confederated or federated?

Correct Answer
verified

What did former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis refer to as "laboratories of democracy"?

Correct Answer
verified

What distinguishes a ballot initiative from a referendum?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following eras was most renowned for centralizing power in the federal government and establishing of numerous federal agencies designed to regulate business and monopolies?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following is a distinguishing characteristic of federalism in contrast to the confederal system?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following are you less likely to see in a confederation than in a federation?

Correct Answer
verified

What is the content and significance of the Tenth Amendment?

Correct Answer
verified

Which form of local government most closely mirrors U.S. national government?

Correct Answer
verified

A political system in which each level of government-national and state-is sovereign in its own spheres of policy authority is ________.

Correct Answer
verified

In education policy, the national and state governments often cooperate or share resources. For example, Congress may mandate certain educational standards, while local governments operate the daily function of schools. What is this an example of?

Correct Answer
verified

As the national government has grown stronger over time, the system has come to resemble ________.

Correct Answer
verified

Some policy analysts have shown that states and cities that enact relatively high taxes to pay for extensive social programs ________.

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following best describes how the Founders decided to deal with the question of national versus state power in the U.S. Constitution?

Correct Answer
verified

What does the elastic clause of the U.S. Constitution do?

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 3: Federalism

The U.S. Congress passes a law on the regulation of Internet piracy, a concept that the framers obviously could not have conceived of. How does Congress justify their ability to pass a law like this?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The relationship between state governments and municipal governments under the principle of Dillon's Rule most nearly reflects which constitutional relationship between national and state governments?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Historically, how has the American political system responded to large economic and military crises?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which constitutional arrangement most clearly balances the desire to maintain regional autonomy with the need to ensure effective national governance over areas like national security?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When do central governments often gain power and become either confederated or federated?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What did former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis refer to as "laboratories of democracy"?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What distinguishes a ballot initiative from a referendum?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following eras was most renowned for centralizing power in the federal government and establishing of numerous federal agencies designed to regulate business and monopolies?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is a distinguishing characteristic of federalism in contrast to the confederal system?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following are you less likely to see in a confederation than in a federation?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the content and significance of the Tenth Amendment?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which form of local government most closely mirrors U.S. national government?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A political system in which each level of government-national and state-is sovereign in its own spheres of policy authority is ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In education policy, the national and state governments often cooperate or share resources. For example, Congress may mandate certain educational standards, while local governments operate the daily function of schools. What is this an example of?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

As the national government has grown stronger over time, the system has come to resemble ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Some policy analysts have shown that states and cities that enact relatively high taxes to pay for extensive social programs ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following best describes how the Founders decided to deal with the question of national versus state power in the U.S. Constitution?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What does the elastic clause of the U.S. Constitution do?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
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