Question 1

Federalism is a system of government in which the Constitution divides power between a central government and regional governments.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

In 1973,at the height of the oil shortage,a national speed limit of 55 miles per hour was imposed on the states by congressional legislation that threatened withdrawal of highway funds if state legislatures failed to lower allowable speeds.This is an example of encouraging state behavior through:

Accepted Answer

A) hostage grants 
B) an unfunded mandate 
C) categorical grants-in-aid 
D) dual federalism 
E) layer cake federalism 
A) hostage grants 
B) an unfunded mandate 
C) categorical grants-in-aid 
D) dual federalism 
E) layer cake federalism

Question 3

The obligations imposed on state government by the national government without any funding at all have come to be known as:

Accepted Answer

A) blank checks 
B) assigned obligations 
C) unchecked authorizations 
D) misdirected indemnities 
E) unfunded mandates 
A) blank checks 
B) assigned obligations 
C) unchecked authorizations 
D) misdirected indemnities 
E) unfunded mandates

Question 4

Over the course of American history,how has the Supreme Court interpreted the interstate commerce clause of Article I,Section 8?

Accepted Answer

A) The Supreme Court has consistently supported an expansive interpretation of "commerce" and hence the growth of federal power. 
B) The Supreme Court has favored a strict interpretation of interstate commerce,thereby leaving bartering completely unregulated. 
C) The Supreme Court has interpreted "interstate" to mean "between nation-states" and hence not applicable to domestic trade. 
D) The Supreme Court was supportive of the federal government early on,then limited the scope of federal power,then consented to large-scale central regulation of the economy. 
E) Early on,the Supreme Court favored a restrictive standard,then a broad definition of "commerce" to crack down on child labor,then a restrictive standard to support the New Deal program. 
A) The Supreme Court has consistently supported an expansive interpretation of "commerce" and hence the growth of federal power. 
B) The Supreme Court has favored a strict interpretation of interstate commerce,thereby leaving bartering completely unregulated. 
C) The Supreme Court has interpreted "interstate" to mean "between nation-states" and hence not applicable to domestic trade. 
D) The Supreme Court was supportive of the federal government early on,then limited the scope of federal power,then consented to large-scale central regulation of the economy. 
E) Early on,the Supreme Court favored a restrictive standard,then a broad definition of "commerce" to crack down on child labor,then a restrictive standard to support the New Deal program.

Question 5

Grant programs in which a set of distributive criteria established by law is used to determine the amount of federal funds that a state or local government will receive are known as ________ grants.

Accepted Answer

A) project 
B) formula 
C) entitlement 
D) community redevelopment 
E) tax remuneration 
A) project 
B) formula 
C) entitlement 
D) community redevelopment 
E) tax remuneration

Question 6

Which term describes federal subsidies of special state and local activities?

Accepted Answer

A) mandates 
B) grants-in-aid 
C) bonus payments 
D) apportionments 
E) revenue allocations 
A) mandates 
B) grants-in-aid 
C) bonus payments 
D) apportionments 
E) revenue allocations

Question 7

The type of federalism that occurs when the national government actually threatens to withhold grant money unless state and local governments conform to national standards is known as ________ federalism.

Accepted Answer

A) restricted 
B) regulated 
C) hostage 
D) contingent 
E) competitive 
A) restricted 
B) regulated 
C) hostage 
D) contingent 
E) competitive

Question 8

Why has the notion of states' rights continued to be an issue of some controversy in the American system?

Accepted Answer

The notion of states' rights has continu

Question 9

In the case of United States v.Nixon,the Supreme Court extended executive privilege to data in presidential files and tapes involved in criminal prosecutions.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

The Unfunded Mandate Reform Act (UMRA)limits the number of unfunded mandates Congress may place on states in a given year.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

A type of federalism existing since the New Deal era in which grants-in-aid have been used strategically to encourage states and localities (without commanding them)to pursue nationally defined goals is known as ________ federalism.

Accepted Answer

A) dual 
B) welfare 
C) subsidy 
D) cooperative 
E) commercial 
A) dual 
B) welfare 
C) subsidy 
D) cooperative 
E) commercial

Question 12

The power of the federal government relative to states has grown over time.Has this been a positive development? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The growth of power of the federal gover

Question 13

The necessary and proper clause of the Constitution put severe restrictions on what actions the federal government could take.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

The federal government created block grant programs to:

Accepted Answer

A) give states more discretion over how to use federal money 
B) implement more uniform national standards 
C) consolidate the power of the national government 
D) consolidate funds targeted at states and localities into manageable regional groupings 
E) circumvent Supreme Court rulings that invalidated legislative vetoes 
A) give states more discretion over how to use federal money 
B) implement more uniform national standards 
C) consolidate the power of the national government 
D) consolidate funds targeted at states and localities into manageable regional groupings 
E) circumvent Supreme Court rulings that invalidated legislative vetoes

Question 15

The Tenth Amendment to the U.S.Constitution states that the powers the Constitution does not delegate to the national government or to the states are:

Accepted Answer

A) reserved to the states or to the people 
B) reserved for county and municipal governments 
C) not to be exercised by any governmental authority 
D) to be exercised only through specific legislation passed by Congress 
E) relatively few and rarely exercised 
A) reserved to the states or to the people 
B) reserved for county and municipal governments 
C) not to be exercised by any governmental authority 
D) to be exercised only through specific legislation passed by Congress 
E) relatively few and rarely exercised

Question 16

In the case of McCulloch v.Maryland,the main issue was whether or not Congress had the power to:

Accepted Answer

A) charter a bank 
B) tax state corporations 
C) abolish slavery 
D) redeploy state militias 
E) license public accommodations 
A) charter a bank 
B) tax state corporations 
C) abolish slavery 
D) redeploy state militias 
E) license public accommodations

Question 17

Which of these is NOT a constitutional mechanism for the three branches of government to check and balance each other?

Accepted Answer

A) president's ability to veto congressional legislation 
B) congressional right of stare decisis 
C) Senate's power to approve or reject executive appointments 
D) power of Congress to impeach and remove the president and judges 
E) Supreme Court's power of judicial review 
A) president's ability to veto congressional legislation 
B) congressional right of stare decisis 
C) Senate's power to approve or reject executive appointments 
D) power of Congress to impeach and remove the president and judges 
E) Supreme Court's power of judicial review

Question 18

Which clause in the Constitution prevents a state such as Florida from prohibiting legal residents of other states from buying property in Florida?

Accepted Answer

A) commerce clause 
B) supremacy clause 
C) full faith and credit clause 
D) privileges and immunities clause 
E) necessary and proper clause 
A) commerce clause 
B) supremacy clause 
C) full faith and credit clause 
D) privileges and immunities clause 
E) necessary and proper clause

Question 19

The notion that the Constitution grants to the national government only those powers specifically named in its text is called:

Accepted Answer

A) democracy 
B) expressed powers 
C) republican idealism 
D) political fundamentalism 
E) original literalism 
A) democracy 
B) expressed powers 
C) republican idealism 
D) political fundamentalism 
E) original literalism

Question 20

Should the United States consider abolishing the federal system to facilitate a more unified response to modern problems? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Should the United States consider abolishing the...

Federalism is a system of government in which the Constitution divides power between a central government and regional governments.

In 1973,at the height of the oil shortage,a national speed limit of 55 miles per hour was imposed on the states by congressional legislation that threatened withdrawal of highway funds if state legislatures failed to lower allowable speeds.This is an example of encouraging state behavior through:

The obligations imposed on state government by the national government without any funding at all have come to be known as:

Over the course of American history,how has the Supreme Court interpreted the interstate commerce clause of Article I,Section 8?

Grant programs in which a set of distributive criteria established by law is used to determine the amount of federal funds that a state or local government will receive are known as ________ grants.

Which term describes federal subsidies of special state and local activities?

The type of federalism that occurs when the national government actually threatens to withhold grant money unless state and local governments conform to national standards is known as ________ federalism.

Why has the notion of states' rights continued to be an issue of some controversy in the American system?

In the case of United States v.Nixon,the Supreme Court extended executive privilege to data in presidential files and tapes involved in criminal prosecutions.

The Unfunded Mandate Reform Act (UMRA)limits the number of unfunded mandates Congress may place on states in a given year.

A type of federalism existing since the New Deal era in which grants-in-aid have been used strategically to encourage states and localities (without commanding them)to pursue nationally defined goals is known as ________ federalism.

The power of the federal government relative to states has grown over time.Has this been a positive development? Why or why not?

The necessary and proper clause of the Constitution put severe restrictions on what actions the federal government could take.

The federal government created block grant programs to:

The Tenth Amendment to the U.S.Constitution states that the powers the Constitution does not delegate to the national government or to the states are:

In the case of McCulloch v.Maryland,the main issue was whether or not Congress had the power to:

Which of these is NOT a constitutional mechanism for the three branches of government to check and balance each other?

Which clause in the Constitution prevents a state such as Florida from prohibiting legal residents of other states from buying property in Florida?

The notion that the Constitution grants to the national government only those powers specifically named in its text is called:

Should the United States consider abolishing the federal system to facilitate a more unified response to modern problems? Why or why not?

Introduction: Making Sense of Government and Politics

The Founding and the Constitution

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Congress: The First Branch

The Presidency

The Executive Branch

The Federal Courts

Public Opinion and the Media

Elections

Political Parties

Groups and Interests

Introduction to Public Policy

Foreign Policy

Filters

Exam 3: Federalism and the Separation of Powers

Federalism is a system of government in which the Constitution divides power between a central government and regional governments.

In 1973,at the height of the oil shortage,a national speed limit of 55 miles per hour was imposed on the states by congressional legislation that threatened withdrawal of highway funds if state legislatures failed to lower allowable speeds.This is an example of encouraging state behavior through:

The obligations imposed on state government by the national government without any funding at all have come to be known as:

Over the course of American history,how has the Supreme Court interpreted the interstate commerce clause of Article I,Section 8?

Grant programs in which a set of distributive criteria established by law is used to determine the amount of federal funds that a state or local government will receive are known as ________ grants.

Which term describes federal subsidies of special state and local activities?

The type of federalism that occurs when the national government actually threatens to withhold grant money unless state and local governments conform to national standards is known as ________ federalism.

Why has the notion of states' rights continued to be an issue of some controversy in the American system?

In the case of United States v.Nixon,the Supreme Court extended executive privilege to data in presidential files and tapes involved in criminal prosecutions.

The Unfunded Mandate Reform Act (UMRA)limits the number of unfunded mandates Congress may place on states in a given year.

A type of federalism existing since the New Deal era in which grants-in-aid have been used strategically to encourage states and localities (without commanding them)to pursue nationally defined goals is known as ________ federalism.

The power of the federal government relative to states has grown over time.Has this been a positive development? Why or why not?

The necessary and proper clause of the Constitution put severe restrictions on what actions the federal government could take.

The federal government created block grant programs to:

The Tenth Amendment to the U.S.Constitution states that the powers the Constitution does not delegate to the national government or to the states are:

In the case of McCulloch v.Maryland,the main issue was whether or not Congress had the power to:

Which of these is NOT a constitutional mechanism for the three branches of government to check and balance each other?

Which clause in the Constitution prevents a state such as Florida from prohibiting legal residents of other states from buying property in Florida?

The notion that the Constitution grants to the national government only those powers specifically named in its text is called:

Should the United States consider abolishing the federal system to facilitate a more unified response to modern problems? Why or why not?

Introduction: Making Sense of Government and Politics

The Founding and the Constitution

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Congress: The First Branch

The Presidency

The Executive Branch

The Federal Courts

Public Opinion and the Media

Elections

Political Parties

Groups and Interests

Introduction to Public Policy

Foreign Policy

Filters