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American Government > Final Review > Flashcards

Final Review Flashcards

1
Q

How many electoral votes does California presently have?

A

55

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2
Q

What is the primary objective of a lobbyist?

A

To bear upon the legislative process their (organizations) belief.

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3
Q

Brown vs. Board of Edu of Topeka overturned what previous Supreme Court decision?

A

Overturned Plessy vs. Ferguson 1896.

“Segregation is a denial of equal protection of the laws.”

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4
Q

What is a quorum?

A

Least number of members who must be present for a legislative body to conduct business; majority.

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5
Q

Which political party has traditionally been the party of minority groups for most of the 20th century?

A

The Democratic Party.

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6
Q

Which two political parties are pro-choice?

A

Democratic and Libertarian Parties.

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7
Q

Which Supreme Court case established a woman’s right to choose with respect to abortion?

A

Roe vs. Wade 1973.

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8
Q

In the landmark case we studied concerning obscenity law, what was the most important aspect of the Court’s ruling?

A

Local, Community

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9
Q

What is the minimum age one must be in order to run for the US House of Representatives?

A

25 years old.

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10
Q

A federal crime will almost always be tried in what type of federal court?

A

Federal District Court

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11
Q

Who is the President of the Senate?

A

VP Joe Biden.

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12
Q

Who is Marin’s representative to the California State Assembly?

A

Jared Huffman?

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13
Q

Is political party identification and loyalty in the US, generally speaking, going up or down?

A

Down.

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14
Q

Which of the following is an example of Direct Democracy in action?

A

Proposition, Cont. Amend, Recall Election

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15
Q

A police officer must show what in order to get a search warrant?

A

Probable cause.

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16
Q

Which two political parties favor less government regulation of businesses?

A

The Republican and Constitution parties.

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17
Q

California State Assembly Representatives and Senators are limited to how many terms respectively?

A

Three; Two.

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18
Q

As Chief of State, the President is the:

A

Ceremonial Head.

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19
Q

What agency advises the President on fiscal ($) matters?

A

Office of Management and Budget.

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20
Q

Miranda Rights are drawn from the following Amendments to the US Constitution:

A

5, 6,14.

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21
Q

According to the Speedy Trial Act of 1974, what is the maximum amount of time allowed between a person’s arrest and their trial in federal criminal cases?

A

6 months.

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22
Q

How many cabinet dept. are there presently?

A

25.

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23
Q

Which Amendment gave women the right to vote?

A

19.

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24
Q

The establishment clause of the 1st Amendment concerns what?

A

Relationship of government to religion.

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25
Q

What are the requirements to run for President of the US?

A

35 years old, natural born, and 14 years residency.

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26
Q

What right does the 2nd Amendment guarantee American citizens?

A

Right to bear arms.

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27
Q

Who is the Chief Justice of US Supreme Court?

A

John Roberts.

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28
Q

The exclusionary rule states that:

A

Evidence gained as the result of illegal act by police cannot be used against the person from whom it was seized.

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29
Q

Which type of politician votes according to how his or her constituents feel?

A

Delegate.

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30
Q

Which Supreme Court case established the legitimacy of Congress’ implied powers?

A

McCulloch vs. Maryland 1819.

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31
Q

All of the following are permitted according to law concerning rights of the accused.

A

Due Process:

  • Right to remain silent (5)
  • All people have equal rights under the laws (14)
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32
Q

What are the choices the President has when he is given a bill to sign?

A

Sign it, pocket, veto, pocket veto

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33
Q

What tends to reduce a President’s power?

A

Congress, checks and balances, lame duck, legislations/investigations, media

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34
Q

What change was brought about by the Citizens United case?

A

gave way to SuperPacs because voted 5-4 that shouldn’t regulate corps for spending as much as they want.

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35
Q

What part of the Constitution allows Congress to pass laws that they do not have the specific power to write?

A

Elastic Clause.

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36
Q

What are the factors that affect a President’s power and effectiveness?

A 
Media
Congress
Dist. of Colombia
Pres. own abilities
PACs, public opinion
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37
Q

A newly elected US Senator will serve for how many sessions of Congress before having to be reelected?

A

6.

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38
Q

Which two political parties support the idea of a strong, centralized government, rather than state control?

A

The Republican and Constitution parties.

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39
Q

If the House and the Senate pass different versions of a bill, what happens next?

A

A conference committee will form with both HOR and S to form a compromised bill.

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40
Q

Which political party favors smaller gov., less regulation of people’s personal lives, and generally speaking, maximum individual freedom?

A

The Republicans.

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41
Q

The US Supreme Court’s power of judicial review is defined as the power to:

A

The power of a court to determine the constitutionality of a governmental action.

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42
Q

If a state passed a law banning the publication of an anti-American newsletter, this would be an example of:

A

Prior Restraint

43
Q

What rights are given to anyone who is arrested?

A

The Miranda Rights.

44
Q

Who is the Senate majority leader?

A

Harry Reid

45
Q

Which Supreme Court case established a three-pronged standard for allowing government support of private religious schools?

A

Lemon vs. Kurtzman 1971

The Lemon Test

46
Q

The list of political parties in the correct order beginning with the most “liberal” and ending with the most “conservative.”

A 
Pease/Freedom
Green
Democratic
Libertarian
Republican
Constitution
47
Q

How many members are there in the US House and the US Senate repectively?

A

435 HOR

100 S

48
Q

Which Amendment states that an individual accused of a crime has the right to an attorney?

A

6.

49
Q

Who is the Speaker of the House in the US Congress?

A

John Boehner

50
Q

List of Supreme Court Justices:

A

John Roberts, Elena Kagan, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito, and Sonia Sotomayor.

51
Q

What Supreme Court case involved a 1st Amend. issue?

A

Tinker vs. Des Moines 1969 (Public Schools)

52
Q

What demographic group was the SECOND TO LAST to LEGALLY obtain suffrage?

A

DC

53
Q

What are the Presidential roles?

A 
Commander in Chief
Chief of State
Chief Executive
Chief Diplomat
Chief Legislator
Party Chief
Chief Citizen
54
Q

The formation of SuperPACs was made possible by what US Supreme Court case?

A

Citizens United vs. FEC

55
Q

How many Justices serve on the Supreme Court?

A

9.

56
Q

What is the correct order of the presidential election process?

A

Declare Candidacy, Party Primaries, Party Convention, General Election, Inauguration

57
Q

How many electors are there in the electoral college?

A

538 (need 270 to win)

58
Q

What are the lengths of terms for the President, US Senators, and US House Reps?

A

Pres: 4yrs.
Senators: 6yrs.
HR: 2yrs.

59
Q

What Amendment was under consideration in Tinker vs. Des Moines Public Schools?

A

1st Amendment.

60
Q

The head of a cabinet department is called:

A

Secretary of….

61
Q

The Supreme Courts power of judicial review was established by which landmark case?

A

Marbury vs. Madison 1803

62
Q

What are the functions of the media with respect to politics?

A

Gatekeeper - designs who gets average
Scorekeeper - make it exciting, not well informed
Watchdog - let the people know about the news

63
Q

Which political parties support stronger gun control?

A

Peace/Freedom
Green
Demorcrat

64
Q

Types of third parties:

A

Libertarian, Green, and Constitution.

65
Q

In what type of election does a political party’s candidate for the Presidency get chosen?

A

Party primaries.

66
Q

Definition of bureaucracy?

A

an organization based on hierarchical authority, job specialization, and rules/procedures.

67
Q

Requirements to vote in 1790:

A

citizen, resident, 21, male, white, property, religious

68
Q

What is the length of office for a federal judge?

A

For life.

69
Q

How many circuit courts are there in the US?

A

89.

70
Q

A temporary committee set up by both houses of Congress to address disagreements over a specific bill is called a what?

A

Conference Committee.

71
Q

What are the Presidential powers?

A

Executive: executes law, admin. gov., gives executive orders, appts. dept. heads/fed judges, removes appties.
Military: forms treaties, agreements, recognize other nations, head of military
Legislative: recommend legislation, veto legislation, grants pardons, calls special sessions of Congress

72
Q

A minimum age of 30 is required to run for which federal office?

A

Senate

73
Q

Who is the President Pro-tempore of the Senate?

A

Daniel Inouye

74
Q

What is not an expressed power of Federal Legislature according to the Constitution of the US?

A

Peace (war powers)

75
Q

What makes the current era fundamentally different from the previous three eras?

A

No single party controls both branches of the Senate at a time.

76
Q

California’s upper (Senate) and lower (Assembly) houses have how many members respectively?

A

40, 180

77
Q

Who is Marins rep to the CA State Senate?

A

Lynn Wosley

78
Q

What are problems with CA direct democracy?

A

Confusion, disinterest, more $ wins

79
Q

How many signatures are needed in order to get a ballot initiative on the ballot in CA?

A

5% of the last Gubbartoral (10% for Governor)

80
Q

Which of the following is the correct order for the CA initiative process?

A

Write, sign, submit too sec state, ballot, vote

81
Q

Libel differs from slander in that:

A

Libel is slander in the media, slander is spoken.

82
Q

A court that has the power to hear a case the first time it is presented to a court is said to have:

A

Original Jurisdiction

83
Q

What methods were used by Southern States to keep African Americans from voting?

A

Gerrymandering and Jim Crowe Laws

- Literacy test, grandfather clause, and poll tax

84
Q

Which of the following is NOT one of the ways that a branch of the federal government can check the power of another branch?

A

Checks and Balances

- see sheet for specifics, #64

85
Q

Which of the following is the best summation of the dissenting argument in the Citizens United Case?

A

Corporations are not people and to treat them as such is misguided and dangerous

86
Q

Factors that effect a Presidents selection of a Supreme Court nominee include all of the following?

A
  • experience
  • agrees with the prez
  • able to be confirmed by the Senate
  • elite background
  • clean background
  • will they help the prez get reelected if needed?
87
Q

House Rep Maj Floor Leader

A

Eric Cantor

88
Q

House Rep Min Floor LEader

A

Nancy

89
Q

Functions of political parties

A
  • nominating function
  • informing/activation function
  • bonding agent function
  • governing function
  • watchdog function
90
Q

Which Amendment states that an individual may not be compelled to testify against themselves?

A

5th

91
Q

Cabinet Levels of Dept……I know what they are and arent

A

Defense, Homeland Security, Education, Agriculture, Treasury, Commerce, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, State, Veteran Affairs, Energy, Justic, Transportation, Labor

92
Q

Gerrymandering is defined as:

A

the dividing of state districts illegally for political gain (in terms of population and voting) - illegally reapportioning.

93
Q

Which of the following Supreme Court cases do deal with public schools?

A

Tinker vs Des Moines

New Jersey vs TLO

94
Q

Under what circumstance is a state allowed to ban abortion?

A

During the 3rd trimester

95
Q

What does the HOR have that the Senate does not?

A

Speaker of the House

96
Q

Why do people choose not to vote?

A

vote will not make a difference, laziness, time zone fallout, not informed

97
Q

Which type of politician votes according to their conscience?

A

Trustee

98
Q

When Senators attempt to “talk a bill to death” it is called what?

A

Filibuster

99
Q

What are some of the major principles the US Constitution is based on?

A

can be modified, purposely vague, open to interpretation, fits from era to era

100
Q

What are factors that influenced the writers of the US Constitution?

A

demographics, english political heritage, experience as colonists, native americans

101
Q

What are examples of how Presidential signing statements alter the checks and balances of the branches of our federal government?

A

Detainee Treatment Act of 2005, National Defense Authorization Act of 2008

102
Q

Who is the Senate Minority Leader?

A

Mitch McConnell

103
Q

Which branch of government has an oversight function?

A

the legislative branch has the duty of overseeing the Executive branch

104
Q

What did the Fairness Doctrine guarantee?

A

The Fairness Doctrine required holders of broadcast licenses to give equal airtime to both sides of controversial issues

American Government (1 decks)

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