Most political issues have multiple ________, ________, and ________ causes and connections.
social, economic, and political
_________ ________ under the law for every individual is a requirement of a true democracy.
equal protection
What are the key linkage institutions in America's democratic system?
political parties, media, elections, interest groups
What is the central idea of a democracy?
ordinary people want to rule themselves and are capable of doing so
The ________ political participation there is in a society, the weaker the democracy.
less
The role of organizations such as political parties and interest groups is to transmit the wants and demands of ________.
individuals and groups in our society to government officials
What primary concern do political observers have on the role of political action committees (PACs)?
the close connection between money and politics, especially in congressional elections
The writers of the U.S. constitution doubted the ability of ordinary Americans to make _______ ________.
well-informed decisions
The Constitution and the principles of American democracy have restraints in order to________.
protect the minority from the majority
Which three factors united citizens at the time of the founding of the United States?
a single language,
a shared protestant-christian heritage
a fear of a strong central government
John Locke believed that ________ ________ were inherent of humans and not dependent on governments.
natural rights
The Constitution may be informally amended ________.
through...
judicial interpretation,
changing political practice,
technology,
increased demands for news policy
What was one advantage the Framers intended when they constructed a federal government in which each branch has specific powers that are checked by the other two branches?
it protected against government tyranny by one branch or by all three acting together
When was the Bill of Rights added to the Constitution?
after the ratification of the constitution, to fulfill a promise to anti-federalist
15. One of the rights outlined in the _________ is that human beings possess rights that cannot be legitimately given away or taken from them.
declaration of independence
16. What are the appropriate actions for each branch of the government in regard to laws?
legislative branch passes law
executive branch enforces law
judicial branch interprets law
17. The major weakness of the Articles of Confederation was its ________.
lack of a strong national government
18. How does the electoral college work?
each state determines how it will select its electors; electors then elect the president
19. Why did the framers create the electoral college?
because they didn't trust the masses to elect the president directly
20. An example of a power possessed by the president that acts as a check on Congress is _______.
the power to veto bills passed by the congress
21. The legal source of authority for American federalism is the ________.
U.S. Constitution
22. The ________ Clause requires states to honor each other's official acts.
Full Faith and Credit Clause
23. ________ or ________ powers are described in the U.S. Constitution as powers belonging to the national government.
delegated or enumerated powers
24. The ________ Clause declares the U.S. Constitution, treaties, and laws of the national government the "supreme law of the land".
Supremacy Clause
25. An example of a shared power of national and state government as listed in the Constitution is ________.
the power to tax
26. American ________ can be seen as a response to the concerns about the potential abuses by a strong central government.
federalism
27. To affirm Congress' constitutional authority to take actions not explicitly enumerated among its powers, the Supreme Court relied upon ________in McCulloch v. Maryland.
the necessary and proper clause
28. In ________ ________, states and the national government each remain supreme within their own spheres.
dual federalism
29. If a state worked with a national government agency to solve a problem with large implications, it could be said that the problem is being solved through ________ federalism.
cooperative federalism
30. The various types of federal grants all serve the purpose of targeting national problems, while ________ the growth of federal agencies.
slowing
31. What is the central legislative dilemma for Congress?
combining faithful representation of constituents with making effective public policy
32. Lobbying ________ change is more successful than lobbying for change.
against
33. Congressional ________ are smaller and more specialized.
subcommittees
34. Increased ________ ________ of the parties most likely contributes to legislative gridlock.
ideological polarization
35. The Senate's role of giving advice and consent to the Executive branch is an example of the system of _________________.
checks and balances
36. What is the best predictor of voting behaviors of members of Congress?
party affiliation
37. The Connecticut Compromise established the ________ ________.
bicameral legislature
38. The Presiding officer of the House of Representatives is the ________________.
speaker of the house
39. How many votes are required to override a presidential veto?
two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate
40. Laissez-faire economics call for________ and ________.
free market and limited government
41. Government is primarily about institutions whereas politics is primarily about ________.
processes
42. The democratic idea that every citizen should have an equal say in the electoral process can be summed up in the expression ________.
one person, one vote
43. Which provision concerning slavery appeared in the Constitution?
the three-fifths compromise
44. The Framers strengthened the economic power of the national government by making _______ the main economic policymaker.
congress
45. The Constitution was ratified by a ________ ________ in each state.
3/4th majority vote
46. Which powers are reserved to the states by the constitution?
reserved powers
47. Federalism is defined most clearly as a system of ________.
shared power by the state and national government
48. Which power given to the Senate by the constitution demonstrates the Framers intent that the Senate should be the more prestigious house of Congress?
conducting impeachment trials to remove a sitting president from office
49. The granting of funds to operate authorized federal programs and agencies is an ________.
appropriation
50. The power to originate ________ bills is unique to the House of Representatives.
revenue-raising bills