US politics

1. Americans do not want to have a strong national government because

• they are afraid of their political leaders

• they are afraid it will put limits on their individual freedom

• they are much more concerned with national glory

2. The Constitution of the US

• gives by far the most power to Congress

• gives by far the most power to the president

• tries to give each branch enough power to balance the others

The president of the US

• has the power to make official treaties with foreign governments without the approval of Congress

• Can veto a law that has been passed by Congress

• is elected if his political party wins most of the seats in Congress

The Bill of Rights

• explains the rights of Congress and the rights of the president

• guarantees citizens of the US specific individual rights and freedoms

• is part of the Declaration of Independence

The American ideal of the free individual

• was exemplified by the farmers and the frontier settlers in the late 1700s and early 1800s

• caused the national government to grow in size and strength during the late 1800s

• was exemplified by the businessman before the Civil War of the 1860s

The number of electoral votes a candidate receives

• is determined by who wins the total popular vote nationwide

• is determined by the electoral votes of the states that candidate wins

• is equal to the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives

Which of these statements is TRUE about the 2000 presidential election?

• George W. Bush became president in 2000 because he won a plurality of votes nationwide

• The Supreme Court played a major role in the 2000 election

• Jeb Bush played an important role in the election because he was governor of California

Stronger gun-control laws are favored by

• the National Rifle Association

• most of the American people

• very few Americans

Which statement about lobby groups is NOT true?

• They have become less powerful in recent years

• They try to influence the government and public opinion

• They have caused the government to get larger

Which statement about the traditional beliefs of the political parties is FALSE?

• The Democrats believe that the government should play a major role in solving society's problems

• The Republicans believe that business and the free market can solve society's problems

• The Republicans and the Democrats basically agree about the role of the government and they have the same political beliefs