ss.8.cg.3.13 (Assessment #s)

Which level of government regulates and issues driver’s licenses?

• county

• national

• municipal

• state

Answer explanation

Drivers’ licenses are regulated at the state level, although they are issued at the county level in Florida.

A is Incorrect- Drivers’ licenses are regulated at the state level, although they are issued at the county level in Florida. 

B is Incorrect- Drivers’ licenses are regulated at the state level; there is no national agency that regulates driver’s licenses.

C is Incorrect- Drivers’ licenses are regulated at the state level; municipal level governments, such as county governments, do not issue driver’s licenses in Florida.

This chart describes some powers of different levels of government.

Which power completes this chart?

• Controlling voter registration

• Issuing driver’s licenses

• Controlling utilities

• Issuing passports

Answer explanation

Correct- Passports are issued and relegated by the federal government through the U.S. Department of State.

A is Incorrect- Voter registration is not a power of the federal government. This is a power reserved to the states.

B is Incorrect- Issuing driver’s licenses is a state government power.

C is Incorrect- Controlling utilities is a power of local governments.

This table identifies powers of the different levels of government. 

Which power completes this diagram?

• Coin money

• Sign treaties

• Establish post offices

• Establish school districts and school boards

Answer explanation

Article IX of the Florida Constitution provides that each county in Florida constitutes a school district and requires each district to be governed by a school board comprised of at least five members, who serve staggered terms of four years.The powers and responsibilities of district school boards is also outlined in Article IX of the Florida Constitution. 

A is Incorrect- Only the national government has the power to coin money (Article I, section 8). 

B is Incorrect- Only the national government has the ability to sign treaties and negotiate with foreign nations (Article II, section 2). 

C is Incorrect- Only the national government has the power to establish post offices (Article I, section 8). 

A homeowner was upset by a notice changing the day of trash collection and decided to write a letter to a government office responsible for providing the service. 

To which public official should the homeowner write?

• U.S. President

• U.S. Senator

• State Representative

• County Commissioner

Answer explanation

Local government is responsible for trash collection; one of the ways that local government regulates trash collection is to decide which days of the week that trash pick-up will occur. 

A is Incorrect – The national executive is not responsible for providing trash collection; a large portion of the services provided by the national government are listed in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

B is Incorrect – The national legislature, the Congress, is not responsible for providing trash collection; a large portion of the services provided by the national government are listed in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

C is Incorrect – The state legislature is not responsible for providing trash collection; trash collection is the responsibility of the local government.

This Venn diagram shows some services provided by state and local governments.

Which service completes the Venn diagram?

• regulating taxicabs

• creating a police force

• issuing driver’s licenses

• regulating savings banks

Answer explanation

Creating police forces is a concurrent power to local and state governments. State-level police forces are created to enforce state statutes. Local police forces are created to enforce local ordinances.

A is Incorrect- Local governments maintain control over taxicabs, including how much they charge to transport customers.

C is Incorrect- Issuing driver’s licenses is a power reserved to state governments.

D is Incorrect- Regulating savings banks is a concurrent power between national and state governments. Local governments do not regulate savings banks.

This statement was made during a speech by President Barack Obama on September 9, 2009.

I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last. It has now been nearly a century since

Theodore Roosevelt first called for healthcare reform. And ever since, nearly every president and Congress, whether

Democrat or Republican, has attempted to meet this challenge in some way.

Which federal power is most likely to expand under the reform effort described in this statement?

• coin and print money

• lay and collect taxes

• education standards

• naturalization laws

Answer explanation

President Obama is speaking about the “challenge” of “healthcare reform.” Government-funded healthcare costs money, which is collected through taxes, and the Constitution does not define taxation. 

A Incorrect- The power to coin and print money has no room to expand.   

C is Incorrect- Education is a state effort.

D is Incorrect- Naturalization is not addressed in the passage. 

Which is the sole responsibility of state governments?

• regulating public transportation

• providing clean drinking water

• regulating public education 

• providing fire protection

Answer explanation

The reserved powers found in the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution give to state governments the power to regulate public education.  

A is Incorrect- National, state, and local governments all play a role in regulating public transportation. 

B is Incorrect- National, state, and local governments all play a role in providing clean drinking water. 

D is Incorrect- National, state, and local governments all play a role in providing fire protection.

Which level of government services is likely to have the most impact on the lives of citizens?  

 

• federal

• local

• national

• state

Answer explanation

Correct- Local governments provide the most services to citizens throughout the day, including water, police protection, fire protection, trash collection, and electricity. 

A Incorrect- The federal (national) government is best known to citizens but does not provide the most services to citizens.

C is Incorrect- The national (federal) government is the best known to citizens but does not provide the most services to citizens. 

D is Incorrect- State governments provide services to citizens, but local governments provide the most services to citizens.  

This statement is from a document. 

Without support from Congress or the president, efforts to avoid compliance with enacted law are not likely to succeed.

Because of this, we have concluded the following:

Which option is most likely to finish this statement?

• It is illegal to suspend trash collection.

• It is illegal to suspend police services.  

• It is illegal to suspend mail delivery.

• It is illegal to suspend fire services.

Answer explanation

Correct- Mail services are provided by the national government; the statement suggests that the national government is involved with the regulating as Congress and the president are referenced.

A is Incorrect- Trash collection is a local government service; the president and Congress are not involved in trash collection.

B is Incorrect- Police services are provided by local governments; the president and Congress are not involved in providing police services. 

D is Incorrect- Fire services are provided by local governments.   

This passage is taken from a speech by a public official on January 4, 2011.

While we set about becoming the best place in the country to create jobs, we’ll also take a fresh look at education and health care. Few things matter as much to us as our health care and education of our children. 

Based on this passage, what role do public services at all levels of government play in the lives of citizens?

• promote support for constitutional government

• promote support for local businesses

• promote environmental regulation

• promote domestic tranquility

Answer explanation

The government services identified in the excerpt are provided by the state government; states promote domestic security, which leads to domestic tranquility through health care and education for children, and by creating jobs.

A is Incorrect-  The excerpt does not speak to constitutional issues.

B is Incorrect- The focus of the stimulus is on services (education and healthcare) and not private businesses.

C is Incorrect- The focus of the stimulus is business, education, and healthcare.