WorksheetsFederal Government Review for test 3
Total questions: 100
Worksheet time: 50mins
In which month do general presidential election campaigns typically begin?
September
August
October
June
How many electors must a presidential candidate secure in the Electoral College to be elected president?
228
435
328
270
A written message that the President issues upon signing a bill into law is called:
a signing statement
a declaration
a veto
a filibuster
Which President issued more vetoes during his term?
Grover Cleveland
Herbert Hoover
Donald Trump
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Many vice presidents have served a largely____
role.
Political
Ceremonial
Ideological
Informant
How many vice presidents have succeeded a president who died in office?
2
3
8
5
Most would-be presidents choose their vice-presidential running mate based on their desire for a "_____" approach that provides diversity and maximizes electoral appeal.
balanced ticket
complementary duo
party first
equal partnership
The head of the Department of Justice is called the
secretary of justice
solicitor general.
attorney general.
head lawyer.
Colin Powell was the first black secretary of state. He was appointed by
Bill Clinton
George W. Bush
Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
Janet Reno, the first woman to be appointed to a "big four" cabinet position, was appointed by which president?
Bill Clinton
George W. Bush
Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
Which office within the Executive Office of the President is responsible for the creation of the president's annual budget?
Department of the Treasury
Bureau of the Budget
Federal Reserve
Office of Management and Budget
Which of these offices acts as the launch pad for the implementation of presidential policy?
White House counsel
National Security Council
Executive Office of the President
Council of Economic Advisors
Which constitutional amendment, passed in 1967, determines the course of action in the case of a president being incapacitated?
Twenty-Third
Twenty-Seventh
Twenty-Sixth
Twenty-Fifth
The expressed powers for the president are found in Article of the U.S. Constitution.
I
II
III
IV
Which of the following is NOT a power vested in the president by the Constitution?
serve as commander in chief
give the State of the Union address
Declare War
Pardon crimes
Which clause has been cited by presidents as the basis for the assertion of inherent powers?
the establishment clause
the commerce clause
the necessary and proper clause
the take care clause
Which of the following best describes presidential use of the line-item veto?
It has not been as effective as hoped, because it cannot be used on appropriations bills
It is virtually unused by modern presidents, because they fear encroaching on congressional power
It is no longer in use because the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional
It has become a common tool among modern presidents
The president can exert all the following powers through the use of executive order EXCEPT
creating or changing regulatory guidelines or practices of executive departments and agencies.
enforcing specific provisions of the Constitution.
creating new taxes.
directing enforcement of congressional statutes or Supreme Court rulings.
Abraham Lincoln used _____ to draft militia into national service.
the take care clause
executive privilege
executive order
emergency powers
Which of these President's had the highest approval rating?
George W. Bush
Ronald Reagan
Donald Trump
Joe Biden
The___badly wounded the trust that many Americans had for their president and their government
Monica Lewinski affair
twitter escapade
Louisiana Purchase
Watergate Scandal
Three Presidents have been impeached by the House. They were Andrew Johnson, and:
Donald Trump and Bill Clinton
Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton
Jeff Bezos and Donald Trump
Of the following first ladies, who exercised the LEAST amount of political power?
Hillary Clinton
Edith Wilson
Michelle Obama
Eleanor Roosevelt
The non-elected government employees hired to impierent public policy are known as:
lobbyists
theorists
worker bees
bureaucrats
The President hires or appoints about_____individuals for the hierarchy of the executive branch.
4,000
8,000
1,000
2,500
What is the name given to the book, published every four years, that lists the federal positions available by appointment by the President through the patronage system.
the book of civil service
the peach book
the jobs book
the plum book
GS-14 civil servants can make:
$34,649 - $45,044
$47,097 - $61,227
$112,890 - $146,757
$95,973 - $124,764
All of the national executive branch employs approximately_____public servants.
1 million
2 million
4 million
5 million
What title is given to the top political appointee who heads each of the national government's 15 departments, except the Department of Justice?
general secretary
director
secretary
main secretary
The first three cabinet departments were
State, Treasury, and War.
Homeland, Interior, and Treasury.
Interior, Treasury, and Defense.
Treasury, Interior, and Defense.
Which of the following was the first independent regulatory commission established by the federal government to oversee the prices and services of the railroad industry?
Railroad Commission
Consumer Product Safety Commission
General Services Administration
Interstate Commerce Commission
There are ___ stages in the public policy cycle.
6
5
4
3
Which laws open up government functions and documents to the public?
Government in the Sunshine Laws
Freedom of Information Provisions
E-Government Act
Administrative Procedure Act
Congress can force itself to evaluate a bureaucracy's performance by including a . authorization law which establishes an agency or a program.
sunrise clause
shadow clause
sunset clause
desk clause
____are people who disclose government misconduct, waste, or mismanagement.
Whistleblowers
Snitches
Public Servants
Lobbyists
The dual court system in the U.S. includes:
the national judiciary and Puerto Rico
the national and 50 state judicial systems
military and national courts
all 50 state judiciaries
Which of the following statements about constitutional law is accurate?
Constitutional law arises from federal statutes.
Constitutional law is binding only on the actions of the federal government.
All laws in the United States must comply with the U.S. Constitution.
All of these answers are correct.
The principle of stare decisis, a Latin phrase that means "let the decision stand," is the basis of the modern legal concept of
code law.
precedent.
jury trials.
the primacy of common law.
U.S. statutes and acts are authored by___ and contained in the US code.
the Supreme Court.
the president.
Congress and other legislatures.
Congress.
Texas is in the___Federal Circuit Court district.
8th
1st
5th
3rd
The compilation of a state's criminal law is known as its____ code
Constitutional
Criminal
Penal
State
The vast majority of crimes in the United States are dealt with by____legislation.
Federal
Local
State
None of these answers are correct
Who files suit in a case dealing with a violation of criminal law?
the government
the respondent
the victim
the plaintiff
In a federal criminal trial, the burden of proof is:
preponderance of the evidence.
somewhat guilty
beyond a reasonable doubt
beyond a shadow of a doubt
Which of the following is a key difference between criminal trials and civil trials?
Criminal trials include an automatic appeal to a federal appellate court.
Criminal trials require a higher degree of certainty of guilt or responsibility.
Criminal trials always have judges.
Criminal trial decisions can be appealed, whereas civil trial decisions cannot.
In a civil suit, the ___ alleges that some action or inaction by the other party has caused harm to their body, property, psychological well-being, reputation, or civil rights or liberties.
the government
the plaintiff
the defendant
the respondent
The authority of the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of governmental action is known as
jurisdiction.
precedent.
judicial review.
stare decisis.
___Courts do the bulk of the work of the federal judiciary.
District and Appeal
District
Appeal Courts and the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court.
How many federal district courts are there in the U.S. court system?
76
13
56
94
How many federal courts of appeal are there?
27
94
13
6
The U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals
decide all cases after an oral hearing on the matter.
are constitutional courts of last resort.
review the interpretation or application of law in a case appealed from the district court.
hold trials to determine the evidence.
The leading justice on the Supreme Court, who provides both organizational and intellectual leadership, is known as the
associate justice.
chief justice.
official justice.
head justice.
The current Supreme Court is known as the____Court
Roberts
Burger
Kennedy
Rehnquist
Most of the U.S. Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction is____
discretionary
mandatory
automatic
de jure
How many justices are there on the Supreme Court?
9
5
13
7
Which current Justice was not a sitting judge when appointed?
Elena Kagan
Ruth Ginsburg
Antonin Scalia
John Roberts
A custom whereby the Senate will not confirm a Presidential nominee if the nominee is opposed by one or both senators from the nominee's home state is called:
the polite rule
senatorial courtesy
specialization
race judicated
Which of the following share power in the selection of federal court judges?
the House of Representatives and the Senate
the House of Representatives and the president
the Senate and the President
the Supreme Court and the House of Representatives
A Supreme Court justice who agrees with the majority in a case but disagrees in whole or in part with the majority opinion, has the option to write a ___ opinion.
concurring
dissenting
supporting
minority
A Supreme Court justice who disagrees with the majority in a case has the option to write a ___ opinion.
Supporting
Congruent
Concurring
Dissenting
Who is the most recently appointed justice to the U.S. Supreme Court?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
John Roberts
Ketanji Brown Jackson
Amy Coney Barrett
How many cases does the U.S. Supreme Court agree to review each year?
80
8,000
1500
12
Which branch(es) has check(s) on the judicial branch?
voters
legislative
executive
legislative and executive
Which of the following conducts impeachment trials for federal judges?
the Supreme Court
the attorney general of the United States
The Senate
the House
Government-supported safety nets
are rarely supported by those that are liberal in inclination, like Democrats.
are programs that ensure that the physiological needs of citizens are met.
are generally supported by those with a conservative ideology.
deal exclusively with the economic well-being of citizens.
People with NIMBY ("not-in-my-backyard") syndrome take which of the following stances on civic engagement?
They often participate in an attempt to limit government authority.
They often participate in an attempt to expand government authority.
They rarely participate, viewing government as corrupt and ineffective.
They are not inspired to participate in politics until a government action or inaction threatens them directly.
The most costly cash transfer program in the federal government is:
SNAP
SBA
a tax break
Social Security
Medicaid is a joint federal-state entitlement program providing health care to people meeting a means test. There are nearly____different Medicaid programs.
25
3
17
50
The minimum hourly wage in California is:
$7.25
$14
$12.80
$11.50
TANF is not an entitlement program and is limited to two consecutive years and a lifetime maximum of___years.
3
4
5
6
Medicare, established in 1965, provides health insurance to persons over the age of
55
65
60
70
Which president declared an "energy crisis" and promoted conservation and energy efficiency measures
Jimmy Carter
Gerald Ford
Ronald Reagan
George H. W. Bush
OPEC refused to sell___ to the U.S. and Western European Nations in 1973.
corn
electricity
oil
Chinese products
Citizens are typically within the jurisdiction of how many governments?
5
3
2
4
The opportunity granted by state government for citizens to write, adopt, and amend local government charters at the municipal and county level is known as:
Dillion's Rule.
home rule.
popular referendum.
a charter.
In general, how long is the term of office for state senators?
2 years
3 years
4 years
5 years
All states except___have a bicameral legislature.
Georgia
Wyoming
Tennessee
Nebraska
In general, how long is the term of office for state representatives?
2 years
3 years
4 years
5 years
States have a plural executive system In Texas, we elected____ state wide officials.
10
9
11
8
Who is responsible for the implementation of public policy?
the judicial branch
the legislative branch
the executive branch
the city council
Which of the following statements about state legislators is accurate?
there is less diversity of gender, ethnicity, and race among state legislators than among federal legislators
there is no correlation between the racial and ethnic diversity of state and the composition of its legislature
all state legislatures have the same primary functions: to formulate public policy
the majority of states impose term limits for legislators
Unlike the president, most state governors have which of the following tools to help them balance the state budget?
all of these answers are correct
authority to implement programs funded by the state budget
ability to draft an executive budget
the line-item veto to eliminate funding lines in appropriation bills
State trial courts have___jurisdiction and appellate courts have___jurisdiction.
appellate; multi
original; trial
original; appellate
beginning; end
What type of election is faced by judges who are selected through the merit selection process?
retention
nonpartisan
primary
partisan
The form of general-purpose government found in a majority of cities is comprised of an elected body with legislative and executive powers and a(n):
council-manager.
strong mayor.
weak mayor.
independent commission.
Through which of the following procedures can citizens bypass their elected officials to create and approve laws?
popular referendum
recall
legislative referral
initiative
The most visible special purpose governments are:
transit authorities
school districts
appellate
hospital
Which of the following is an instrument used in direct democracy that allows citizens to remove an elected official before the end of the individual's term?
referendum
mandate
policy control
recall
The day-to-day costs of government operations are covered by its:
capital budget.
operating budget
essential services.
local expenditures.
How many states constitutionally require balanced yearly budgets?
all 50
44
39
49
Which of the following makes up the largest proportion of local budgets?
education
government administration
health and hospitals
public safety
As of 2019, which of the following makes up the largest amount of state expenditures?
intergovernmental expenditures
education
insurance
public welfare, hospitals and health
Which of the following tends to be the most criticized tax, in part, because it increases on an almost annual basis?
income tax
sales tax
property tax
business tax
How many states, including Texas, do not collect a personal income tax?
fifteen
ten
three
seven
Which of the following is true of state and local responses to the coronavirus pandemic?
State and local governments hit earlier in the spread of the virus showed the least willingness to enact strong measures to deal with its effects.
Early national leadership on the pandemic reduced the need for states to experiment in their response actions.
Many collaborations to deal with the pandemic crossed municipal, county, and state lines.
Governors showed an early willingness to close down buildings and public spaces, but changed their positions later on.
There are about___ million people employed by state and local governments.
5
15
20
90,000
Essential service providers include: schoolteachers, police officer, fire fighters and:
road and bridge maintenance crews.
grocery workers.
Wal-Mart Employees
people who mow lawns
Generally speaking, ___ governments are trusted more than ___ government(s).
local; national
state; national
national; local and state
local and state; supreme
Local governments get most of their revenue from which of these?
property taxes
rental properties
individual income taxes
sales taxes
A tax on the extraction of a natural resource is known as a___tax.
business
consumptive
severance
capital gains
