The text speaks of the "power of ideas" as a key force in the deregulation of several industries that has occurred over the past two decades. Where did these ideas most often originate?

The text speaks of the "power of ideas" as a key force in the deregulation of several industries that has occurred over the past two decades. Where did these ideas most often originate?

a. With academic economists
b. With the courts, especially the Supreme Court
c. With broadcasters in local news stations
d. With the national media
e. With Congress, especially the Senate

Answer: A

One reason that the newer consumer protection agencies may not be so vulnerable to capture is that

One reason that the newer consumer protection agencies may not be so vulnerable to capture is that

a. older interest groups support them.
b. they do not impose very large costs on industry.
c. they impose a very large cost on industry.
d. their regulations are obviously beneficial.
e. they regulate several industries and so do not face a single, unified opponent.

Answer: E

The passage of the auto safety law in 1966 made it easier to

The passage of the auto safety law in 1966 made it easier to

a. pass a coal mine safety bill in 1969.
b. pass an occupational safety and health bill in 1970.
c. portray subsequent legislation as frivolous duplication.
d. condemn other attempts at regulation as "cheap imitations."
e. a and b.

Answer: E

The type of politics that often takes on a moralistic tone, with opponents portrayed as devils and compromises strongly resisted, is

The type of politics that often takes on a moralistic tone, with opponents portrayed as devils and compromises strongly resisted, is

a. interest-group politics.
b. majoritarian politics.
c. client politics.
d. entrepreneurial politics.
e. neo-institutional politics.

Answer: D

Upton Sinclair's book The Jungle helped pave the wave for legislation regulating

Upton Sinclair's book The Jungle helped pave the wave for legislation regulating

a. meatpacking.
b. automobile safety.
c. the stock market.
d. drug laws.
e. weapons in public schools.

Answer: A

The Clinton administration was notable for its antitrust suit against

The Clinton administration was notable for its antitrust suit against

a. IBM.
b. Standard Oil.
c. AT&T.
d. Microsoft.
e. Northern Songs Ltd.

Answer: D

The Reagan administration broke up ________ forcing it to compete with other companies of its kind.

The Reagan administration broke up ________ forcing it to compete with other companies of its kind.

a. IBM
b. Standard Oil
c. AT&T
d. Microsoft
e. Northern Songs Ltd.

Answer: C

The Reagan administration ended its prosecution of _________ because it seemed the costs far outweighed the benefits.

The Reagan administration ended its prosecution of _________ because it seemed the costs far outweighed the benefits.

a. IBM
b. Standard Oil
c. AT&T
d. Microsoft
e. Northern Songs Ltd.

Answer: A

Over the years enforcement of antitrust policy has been

Over the years enforcement of antitrust policy has been

a. quite lax.
b. generally quite successful.
c. variable, depending on the president and the chief administrator.
d. consistently favorable to big business.
e. consistently biased against big business.

Answer: C

The president notable for persuading Congress to provide money for lawyers to enforce anti-trust legislation was

The president notable for persuading Congress to provide money for lawyers to enforce anti-trust legislation was

a. Theodore Roosevelt
b. Herbert Hoover
c. William H. Taft
d. Woodrow Wilson
e. Grover Cleveland

Answer: A

A policy that did not pit a majority against a hostile business community was the

A policy that did not pit a majority against a hostile business community was the

a. antitrust policy.
b. farm subsidy policy.
c. space policy.
d. labor policy.
e. all of the above.

Answer: A

The theory that the political system always operates to serve corporate interests is

The theory that the political system always operates to serve corporate interests is

a. Weberian.
b. pluralist.
c. Freudian.
d. Marxist.
e. sociological.

Answer: D

The Superfund was intended to force

The Superfund was intended to force

a. the automobile industry to manufacture cars that were more safe.
b. industries to clean up their own toxic waste sites.
c. the coal mining industry to reduce hours and increase wages.
d. paper mills to reduce the emission of air pollutants.
e. Congress to protect the rights of consumers.

Answer: B

The Superfund program was born in

The Superfund program was born in

a. 1950
b. 1960
c. 1970
d. 1980
e. 1990

Answer: D

Policies with distributed benefits and concentrated costs are

Policies with distributed benefits and concentrated costs are

a. opposed by policy entrepreneurs.
b. are not affected by the media.
c. are very rarely adopted.
d. adopted less and less.
e. adopted with increasing frequency.

Answer: E

It is somewhat remarkable that policies which are the product of entrepreneurial politics are ever passed because

It is somewhat remarkable that policies which are the product of entrepreneurial politics are ever passed because

a. Courts rarely rule in a counter-majoritarian fashion.
b. the Founders made it so hard to pass laws to begin with.
c. power in Congress is so centralized.
d. policy entrepreneurs are outside of government.
e. there are few incentives for anyone to be interested in such legislation.

Answer: B

An example of entrepreneurial politics would be

An example of entrepreneurial politics would be

a. agricultural price supports.
b. Social Security.
c. a tariff on imported cars.
d. requirements for antipollution and safety devices on cars.
e. none of the above.

Answer: D

An example of client politics is

An example of client politics is

a. social welfare.
b. labor legislation.
c. licensing of barbers.
d. antitrust legislation.
e. all of the above.

Answer: A

When pork-barrel projects are conglomerated to the point that a majority coalition is formed, the process of building that coalition is known as

When pork-barrel projects are conglomerated to the point that a majority coalition is formed, the process of building that coalition is known as

a. group facilitation.
b. favor empowerment.
c. legislative monopoly.
d. pork piling.
e. logrolling.

Answer: E

Majoritarian policies tend to reflect

Majoritarian policies tend to reflect

a. interest-group activity.
b. interest-group conglomerations.
c. matters of cost or ideology.
d. the times.
e. political party activity.

Answer: C

If you receive benefits from a policy achieved by a group to which you do not belong, you are

If you receive benefits from a policy achieved by a group to which you do not belong, you are

a. a majoritarian.
b. a policy entrepreneur.
c. a free rider.
d. a neo-institutionalist.
e. a secondary entrepreneur.

Answer: C

An example of a widely distributed benefit is

An example of a widely distributed benefit is

a. the reduction of factory pollution.
b. dairy subsidies.
c. farm subsidies.
d. the protection of a business from competition.
e. a dissident group's freedom to speak.

Answer: A

An example of a policy characterized by distributed benefits and distributed costs is

An example of a policy characterized by distributed benefits and distributed costs is

a. a tariff on bicycle chains.
b. farm subsidies.
c. dairy subsidies.
d. the construction of a dam.
e. increased Social Security benefits.

Answer: E

The nature of the issue on the current political agenda has its greatest influence on

The nature of the issue on the current political agenda has its greatest influence on

a. presidential policy.
b. the prevailing ideas of society at large.
c. congressional monitoring.
d. prevailing media opinion.
e. the kinds of groups that get politically involved.

Answer: E

The text observes states can play a particularly impressive role in national policy-making when

The text observes states can play a particularly impressive role in national policy-making when

a. governors are supportive of federal regulations.
b. legislatures impose strict limits on liability suits.
c. courts interpret their own constitutions narrowly.
d. attorneys general settle suits with businesses that bind industries throughout the country.
e. they have low tax rate, stimulating economic vitality.

Answer: D

Senate proposals for new safety standards for industry, coal mines and automobiles were closely correlated with

Senate proposals for new safety standards for industry, coal mines and automobiles were closely correlated with

a. the number of registered lobbyists interested in those topics.
b. PAC money.
c. statistics on fatalities.
d. focus on those topics in the pages of the New York Times.
e. television nightly news.

Answer: D

Which of the following statements best describes government bureaucracy today?

Which of the following statements best describes government bureaucracy today?

a. It is a tool of big business.
b. It is a major source of policy proposals.
c. It is an impartial institution.
d. It is an appendage of the political parties.
e. It is without significant influence in the policy-making process.

Answer: B

Despite his dislike of using force against local government, Dwight Eisenhower used federal troops to

Despite his dislike of using force against local government, Dwight Eisenhower used federal troops to

a. run steel mills.
b. assist with school desegregation.
c. collect federal taxes.
d. regulate speed limits on interstate highways.
e. distribute social welfare benefits.

Answer: B

The text identifies which of the following institutions as "especially important" in influencing agenda setting?

The text identifies which of the following institutions as "especially important" in influencing agenda setting?

a. The Senate
b. The courts
c. The bureaucracy.
d. All of the above.
e. The House of Representatives

Answer: D

The text's explanation for the urban riots in the 1960s centers on

The text's explanation for the urban riots in the 1960s centers on

a. white radicals who mobilized blacks.
b. organized special-interest groups in urban areas.
c. followers of Marcus Garvey.
d. blacks' sense of relative deprivation.
e. the Black Panther movement.

Answer: D

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was passed at a time when

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was passed at a time when

a. the number of industrial deaths had increased steadily for a decade.
b. the number of industrial deaths had been dropping steadily for twenty years.
c. industrial fatalities had remained the same for several years.
d. data on industrial fatalities were unavailable to Congress.
e. data on industrial fatalities were unreliable.

Answer: B

The fact that there were impressive displays of expansion of governmental power in the administrations of Richard Nixon, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan suggests

The fact that there were impressive displays of expansion of governmental power in the administrations of Richard Nixon, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan suggests

a. expansion is, fundamentally, the byproduct of liberalism.
b. expansion is, fundamentally, the result of Democratic politics.
c. expansion is, fundamentally, the byproduct of Republican politics.
d. expansion is, fundamentally, a non-partisan process.
e. A and B.

Answer: D

Who noted that the government "big enough to give you everything you want" is also the government "big enough to take away everything you have?"

Who noted that the government "big enough to give you everything you want" is also the government "big enough to take away everything you have?"

a. Richard Nixon
b. Gerald Ford
c. Dwight Eisenhower
d. Jimmy Carter
e. Ralph Nader

Answer: B

What, according to the text, is "always getting larger"?

What, according to the text, is "always getting larger"?

a. the scope of legitimate governmental action.
b. the scope of what is illegitimate for government to do.
c. the number of legislative proposals restricting the scope of governmental power.
d. the number of debates about the legitimacy of government programs.
e. B and D.

Answer: A

The text suggests that, at any given time, what is considered legitimate - proper, right - for the government to do is affected by

The text suggests that, at any given time, what is considered legitimate - proper, right - for the government to do is affected by

a. shared political values.
b. the weight of custom.
c. the impact of events.
d. changes in the way political elites think.
e. all of the above.

Answer: E

The national policy agenda was quite short until the

The national policy agenda was quite short until the

a. 1790s
b. 1870s
c. 1890s
d. 1930s
e. 1980s

Answer: D

The most important decision that affects policy-making - and least noticed - is the decision to

The most important decision that affects policy-making - and least noticed - is the decision to

a. enact the policy agenda.
b. determine what to make policy about.
c. enforce the policy agenda.
d. fund the policy agenda.
e. fund and enforce the policy agenda.

Answer: B

A major reason that the courts play a greater role in American society today than they did earlier in the century is that

A major reason that the courts play a greater role in American society today than they did earlier in the century is that

a. government plays a greater role generally.
b. lawyers are more influential than ever.
c. public opinion is less focused.
d. judges are better trained.
e. the courts are more representative of American society.

Answer: A

The 1868, case of Mississippi newspaper editor William McCardle was extraordinary because

The 1868, case of Mississippi newspaper editor William McCardle was extraordinary because

a. the Supreme Court accepted his appeal before it was formally filed.
b. it seems almost certain that he would have remained in jail for the rest of his natural life despite having committed the most trivial of offenses.
c. a federal district court insisted that he be released from jail after Congress issued a proclamation demanding such.
d. Congress took away the Court's power to consider the case in the middle of his appeal.
e. a unanimous Court declared Reconstruction policy - under which he was convicted - unconstitutional.

Answer: D

Which of the following statements regarding judicial impeachments is incorrect?

Which of the following statements regarding judicial impeachments is incorrect?

a. Fifteen federal judges have been impeached.
b. Some judges have resigned in the face of probable impeachment.
c. Seven impeached judges were acquitted.
d. The most recent conviction of a federal judge occurred in 1989.
e. The possibility of impeachment is an important influence on judicial policy making.

Answer: E

Which of the following is a major restraint on the influence of federal judges?

Which of the following is a major restraint on the influence of federal judges?

a. Politics, especially the results of recent elections.
b. Rule 17.
c. The lack of effective enforcement power.
d. The veto power of the president.
e. International law.

Answer: C

Common criticisms of judicial activism include all of the following except

Common criticisms of judicial activism include all of the following except

a. judicial activism only works when laws are devoid of ambiguous language.
b. judges usually have no expertise in designing complex institutions.
c. judges are not elected and are therefore immune to popular control.
d. judicial activism often fails to account for the costs of implementing activist rulings.
e. judges usually have no expertise in managing complex institutions.

Answer: A

According to the text, the most powerful indicator of judicial power is probably

According to the text, the most powerful indicator of judicial power is probably

a. the use of judicial review.
b. the extent to which precedent is followed.
c. the types of political questions courts are willing to handle.
d. the kinds of remedies that courts will impose.
e. the use of per curiam opinions.

Answer: D

A political question is a matter

A political question is a matter

a. involving voters.
b. that the Constitution has left to another branch of government.
c. that an elected state judge has dealt with.
d. that causes conflict among average voters.
e. that must first be acted on by Congress.

Answer: B

The principle of precedent is not always so clear because

The principle of precedent is not always so clear because

a. lawyers are gifted at showing cases are different in some relevant way.
b. records of judicial decisions are not particularly well organized.
c. most appellate decisions are not accompanied by written decisions.
d. the Court rarely gets a case that is at all similar to a previous case.
e. Justices are notable for insisting that their work be original.

Answer: A

Stare decisis is generally translated as meaning

Stare decisis is generally translated as meaning

a. "friend of the court."
b. "amicable but curious."
c. "let the decision stand."
d. "to reveal."
e. none of the above.

Answer: C

If a justice agrees with the conclusion of the Court's decision, but disagrees with the logic of the opinion of the Court, he/she would probably write a

If a justice agrees with the conclusion of the Court's decision, but disagrees with the logic of the opinion of the Court, he/she would probably write a

a. concurring opinion.
b. majority opinion.
c. plurality opinion.
d. per curiam opinion.
e. dissenting opinion.

Answer: A

Which type of opinion is typically brief and unsigned?

Which type of opinion is typically brief and unsigned?

a. Opinion of the Court.
b. Majority opinion.
c. Plurality opinion.
d. Per curiam opinion.
e. Dissenting opinion.

Answer: D

Amicus curiae is generally translated as meaning

Amicus curiae is generally translated as meaning

a. "friend of the court."
b. "amicable but curious."
c. "let the decision stand."
d. "to reveal."
e. none of the above.

Answer: A

The solicitor general has the job of

The solicitor general has the job of

a. serving as liaison between the Department of Justice and the president.
b. deciding whether to sue large corporations.
c. deciding who is eligible for the Supreme Court.
d. deciding which cases the government will appeal from the lower courts.
e. deciding which cases the Supreme Court will hear.

Answer: D

In a typical term, the federal government is party to _________ the cases that the Supreme Court hears.

In a typical term, the federal government is party to _________ the cases that the Supreme Court hears.

a. very few of
b. thirty percent of
c. about half of
d. almost all of
e. a limit of two of

Answer: C

In 1974, the Supreme Court discouraged class action suits by requiring

In 1974, the Supreme Court discouraged class action suits by requiring

a. lawyers to provide at least 20 amicus briefs supporting their claims.
b. a special panel of judges to review all such suits.
c. such suits to impact at least 300,000 persons.
d. all fees in such suits be initially shifted to plaintiffs.
e. every ascertainable member of a class be individually notified of a suit.

Answer: E

The doctrine of sovereign immunity prevents citizens from suing the government unless the government

The doctrine of sovereign immunity prevents citizens from suing the government unless the government

a. consents to be sued.
b. has violated a state law.
c. has violated both a state and federal law.
d. is exempt from having to pay fees.
e. has clearly been involved in manipulation of evidence.

Answer: A

To bring suit in a court, a plaintiff must first show that

To bring suit in a court, a plaintiff must first show that

a. there is a defendant.
b. the defendant is a real person.
c. there is no true case and controversy.
d. the defendant is a citizen of the United States.
e. he/she has standing.

Answer: E

Fee shifting enables the plaintiff to

Fee shifting enables the plaintiff to

a. get paid by the Department of Justice.
b. split costs with the court.
c. have taxpayers pay his or her costs.
d. split the costs with the defendant.
e. collect costs from the defendant if the defendant loses.


Answer: E

What percentage of appeals court cases are rejected by the Supreme Court?

What percentage of appeals court cases are rejected by the Supreme Court?

a. 1 or 2 percent
b. 20 percent
c. 30 percent
d. 50 percent
e. 99 percent


Answer: E

Cert is issued and a case is scheduled for a hearing if ______ justices agree to hear it.

Cert is issued and a case is scheduled for a hearing if ______ justices agree to hear it.

a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 8
e. all nine of the

Answer: C

Certiorari is a Latin word meaning, roughly,

Certiorari is a Latin word meaning, roughly,

a. "certified."
b. "made more certain."
c. "without certainty."
d. "appealed."
e. "judicial."



Answer: B

If you wish to declare bankruptcy, you must do so in

If you wish to declare bankruptcy, you must do so in

a. a court in the state in which you reside.
b. a state appellate court.
c. a federal appellate court.
d. the U.S. Supreme Court.
e. a federal district court.

Answer: E

If citizens of different states wish to sue one another in a matter involving more than $75,000, they can do so in

If citizens of different states wish to sue one another in a matter involving more than $75,000, they can do so in

a. either a federal or a state court.
b. a court in the plaintiff's state only.
c. an intermediate court of appeals.
d. a court in the defendant's state only.
e. a federal court only.

Answer: A

The increasing importance of a political litmus test is evident in the dramatic drop in the confirmation rates of nominees to

The increasing importance of a political litmus test is evident in the dramatic drop in the confirmation rates of nominees to

a. the U.S. District Courts.
b. the U.S. Courts of Appeal.
c. the Supreme Court.
d. the trial courts of limited jurisdiction in the federal system.
e. all of the above.

Answer: B

When politicians complain about the use of "litmus tests" in judicial nominations, they are probably

When politicians complain about the use of "litmus tests" in judicial nominations, they are probably

a. Democrats.
b. Republicans.
c. Liberals.
d. Conservatives.
e. not part of the group that is currently in power.

Answer: E

Which of the following statements about the selection of federal judges is correct?

Which of the following statements about the selection of federal judges is correct?

a. The principle of senatorial courtesy applies to the selection of Supreme Court justices.
b. Presidents generally appoint judges whose political views reflect their own.
c. Since personal attitudes and opinions have little impact in judicial decision-making, presidents are usually not too concerned about who they nominate.
d. Nominees for district judgeships often face tough confirmation battles in the Senate.
e. The application of political litmus tests to Supreme Court nominees is no longer legal.

Answer: B

The Court of Military Appeals is an example of a/an _________ court.

The Court of Military Appeals is an example of a/an _________ court.

a. district
b. appellate
c. legislative
d. general jurisdiction
e. second level appellate

Answer: C

There are ____ U.S. District Courts.

There are ____ U.S. District Courts.

a. 11
b. 12
c. 13
d. 50
e. 94

Answer: E

The two kinds of lower federal courts created to handle cases that need not be decided by the Supreme Court are

The two kinds of lower federal courts created to handle cases that need not be decided by the Supreme Court are

a. constitutional and district.
b. appeals and limited jurisdiction.
c. district and appeals.
d. appeals and legislative.
e. constitutional and legislative.



Answer: E

A dramatic change in a long standing trends began in the early 1990s, when the Court struck down a congressional statute on the premise that ______did not affect interstate commerce.

A dramatic change in a long standing trends began in the early 1990s, when the Court struck down a congressional statute on the premise that ______did not affect interstate commerce.

a. nude dancing
b. racial discrimination
c. carrying a gun
d. commercial advertising
e. the trucking industry

Answer: C

Owen Roberts' change of view was a clear concession to

Owen Roberts' change of view was a clear concession to

a. established precedent.
b. public opinion.
c. his legal training.
d. Roosevelt's court-packing plan.
e. the Chief Justice.

Answer: B

Franklin Roosevelt's plan to reorganize the Supreme Court called for

Franklin Roosevelt's plan to reorganize the Supreme Court called for

a. the Court to meet once every other year.
b. the total number of justices to be increased according to the age of sitting justices.
c. the president to select justices without senatorial confirmation.
d. the Senate to have the power to remove justices from the Court at will.
e. all New Deal legislation to be removed from the Court's jurisdiction.

Answer: B

FDR's court-packing bill is an example of a presidential action designed to

FDR's court-packing bill is an example of a presidential action designed to

a. help the Court reduce its backlog.
b. influence the way in which the Court decided its cases.
c. make the Court more impartial.
d. discourage the Court from rendering decisions on major economic questions.
e. allow the Court to grow with society.

Answer: B

From 1937 to 1974, the Supreme Court did not declare a single federal law dealing with _______ unconstitutional.

From 1937 to 1974, the Supreme Court did not declare a single federal law dealing with _______ unconstitutional.

a. freedom of speech
b. communists
c. regulation of business
d. citizenship
e. government benefits

Answer: C

The text suggests "judicial activism" was born in the

The text suggests "judicial activism" was born in the

a. 1970s.
b. 1960s.
c. 1950s.
d. 1930s.
e. 1890s.

Answer: E

During the period from the end of the Civil War to the beginning of the New Deal, the dominant issue that the Supreme Court faced was that of

During the period from the end of the Civil War to the beginning of the New Deal, the dominant issue that the Supreme Court faced was that of

a. government regulation of the economy.
b. rights of privacy.
c. states' rights versus federal supremacy.
d. slavery.
e. government regulation of interstate commerce.

Answer: A

Roger B. Taney was deliberately chosen for the Supreme Court because he

Roger B. Taney was deliberately chosen for the Supreme Court because he

a. opposed the invention of the steamboat.
b. opposed the creation of a national bank.
c. favored a strong national government.
d. was an advocate of states' rights.
e. opposed slavery.

Answer: D

Who was defiant of Supreme Court rulings and supposedly taunted the Chief Justice to go and "enforce" one of its decisions?

Who was defiant of Supreme Court rulings and supposedly taunted the Chief Justice to go and "enforce" one of its decisions?

a. The Mayor of New York City.
b. The Governor of New York.
c. The Cherokee Indians of Georgia.
d. Robert Fulton.
e. President Andrew Jackson.

Answer: E

Which of the following statements about McCulloch v. Maryland is correct?

Which of the following statements about McCulloch v. Maryland is correct?

a. It established judicial review.
b. It ruled a national bank unconstitutional.
c. It restricted the scope of congressional power.
d. It allowed states to tax federal agencies.
e. It established the supremacy of national laws over state laws.

Answer: E

In Federalist 78, Alexander Hamilton described the judicial branch as the ________ branch.

In Federalist 78, Alexander Hamilton described the judicial branch as the ________ branch.

a. most corrupt
b. least political
c. reliable
d. existential
e. least dangerous

Answer: E

Seventy years ago judicial activists tended to be

Seventy years ago judicial activists tended to be

a. strict constructionists.
b. liberals.
c. conservatives.
d. moderates.
e. radicals.

Answer: C

In theory, restraint oriented judges differ from activist judges in that they are more likely to

In theory, restraint oriented judges differ from activist judges in that they are more likely to

a. adopt a liberal viewpoint on such issues as states' rights and birth control.
b. apply rules that are clearly stated in the Constitution.
c. see, and take advantage of, opportunities in the law for the exercise of discretion.
d. believe in the application of judicial review to criminal matters.
e. look for and apply the general principles underlying the Constitution.

Answer: B

The dramatic and sometimes bitter conflict surrounding some Supreme Court nominations can only be explained by the fact that

The dramatic and sometimes bitter conflict surrounding some Supreme Court nominations can only be explained by the fact that

a. there are only nine people on the Court at any given point in time.
b. the Court plays such a large role in making public policy.
c. the partisan balance of the Court is quite skewed.
d. Presidents rarely seek the "advice" of the Senate.
e. nominees are rarely qualified for the job.

Answer: B

With respect to a recent controversy regarding judicial appointments, the "nuclear option" focused on the possibility of

With respect to a recent controversy regarding judicial appointments, the "nuclear option" focused on the possibility of

a. requiring all judicial nominees to have federal experience.
b. forcing all Supreme Court nominees to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
c. revising Senate rules to block filibusters.
d. allowing "voice votes" on judicial nominations.
e. requiring 60 votes of support to confirm judicial nominations.

Answer: C