AP Gov FRQ's by Unit 2012

AP US GOVERNMENT

FRQ’s: 1988-2012

Constitution

(2001) The United States Constitution has endured for more than two centuries as the framework of government. However, the meaning of the Constitution has been changed both by formal and informal methods.

a. Identify two formal methods for adding amendments to the Constitution.

b. Describe two informal methods that have been used to change the meaning of the Constitution. Provide one specific example for each informal method you described.

c. Explain why informal methods are used more often than the formal amendment process

(2009) In The Federalist paper number 10, James Madison expressed concern over the possibility that both majority and minority factions would have too much power over government, and he presented ways of minimizing that danger. The United States Constitution established a democratic government but also contained several provisions that limited majority rule. Throughout the next two centuries, the role of majority rule in the United States government and politics continued to change.

(a) Identify the part of the national government that was originally most closely tied to citizens and explain how it was tied to citizens.

(b) Explain two ways the United States Constitution limited majority rule.

(c) Choose two of the following twentieth-century developments and explain how each moved the United States from a less democratic system to a more democratic system.

• Primary elections

• The Seventeenth Amendment

• Expansion of suffrage

(2010) The framers of the Constitution created a political system based on limited government. The original Constitution and the Bill of Rights were intended to restrict the powers of the national government. Later constitutional developments also limited the powers of state governments.

(a) Explain how each of the following limits the powers of the national executive.

• Federalism

• Checks and balances

(b) Explain how each of the following two provisions in the Bill of Rights limits the powers of the national government.

• Establishment clause

• Guarantee of a public trial

• Citizenship clause of the Fourteenth Amendment

• Selective incorporation

Federalism

(1991) Analyze the effects of federalism on contemporary policy making in two of the following areas.

a. Civil rights policy

b. Social welfare policy

c. Environmental policy

In your answer, include a brief definition of federalism and use specific examples of its impact on policy making in the two areas you select. Your essay should focus on the analysis of the contemporary political effects of federalism and should not be a historical examination of the development of federalism.

(1997 ) Analyze whether federalism, over the last twenty- five years, has changed due to the increase in federal mandates on state and local governments. In your essay, identify one federal mandate and discuss each of the following with respect to the mandate you have identified.

a. The objectives of the federal government in enacting the mandate

b. The impact on state and local government budget priorities as a result of the mandate

c. The potential consequences of the removal of the mandate

Generalizing from your discussion in (a), (b), and (c), assess the impact of increased federal mandates on federalism.)

(2000) The Constitution was an attempt to address problems of decentralization that were experienced under the Articles of Confederation.

a. List three problems of decentralized power that existed under the Articles of Confederation. For each problem you listed, identify one solution that the Constitution provided to address the problem.

b. Some have argued that the tensions between decentralized and centralized power continue to exist. Support this argument by explaining how one of the following illustrates the continuing tension.

· Environmental Policy

· Gun Control

· Disability Access

(2003) Using the data in the graph and your knowledge of United States politics, perform the following task

a. Identify two trends found in the graph.

b. Explain how each of the following contributes to the difference between the federal and the state and local lines in the graph.

· Block grants

· Federal mandates

(2005) The power of the federal government relative to the power of the states has increased since the ratification of the Constitution

a. Describe two of the following provisions of the Constitution and explain how each has been used over time to expand federal power.

· The power to tax and spend

· The “necessary and proper” or “elastic” clause

· The commerce clause

b. Explain how one of the following has increased the power of the federal government relative to the power of state governments.

· Americans with Disabilities Act

· Civil Rights Act of 1964

· Clean Air Act

(2007) The framers of the United States Constitution created a federal system.

(a) Define federalism.

(b) Select two of the following and explain how each has been used to increase the power of the federal government relative to the states.

• Categorical grants

• Federal mandates

• Selective incorporation

to the federal government.

• Welfare Reform Act of 1996

• Block grants

• Tenth Amendment

Media and Polling

(2009)

One of the most important ways the news media influence politics is through agenda setting.

(a) Define policy agenda.

(b) Explain how the national news media engage in agenda setting.

(d) Consider the table above.

• Describe the difference in the viewing patterns of older and younger age-groups.

• Describe the change from 1974 to 2002 in viewing habits that exists for all age categories.

(e) Given the information in the table, describe one implication for presidents in their use of the media to promote their political and policy objectives to the American public.

(2011) Public opinion polls are a way to link the public with elected officials. Members of Congress often use polls to understand the views of their constituents, but they must also pay attention to other political considerations.

a. Identify two characteristics of a valid, scientific, public opinion poll.

b. Explain why each of the following enhances the influence of public opinion on the voting decisions of members of Congress.

• Strong public opinion as expressed in polling results

• Competitive re-elections

c. Explain why each of the following limits the influence of public opinion on the voting decisions of members of Congress.

• Legislators’ voting records

Party leadership

Voting/Political Participation/Nomination

(1991) Compare the strengths and weaknesses of voting and one nonelectoral form of participation that groups use in attempting to achieve policy goals. In your essay, refer to the political activities of two of the following groups in the contemporary United States. Your essay should be an analysis of political activities and not a historical narrative.

a. Women

b. Senior Citizens

c. Big business leaders

d. Farmers

(1992) Explain how three of the following voter characteristics influenced voting

decisions in the presidential elections of the 1980’s.

a. Party identification

b. Socioeconomic status

c. Race/ethnicity

d. Issue preferences

(1996) Have changes in the formal presidential nomination procedures since the mid-

1960’s made the process more democratic? In your response, support your

argument by describing three specific changes in the procedures and discussing

their effects.

(1998) Since the 1960’s, the process of selecting presidential candidates has been altered

by the changing role of presidential primaries and national party conventions.

Discuss four effects that have resulted from this change in the presidential

selection process.

(2000) Elections in the United States are characterized by low voter turnout. Discuss two

demographic characteristics associated with nonvoting and three institutional

obstacles associated with nonvoting.

(1999) In the 1990’s presidential election campaigns have become more candidate

centered and less focused on issues and party labels. This change has been

attributed both to how the media cover presidential campaigns and to how

candidates use the media. Identify and explain two ways in which the media have

contributed to candidate centered presidential campaigns. Identify and explain

two ways in which presidential candidates’ use of the media has contributed to

candidate centered campaigns. Your answer should not simply be a discussion of

presidential primary elections.

(2001) Explain how each of the political factors listed below makes it difficult for the federal government to enact public policy. Provide one example for each explanation.

a. Divided government

b. Weak party discipline

c. Growth in the number of interest groups and political action committees (PAC’s)

(2002) In the last half of the twentieth century, voter turnout in federal elections has declined. During the same period, voter turnout has been higher in presidential elections than in midterm elections.

a. Identify two factors that have contributed to the overall decline in turnout in federal elections and explain how each factor has contributed to the overall decline.

b. Identify and explain two reasons why voter turnout has been higher in presidential elections than in midterm elections.

(2000) The figure displays voting patterns by state in the 1992 and 1996 elections. Using the information in the figure and your knowledge of United States voting behavior, perform the following tasks.

a. Using the map above, identify one of the numbered regions with strong support for the Democratic presidential candidate and identify and explain two factors that contribute to that support.

b. Using the map above, identify one of the numbered regions with strong support for the Republican presidential candidate

(2003) Citizens often choose to participate in the political process in ways other than voting.

a. Identify two forms of participation in the political process other than voting.

b. Explain two advantages of each form of participation you identified in (a).

(2004) Trust and confidence in government have declined in recent decades.

a. Explain how divided government has contributed to the decline in trust

and confidence in government. Be sure to include a definition of divided government in your response.

b. Explain how the increased cost of election campaigns has contributed to

the decline in trust and confidence in government.

c. Explain two specific consequences of the decline in trust and confidence in government for individual political behavior.

(2007) A significant feature of the electoral college is that most states have a winner-take-all system.

(a) Describe the winner-take-all feature of the electoral college.

(b) Explain one way in which the winner-take-all feature of the electoral college affects how presidential

candidates from the two major political parties run their campaigns.

(d) Explain two reasons why the electoral college has not been abolished.

(2001) The graph below shows reelection rates for incumbents in the House and Senate. From this information and your knowledge of United States politics, perform the following tasks.

a. Identify two patterns displayed in the graph.

b. Identify two factors that contribute to incumbency advantage. Explain how each factor contributes to incumbency advantage.

c. Discuss one consequence of incumbency advantage for the United States political process.

(2009) In the United States political system, there are several linkage institutions that can connect citizens to government. Elections constitute one such institution. Because of low voter turnout, elections represent an imperfect method of linking citizens to their government. Even when there is low voter turnout, however, other linkage institutions can connect citizens to government.

(a) Describe how each of the following is related to the likelihood of voting.

• Age

• Education

(b) Identify one current government electoral requirement that decreases voter turnout. Explain how it decreases voter turnout.

(2011) Nominees for the presidency of the two major parties are chosen by delegates at national conventions. How these delegates are chosen varies across states and between the political parties.

Define each of the following methods used by states to choose delegates to party conventions.

• Open primary

• Caucus

b. Republican Party rules permit winner-take-all primaries. Describe one consequence of this rule for the Republican nomination process.

c. The Democratic Party has used superdelegates in the presidential nominating process since 1984. Explain why the use of superdelegates increases the influence of party leaders in the Democratic nomination process.

d. Explain why a candidate’s strategy to win the nomination is often different from the strategy developed to win the general election.

Political Parties

(1988) Evaluate the claim that there is “not a dime’s worth of difference” between the contemporary Republican and Democratic parties. In your answer discuss the relationship between the domestic policy preferences of party members in Congress and the social bases of party support in the electorate.

(1990) After the 1984 elections, Republican leaders claimed that a major realignment had taken place and that the Republicans had become the majority party. Briefly define party realignment, and evaluate the contention that a major realignment took place during the 1980’s by examining presidential, congressional, and state level politics.

(1995) The contention that American political parties have been in decline since 1960 is challenged by some scholars who suggest instead that parties are resurgent. Which position do you take? Summarize the arguments that support your position and provide evidence to support your analysis.

(2004) Minor parties have been a common feature of United States politics.

a. Describe the point of view expressed about minor parties in the political cartoon.

b. Identify and explain how two rules of the United States electoral system act as obstacles to minor party candidates winning elections.

c. Minor parties make important contributions to the United States political system in spite of the institutional obstacles to their candidates’ success. Describe two of these contributions.

(2010)

Over the last several decades, the composition of the Democratic and Republican parties has changed in important ways. A major partisan shift has occurred in the South, but other demographic changes have also been identified. Changes in party composition are reflected at different rates in presidential elections than in congressional elections.

(a) Identify one specific trend evident in the figure above.

(b) Choose two of the following and use each to explain why southern voters from 1948 to 2000 were electing Democratic candidates to Congress more frequently than choosing Democratic candidates for the presidency.

• Incumbency advantage

• Gerrymandering

• Differences between state and national parties

(c) Several other changes in party composition have emerged in the past few decades. Select three of the following groups and for each explain how parties have changed in composition with respect to that group.

• Catholics

• Labor union members

• Women

• Social conservatives

Interest Groups

(1999) National interest groups often target national level policy making institutions to achieve their policy objectives.

Select one of the following national interest groups.

a. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

b. American Medical Association (AMA)

c. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

d. National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)

For the group you selected do each of the following.

a. Identify one major national level policy making institution that this group targets.

b. Describe one resource or characteristic of the group you have chosen and explain how it influences the choice of the target you have identified in (a).

c. Describe another resource or characteristic of the group you have chosen and explain how it influences the choice of the target you have identified in (a).

(2000) The three obstacles listed below have made it difficult for Congress to enact significant campaign finance reform.

a. Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

b. Soft money

c. Incumbency

Select two of the obstacles. For each obstacle, provide both of the following.

a. A brief description of the obstacle

b. An explanation of how the obstacle has made it difficult for Congress to enact significant campaign finance reform

(2004) Different interest groups will choose different techniques to achieve their objectives based on their resources, characteristics and goals.

a. Describe each of the following techniques and explain why an interest group would choose each technique.

· Litigation

· Campaign contributions

· Grassroots lobbying/mass mobilization

b. Select one of the following groups and identify the primary technique it uses from the list in part (a). Explain why the group you selected would employ that technique over the other two techniques.

· American Medical Association (AMA)

· Sierra Club

· National Rifle Association (NRA)

· National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

(2006) While interest groups and political parties each play a significant role in the United States political system, they differ in their fundamental goals.

a. Identify the fundamental goal of interest groups in the political process.

b. Identify the fundamental goal of major political parties in the political process.

c. Describe two different ways by which interest groups support the fundamental goal of political parties in the political process.

d. For one of the forms of support you described in (c), explain two different ways in which that form of support helps interest groups to achieve their fundamental goal in the political process.

(2010) Individuals often form groups in order to promote their interests. The Constitution contains several provisions that protect the rights of individuals who try to promote their interests in a representative democracy.

(a) Explain two provisions in the Bill of Rights that protect individuals who try to influence politics.

(b) Interest groups engage in a variety of activities to affect public policy. Explain how each of the following is used by interest groups to exert influence over policy.

• Grassroots mobilization

• Lobbying of government institutions

• Litigation

(2012) Interest groups seek to influence political processes in ways that benefit their members. In doing so, however, they may not act in the overall public interest.

(a) Describe two techniques interest groups use to influence elections.

(b) Explain how interest groups use each of the following to influence government decision making.

• Issue networks (also known as iron triangles)

• Amicus curiae briefs

•The media

• Pluralism

Congress

(1992) Discuss how congressional committees function in making and implementing public policy in two of the following areas.

a. Legislation

b. Confirmation of presidential appointees

c. Oversight of the bureaucracy

Your essay should not focus on the mechanics of how a bill becomes a law.

(1994) “In a republican government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates. The remedy for this inconveniency is to divide the legislature…. [And] the executive… should be fortified.” James Madison, The Federalist, Number 51

Using specific examples, discuss how Madison’s observations apply to the relationship between the legislative branch and modern presidency.

(1998) In the 1970’s, in order to limit the power of the President and to reassert congressional authority in the policy making process Congress passed the following.

a. The War Powers Act

b. The Budget and Impoundment Control Act

Briefly describe the provisions of each of these two legislative acts. Evaluate the extent to which each act has affected the balance of power between the presidency and the Congress in the 1990’s

(1999) Is Congress effective in exercising legislative oversight of the federal bureaucracy? Support your answer by doing one of the following.

a. Explain two specific methods Congress uses to exercise effective oversight of the federal bureaucracy.

b. Give two specific explanations for the failure of Congress to exercise effective oversight of the federal bureaucracy.

(2003) Both party leadership and committees in Congress play key roles in the legislative process.

a. Define two of the following elements of the congressional committee system and explain how each influences the legislative process.

· Specialization

· Reciprocity/logrolling

· Party representation on committees

b. Identify two ways party leadership in Congress can influence the legislative process, and explain how each way influences the process.

(2006) The framers of the United States Constitution created a legislative system that is bicameral. However, it is not just bicameral; the framers also established two houses of distinctly different character and authority.

a. Discuss two reasons why the framers created a bicameral legislature.

b. Identify one power unique to the House of Representatives and explain why the framers gave the House that power.

c. Identify one power unique to the Senate and explain why the framers gave the Senate that power.

(2007) Conflicts between Congress and the President over war powers have their origin in the United States Constitution. In 1973 Congress passed the War Powers Resolution in an attempt to clarify the balance of powers between the two branches of government.

(a) Describe the primary constitutional conflict between Congress and the President over the decision to go to war.

(b) Describe two provisions of the War Powers Resolution that were designed to limit the President’s power over war making.

Other than the constitutional power that you described in (a), identify and explain two other formal powers Congress has over war making.

(2008) Congressional reapportionment and redistricting are conducted every ten years. When redistricting is conducted, politicians often engage in gerrymandering.

(a) Define congressional reapportionment and explain one reason why it is important to states.

(b) Define congressional redistricting.

(d) Describe two limits that the United States Supreme Court has placed on congressional redistricting.

(2009) In the United States Congress, the majority party exerts a substantial influence over lawmaking. However, even when one party has a numerical majority in each chamber of the United States Congress, there is no guarantee that legislation supported by that majority party will be passed by both chambers. Rules of each chamber independently influence the likelihood that legislation will pass in that chamber; legislation passed by one chamber is not always passed by the other.

(a) Describe two advantages the majority party in the United States House of Representatives has in lawmaking, above and beyond the numerical advantage that that majority party enjoys in floor voting.

(b) Describe two differences between House and Senate rules that may make it likely that legislation may pass in one chamber but not in the other.

(2012) Members of Congress are charged with three primary duties—writing laws, overseeing the implementation of laws, and serving the needs of their constituents.

(a) Describe the role of each of the following in lawmaking.

• Senate filibuster

• House Rules Committee

Conference committee

(b) Describe one method by which Congress exercises oversight of the federal bureaucracy.

Presidency

(1989) “The greatest source of presidential power is not to be found in the Constitution but in politics and public opinion.”

Assess the accuracy of this statement in terms of how Presidents attempt to achieve their policy goals as they deal with two of the following: Congress, the courts, the bureaucracy.

(1996) Discuss whether changes in the roles and responsibilities of the White House staff have led to greater presidential accountability and effectiveness. Support your argument with examples from two presidencies since 1961, making sure to define both presidential “accountability” and “effectiveness.”

(2003) Presidential approval ratings fluctuate over the course of each presidential administration.

a. Identify two factors that decrease presidential approval ratings and explain why each factor has that effect.

b. Identify two factors that increase presidential approval ratings and explain why each factor has that effect.

(2002) The concept of divided government in the United States means that one political party can control the executive branch while another controls the legislative branch. This poses problems for the President in making appointments to federal offices.

a. Describe two problems that divided government poses for the President in making federal appointments.

b. Identify and explain two ways presidents try to overcome the problems described in (a).

(2004) Presidents are generally thought to have advantages over Congress in conducting foreign policy because of the formal and informal powers of the presidency.

a. Identify two formal constitutional powers of the President in making foreign policy.

b. Identify two formal constitutional powers of Congress in making foreign policy.

c. Identify two informal powers of the President that contribute to the President’s advantage over Congress in conducting foreign policy.

d. Explain how each of the informal powers identified in (c) contributes to the President’s advantage over Congress in conducting foreign policy.

(2006) The United States Congress and the President together have the power to enact federal law. Federal bureaucratic agencies have the responsibility to execute federal law. However, in the carrying out of these laws, federal agencies have policy-making discretion.

a. Explain two reasons why Congress gives federal agencies policy-making discretion in executing federal laws.

b. Choose one of the bureaucratic agencies listed below. Identify the policy area over which it exercises policy-making discretion AND give one specific

example of how it exercises that discretion.

¯ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

¯ Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

¯ Federal Reserve Board

c. Describe two ways in which Congress ensures that federal agencies follow legislative intent.

(2008) A number of factors enable presidents to exert influence over Congress in the area of domestic policy. However, presidents are also limited in their influence over domestic policymaking in Congress.

(a) The Constitution grants the president certain enumerated powers. Describe two of these formal powers that enable the president to exert influence over domestic policy.

(b) Choose two of the following. Define each term and explain how each limits the president’s ability to influence domestic policymaking in Congress.

• mandatory spending

• party polarization

• lame-duck period

(2011) The Constitution of the United States creates a government of separate institutions that share power rather than a government that delegates power exclusively to a single branch. Frequently, this means that presidents and Congress struggle with each other.

a. For each of the presidential powers below, explain how that congressional decision making is affected by that power.

•Veto power

•Power to issue executive orders

•Power as commander in chief

b. For each of the congressional powers below, explain how that presidential decision making is affected by that power.

•Legislative oversight power

•Senate advice and consent power

•Budgetary power

Bureaucracy

(2010) The federal bureaucracy as part of the executive branch exercises substantial independence in implementing governmental policies and programs. Most workers in the federal bureaucracy are civil-service employees who are organized under a merit system.

(a) Describe one key characteristic of the merit system.

(b) For each of the following, describe one factor that contributes to bureaucratic independence.

• The structure of the federal bureaucracy

• The complexity of public policy problems

• Congress

• The courts

• Interest groups

(1988) To what extent does the United States federal bureaucracy stand above politics and administer impartially the laws enacted by Congress? In your answer be sure to discuss both of the following.

a. The relationship between the federal bureaucracy and organized interests

b. The role of the federal bureaucracy in shaping public policy

(1995) The concept of iron triangles, also referred to as sub governments, is used to explain how various interests influence public policy. Applying this concept to agriculture, briefly identify the key players in the iron triangle, analyze how they

interact to achieve policy goals, and evaluate the impact of this iron triangle on the democratic process.

Supreme Court

(1990) It is sometimes said that “the Supreme Court follows the election returns” implying that the Court cannot stray too far from public opinion in its decisions. Using concrete exam les from the period since 1954, critically evaluate evidence that both supports and refutes this contention. In your answer, be sure to examine the factors that account for the relationship between the Court and public opinion.

(2000) The Supreme Court is commonly thought to be “above politics.” However, one can argue that the appointment of Supreme Court justices is political.

a. Identify three characteristics of Supreme Court nominees and discuss how each characteristic has been politically relevant during the appointment process.

b. Identify two methods that have been used by interest groups to influence the appointment process. Explain how each of these methods has been used to influence that process.

(2005) The judicial branch is designed to be more independent of public opinion than are the legislature or the executive. Yet, the United States Supreme Court rarely deviates too far too long from prevalent public opinion.

a. Describe two ways in which the United States is insulated from public opinion.

b. Explain how two factors work to keep the United States Supreme Court from deviating too far from public opinion.

(2005) Initially, the United States Constitution did little to protect citizens from actions of the states. In the 20th century, the Supreme Court interpreted the Constitution to protect the rights of citizens from state governments in a process referred to as incorporation.

a. Define selective incorporation.

b. For two of the following, explain how each has been incorporated. Each of your explanations must be based on a specific and relevant Supreme Court decision.

· Rights of criminal defendants

· First Amendment

· Privacy Rights

(2011) The United States Supreme Court receives many appeals, but it hears and rules on a small percentage of cases each year. Numerous factors influence the actions of the Court, both in deciding to hear a case and in the decisions it hands down.

a. Define judicial review.

b. Explain how judicial review empowers the Supreme Court within the system of checks and balances.

c. Describe the process through which the Court grants a writ of certiorari.

d. Explain how each of the following influences decisions made by justices when deciding cases heard by the Court.

• Stare decisis

• Judicial activism

(2012) The judicial branch is often assumed to be insulated from politics. However, politics affects many aspects of the judiciary.

(a) Describe two political factors that affect presidents’ decisions to appoint members of the federal judiciary.

(b) Identify two political factors that affect the confirmation process of a president’s nominees and explain how each factor complicates a confirmation.

(d) Explain how one executive power serves as a check on court decisions.

Civil Liberties

(1998) The Supreme Court ruled in Baron v. Baltimore (1833) that the Bill of Rights did not apply to the states. Explain how the Court has interpreted the Fourteenth Amendment to apply the Bill of Rights to the states. In your answer, briefly discuss the Court’s decision in one of the following cases to support your explanation.

a. Gitlow v. New York (1925)

b. Wolf v. Colorado (1949)

c. Gideon v. Wainwright (1963

(2007) The First Amendment includes two clauses relating to the freedom of religion.

(a) Select one of the following cases and identify the First Amendment clause upon which the United States Supreme Court based its decision.

• Engel v. Vitale (school prayer)

• Lemon v. Kurtzman (state funding for private religious schools)

(b) Describe the Supreme Court’s decision in the case that you selected in (a).

(c) Select one of the following cases and identify the 1st Amendment clause upon which the Supreme Court based its decision.

• Reynolds v. United States (polygamy)

• Oregon v. Smith (drug use in religious ceremonies)

(d) Describe the Supreme Court’s decision in the case that you selected in (c).

(e) Many of these decisions have caused controversy in the United States. Describe two ways in which other political institutions might limit the impact of Supreme Court decisions.

Civil Rights

(1989) To what extent has the federal government been successful in its attempts since 1950 to combat discrimination against black people in the United States? In your answer discuss both of the following.

a. Specific legislative and judicial actions aimed at combating racial discrimination

b. Social and political factors that have hindered the government’s attempts to foster change

(2002) Discuss the changes in the participation of women in United States politics since 1970. Using specific examples, analyze the impact of women’s participation on both of the following.

a. Electoral politics

b. Economic and social policy

(2002) Political institutions can present both obstacles and opportunities to racial minority groups in their efforts to gain political influence.

a. Identify one feature of one of the following and explain how that feature has presented obstacles to racial minority groups in their efforts to achieve political goals.

· Federalism

· The United States political party system

· The United States electoral system

b. Identify one feature of one of the following and explain how that feature might present opportunities to racial minority groups in their efforts to achieve political goals.

· Federalism

· The United States political party system

· The United States electoral system

(2001) Many scholars and observers have argued that the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution has become the single most important act in all of United States politics.

a. Identify which provision of the Fourteenth Amendment was applied in one of the following Supreme Court cases. For the case you select, explain the significance of the decision in United States politics.

· Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954)

· Baker v. Carr (1962)

· Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)

b. Identify which provision of the Fourteenth Amendment was applied in one of the following Supreme Court cases. For the case you select, explain the significance of the decision in United States politics.

· Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

· Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

· Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

(2008) “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, 1870

Despite the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, voter turnout among African American citizens was very low throughout the first half of the twentieth century. Over the past 50 years, civil rights policies have changed substantially, along with a significant increase in African American voter turnout.

(a) Explain how two measures taken by some states prior to the 1960s affected voter turnout among African American citizens.

(b) Facing discrimination at the voting booth, many African American citizens turned to alternative forms of political participation. Describe two alternative forms of participation that helped bring about changes in civil rights policies.

(c) Choose one of the forms of participation you described in (b) and explain why it was effective in changing civil rights policies.

(2012)

(a) Using the chart above, compare minority representation in 1960 and 2010.

(b) Explain how each of the following assisted in the removal of barriers to minority voting.

• Voting Rights Act of 1965

• Twenty-fourth Amendment

(c) Identify one barrier that currently impedes minority representation in Congress. Explain why the barrier you identified inhibits minority representation in Congress.

Economics/Budget/Finance

(1993) There is a widespread belief that the federal government’s budget should be balanced, but the budget deficit increases every year. How can you explain this discrepancy in terms of the tax and spending policies that come from Congress and the President?

(1997) The United States continually faces political crises over the federal budget. Write an essay explaining why the budgetary process is so problematic with respect to each of the following.

a. The governmental structures involved in the budgetary process

b. The role of politics in the budgetary process

Based on your discussions in (a) and (b), evaluate whether the current budgetary process is likely to lead to continued political crises.

(1999) Using the information in the pie charts, identify two budgetary barriers that hinder the creation of new policy initiatives. Explain why each of the barriers you identified persists. Using your knowledge of United States politics, identify one nonbudgetary barrier and explain how this barrier hinders the creation of new policy initiatives.

(2008) Fiscal policy and monetary policy are two tools used by the federal government to influence the United States economy. The executive and legislative branches share the responsibility of setting fiscal policy. The Federal Reserve Board has the primary role of setting monetary policy.

(a) Define fiscal policy.

(b) Describe one significant way the executive branch influences fiscal policy.

(d) Define monetary policy.

(e) Explain two reasons why the Federal Reserve Board is given independence in establishing monetary policy.

Policymaking

(1993) Discuss the impact of public opinion on policy making. How is the impact affected by presidential leadership and the mass media? Apply your analysis to the issue of tax policy and the Persian Gulf War.

(2005) The United States Congress has debated a variety of campaign finance reforms over the last decade. The proposals debated have included the following:

Eliminating soft money
Limiting independent expenditures
Raising limits on individual contributions

a. Select one of the listed proposals and do all of the following:

· Define the proposal.

· Describe an argument that proponents make in favor of the proposal.

· Describe an argument that opponents make against the proposal.

b. Select a different listed proposal and do all of the following:

· Define the proposal.

· Describe an argument that proponents make in favor of the proposal.

· Describe an argument that opponents make against the proposal.

(2002) Using the information in the graph below and your knowledge of United States politics, complete the following:

a. Describe what the figure demonstrates about the distribution of government benefits over time.

b. Identify two politically relevant factors that have affected the changing distribution of government benefits between children and the elderly.

c. Explain how each of the two factors identified in (b) has affected the changing distribution of government benefits.

(2008) In recent decades, entitlement programs have constituted a substantial portion of the United States federal budget. Social Security is the largest entitlement program in the United States. From the information in the chart below and your

knowledge of United States government and politics, perform the following tasks.

a. Define entitlement program.

b. What is the primary source of revenue for the Social Security program?

c. Identify one threat to the future of the Social Security program should the trends depicted in the chart above continue.

d. Describe one demographic trend that threatens the future of the Social Security program AND explain how it is responsible for the threat that you identified in

e. Explain how any one trend in the chart below would change if the age of eligibility for Social Security were raised.