AP US Government : AP US Government

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP US Government

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Public Policy

The most prevalent method of execution in the United States today is ____________.

Possible Answers:

Lethal injection

Food poisoning

Firing squad

Electric chair

Lethal gas

Correct answer:

Lethal injection

Explanation:

The most common form of execution in the United States today is lethal injection. The Constitution does not state that any of these methods of execution are inhumane or cruel and unusual. The standards for cruel and unusual punishment have also changed with the times. Although a controversial issue, lethal injections are most widely used as a humane form of execution today.

Example Question #21 : Public Policy

A Congressperson who want to introduce a bill on a subject that he or she fears will be controversial. In order to test public reaction to it, s/he call a friend at a major newspaper. The friend publishes a story about the fact that this issue is likely to be considered by Congress soon. What have I done?

Possible Answers:

Used loaded language 

Written a feature story

Attributed a source

Swayed public opinion

Floated a trial balloon

Correct answer:

Floated a trial balloon

Explanation:

Floating a "trial balloon" is the term for anonymously giving information to a news source to test the public reaction to a policy or appointment before it is formally introduced in Congress or another forum.

Example Question #1 : Policy Networks

The study of population statistics and changing birth-rates is called __________.

Possible Answers:

etymology

psychology

demography

enaction

appropriation

Correct answer:

demography

Explanation:

Demography is the study of statistics such as birth rates, income levels, and distribution of population, which are used to measure the changing realities of population. It is important for determining change over time and for identifying historical trends, as well as for analyzing the makeup of contemporary society.

Example Question #2 : Policy Networks

Which of these executive departments was created most recently?

Possible Answers:

Transportation

Interior

Education

Agriculture

Labor

Correct answer:

Education

Explanation:

The Department of Education is the most recently created of these executive departments. It was created in 1979 and is primarily tasked with administering federal aid to universities and schools. The other departments were created in the following years: 1849—Interior; 1889—Agriculture; 1913—Labor; 1967—Transportation.

Example Question #23 : Public Policy

An unfunded mandate __________.

Possible Answers:

sets aside certain money that is not used in a government agency to be rolled over to the next calendar year

allows for Federal programs to be sponsored by an interest group so that the burden does not fall on the taxpayer

None of the other answers is correct.

requires a state or local government to carry out a some action or procedure but does not provide any federal money to help them to do so

is achieved when a Presidential candidate wins an election despite having a significantly lower amount of money raised in campaign financing

Correct answer:

requires a state or local government to carry out a some action or procedure but does not provide any federal money to help them to do so

Explanation:

An unfunded mandate is a federal government ruling that requires state or local governments to carry out some action, procedure, or other piece of legislation, but does not actually provide any federal money in order to help the state or local government do so.

Example Question #3 : Policy Networks

What is the name given to a close relationship between an agency, an interest group, and a congressional committee that is generally mutually advantageous to all three groups?

Possible Answers:

A Grass Roots Campaign

An Iron Triangle

An Issues Network

The Inner Circle

A Co-dependent Network

Correct answer:

An Iron Triangle

Explanation:

The Iron Triangle is the name used in US politics to a refer to a mutually beneficial arrangement between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees. Essentially, all three groups provide one another with favorable feedback, decisions, and actions in order to meet aligned goals. It is controversial because it would seem to remove the individual American from the process of lawmaking.

Example Question #791 : Ap Us Government

Why could iron triangles be considered fundamentally detrimental to a democratic society?

Possible Answers:

It takes power away from the Judiciary and places too much power in the hands of the Legislative Branch.

It renders the impact of political accountability less substantial by ensuring that incumbents nearly always get reelected.

Too much power is wielded by the Judicial Branch at the sake of the Legislative and Executive Branches.

The general welfare and common good are forsaken so as to advance narrow and specific interests.

It takes power away from the common people by negating the impact they are able to wield in senate elections.

Correct answer:

The general welfare and common good are forsaken so as to advance narrow and specific interests.

Explanation:

An Iron Triangle is when a bureaucratic agency, an interest group, and a congressional committee works together to advance its own agenda and act in its own interests. It is generally considered detrimental to a healthy democratic process because it ignores the interests of the common good for the sake of advancing specific and narrow interests.

Example Question #1 : Iron Triangle

Which of the following is an example of an Iron Triangle?

Possible Answers:

Congress passing a new budget that expands funding for several Departments

None of the answers are correct

Congress increasing funding to the Department of Agriculture in exchange for lower regulations on corn production

The Department of Education releasing a new policy that requires a higher Reading standard in public schools 

Monsanto donating money to conservative congressmen

Correct answer:

Congress increasing funding to the Department of Agriculture in exchange for lower regulations on corn production

Explanation:

Congress giving more funding to the Department of Agriculture (the bureaucracy) would expand the DoA's power base. In return, agricultural lobbying groups (special interests) would gain lower regulation for their constituents. Most likely, Congress would receive electoral funding promises for its efforts. This answer best represents all three point of the Iron Triangle.

Example Question #3 : Iron Triangle

What are the possible concerns surrounding the Military-Industrial Complex?

Possible Answers:

It can lead to a misallocation of government resources

It can cause unnecessary wars

It can hurt military self-sustainability 

All of these answers are correct

It encourages corruption

Correct answer:

All of these answers are correct

Explanation:

There are many concerns regarding the Military-Industrial Complex, including corrupting politicians, disproportionate military spending, an incentive to wage war on others, and private corporations gaining too much control over our ability to wage war.

Example Question #1 : Iron Triangle

What about the Iron Triangle could be considered problematic?

Possible Answers:

It doesn't include the judiciary branch

It increases communication between the legislative and executive branches

None of these answers accurately reflect a potential downside of the Iron Triangle.

It encourages a goal of cooperating for power instead of pursuing the public good  

It means corporations will be able to make higher profits

Correct answer:

It encourages a goal of cooperating for power instead of pursuing the public good  

Explanation:

The biggest problem with the Iron Triangle is it encourages government agencies to pursue more power and funding instead of the public good. Oftentimes, the Iron Triangle will even result in sacrificing the public good in exchange for power, such as lowering environmental protections in exchange for oil money donations that don't benefit the public.

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