American Government CLEP Latest 2024 -2025
Complete 100 Exam Questions with Correct Detailed
Answers (Verified Answers) Graded A+
Which of the following best defines the term "judicial activism"?
(A) The tendency of judges to hear large numbers of cases on social issues
(B) The efforts of judges to lobby Congress for funds
(C) The unwillingness of judges to remove themselves from cases in which they have a
personal interest
(D) The attempts by judges to influence election outcomes
(E) The attempts by judges to influence public policy through their case decisions -
Correct Answer - (E) The attempts by judges to influence public policy through their
case decisions
In the past 30 years, the single most important variable in determining the outcome of
an election for a member of the House of Representatives has been
(A) incumbency
(B) the candidate's personal wealth
(C) the previous political office the candidate held in the district
(D) the candidate's membership in the political party of the president
(E) the candidate's positions on key social issues - Correct Answer - (A) incumbency
Which of the following best describes the concept of federalism embodied in the United
States government?
(A) The Constitution divides power between a central government and its constituent
governments, with some powers being shared.
pg. 1
,(B) The Constitution grants all governmental powers to the central government, which
may delegate authority to state governments.
(C) State governments join together and form a central government, which exists solely
by approval of the state governments.
(D) The central government creates state governments.
(E) State governments are sovereign in all matters except foreign policy, which is
reserved to the central government. - Correct Answer - (A) The Constitution divides
power between a central government and its constituent governments, with some
powers being shared.
The weakening of political parties is most often traced to
(A) the single-member, winner-take-all system
(B) the growth of political action committees (PACs)
(C) Progressive Era reforms
(D) voters' increasing level of education
(E) voter apathy - Correct Answer - (C) Progressive Era reforms
Which of the following contemporary political ideologies posits that government power
should be used to promote individual economic security and redistribute resources, but
rejects the notion that government should favor a particular set of social values?
(A) Liberalism
(B) Conservatism
(C) Communitarianism
(D) Libertarianism
(E) Elitism - Correct Answer - (A) Liberalism
Which of the following best describes a referendum?
(A) A chief executive appoints an independent commission to investigate allegations of
political corruption.
(B) A legislature repeals an unpopular law to improve the electoral advantage of
incumbents.
pg. 2
, (C) A political party caucuses to choose its candidates for a general election.
(D) Citizens vote directly on laws proposed by a state legislature.
(E) Citizens initiate the process of removing elected officials from office. - Correct
Answer - (D) Citizens vote directly on laws proposed by a state legislature.
Which of the following is a check on the power of the United States Supreme Court?
(A) Congress controls the number of justices who may sit on the Court.
(B) The Court has the power to enforce its decisions.
(C) Cases involving a state's laws can be heard only through the Court's original
jurisdiction.
(D) The Court reviews all legislation after the president signs it into law.
(E) Congress cannot rewrite or repass a law that the Court has declared
unconstitutional. - Correct Answer - (A) Congress controls the number of justices who
may sit on the Court.
Which of the following is most likely to weaken party leadership in the Senate?
(A) The confirmation of appointments to the Supreme Court
(B) The assignment of senators to permanent committees
(C) The use of filibuster by individual senators
(D) The removal of the president following impeachment
(E) The ratification of treaties presented by the president - Correct Answer - (C) The use
of filibuster by individual senators
The principal source of presidents' political influence is their
(A) constitutional authority to declare war
(B) power to convene Congress
(C) constitutional authority to execute public policies
(D) power to dictate diplomatic relations with other countries
(E) constitutional authority to grant pardons - Correct Answer - (C) constitutional
authority to execute public policies
pg. 3
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