Exam 4: The United States

One reason that the original governing document of the United States was so weak was because

More than __________ uninsured Americans have to fend for themselves.

Some analysts argue that Donald Trump's administration will "make America great again," while others are convinced that the president and his team represent a threat to American democracy. Given what you have learned about comparative politics, which of these interpretations do you agree with? More importantly, why did you reach this conclusion?

One of the unusual features of the government of the United States is __________, in which a national government shares power with states and local governments.

The framers intentionally built into the system multiple, overlapping layers of authority so that no one person, group, or party could get everything, referred to as __________.

What do we mean when we say that America has a "weak state"? How has America's historical legacies contributed to this weak state?

There has been significant debate in the United States regarding health care policy, including the need to provide coverage to all. How has the political system shaped the debate? How has it helped or hindered getting new laws passed and implemented to address this issue?

__________ is the process that America underwent in 2013 whereby across-the-board spending cuts were imposed on the federal government?

Which groups emerged in the 1960s and were composed of liberal voters who sought economic equality and protection for the poor, but also introduced the promotion of civil rights and opposition to the Vietnam War?

What do we mean when we talk about American exceptionalism? Do you believe that America is exceptional according to that definition? Why or why not?

The "new left" and "new right" in American politics describes primarily

In the 1950s many political scientists critiqued American parties for not having strong enough stances that differed from one another. Today many political scientists critique American parties for having stances that are too rigid and extreme. Which do you prefer and why? Which do you believe leads to better public policy outcomes?

Identify the two major parties in America and explain what blocs of voters make up each party's typical voting coalition. How have these voting coalitions changed in the past century?

Why does America only have two major parties? Do you believe that having two, as opposed to three or five or more major parties is good or bad for the creation of public policy?

All of the following are the key ideas and ideals that the Framers had taken from European roots EXCEPT

Unlike most of the world's industrialized democracies, which rely on a parliamentary form of government, the United States uses a __________ system.

The __________ party was formed in 1860 with Abraham Lincoln as their candidate?