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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank

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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 1 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionChapter 1Multiple Choice/Fill in the Blank1. As measured by gross domestic product (GDP), California’s economy:a. is the largest in the worldb. is not much different than an average U.S. state*c. ranks among the ten largest countries in the worldd. ranks among the ten smallest countries in the world2. “A process through which people with differing goals and values try to manage theirconflicts by working together to allocate values for society” is a definition of:a. communism*b. politicsc. political cultured. hybrid democracy5. The definition of a “hybrid democracy” is:a. a citizenry whose rights are guaranteed by both a national and a state constitutionb. a state that was once a territory but was admitted to the union without a waiting period*c. a state with a combination of representative and direct democracyd. a democracy that is run by incumbents who are reelected, year after year6. According to the book, ____________ (is/are) at the heart of politics.*a. choicesb. the constitutionc. representativesd. incentives and disincentives8. Approximately how many people in California are foreign-born?a. one out of two (50 percent)*b. one in four (25 percent)c. one in ten (10 percent)d. one out of 100 (1 percent)10. One of the features that defines California’s political culture is:a. social and economic conservatismb. strong political party affiliation and a healthy and competitive two-party systemc. strong trust in state government; government is seen as a positive force*d. fondness for political reform, and general dislike of politicians11. How many representatives represent California in Congress?a. 21 Representatives plus 2 Senatorsb. 33 Representatives plus 2 Senators*c. 53 Representatives plus 2 Senatorsd. 74 Representatives plus 2 Senators
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 2 preview image
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 3 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEdition14. What is the main function of a political institution?a. To increase general levels of political participation.b. To provide politicians a building in which to conduct their business.c. To allow citizens to bypass politicians in their quest for self-governance.*d. To facilitate compromises that lead to acceptable alternatives or solutions.18. The largest city in California is:a. San Francisco*b. Los Angelesc. Fresnod. San Diego19. How many counties are contained within California?a. fiveb. twenty-onec. thirty-nine*d. fifty-eight20. How long has California been a U.S. state?a. about 50 yearsb. about 100 years*c. more than 150 yearsd. more than 200 years21. Where is California’s capital, where state elected officials conduct most of theirlegislative and executive business?*a. Sacramentob. San Franciscoc. Los Angelesd. Eureka22. The capital of California is __________________.*a. SacramentoType: F23. To understand politics, it is also important to understand the rules, because rulescreate _________________.*a. incentives (for action and inaction)Type: F24. Six fundamental concepts for understanding politics include: choice, political culture,institutions, rules, history, and _________ (working together for mutual benefit).*a. collective actionEssay or Short Answer Questions
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 4 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEdition3. Define the term “politics.”*a. Varies. Politics may be defined as “a process through which people with differinggoals and values try to manage their conflicts by working together to allocate values forsociety.” Most definitions emphasize that it is a process of managing conflict, oftenthrough bargaining and compromise. Harold Lasswell defines politics as “who gets what,when, and how.”Type: E15. Explain what a political institution is, and provide an example.*a. A political institution is an organization designed to manage conflict that often arisesover the process of allocating goods and values for a society. Institutions define the rolesand rules for those who participate in them. In short, they are groups, traditionalpractices, or formal organizations in which people come together to solve problems for asociety, or achieve collective action. Examples might include formal political institutionssuch as parties (the Green Party, the Republican Party), Congress, the Presidency, thecourts, elections, or the tools of direct democracy (recall, referendum, initiative, whichare types of elections).Type: E16. Provide an example of a political institution in California.*a. Varies. As defined in the book, an institution is “an organization designed to manageconflict that often arises over the process of allocating goods and values for a society.”Therefore, an institution includes virtually any local, county, or state office, agency,department, or governmental branch; it could also be a formal process, group, ororganization that has been established by the state and exists to solve conflicts forsociety. Examples: the Republican Party, the Democratic Party (and any named politicalparty, or political parties generally), elections, the legislature (including the Assembly orthe state Senate), the governor’s office, the executive branch, the courts, traffic court(superior court), the Supreme Court of CA, the Dept. of Motor Vehicles (DMV), and soon.Type: E17. With respect to politics, why do rules matter?*a. Rules define who has power and how those authorities may legitimately use it. Rulesalso create incentives for action and inaction. An average answer would suggest theorganizational benefits of having rules, or alternatively, might allude to the fact thatwithout rules anarchy would arise. A good answer would explain the function rulesperform in a political system (as defined above), or suggest an example of a rule thatcreates an incentive or disincentive for action, such as a local ordinance that rewardsthose who conserve water or a fine placed on those who waste it.Type: E25. What are some of the conditions that make governing California difficult?@ Why do elected officials in California have such a difficult time governing the state?*a. Although this question is addressed throughout the book, the short answer is that
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 5 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionCalifornia’s problems exist on a massive scale: it is “hyper-diverse” with respect todemographics, geography, society, politics, and economics. In other words, among theU.S. states California contains the largest population, largest economy, most diverselandscapes and land uses, and tremendous racial and ethnic diversity. (Students mightprovide some details about the state’s characteristics here.) These conditions combine tocreate complex issues that require long-range solutions, careful planning, and sometimesconsensus and compromise, yet these are difficult to achieve in a state where citizensfundamentally distrust politicians and have the means (direct democracy) to take mattersinto their own hands. Some of the issues that respondents might mention are:immigration, climate change, drought, budgetary issues (taxation, balancing budgets),economic conditions (unemployment, recession or relative prosperity), prisonovercrowding or prison population reduction (realignment), infrastructure needs.Type: E26. Weather events have political dimensions. Describe how changes in the climate createproblems and issues that require a response from California governing officials.*a. Varies. Whether short- or long-term, extreme weather events can have devastatingeffects on infrastructure, availability of water and electricity, biodiversity, transportationsystems, commerce and industry, and the economy generally. Most of these lead tohigher costs for governments that must respond to emergencies or longer-term effects onpeople, businesses, and the environment. Some of the impacts of prolonged drought havebeen on water availability and quality, economic losses in the tourism and agriculturalindustries in particular, and costs related to damaged infrastructure (broken pipes,bridges, sewer lines, roads) because of sinking land. Water scarcity calls into question theproper balance of water rights that are shared among people, the environment, andagriculture, and has prompted new legislation to provide financial assistance to peopleaffected by drought and to manage groundwater and water supplies generally. Excessivedrought is also related to more frequent wildfires and potential loss of wildlife. Anabundance of water brought by heavy rains places similar stresses on people, theenvironment, and the economy: mudslides and flooding create emergency situations thatrequire costly repairs and responses from the state.Type: E28. What principles are important for understanding California politics?*a. 1. Choices: choices are at the heart of politics. To elaborate, everyone makes choicesin a political system; successful political system provides a process for narrowing choicesto a manageable number and allows many participants to reconcile their differences asthey make choices together. 2. Political culture: every system has a distinct culture thatreflects the decisions that emerge from a political process, decisions that together expressa political community’s customs, values, and beliefs about government. 3. Institutions:institutions bring people together to solve problems on behalf of society. They arearrangements that manage conflict and organize action, facilitating compromises, trade-offs, or bargains that lead to acceptable solutions or alternatives. 4. Collective action: theconcept of working together to solve problems and allocating goods or values for asociety. 5. Rules: rules matter, because they define who has power and how they maylegitimately use it; rules create incentives for action or inaction. 6. History: history shapes
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 6 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionthe opportunities and incentives for political action (decisions often build on prior ones).Type: E29. About how many people live in California?@ What is the population of California?*a. almost 39 million (or between 38 and 40 million)True or False Questions4. One reason for California’s “crazy quilt” of governing institutions, rules, and processesis that citizens can bypass the legislature by using the initiative process.*a. Trueb. False7. A high percentage of Californians (one of every four persons) is foreign-born.*a. Trueb. False9. California has about the same percentage of Non-Hispanic whites as the rest of theU.S.a. True*b. False12. As recently as 2000, the California state legislature was considered one of the best inthe nation.a. True*b. False13. As recently as 1970, the California state legislature was generally considered one ofthe best in the nation.*a. Trueb. False27. Compared to New York, another large state, California has a lower percentage offoreign-born residents.a. True*b. False30. Because California is such a large state, fluctuations in the global or nationaleconomies have almost no effect on the state’s economy.a. True*b. False
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 7 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionChapter 2Multiple Choice/Fill in the Blank1. The first European explorers to arrive in what is known as California were:a. Englishb. French*c. Spanishd. Dutch2. What replaced the major Native American tribal settlements along a road that came tobe known as “El Camino Real,” the King’s Highway?a. small white castles, each dedicated to European monarchs*b. missionsc. presidios onlyd. tribal governments4. How many missions were established in what is now the state of California?a. about 10, but most have been destroyedb. 12: one for each of Jesus’s disciples*c. 21, and most are named for saintsd. 50: one for each large Spanish presidio5. When was the first mission built?a. 1542b. 1648*c. 1769d. 18306. Mission complexes functioned primarily as:a. spiritual and religious centers*b. ranches, or rancheros, that served as centers for religious, social, political, andeconomic activitiesc. military establishmentsd. hospitals and education centers for Native populations7. Until 1821, what country governed the Western lands containing California?a. Englandb. Portugalc. Mexico*d. Spain8. Between 1821 and 1848, the lands containing California became part of whichcountry?*a. Mexicob. Spain
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 8 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionc. United Statesd. Canada9. The treaty that ended the two-year Mexican-American War in 1848 and transferredCalifornia to U.S. power was:a. Treaty with Spainb. Treaty of Ghent*c. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgod. Treaty of Los Angeles11. Presidios were built for the primary purpose ofa. religious instructionb. social interactionc. economic development*d. military protection12. When was gold discovered in California?*a. at the end of the Mexican-American War around 1848b. about one hundred years before California became a state, when the Spanish ruledCaliforniac. about fifty years after California gained statehoodd. around 1821, when Mexico gained independence from Spain13. Which group of laborers were recruited and employed by the railroad companies tolay thousands of miles of track over the West’s rugged terrain?a. Hispanics/Latinos*b. Chinesec. ethnic Americans from the Midwest and Eastd. Africans14. The first large wave of settlers arrived in California in 1848 as a result of:a. ending the war with Mexico*b. the discovery of goldc. the opening of the transcontinental railroadd. statehood15. What did the U.S. government do to encourage the settlement of the West?*a. It gave away millions of acres of land to railroad companies to encourage thedevelopment of the West.b. It fully funded the building of railroads to connect the coasts.c. It funded the building of more missions.d. It opened gold mines and put people to work.17. What political movement in the early 1900s finally loosened the Southern Pacific’sgrip over state politics?a. Socialist
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 9 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionb. Communistc. Liberal*d. Progressive21. Who was California’s most famous Progressive governor?a. Leland Stanford*b. Hiram Johnsonc. Jess Unruhd. Artie Samish23. Two Progressive reforms that aimed to weaken political parties were ________ and________.a. women’s suffrage; Alien Land Lawsb. municipal ownership of utilities; Alien Land Lawsc. universal education; women’s suffrage*d. direct primaries; cross-filing25. The Alien Land Laws instituted during the Progressive era were:a. designed to prevent Asian-born or persons of Asian descent from owning landb. a form of legal discrimination that reflected whites’ racial hostilityc. were in place even into the 1950s*d. all of the above26. Direct democracy enabled Californians toa. participate in nominating candidates for office by voting in party primary elections*b. propose laws and vote on themc. put party bosses in prisond. guarantee the public employment of qualified individuals rather than party loyalistsType: F27. Laws that prevented persons of Asian descent from becoming citizens or owningproperty were known as _____________.*a. Alien Land Laws28. Alien Land Laws were in effect until what decade in California?a. the 1880sb. the 1900sc. the 1920s*d. the 1950s29. The “Third House” refers to a group of people possessing great political power,functioning like a third chamber of the state legislature. Historically, which group hasheld this title?*a. lobbyists for special interest groupsb. the Big Fourc. the Democratic party
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 10 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditiond. retired and former legislators30. To what does the term “Third House” refer?a. retired and former legislators who advise current legislatorsb. the fact that the governor is usually given a state-owned residence in which to live*c. a group that possesses great political power and functions like a third chamber of thestate legislatured. the initiative industry, which employs paid signature gatherers in order to qualify manyinitiative measures for the ballot31. By cross-filing, any person could:*a. run as a candidate in any political party’s primary electionb. run as a write-in candidatec. apply to the legislature to fill a vacancyd. run in the general election33. Being awarded a government job based on one’s loyalty to a political party is called:*a. patronageb. civil servicec. indirect democracyd. nonpartisanship37. Who can be credited with creating California’s “hybrid democracy”?a. the “Big Four”b. the Populistsc. Artie Samish*d. the Progressives39. Prior to the 1960s, cozy relationships developed between legislators and lobbyistsbecause:a. they had weak loyalty to political parties; lobbyists helped them get electedb. they sought to supplement their low wagesc. lobbyists supplied needed information about bills, and legislators lacked staff*d. all of the above40. Socialist writer Upton Sinclair won statewide nomination for California governor byrepresenting which party?a. Republican*b. Democraticc. Progressivesd. None of the above41. California’s population significantly increased during the Great Depression, whenapproximately 350,000 migrants from ________ arrived in search of work.a. Mexico
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 11 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionb. China, Japan and Vietnam*c. the Dust Bowl states such as Oklahomad. the East Coast42. In the post-war “boom” of the 1950s, what U.S. government program was created tohelp ease labor shortages?a. Oakie Program*b. Bracero Programc. Cross-filing Programd. Infrastructure Program43. How did California redesign its legislature as a result of a Supreme Court ruling in1965 (Reynolds v. Sims)?a. Representation in the upper house (the Senate) could only be based on county linesb. Representation in the lower house (the Assembly) could only be based on county lines*c. Representation in both houses had to be based on populationd. none of the above44. As a result of redistricting after 1965, political influence in the legislature passedfrom:a. the south to the north*b. rural to urban interestsc. senior legislators to junior membersd. the legislature to the governor’s office45. The state legislature was transformed in 1966 by Proposition 1A, a measure thatprofessionalized the lawmaking body by:*a. granting higher salary, more staff, and longer sessionsb. requiring both chambers to be based on populationc. equalizing the number of committees in each chamberd. imposing term limits on every legislator48. Which is the anti-tax initiative that succeeded in 1978, essentially limiting propertytaxes to one percent of a building’s sale price?a. Proposition 1*b. Proposition 13c. the DREAM Actd. the Civil Rights Act49. Population increases during the latter half of the twentieth century reflected migrationfrom the Rust Belt to the Sun Belt, as well as immigration from:*a. Mexico, Central America, and Vietnamb. Mexico and Europec. Mexico and Chinad. Europe and China
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 12 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEdition51. Approximately when are (or were) Latinos projected to become an absolute majority(over 50 percent)?a. in 2010 – they’ve already reached that thresholdb. around 2020*c. around 2050d. never, because their numbers are declining after hitting a high in 201552. The nation’s first law regulating greenhouse gas emissions was signed into law byGov. Schwarzenegger, and is titled:*a. AB 32b. Proposition 11c. the DREAM Actd. the Clean Air Act56. California’s experimentation with primary elections began with _____ and iscurrently being tested again with the _____ primary.a. open primary; closed primaryb. merit-based elections; automaticc. “select and elect” method; civil service*d. cross-filing; top-two60. One consequence of the “top-two” primary has been:a. more ideological conservatives are being elected to officeb. the disappearance of party polarization in the legislature*c. candidates from the same party are competing against each other in many Novembergeneral election racesd. incumbents are losing at higher rates61. Jerry Brown has been allowed to serve a record four terms as governor of Californiabecause:*a. he served his first two terms before term limits were enactedb. the term limits law was changed recently to allow governors to serve four termsc. term limits don’t apply to the governor’s officed. he switched political parties64. Demographic change can be seen in public schools, where non-Hispanic Whitesconstituted _______ of all children enrolled in K-12 schools in 2013-14.a. 10 percent*b. 25 percentc. 50 percentd. 75 percent70. Which private company was likened to an octopus in a famous cartoon, due to itsmonopolistic control over all major aspects of economic life in early California includingbanking, overland and overseas shipping, postal services, lumber, telegraph services,other wholesale industries, and of course, politics?
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 13 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditiona. Chevron Corporationb. DuPontc. Ford Motor Company*d. The Southern Pacific Railroad71. Until 1821, _________ governed the Western lands containing California, and_________ ruled California for the next twenty years (until independence was won andCalifornia became a U.S. state).a. Mexico; Spainb. Mexico; no one*c. Spain; Mexicod. Mexico; Native Americans72. ____________ who came seeking gold or were recruited by the railroad companies tolay railroad track over the West’s rugged terrain endured decades of legal discriminationin California.a. Mexicanb. Europeanc. Native American*d. ChineseEssay or Short Answer QuestionsType: E3. What is a presidio?*a. An army outpost, or a military establishment (like a fortress), built by the Spanish.Type: E16. Why was the opening of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 so significant?*a. Varies. California was reachable only by treacherous overland travel or oceanvoyages measuring thousands of miles. Communication with most of the country,including the important East Coast states, was hampered by this distance and lack ofreliable and quick transportation. The opening of the railroad connected California withthe rest of the country in physical ways, and psychological ones as well. California nolonger seemed unreachable. The opening of the Transcontinental encouraged new wavesof immigrants from other countries and states, including a low-paid Chinese labor forcethat had built the railroads, and settlers from the rest of the U.S. The process led to theconsolidation of political power in the Southern Pacific Railroad; already enriched fromland grants, it came to dominate virtually every aspect of life in the West, from shippingto banking to mining.Type: E19. Four men became extremely wealthy and powerful as a result of their ownership ofthe Southern Pacific, and were known as the “Big Four.” Name two of them.*a. (Collis) Huntington; (Leland) Stanford; (Mark) Hopkins; (Charles) CrockerType: E
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 14 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEdition20. Describe the political reforms established by the Progressives who dominated stategovernment from 1911-1917.*a. Progressives reformed many types of laws, which encompassed workers’ rights,ownership of public utilities, and more. Their most celebrated reforms concernedelections and parties, which were geared toward ensuring fair political representation.They established direct primaries, elections in which any party member could become acandidate for office and gain the nomination of their fellow party members throughwinning enough votes, rather than being picked by a party boss. They designated localand judicial elections as nonpartisan, meaning that no party identification would appearnext to names listed on the ballot. They created the practice of cross-filing, whichallowed any candidates’ names to appear on any party’s primary election ballot (withoutparty labels), thus enabling candidates to obtain the nomination of more than one party.They also championed civil service reforms, which disallowed parties in power fromrewarding their loyalists with government jobs; now such employment had to be earnedthrough demonstration of merit. Most importantly, they adopted direct democracy: theinitiative, referendum, and recall. Alien land laws, or laws restricting foreigners (Chineseand Japanese specifically) also were created during this era.Type: E22. Why was the Southern Pacific Railroad compared to an octopus?*a. The Southern Pacific Railroad was depicted as an octopus with its arms around everymajor political and economic institution in the state. It monopolized the shipping andtransportation industries, the banking industry, telegraph, housing, mining, and otherindustries as well. Because it used its financial power to “select and elect” politicianswho supported them, it also dominated politics at every level – from city councils to thestate legislature.Type: E24. Name four Progressive era reforms that were designed to disable political parties.*a. secret voting; direct primaries; nonpartisan elections; cross-filing; civil service exams;the initiative; the referendum; the recall.Type: E38. Explain how Progressives helped to trigger California’s first “giant politicalearthquake.”*a. Students should first address the need to reduce the Southern Pacific Railroad’sextraordinary power over state affairs, and explain how their efforts helped to transformpeople’s relationship to government and their control over the machinery of government.To accomplish this, Progressives established reforms across a range of subjects, frommorals laws to labor laws, to transferring the ownership of public utilities tomunicipalities. Their most important reforms concerned elections and parties, with thegoal of ensuring fair political representation. They established direct primaries, in whichany party member could become a candidate for office and gain the nomination of theirfellow party members through a regular party (primary) election. They designated localand judicial elections as nonpartisan, meaning that no party identification would appearnext to names for offices listed on the ballot. They created the practice of cross-filing,
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 15 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionwhich allowed any candidates’ names to appear on any party’s primary election ballot(without party labels), thus enabling candidates to obtain the nomination of more thanone party. They also championed civil service reforms, which disallowed parties in powerfrom rewarding their loyal supporters with government jobs; now such employment hadto be earned through demonstration of merit. Most importantly, they adopted directdemocracy: the initiative, referendum, and recall, empowering citizens with a greatmeasure of self-government by allowing them to circumvent government altogether inthe making of laws. Progressives fundamentally shook the foundations of government bygiving the people some of the same powers as elected officials, that of making laws andestablishing policies.Type: E46. What were the reasons behind “professionalizing” California’s legislature in 1966?*a. By increasing the salary and making the job of legislating a full-time position, it washoped that legislative service would become attractive to people who couldn’t otherwisegive up their careers to become part-time legislators. They also hoped to create alegislative body that could separate itself from the enticements of lobbyists, and be giventhe necessary resources to compete on more equal footing with the executive branch.Type: E47. Why was the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978 so significant?*a. Prop 13 helped people realize the power of the initiative process; an overwhelmingnumber of voters supported the grassroots, citizen initiative that addressed a problem thelegislature refused to solve. Further, it forever changed the rules regarding taxation andstate budgeting practices, effectively altering the balance of power between states andlocal governments. Those rule changes also affected the long-term availability of taxrevenue, which has an impact on state budgets to this day.Type: E50. In what major ways will racial and ethnic diversification continue to have importantpolitical dimensions?*a. Varies. Respondents should address the implications of different populations situatingor separating themselves geographically, and what this might mean for the ways thatresources are used and divided. Answers should address the possibility that differentgroups will participate in politics at different rates and in different ways, and thatdifferent kinds of populations may demand different kinds of goods, services, or valuesfrom government. They may also mention that racial hostility may also be a factor indecisions about who gets what, or who is entitled to what resources. Historically, theinitiative process has been used to impose restrictions on public benefits for immigrantsor undocumented persons; however, the state legislature (led by Democrats) has beenmore willing to make accommodations for them, as seen with the recent passage of theDREAM Act (a law that allows the undocumented children of immigrants to receive in-state tuition), a process for granting special drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants(AB 60), and expanding MediCal benefits to undocumented immigrant children.Type: E
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 16 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEdition53. What kinds of ballot initiatives have targeted immigrants? Mention at least two.*a. Making English the state’s official language; teaching children in English only;denying citizenship to children born to undocumented workers; denying public payments(welfare or medical benefits) to undocumented workers.Type: E54. Why was Governor Gray Davis recalled?*a. Varies. Reasons typically cited are political and personal in nature. Political reasons:Republican dislike of a Democrat; capitalizing on an opportune moment in which thecitizenry was outraged over rising electricity costs and a weakening economy, as well asthe fact that the governor had made himself unpopular by trying to help close the budgetgap by raising the car tax. Personal reasons: a lackluster governor, seen as a “pay-to-play” politician who rewarded unions (prison guards, teachers) that were loyal to theDemocratic Party. He was also accused of lying about the budget deficit (it was worsethan he claimed publicly).Type: E55. Apart from the circus-like nature of the event, how did the recall election differ froma regular election? In what respects was it similar to a regular election?*a. Varies. Elements or aspects of the election that differed from a normal election cycle:the election season was short (about half as long as a normal cycle); low barriers to entryonto the ballot brought forth 135 qualified candidates (usually there are only 2 majorparty candidates); the media was intently focused on the event, more so than usual; thepublic became intensely engaged in the process. Elements similar to a normal cycle: itwas expensive (about $80 million was spent); a few top candidates emerged and themedia closely scrutinized them; televised debates were held among the top candidates.Type: E57. Describe the political earthquakes that have “rocked” California throughout herstatehood. What have been the political consequences of those upheavals?*a. 1. The Gold Rush beginning in 1848, which brought the state’s massive populationboom. 2. The rise of the Progressives in state government, including Governor HiramJohnson and a majority in the legislature, who joined forces to change the rules ofpolitical representation and participation. Their biggest accomplishments: helping todestroy the Southern Pacific Railroad’s party base, and instituting direct democracy. 3.Population boom and industrialization boom following World War II, which broughtunprecedented growth. (Students understandably may not recognize this as an“earthquake” as its effects were drawn out). 4. Proposition 13 in 1978: recognition of theinitiative process as a “normal route” for making major policy changes. 5. Recalling thegovernor (removing Gray Davis and electing Arnold Schwarzenegger). Note: Term limitsin 1990 might also be considered an earthquake; this is discussed in chapter 5.Long-lasting impacts or consequences: weak party identification among the electorate,because parties were prevented from having controlling influence over elections, and dideverything in their power to eliminate partisanship from elections (nonpartisan localelections; instituting primary elections; establishing cross-filing). Political parties couldnot control voters’ choices, and along with cross-filing, parties did not organize or
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 17 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionprovide strong structure in the legislature until the late 1960s (legislative partisanship andpolarization are strong today). Reconfigured relationships between voters and their stategovernment by creating new forms of participation, whereby voters have the ability tobypass the legislature to make laws (through direct democracy). Lingering resentmenttoward politicians, and continued attempts (i.e. using the initiative process, recall, andreferenda) to constrain their behavior and activity.Type: E58. What significant elections-related changes have been brought about by election-related initiatives passed in 2008 and 2010?*a. 1. Students should mention the establishment of a citizens redistricting commission(Voters FIRST Act, or Proposition 11) that was placed in charge of redrawing districtboundaries for the state Assembly, Senate, and Board of Equalization, and (enabled by alater initiative) Congressional representatives. The commission’s maps sparked lawsuitsdespite its nonpartisan approach, and ultimately, more Democrats were elected to thelegislature – enough to attain a supermajority. Competition in the 2012 elections wasespecially vigorous due to new maps pitting incumbents against each other. 2. The “TopTwo Primary” or open primary election (Proposition 11) allows voters to select fromamong a longer list of all candidates for an office, and the top two vote-getters willadvance to the general election. The process was intended to encourage the election ofmore moderate candidates, but there is so far limited evidence that this has occurred.However, independents, or those who have “no party preference,” can now participatefully in state elections. The new system did generate many district-wide (November)general elections in which the top candidates represented the same party, an effect that isexpected to persist.Type: E59. In what specific, significant ways have voters tried to reshape the relationshipbetween citizens and their representatives?*a. Varies. Many changes have also been brought through legislative action, but thisquestion asks students to recognize the fundamental changes that voters have imposed onthe elections system through the ballot box. The question presupposes an answer thatincludes the mention of ballot initiatives, but a less attentive student might supply ageneral answer that references the importance of imposing rules that influencelegislators’ behavior.Specifically, although the initiative and referendum (instruments of direct democracy)were initially signed into law by Gov. Hiram Johnson during the Progressive Era in 1911,these processes have allowed citizens to assert their power by competing with and alsooverriding the legislature to make laws. The recall imposed the ultimate threat to electedofficials by reminding them that they could be discharged from office should they angervoters with their actions, as the recall of Gray Davis (in 2003) shows.Proposition 1A’s professionalization of the legislature was intended to loosen the tiesbetween legislators and lobbyists, and by implication, redirect their attention to publicinterests and thereby strengthen their connections with citizens. The success of the anti-tax measure, Proposition 13, reminded legislators that citizens were “in charge,” andlimited elected officials’ ability to raise taxes without gathering supermajority support
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 18 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEdition(though this is merely an indirect way of “controlling” legislators’ behavior). Term limits(Proposition 140) established the rule that representatives could not make a career oflegislative service, and sent the message that representatives could not be trusted with along career. Other voter initiatives have targeted how public officials are elected: openprimary elections, tested in 1998 with the blanket primary (but overturned by theSupreme Court), and the “Top Two” primary election version, allow all voters to choosefrom among all nominees for office, a process that underlines representatives’ obligationsto all voters. The creation of a citizens redistricting commission underscores citizens’distrust of politicians over their perceived ability to “control” electoral outcomes. Placingredistricting in an unelected board, subject to many layers of review, is expected toinfluence the type of person who is ultimately elected. Voters have hoped to securerepresentatives who reflect the overall ideological sentiments of their district, rather thanthe ideas of the most extreme members; implicitly, this would create a legislature moreresponsive to “average” people, who are not strong partisans.63. Type: EName a few of the laws that Governor Jerry Brown and the legislature have establishedrecently.*a. Varies. Among the laws mentioned at the end of Chapter 2 are the following:groundwater regulations; ban on single-use plastic bags; tighter regulations on assisted-living facilities; expansion of “revenge porn” laws; phase-out of lead bullets; increasedprotections for transgender youth; mandated tracking of chemicals used in the process ofhydraulic fracturing (fracking); regulations on marijuana sales; raised the minimum wageto $9 per hour in 2014 and $10 per hour in 2016. Other laws discussed in Chapter 2 or thebook include: special driver licenses for undocumented immigrants; mandatoryvaccinations for schoolchildren with almost no exceptions; higher filing fees forinitiatives ($2,000, up from $200). Other laws mentioned in Chapter 2 may be considered“recent,” such as AB32, and the DREAM Act for undocumented immigrants. New lawsthat have caught the attention of media but not discussed in Chapter 2 include: new “rightto die” law; prohibition on the state’s displaying or selling merchandize emblazoned withthe Confederate flag; ban on using the name “Redskins” in public schools; new “MotorVoter” law allowing automatic voter registration when registering for a drivers license atthe DMV; mandatory paid sick days for part-time workers; expansion of alcohol tastingevents at retailers’ premises; allowing pets in outdoor seating areas of restaurants withsome conditions; stronger gender equality pay laws.Note that both the Citizens Redistricting Commission (redistricting) and the “top-two”primary were not enacted by the legislature and governor, but rather via the initiativeprocess.True or False Questions10. Presidios and missions were built for and served the same purposes.a. True*b. False18. The political movement that brought direct democracy to California stayed within thestate’s borders, and to this day, no other states have direct democracy.
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 19 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditiona. True*b. False32. Today, some public employees have to take a civil service exam to show that they arequalified for the position, a process that was established by Progressives over 100 yearsago.*a. Trueb. False34. Thanks to the Progressives, candidates for local city councils and school boards run innonpartisan elections, meaning their party affiliation is not printed next to their names onthe ballot.*a. Trueb. False35. A “nonpartisan” election means that only independents can run for certain electiveoffices.a. True*b. False36. Women were granted the right to vote in California state elections about ten yearsbefore they were guaranteed the right to vote by the 19thAmendment to the U.S.Constitution.*a. Trueb. False62. Unless the term limits law is changed again, Jerry Brown will be the only person instate history to have served four terms as governor.*a. Trueb. False65. Despite an improving national economy, California’s annual state budget continues torun deficits that range into the billions of dollars.a. True*b. False66. Democrats are the majority in the legislature, and now occupy almost everystatewide, constitutional executive office.*a. Trueb. False67. Despite being the minority party in the state legislature, Republicans dominate thestatewide, constitutional executive offices.a. True*b. False
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 20 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEdition68. Democrats attained supermajority status in both chambers of the legislature in 2012,something they hadn’t been able to do since 1883.*a. Trueb. False69. Democrats in the legislature have made life difficult for Governor Jerry Brown,because they have overridden most of his vetoes.a. True*b. False
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 21 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionChapter 3Multiple Choice/Fill in the BlankType: F2. The three types of direct democracy are: ________, ________, and ________.*a. initiative, recall, referendum11. Citizens in California may propose laws via the initiative process:*a. at the local, county and state levelsb. only at the state levelc. at the local level onlyd. at the state level, but the legislature must review their proposals first and may reject themType: F18. Californians can propose initiative ________ that establish new laws, or initiative ________which add or amend the state constitution.*a. statutes; constitutional amendments24. What kinds of initiatives tend to attract the most spending by opponents and proponents?a. immigration issuesb. economic reformc. political reform*d. issues that affect industry/business25. How many votes are needed to pass an initiative or approve a recall?*a. simple majority (50%+1)b. plurality (most votes)c. 2/3 supermajorityd. 3/5 supermajority26. A________ vote is needed to pass initiatives; a ________ vote is needed to pass bondmeasures.a. supermajority; majority*b. majority; supermajorityc. supermajority; supermajorityd. majority; majorityType: F32. The supermajority requirement to pass a school bond is _________ percent.*a. 55 (fifty-five)33. The supermajority requirement to pass a general obligation bond is _________ percent.*a. 2/3, or two-thirds (66.66%)Type: F34. The percentage of votes required to pass an initiative in California is __________.
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 22 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEdition*a. 50%+1 (a simple majority)38. Most recalls in California are against which group of elected officials?a. governorsb. county supervisorsc. state legislators*d. school board members42. The number of signatures needed to qualify an initiative for the ballot is based on:a) the total number of registered voters at the point in time when signatures are validatedb) an estimate of eligible voters in the state*c) a percentage of all votes cast for governor in the last gubernatorial electiond) the number of voters who turned out for the last election46. The most common form of the referendum in California is:a. the petition referendumb. statutory initiativesc. the recall of local officials*d. a bond measure68. In California, citizens can recall elected officials:*a. for any reasonb. only for criminal convictionsc. only after they have been accused of a serious crime, or indicted for wrongdoingd. only if the election results are determined to be corrupt or compromised69. Historically, have Californians used the initiative process more often, less often, or at aboutthe same rate as other states with the initiative process?*a. more oftenb. less oftenc. about the same70. Which governor, representing which political party, was able to get direct democracyembedded into California's constitution?a. Leland Stanford; Progressive*b. Hiram Johnson; Progressivec. Jess Unruh; Democraticd. Artie Samish; nonpartisan48. Type: EDefine “petition referendum.”*a. (Wording may vary). A referendum is a vote held by citizens on an existing law. Voters mayreject or approve recently signed laws or parts of laws (or redistricting maps) in California.49. How long do petitioners have to collect signatures in order to qualify initiatives for theballot?
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 23 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditiona. one month (30 days)b. three months (90 days)*c. six months (180 days)d. one year (365 days)52. Citizens wishing to recall a governor must collect valid signatures equal to ________of thevotes cast in the previous gubernatorial election, or about ________ signatures.a. 8 percent; 500,000*b. 12 percent; 900,000c. 25 percent; 2 milliond. 30 percent; 2.7 million53. The initiatives that are usually brought to voters at the local level most often pertain toa. civil rights and civil libertiesb. public moralityc. health, welfare, housing, criminal justice, housing*d. the political process, taxes, and land use55. The term “hybrid government” refers to:a. a mixture of old laws with new initiativesb. an efficient government*c. a blending of direct democracy with representative democracyd. a group of elected officials who represent every manner of ethnicity and race, reflecting thestate’s hyper-diversity57. What is the most appropriate way to characterize California’s political system?a. direct democracyb. representative democracy*c. hybrid democracyd. confederation59. Californians may vote on initiatives in which types of elections?a. primary elections onlyb. primaries and general elections only*c. general elections and special elections onlyd. special elections only64. What is a nonpartisan election?a. When Democrats and Republicans both run for the seat.b. When no incumbent is running in the election.c. Party labels appear next to the candidates’ names on the ballot.*d. No party labels appear next to the candidates’ names on the ballot.76. Which of these officials may be recalled in California?a. only local officials*b. local officials and state officials
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 24 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionc. local, state, and federal officialsd. only federal officialsEssay or Short Answer QuestionsType: E1. How does direct democracy challenge the theoretical assumptions of representativedemocracy?*a. The U.S. Founders believed that representatives working in competing branches (executiveand legislative) would check each other with overlapping powers, would filter the passions oftheir constituents through a deliberative process, and would find compromises in their quest tomake good public policy. The forms of direct democracy available to Californians are not suitedfor deliberation or compromise, or “checks” against the tyranny of the majority; they offer “take-them-or-leave-them” solutions that (with difficulty) can only be replaced with anotheralternative, not amended.Type: E3. Describe the three types of direct democracy in California.*a. The direct initiative (or simply, the initiative process) gives Californians the power topropose constitutional amendments and laws that fellow citizens will vote on without thelegislature’s involvement. The referendum is a vote taken to approve or reject a measure alreadypassed by the legislature. Bond measures are a type of referendum. The recall allows voters toremove and replace elected officials between regular elections.Type: E4. What is the difference between the direct and indirect initiative, and what type exists inCalifornia?*a. The direct initiative (or simply, the initiative process) gives Californians the power topropose constitutional amendments and laws that fellow citizens will vote on without thelegislature’s involvement. The indirect initiative allows legislatures to first consider citizen-initiated measures before they are presented to the public for a vote. Only the direct initiativeexists in California at the state level.Type: E9. In what sense is California government a “hybrid” government?*a. Essentially, it combines the features of representative government (officials are elected topositions in competing branches, such as an executive and a legislature) and direct democracy,whereby the people have the power to make laws in a political process that is not checked byanother branch (except sometimes the judiciary). Students should be able to demonstrate anunderstanding that the ability for citizens to participate in the lawmaking process negates the roleof representatives, and puts voters in charge of decision making.Type: E10. Name three landmark propositions (initiatives) passed in California after 1965; use theproposition number and give a short title or description.*a. Proposition 1A, Constitutional reform, legislative professionalization; Prop 9, PoliticalReform Act (campaign finance reform); Prop 13, Property Tax Limitation; Prop 8, Victims’ bill
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 25 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionof rights; Prop 98, Minimum funding levels for education; Prop 140, Term limits (modified in2012 with Prop 28); Prop 184, Three strikes law; Prop 187, Ineligibility of illegal aliens forpublic services (overturned by courts); Prop 198, Open primary elections (overturned); Prop 209,ending affirmative action; Prop 215, Medical use of marijuana; Prop 5, Tribal gaming; Prop 227,Elimination of bilingual education; Prop 11, Legislative redistricting; Prop 8, Definition ofmarriage (outlawed same-sex marriage; invalidated in federal court); Prop 14, open primary or“top two” vote-getter elections. Others are possible; these are listed in the book.Type: E13. Briefly describe the three stages through which an initiative must pass in order to becomelaw in California.*a. Stage 1, Drafting and Titling stage: A proposed law is written, given a title and summary bythe Attorney General’s office. Stage 2, Qualification stage: Gathering and Verifying Signatures.Authors circulate petitions to gather enough signatures to qualify their measure within a giventime frame. After the deadline, the Secretary of State verifies whether enough signatures arevalid, and assigns it a number if it qualifies for the ballot (“Proposition #”). Stage 3, Campaignstage: supporters and opponents campaign to convince voters to reject or accept the measure. Asimple majority vote is needed to pass initiatives; supermajority votes are needed to pass bondmeasures (2/3).Type: E14. Briefly describe the four stages through which an initiative must pass in order to take effectCalifornia.*a. Stage 1, Drafting and Titling: A proposed law is written, submitted to the Attorney General’soffice which posts it online for 30 days for public comment, can be changed or amended byauthors during a short window of time, and then is given a title and summary by the AttorneyGeneral’s office. Stage 2, Qualification stage: Gathering and Verifying Signatures. Authorscirculate petitions to gather enough signatures to qualify their measure within a given timeframe. After the deadline, the Secretary of State verifies whether enough signatures are valid,and assigns it a number if it qualifies for the ballot (“Proposition #”). Stage 3, Campaigning:supporters and opponents campaign to convince voters to reject or accept the measure. A simplemajority vote is needed to pass initiatives; supermajority votes are needed to pass bond measures(2/3). Stage 4, Postelection stage: measures take effect immediately, unless challenged in court.Many measures must survive court challenges in order to take effect. (Astute students might alsopoint out that public officials sometimes try to find ways around initiatives, and that opponentsoften try to overcome propositions with their own versions by trying to get them qualified for afuture election.)Type: E19. Describe two types of initiatives that may qualify for the state ballot.*a. A proposed law is called a statutory initiative, and establishes a new law. A constitutionalamendment changes the language of the state constitution, by adding new provisions or changingexisting ones.Type: E20. What happens at the preparation stage of the initiative process?
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 26 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEdition*a. A new law or constitutional amendment is written or “drafted.” Lawyers may be consulted.Drafts are submitted to the state Attorney General with a fee of $2000. The AG’s office posts themeasure online and allows 30 days of public comment. Authors then have 5 days to change theirproposal in response to the public comments if they choose. AG then assigns a title andsummary.Type: E21. What happens at the qualification stage of the initiative process?*a. Proponents circulate strictly-formatted petitions to gather enough signatures to qualify theirmeasure within a given time frame. Signature requirements are based on a percentage of all votescast for governor during the last election: 5 percent for initiatives (more than 365,880 signatures)and 8 percent (more than 585,407 for a Constitutional amendment). Because so many signaturesare needed, proponents usually hire a signature-gathering firm to help. After a deadline of 180days, petitions are submitted to county elections officials, who verify whether the collectedsignatures are valid. If the Secretary of State certifies that the overall count of signatures is valid,the measure qualifies and the Secretary will assign it a number (“Proposition #.”)Type: E22. What happens at the campaigning stage of the initiative process?*a. Supporters and opponents campaign to convince voters to reject or accept the measure, whichis now referred to as a Proposition, such as “Prop #.” If the measure is controversial, the measuremay generate considerable interest and millions of dollars may be spent to promote or defeat it.(The most expensive campaigns easily exceed $50 million in total spending.)Type: E23. What happens during the postelection stage of the initiative process?*a. Measures take effect immediately (following the election), unless an opponent challenges itin court. Many measures must survive court challenges in order to take effect, and historicallymany high-profile propositions have been invalidated in part or in whole. (Astute students mightalso point out that public officials sometimes try to find ways around initiatives, and thatopponents often try to overcome propositions with their own versions by trying to get themqualified for a future election. The only way to change or eliminate an initiative is to pass a newone.)Type: E56. What are some of the perceived problems with today’s initiative process? What remedieshave been suggested to address them?*a. Opinions abound over whether and how to reform the initiative process, and there isconsiderable speculation over how effective those reforms may be. Issues include: 1) Paidsignature-gatherers are needed to meet signature requirements (remedy: give people more time tocollect signatures). 2) Big money dominates the process (remedy: limit campaign donations;better disclosure of donor information needed). 3) Ballot measures are confusing and complex(remedy: make more information accessible and available on-line). 4) There are too manyinitiatives (remedy: allow the legislature to review or act on initiatives first; give courts a biggerrole). 5) Initiatives are too difficult to revise once passed (remedy: allow the legislature to amendthem after passage). 6) The state constitution contains overlapping and redundant measures
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 27 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionbecause of the initiative process (remedy: require a revision process). 7) Too many initiatives aredeclared unconstitutional (require the legislature to review; involve judges who can evaluatetheir constitutionality; allow authors to withdraw measures).Type: E58. In simple terms, why did Progressive reformers establish direct democracy?a. Reformers aimed to reduce the power of special interests and their lobbyists (i.e. to reduce theactuality and potential for corruption), and wanted to increase the power of individuals as a“check” against an unresponsive legislature or government.Type: E60. How does the initiative process at the local level differ from the process at the state level?*a. At a basic level, the signature requirements are much lower in counties and municipalities(numbering in the hundreds or few thousands), and the process of signature verification is carriedout by a local elections official, such as a county clerk. More importantly, citizens must first filea notice of intent to file an initiative petition, alerting local officials to the possibility that anissue will come before the voters. This step is not required at the state level. Moreover, localofficials have the right to take action on proposed laws before citizens have a chance to vote onthem; namely, city councils or boards of supervisors may adopt a proposal that has qualified forthe ballot. This step is not allowed at the state level.Type: E61. Does direct democracy work as the Progressives intended it? Why or why not?*a. Students should address both the intentions and the consequences—actual or perceived—ofdirect democracy. The Progressives intended to reduce the power of special interests in thelawmaking process, and to empower citizens with that responsibility, particularly as needed tobypass an uncooperative legislature and to establish popular laws. However, the process at thestate level is dominated by those who have the money and resources required to gather signaturesand campaign hard for a measure. Average citizens may be confused by conflicting andoversimplified messages, misunderstand complex measures, be presented with choices thatrequire no compromise among competing groups, and be faced with measures that cannot beeasily altered once passed. Students should note the ways in which special interests dominateeach stage of the process. A more astute student might also note that if Progressives valued amore efficient lawmaking process (as noted in Chapter 2), ballot-box lawmaking has had theopposite effect in some cases, negatively influencing how lawmakers do their jobs by creatingrules that lead to stalemate and inflexibility. An astute answer would also consider institutionalimpacts, which include in an incoherent and ever-changing set of rules for lawmakers, inflexiblerules (such as supermajority vote requirements that hinder compromise), and institutionalfragmentation, with processes having been pieced together over the years through unconnectedefforts and without regard to long-term planning. Finally, students might point out that directdemocracy at the local level can be more accessible to citizens because the signaturerequirements are much lower, but that local measures rarely generate much attention unless theissue is controversial or well-funded interests are at stake – which can mean (again) that citizenswithout money to promote their messages will be drowned out.Type: E
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 28 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEdition62. How does the initiative process frustrate collective action?*a. Collective action generally requires compromise and bargaining in order for many people towork together to find solutions to their common problems. The initiative process thwartscompromise by allowing only one proposal to be submitted to voters for an up-or-down vote (a“take-it-or-leave-it” proposal), without any chance of changing it after it has qualified for theballot or has been enacted. Opponents may have difficulty bankrolling a rival measure, or mighthave difficulty mounting an effective statewide campaign against a qualified measure becausethey lack resources.Type: E63. What explains the increased use of the initiative process in the past few decades?*a. Varies. Mentioned in the book is the development of signature-gathering firms, which makeit relatively easy for groups to collect enough signatures if they can afford the costs, which canrun into the millions of dollars. With respect to California’s political culture, using directdemocracy to exercise the “power of the people” (often to “get around the legislature”) isgenerally acceptable, a pattern that was re-established in 1978 with Proposition 13, the famousanti-tax measure. Also, vote requirements are regarded as being relatively low in a state as largeas California, and signature collection is relatively uncomplicated (there are no requirements togather signatures in every county, for example).Type: E73. In what ways does the initiative process in California advantage resource-rich, “specialinterests” and disadvantage average citizens?*a. Varies. The filing fee of $2,000 may deter citizens from filing an initiative, but the higherhurdles lie at the signature-gathering stage. Because hundreds of thousands of signatures must begathered (usually about twice the required number of 365,880) within 180 days, a signature-gathering firm usually will need to be hired to collect them – and they charge per-signature ratesthat are far higher than most citizens can afford. Average citizens typically do not have theknow-how to run a statewide campaign or raise the millions of dollars needed to reach undecidedvoters. Campaigns can be costly, and a majority (two-thirds) of all donations to initiativecampaigns are in amounts of $1 million or more. Finally, wealthy “special interests” maydominate the airwaves with their own carefully-crafted messages, confusing or discouragingaverage citizens who may not have time to become thoroughly educated about initiatives on theballot.True or False Questions5. California law requires the legislature to approve all initiatives before they reach the ballot.a. True*b. False6. The legislature can refer measures to the ballot for the people to approve or disapprove.*a. Trueb. False7. The California constitution allows the legislature to correct any mistakes or make changes toall initiatives before they reach the ballot.
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 29 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditiona. True*b. False8. Californians use the initiative process more often than residents in other states that have aninitiative process.*a. Trueb. False12. Direct democracy exists in all California counties and municipalities, meaning that citizenscan write laws, and with enough signatures, their measure will be put to a vote of the peoplelocally, either in cities or counties.*a. Trueb. False15. Once a title and summary have been assigned to a proposed law or ballot proposition, the textof law can be changed if mistakes are discovered.a. True*b. False16. In order to qualify an initiative for the ballot, usually the signature gatherers must collectabout twice the number needed because so many are found to be invalid.*a. Trueb. False17. More signatures are needed to qualify a Constitutional amendment for the ballot than areneeded for regular, statutory initiatives.*a. Trueb. False27. In the United States, most of the states that allow citizen initiatives are in the midwest orwest.*a. Trueb. False28. In the United States, no state on the east coast allows citizens to vote on laws without thelegislature’s prior involvement.*a. Trueb. False29. Since 1911 when the initiative process was instituted, California voters on average havetended to approve most (more than half) of the initiatives presented to them on the ballot.a. True*b. False30. Initiatives and propositions are the same thing.*a. True
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 30 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEditionb. False31. A two-thirds vote is required to pass any kind of bond in California.a. True*b. False35. Citizens may propose laws for California cities, towns, or counties.*a. Trueb. False36. The process for passing an initiative at the local level is similar to that at the state level, inthat a certain number of signatures must be gathered and verified by a local elections official.*a. Trueb. False37. Only city council members or mayors may propose laws or ordinances for California cities,towns, or counties.a. True*b. False39. In California, citizens can recall officials for any reason.*a. Trueb. False40. Local initiatives are, on average, more successful than state initiatives.*a. Trueb. False41. Regular, general obligation bond measures require a supermajority of 2/3 to pass; however,there is a lower vote threshold for school bonds to pass (55 percent).*a. Trueb. False43. California is the only state with the direct initiative; in all other initiative states, only theindirect process is allowed.a. True*b. False44. All states in the U.S. offer some form of the initiative process.a. True*b. False45. All U.S. states allow their citizens to recall elected officials who commit crimes.a. True*b. False
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California Politics: A Primer, 4th Edition Test Bank - Page 31 preview imageCalifornia Politics: A Primer, 4thEdition47. Petition referenda are rare in California.*a. Trueb. False50. Californians may recall any elected official if they gather the requisite number of validsignatures.*a. Trueb. False51. Citizens wishing to recall a governor should collect over 1 million valid signatures, becausemany signatures might be invalidated later in the process.*a. Trueb. False54. Historically, Californians have rejected far more initiatives than they have approved.*a. Trueb. False65. Fewer signatures are needed to qualify a Constitutional amendment for the ballot than areneeded for regular, statutory initiatives.a. True*b. False66. Does California law require the state Supreme Court to review initiatives before signaturescan be gathered?a. Yes*b. No67. Does California law require at least one judge (any state judge) to review initiatives beforeproponents can gather signatures?a. Yes*b. No71. Do all U.S. states offer some form of the initiative process?a. Yes*b. No72. Are local initiatives more likely or less likely to be approved by voters than state initiatives?*a. More likelyb. Less likely74. Because of the interest that must be repaid, a bond typically can cost about twice the faceamount that is borrowed. Thus, a $5 billion bond may actually cost taxpayers almost twice thatamount by the time it is paid off.*a. Trueb. False
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