PSCI 3061 Midterm Exam UPDATED
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
What does state politics scholar Virginia Gray argue? - CORRECT ANSWER Virginia
Gray argues that many important political and policy differences observed across states can
be explained by examining underlying differences in demography and geography, meaning
"demography is destiny" - Gray argues that land, location, migration, occupation, the
economy, and income structure a state's politics and policies
How would you respond to Virginia Gray (part A)? - CORRECT ANSWER I would
respond that demography does play a role in structuring state policy because demographic
circumstances in certain states sometimes requires action by state governments, and not all
states have the same laws meaning laws are uniquely tailored for each state by each state. For
example West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Montana and Maine have a larger 65+ year-old
population than others, which means they'll face an increasing demand for benefits and have
a smaller labor force, and this population portion of demography obviously will have to be
addressed by the state government - IE demography or their circumstances will result in
public policy changes or outcomes in these states
How would you respond to Virginia Gray (part b)? - CORRECT ANSWER However I
do not believe state policy outcomes are solely the result of demography, they are also the
product of political choices by state actors who choose to address and prioritize certain issues
over others. In addition, state policy outcomes are also influenced by the national
government, such as when laws are passed on a state level because of laws that were passed,
or not passed, on a federal level, or when one party controls both levels of government and
pursues their agenda on both levels
How would you test Virginia Gray's hypothesis? - CORRECT ANSWER You could
test Virginia Gray's hypothesis by examining each state's current policies and determining
their relevance to the state's land, location, migration, population and economy - assigning
relevance scores to each policy could help you see if there is a pattern or trend towards
policies being based on demography (with a low score meaning state policies are more
general and a high score meaning state policies are more unique to state needs)
,Where in the U.S. constitution is federalism established? - CORRECT ANSWER The
US constitution establishes federalism in several different areas without explicitly using the
word federalism - Article I (necessary and proper clause, commerce clause), Tenth
Amendment, Article IV (full faith and credit, privileges and immunities), Article VI
(supremacy clause)
How does Article I establish federalism? - CORRECT ANSWER Article one formally
delegates some powers primarily or exclusively to the national government in the Necessary
and Proper Clause and the Commerce Clause
What is the Necessary and Proper Clause? - CORRECT ANSWER The necessary and
proper clause gives Congress the power "to make all laws necessary and proper" in carrying
out their powers (elastic clause)
How does the Tenth Amendment establish federalism? - CORRECT ANSWER The
tenth amendment reserves the other powers not delegated to Congress to the states "the
powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution...are reserved to the states
respectively, or to the people"
How does Article IV establish federalism? - CORRECT ANSWER Article four
outlines the relationship between states and between states and the federal government - full
faith and credit clause and privileges and immunities clause
What is the Full Faith and Credit Clause? - CORRECT ANSWER The full faith and
credit clause establishes that each state is required to honor all other states and their laws
What is the Privileges and Immunities Clause? - CORRECT ANSWER The Privileges
and Immunities Clause establishes that citizens of one state are entitled to the privileges and
protection of other states
How does Article VI establish federalism? - CORRECT ANSWER The Supremacy
Clause in Article VI (clause 2) establishes that the Constitution and federal laws are the
supreme law of the land, meaning federal law overrides state law when they conflict
, What is the Commerce Clause? - CORRECT ANSWER The commerce clause
establishes the primary source of authority for federal regulatory policy, giving Congress the
power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among the states, and with Indian Tribes
Where is the Commerce Clause found? - CORRECT ANSWER The commerce clause
can be found in Article I, Section 8, clause 3 of the constitution
Why does the Commerce Clause raise controversy? - CORRECT ANSWER The
Commerce Clause raises controversy because it is used to justify nearly all federal regulation
and there is disagreement on what is truly interstate and commerce
In regards to commerce clause controversy, what kinds of regulation has the commerce clause
been used to justify? - CORRECT ANSWER The commerce clause is used to justify
environmental regulation, transportation safety, food and drug regulation, and labor rules
In regards to commerce clause controversy, how is the wording of the clause debated? -
CORRECT ANSWER The debate over "interstate" is around which issues should be
handled at the national level versus the state level; the debate over "commerce" is around
which issues should be regulated or what "commerce" is
What is an example of Commerce Clause controversy? - CORRECT ANSWER An
example of Commerce Clause controversy is the competition between states and the federal
government to develop regulations for hydraulic fracturing; there is debate over whether there
should be one set of national rules or flexibility across states - hydraulic fracturing is a
Commerce Clause issue because although there is local extraction, formations span multiple
states and waste and product is distributed across the US making it interstate commerce
What is the focus of Article IV of the US Constitution? - CORRECT ANSWER Article
four outlines the relationship between states, and between states and the federal government -
there are 4 key issues of focus in article four
What are the key issues of focus in Article IV? - CORRECT ANSWER The key issues
of focus in Article four are 1. The Full Faith and Credit Clause establishes that each state is
required to honor all other states and their laws 2. The Privileges and Immunities Clause
establishes that citizens of one state are entitled to the privileges and protection of other states
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
What does state politics scholar Virginia Gray argue? - CORRECT ANSWER Virginia
Gray argues that many important political and policy differences observed across states can
be explained by examining underlying differences in demography and geography, meaning
"demography is destiny" - Gray argues that land, location, migration, occupation, the
economy, and income structure a state's politics and policies
How would you respond to Virginia Gray (part A)? - CORRECT ANSWER I would
respond that demography does play a role in structuring state policy because demographic
circumstances in certain states sometimes requires action by state governments, and not all
states have the same laws meaning laws are uniquely tailored for each state by each state. For
example West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Montana and Maine have a larger 65+ year-old
population than others, which means they'll face an increasing demand for benefits and have
a smaller labor force, and this population portion of demography obviously will have to be
addressed by the state government - IE demography or their circumstances will result in
public policy changes or outcomes in these states
How would you respond to Virginia Gray (part b)? - CORRECT ANSWER However I
do not believe state policy outcomes are solely the result of demography, they are also the
product of political choices by state actors who choose to address and prioritize certain issues
over others. In addition, state policy outcomes are also influenced by the national
government, such as when laws are passed on a state level because of laws that were passed,
or not passed, on a federal level, or when one party controls both levels of government and
pursues their agenda on both levels
How would you test Virginia Gray's hypothesis? - CORRECT ANSWER You could
test Virginia Gray's hypothesis by examining each state's current policies and determining
their relevance to the state's land, location, migration, population and economy - assigning
relevance scores to each policy could help you see if there is a pattern or trend towards
policies being based on demography (with a low score meaning state policies are more
general and a high score meaning state policies are more unique to state needs)
,Where in the U.S. constitution is federalism established? - CORRECT ANSWER The
US constitution establishes federalism in several different areas without explicitly using the
word federalism - Article I (necessary and proper clause, commerce clause), Tenth
Amendment, Article IV (full faith and credit, privileges and immunities), Article VI
(supremacy clause)
How does Article I establish federalism? - CORRECT ANSWER Article one formally
delegates some powers primarily or exclusively to the national government in the Necessary
and Proper Clause and the Commerce Clause
What is the Necessary and Proper Clause? - CORRECT ANSWER The necessary and
proper clause gives Congress the power "to make all laws necessary and proper" in carrying
out their powers (elastic clause)
How does the Tenth Amendment establish federalism? - CORRECT ANSWER The
tenth amendment reserves the other powers not delegated to Congress to the states "the
powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution...are reserved to the states
respectively, or to the people"
How does Article IV establish federalism? - CORRECT ANSWER Article four
outlines the relationship between states and between states and the federal government - full
faith and credit clause and privileges and immunities clause
What is the Full Faith and Credit Clause? - CORRECT ANSWER The full faith and
credit clause establishes that each state is required to honor all other states and their laws
What is the Privileges and Immunities Clause? - CORRECT ANSWER The Privileges
and Immunities Clause establishes that citizens of one state are entitled to the privileges and
protection of other states
How does Article VI establish federalism? - CORRECT ANSWER The Supremacy
Clause in Article VI (clause 2) establishes that the Constitution and federal laws are the
supreme law of the land, meaning federal law overrides state law when they conflict
, What is the Commerce Clause? - CORRECT ANSWER The commerce clause
establishes the primary source of authority for federal regulatory policy, giving Congress the
power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among the states, and with Indian Tribes
Where is the Commerce Clause found? - CORRECT ANSWER The commerce clause
can be found in Article I, Section 8, clause 3 of the constitution
Why does the Commerce Clause raise controversy? - CORRECT ANSWER The
Commerce Clause raises controversy because it is used to justify nearly all federal regulation
and there is disagreement on what is truly interstate and commerce
In regards to commerce clause controversy, what kinds of regulation has the commerce clause
been used to justify? - CORRECT ANSWER The commerce clause is used to justify
environmental regulation, transportation safety, food and drug regulation, and labor rules
In regards to commerce clause controversy, how is the wording of the clause debated? -
CORRECT ANSWER The debate over "interstate" is around which issues should be
handled at the national level versus the state level; the debate over "commerce" is around
which issues should be regulated or what "commerce" is
What is an example of Commerce Clause controversy? - CORRECT ANSWER An
example of Commerce Clause controversy is the competition between states and the federal
government to develop regulations for hydraulic fracturing; there is debate over whether there
should be one set of national rules or flexibility across states - hydraulic fracturing is a
Commerce Clause issue because although there is local extraction, formations span multiple
states and waste and product is distributed across the US making it interstate commerce
What is the focus of Article IV of the US Constitution? - CORRECT ANSWER Article
four outlines the relationship between states, and between states and the federal government -
there are 4 key issues of focus in article four
What are the key issues of focus in Article IV? - CORRECT ANSWER The key issues
of focus in Article four are 1. The Full Faith and Credit Clause establishes that each state is
required to honor all other states and their laws 2. The Privileges and Immunities Clause
establishes that citizens of one state are entitled to the privileges and protection of other states
