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AP US Government and Politics Free-Response Practice Test 9_APstudy.net

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KimberlyNewellLehmann
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12/18/24, 3:46 PM AP US Government and Politics Free-Response Practice Test 9_APstudy.

net

1. WASHINGTON—US Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the
following statement at a hearing on the executive's authority to use nuclear weapons and the process for executing
that authority…

"A number of members on both sides of the aisle, on and off the committee, have raised questions about the
executive's authorities with respect to war making, the use of nuclear weapons, and from a diplomatic perspective,
entering into and terminating agreements with other countries…

"Making the decision to go to war of any sort is a heavy responsibility for our nation's elected leaders. And the
decision to use nuclear weapons is the most consequential of all.

"The Atomic Energy Act of 1946 and the subsequent practices recognize that the use of nuclear weapons must be
subject to political control...

"But this process means the president has the sole authority to give that order, whether we are responding to a
nuclear attack or not.

"Once that order is given and verified, there is no way to revoke it."

—Senator Bob Corker statement at hearing to authorize the use of nuclear weapons, November 2017

After reading the scenario, answer parts A, B, and C.

A. Describe where Congress gets its authority to address the issues raised in the passage.

B. Based on your answer in part A, explain the relationship between Congress and the president in determining the
authorization of the use of nuclear weapons.

C. Based on the passage, explain what the consequences are of having political considerations as the basis for the
authorization of the use of nuclear weapons.

Show Answer

2. Use the information provided in the chart to answer the following questions:

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12/18/24, 3:46 PM AP US Government and Politics Free-Response Practice Test 9_APstudy.net

A. Describe the correlation between income and voter turnout in presidential and midterm elections.

B. Describe a difference in the turnout rate among those voters earning less than $10,000 compared to voters earning
more than $150,000 in the 2010 midterm election.

C. Explain how this graph explains how demographics influences voter turnout.

Show Answer

3. In early 2002, after a multi-year effort by Senators John McCain and Russell Feingold to reform the way money is
raised and spent on political campaigns it resulted in the passage of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002
(the so-called McCain-Feingold bill).The bills key provisions were 1) a ban on unrestricted ("soft money") donations
made directly to political parties (often by corporations, unions, or wealthy individuals) and on the solicitation of
those donations by elected officials; 2) limits on the advertising that unions, corporations, and non-profit
organizations can engage in up to 60 days prior to an election; and 3) restrictions on political parties' use of their
funds for advertising on behalf of candidates (in the form of "issue ads" or "coordinated expenditures").

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that because the regulations dealt mostly with soft-money contributions that were
used to register voters and increase attendance at the polls, not with campaign expenditures (which are more
explicitly a statement of political values and therefore deserve more speech protection), the Court held that the
restriction on free speech was minimal. It then found that the restriction was justified by the government's legitimate
interest in preventing "both the actual corruption threatened by large financial contributions and... the appearance of
corruption" that might result from those contributions."

A. Identify the constitutional clause that was used by the Supreme Court in McConnell v. FEC (2003) and Citizens
United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

B. Based on the constitutional issues identified in (A), explain in which ways the decision of McConnell v. FEC (2003)
was different from the decision reached in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

C. Describe the judicial consequences of the decision reached in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and
give an example of how a special interest group reacted to that decision.

Show Answer

4. The Electoral College was created by the Founders and has been a controversial component of our electoral
system. Twice in the twenty-first century, candidates running for president have lost the popular vote but won the
election because they received a majority of the Electoral College votes.

Describe an argument that explains which ideas contributed to the concept of the Electoral College and how the
Electoral College best accomplishes the goals of the American democracy set forth in the Declaration of
Independence and the US Constitution.

In your essay you must:

Make a valid argument or thesis that addresses the question and presents a sound basis of reasoning.

Support your argument with at least TWO examples of accurate and relevant information: one piece of evidence from
one of the foundational documents:

-Federalist Papers
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12/18/24, 3:46 PM AP US Government and Politics Free-Response Practice Test 9_APstudy.net

-The US Constitution

-The Bill of Rights

and a second piece of evidence from another foundational document from the list above or your study of the
Electoral College.

Use logical arguments to explain why your proof supports your argument/thesis.

Respond to an opposing point of view or alternative argument refuting, conceding, or rebutting that point of view.

Show Answer

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