Take this Exam: A-Level Politics: US Government Compared | Zestly

Question 1

A court declares that an Act of the legislature conflicts with the constitution and is therefore void. What has the court exercised, and how does this compare to a system where courts cannot invalidate Acts?

Accepted Answer

The court has exercised judicial review, which allows it to strike down legislation that is unconstitutional.

Answer

The court has acted beyond its authority, as no court should ever be able to question the legislature.

Answer

The court has merely interpreted the law, which is identical to the power held by courts in systems without judicial review.

Answer

The court has forced the legislature to rewrite the law, which is the same power held by courts in all parliamentary systems.

Question 2

A judge is nominated by the executive and confirmed by one chamber of the legislature, with tenure for life. What is the implication of this appointment process?

Accepted Answer

It protects judicial independence while making each appointment highly consequential for the court's long-term direction.

Answer

It ensures that judges are directly accountable to the public through frequent elections.

Answer

It guarantees that the judiciary will always agree with the current legislative majority.

Answer

It prevents the executive from having any influence over the composition of the court.

Question 3

A legislature passes a statute that a court finds inconsistent with a constitutional right. What happens to the statute, and how does this contrast with rights held in ordinary legislation?

Accepted Answer

The statute is declared void because constitutional rights are superior to ordinary statutes.

Answer

The court asks the legislature to reconsider, but the statute remains law regardless of the conflict.

Answer

The statute is amended by the court to better reflect the constitutional right.

Answer

The statute remains in force because the legislature is always supreme over the courts.

Question 4

In one system a party's candidate for a legislative seat is chosen in an open contest among that party's voters in the district; in another the party organisation chooses the candidate. A legislator in the first system has to decide whether to vote with the party leadership against the strong preference of the voters who selected them. What does the method of selection do to that relationship?

Answer

It makes no difference, since in both systems the legislator faces the whole electorate at the general election.

Answer

It removes party discipline altogether, so a legislator chosen this way has no reason to vote with colleagues on anything.

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It weakens the leadership's hold, because the people who can end the legislator's career are the party's own voters in that district rather than the leadership, so defying the leadership is the cheaper of the two risks.

Answer

It strengthens the leadership's hold, since a candidate who has been through a public contest owes their position to the party's national campaign.

Question 5

A proposal faces several separate points of blockage, such as committee votes, chamber votes, and executive approval. What does this show about the legislative process?

Answer

The system is designed to ensure that the legislature always agrees with the executive branch.

Answer

The system is designed to make major legislation difficult to pass, which some defend as a safeguard against hasty action.

Answer

The system is fundamentally broken because it fails to pass all proposed legislation.

Answer

The system is identical to a parliamentary system where the executive controls the legislative agenda.