A Modern Poll Test

Via RickBoston’s Daily Kos Dairy:

The rationale for poll tests have always been to ensure that the voters understood the principles that animate our system of government. If a voter hasn’t a clue what it means to be an American, or any appreciation of our system of government or laws, he or she cannot be entrusted with the franchise. So here’s a little test designed to disenfranchise those voters who are driving our democracy to ruin.

VOTER QUALIFICATION EXAM

Multiple Choice:

1. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution places the following limitations on protections against search and seizure:

a. Warrants are required, and can be be issued by any qualified executive branch officer
b. Warrants are required and must be based on probable cause
c. Warrants are nice, but the President may unilaterally authorize search and seizures in questions of national security

2. The Second Amendment guarantee of the right to bear arms was included by the founders to ensure that citizens would:

a. Be free to hunt, both for food and as a sport
b. Have the wherewithal to collectively defend themselves against disturbances to the peace
c. Be able to protect themselves against robbers, inconsiderate neighbors and invasive rodents

3. When a President disagrees with a law passed by Congress, he or she may:

a. Sign it with a stipulation that s/he will ignore certain
parts; if Congress objects, they must submit a new law to override this
so called signing statement.
b. Sign the law, and then ensure enforcement by the executive branch of
controversial provisions, pending review of Constitutionality by the
courts
c. Veto the entire bill, which Congress may subsequently override with a two-thirds majority.
d. Either B or C.

4. The founding fathers granted Congress the ability to impeach a President:

a. To ensure the survival of  a vibrant and profitable media industry.
b. Out of a concern that a future President might place himself above
the law to the detriment of the national interests and the system of
democracy.
c. To give the nation a form of redress should the President engage in
extramarital sexual escapades while in office (this despite the fact
that fornication was completely unknown among the founders).

5. The role of the press at the time of the nation’s founding was:

a. To vigorously defend the President against foreign agents and scurrilous rumor-mongering by his political enemies.
b. To act as a vehicle for vigorous debates on issues of national and
local issues, and to provide a voice to those who held minority
opinions.
c. To provide a means to inform the public of dangers to public
security (be it terrorism or the disappearance of a white woman).

True or False Questions:

6. The founding fathers gave all states equal number of
senators–irrespective of population–to better guard against the
"tyranny of the majority over the minority."

7. The founding fathers were concerned with the U.S. becoming
encumbered by the opinion of foreign powers, and granted the President
the authority to ignore international law and treaties ratified by the
U.S. Senate.

8. The founding fathers granted Congress the responsibility to provide
oversight of the executive branch only when they disagreed with the
party platform of the President.

9. When the founding fathers granted the Senate the duty to "advise and
consent" to executive branch appointments, they expected there would
always be a yea or nay vote on all nominees.

Essay Question:

10. Please explain what is meant by the concept of Checks and Balances between the three branches of government.

*Bonus question:

What role did Saddam Hussein play in the 9/11 attacks?