American Politics Midterm

What is the dominant demographic among talk radio listeners?

18-40

What is an approval rating?

A percentage that reflects the public's evaluation of how the president is handling policy

What principle in polling do online polls often violate?

AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices. or they ability to know the number of times a person has voted

Why do pollsters trying to predict electoral outcomes prefer likely voters?

Because based on their thought of vote, since they're most likely voters their information is more accurate.

What are framing effects?

Changes in the way information is perceived as a result of the way in which the information was presented (e.g. framing a decision to emphasize either the potential LOSSES or the potential GAINS of a decision alternative)

What three conditions must be met for public opinion to guide government?

Citizens need to know what they want, be able to communicate their demands, and have leaders respond.

What was the doctrine called disproportionate impact that the Supreme Court propounded in 1971?

Companies could not employ hiring or promotion mechanisms that created, as the Court put it, " 'built-in headwinds' for minority groups [that] are unrelated to measuring job capability.

What is the Lilly Ledbetter Law? Why do you think President Obama chose that as the first law to sign as president?

Fair Pay Act is a law enacted by Congress on Jan. 29, 2009, that bolstered worker protections against pay discrimination. He chose that to be because it placed him in a good spot.

What does the Fourteenth Amendment guarantee?

Full and equal benefit of all laws for everyone born in the United States (excluding non-taxed Indians)

Even after liberation from slavery, black Americans faced another century of repression. Describe their quest for freedom in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. What were the three additional forces that held black Americans back from full equality even after slavery ended, and how did black Americans survive and even overcome these forces?

In 1865 slavery was abolished. But still many limitations were placed on the African Americans. Segregation, limit rights and ... The idea of change.

How has the rise in cellphones over landlines changed polling? Is there an advantage to phoning landlines?

More people have cellphones, so a higher percentage get polled. & yes, they are able to be reached at anytime rather when just at home.

Define and explain civil rights in 100 words or less.

Policies designed to protect people against arbitrary or discriminatory treatment by government officials or individuals. Civil liberties are the limits on the government that allow people to freely exercise their right. They Are in place to protect the people from the power machinery of the government. The bill of right are examples of civil liberties.Our right to bear arms our right to privacy these are some of the civil liberties that are an entitlement or obligation the government has to us. It's also the power we have to name something that is done or happening unconstitutional.

Explain the concept of response bias.

The change in views or response in order to answer with something that may seem more socially acceptable

Governors were rarely elected to the presidency prior to Jimmy Carter. However, since President Carter, they have run far more often and obtained high levels of success. What changed this dynamic?

The resignation of Nixon. after the Watergate scandal.

What scandal caused the media and media reporters to become more skeptical of politicians, and what does the change look like?

Watergate scandal. Because the idea that dirty play wasn't a factor in politics

What does it mean if a president claims a mandate?

When a political leaders claim they have a right to their policies because the people have spoken.

What is a sampling frame?

a list of the items or people forming a population from which a sample is taken.

What is social capital, and how does it spur American citizens to participate in political activity?

advocacy groups and political parties to higher involvement. There influence and information.

What are the factors that spur American citizens to participate in political activity?

age influence and civic engagement education wealth

What are the three top predictors for civic engagement? Provide examples of each.

age, they generation of change Education their understanding Wealth their ability to be involved

What is affirmative action?

an action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer from discrimination, especially in relation to employment or education; positive discrimination.

Same-sex marriage rights are an important issue for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities. What are the reasons for the demand for this right? For those against these marriage rights, what are the reasons to deny them and only allow civil unions?

because it's their civil liberty to live they're life as they please. free speech they are allowed to voice their own opinion.

Describe the concept of bundling. Explain why you support or disapprove of this process.

bundling a form of fundraising that inference other to donate. I support because if they're willing to go out an influence someone then they got a really go resign for the candidate/matter to win.

On what does the mass media tend to focus in the middle of an election campaign?

candidate

How does the mass media sometimes "prime" the news?

it changes from what should be shown to what the people want to see

How does the mass media sometimes "frame" the news?

its influences how the information is present to the viewer

Institutional barriers have long been a major issue in preventing prospective voters from joining in the political process. Be able to discuss some ways obstacles to greater participation have been removed. Suggest, too, other ways barriers might be removed.

literacy test were one barrier that has been removed. many because the number turn out comes out low

What is meant by the term "infotainment?"

material made to inform and entertain

Describe the three distinct stages of presidential campaigns. Describes the general election, where the candidates of the two parties vie for electoral votes in fifty state elections in November

nominating process, party conventions, general election

What is voter turnout, and why is the voter turnout in America among the lowest for the world's developed democratic nations?

number based on who can vote, factors can alter participation and Because they hold more frequent elections and requires elections for a wider range of offices, including many judgeships Tuesday elections.

Be able to discuss which demographic groups Mitt Romney targeted in the 2012 fall campaign.

older demographic

Explain the 527 groups and describe how they have affected elections.

organizations governed by 527 sec. are allowed to raise on spend unlimited amounts for "issues'' not candidates

There is no fail-safe recipe for winning a presidential election. However, social scientists have developed sophisticated prediction models. Highlight some of the factors they look at in determining the next president.

polling the way the States are in the red or blue.

What are the different types of "new media?

radio, social, news channels

Be able to discuss the concept of gerrymandering. How did it start and where did the word come from? Why does it occur?

redrawing an election district in a way that gives one party an advantage usually used so that a party will win or not win. word gerrymander (originally written Gerry-mander) was used for the first time in the Boston Gazette on 26 March 1812. The word was created in reaction to a redrawing of Massachusetts state senate election districts under Governor Elbridge Gerry

Define circle of nonparticipation. Is this an accurate reflection of current American political disengagement?

resistance by political parties to make people more involved

What is political voice and why is it important?

specking out on ones public rights and it's important because when change need to be done it must be heard first.

Describe the concept of political mobilization

the effort to push people to engage in the public sphere.

How does the mass media sometimes set the political agenda?

the mass media can send ideas on wha should be happening

Describe the history behind Chicanismo and United Farm Workers organizations

the start of farm worker fighting against harsh working conditions

What does the mass media tend to focus on at the end of an election campaign?

the voting numbers "horse race"

What are the personal background factors that spur American citizens to participate in political activity and why do these have any power?

their past experience of no change in their life can cause this paradox of voting.

What do the authors of the textbook mean when they suggest the new media "facilitates the spread of rumors"?

things can be posted which can be taken serious and alter ones view on a political matter

What did the Fairness Doctrine attempt to accomplish?

to share both sides of the story

What are the drawbacks to the practice of frequent elections in America?

voter turnout

Do education or race factor into one's level of political engagement? If so, how?

yes, understand how politics work makes one feel the need to be involved and race discrimination is happening in order for change it need to be heard.

Each party works to build a winning coalition, relying on its base of likely supporters and reaching out to undecided groups. Be able to describe which demographic groups Barack Obama targeted to get the vote out in 2008.

youth. his idol on women rights and education based policy