Chapter #5 Political participation - Practice Questions

A voter who wants detailed information on a presidential candidate's foreign and domestic policy views should consult which of the following? A) The candidate's website B) The candidate's social media C) Newspaper editorials D) Network television

A

As viewed in the context of past elections, incumbency favors which of the following groups the most? A) Members of the House of Representatives B) Members of the Senate C) The president of the United States D) State governors

A

At a nominating convention, which committee decides the positions that the political party will take? A) Platform Committee B) Credentials Committee C) Rules Committee D) Ideology Committee

A

Compared to PACs, what makes Super PACs unique? A) PACs have campaign contribution limits, while Super PACs do not, as long as the Super PAC doesn't coordinate with the campaign. B) Super PACs are able to receive financial contributions from prospective voters, while PACs cannot. C) PACs are always led by congressional leaders, while Super PACs only need to operate independently from political campaigns. D) Super PACs are classified as for-profit businesses, while PACs are classified as nonprofit organizations

A

How does the 15th Amendment compare to the 17th Amendment in regard to the expansion of democracy in the United States? A) The 15th Amendment increased the number of eligible voters, and the 17th Amendment established the popular election of U.S. Senators B) The 15th Amendment guaranteed the right to vote for people regardless of sex, and the 17th Amendment established the popular election of U.S. Senators C) The 15th Amendment prohibited discrimination based on race, and the 17th Amendment limited political corruption by prohibiting the sale of alcohol. D) The 15th Amendment lowered the eligible voting age, and the 17th Amendment created the Electoral College

A

Joel is a prospective voter in the upcoming presidential general election. He has never voted in an election before, but Joel has been inspired by the Green Party's presidential candidate. Joel is particularly impressed by how the presidential candidate is leading the party in a new direction with a broad policy agenda. Given these circumstances, which of the following statements is most likely TRUE? A) Joel is more likely to be a party-line voter than a rational-choice voter. B) Joel is more likely to be a retrospective voter than a prospective voter. C) Joel is more likely to be a single-issue voter than a rational-choice voter. D) Joel is more likely to be a nonvoter than a voter.

A

Which actions would a Keynesian economist most favor? A) An increase in domestic government spending B) No change in domestic government spending C) Tax cuts D) An increase in prime interest rates

A

Which of the following is a direct result of an electoral system that features single-member districts? A) Only two major parties can successfully be supported B) National campaigns can be conducted without incurring great expense C) Third parties can be as successful as the two major political parties can D) Each political party tends to focus its campaign on a single issue

A

Which of the following is most likely to lead to a decrease in political knowledge among Americans? A) A media outlet only reports one point of view B) A media outlet that routinely interviews candidates C) A media outlet that protects its sources D) A media outlet that summarizes the day's news events

A

Which of the following is required under federal election laws? A) In an area that has a substantial community of non-English speakers, voters must be provided with ballots in their native language. B) In an electoral district that has historically low voter turnout, polling places must be open for longer than 8 hours C) In a state with a budget deficit, a tax must be collected from each voter to pay for the cost of the election D) In a region with racial diversity, congressional district lines must be drawn to guarantee that at least one elected congressperson be of a racial minority.

A

Which of the following terms describes a time when a nation's imports exceeds its exports? A) Trade deficit B) Trade surplus C) In default D) Bankrupt

A

Which of the following would receive money from Social Security? A) A worker retiring after 40 years. B) A foreign tourist injured on U.S. soil. C) A veteran working as a security guard. D) A family that is chronically poor.

A

"All obstructions to the execution of the laws, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency... However, combinations or associations of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion." --George Washington, Farewell Address (1796) How would George Washington most likely react to the state of modern political parties? A) He would support the two-party system because a third party would lead to more factionalism. B) He would be concerned over modern political parties' fundraising capacity and influence over the government C) He would support the trend toward more candidate-centered campaigns D) He would encourage grassroots activists to seize control over modern political parties' infrastructure

B

"It is clear that corporations seek to use campaign contributions to gain government contracts, but despite anecdotes, whether they succeed has been largely ignored in academic studies... I [believe] campaign contributions may influence contracting and [there is a] relationship between the donation of campaign contributions and the receipt of government contracts for a sample of firms politically active between 1979 and 2006. The analysis shows that even after controlling for past contracts and other factors, companies that contributed more money to federal candidates subsequently received more contracts." -- Christopher Witko, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, October 2011 A debate over the practices described in Witko's argument would most likely revolve around which two competing principles? A) Free speech vs. fair elections B) Campaign fundraising vs. undue corporate influence C) soft money vs. PACs D) Individual rights vs. corporate rights

B

"It is clear that corporations seek to use campaign contributions to gain government contracts, but despite anecdotes, whether they succeed has been largely ignored in academic studies... I [believe] campaign contributions may influence contracting and [there is a] relationship between the donation of campaign contributions and the receipt of government contracts for a sample of firms politically active between 1979 and 2006. The analysis shows that even after controlling for past contracts and other factors, companies that contributed more money to federal candidates subsequently received more contracts." -- Christopher Witko, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, October 2011 Which of the following pieces of legislation, constitutional amendment, or case law would best serve to limit the harmful effects of the phenomenon described in Witko's argument? A) Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 B) The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 C) Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) D) The Fifteenth Amendment

B

"It is clear that corporations seek to use campaign contributions to gain government contracts, but despite anecdotes, whether they succeed has been largely ignored in academic studies... I [believe] campaign contributions may influence contracting and [there is a] relationship between the donation of campaign contributions and the receipt of government contracts for a sample of firms politically active between 1979 and 2006. The analysis shows that even after controlling for past contracts and other factors, companies that contributed more money to federal candidates subsequently received more contracts." -- Christopher Witko, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, October 2011 Which of the following statements best summarizes Witko's arguments? A) For at least twenty-five years, big corporations were illegally making campaign contributions to federal candidates in exchange for government contracts. B) There has been a noticeable correlation between campaign contributions and the attainment of federal government contracts by some corporations. C) Federal candidates for public office have sought to secure contracts with corporations in exchange for campaign contributions. D) Despite anecdotes, many corporations have been unsuccessful i n their bids to exchange campaign contributions for government contracts.

B

"Voter enthusiasm plummeted yesterday immediately after the news spread about unprecedented wait times at the polls. Many local residents, like social media star Jonathan Hastings, claimed to have seen lines stretching more than four city blocks at South Islip High School. As the polls closed late last night, government watchdog groups vowed to investigate whether the state failed to provide adequate resources to the local election board, and if so, whether it was an intentional act of sabotage." -- Wallace David, South Islip Gazette, Nov. 4, 2020 What voter demographic was the most likely to have been disproportionately harmed by the unprecedented wait times? A) White voters B) Working class voters C) Older voters D) Male voters

B

Political Action Committees (PACs) allow unions and corporations to perform which of the following actions? A) Run their own members for political office B) Coordinate political activities not affiliated with a campaign C) Have a voice in the government D) Sit down together to work out their differences

B

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL), and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization (AFL-CIO) collaborating to block Samuel Alito's 2006 nomination to the Supreme Court is an example of A) realignment B) coalition building C) logrolling D) non-commitment

B

Which of the following activities are interest groups barred from taking part in? A) Sending lawmakers to educational seminars B) Giving tangible gifts to lawmakers C) Providing research to government officials D) Staging protests and boycotts

B

Which of the following describes how a successful Democratic presidential candidate acts throughout the primary and general elections? A) Promotes moderate policies in the primary election and progressive policies in the general election B) Promotes progressive policies in the primary election and moderate policies in the general election C) Promotes progressive policies in the primary and general elections D) Promotes moderate policies in the primary and general elections

B

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and The Voting Rights Act of 1965? A) Civil Rights Act - Barred sex discrimination in education programs receiving federal funding Voting Rights Act - Required certain states and jurisdictions to receive preclearance by the federal government to change voting laws B) Civil Rights Act - Gave Congress expanded power to end school segregation Voting Rights Act - Banned literacy tests for voting C) Civil Rights Act - Barred discrimination in public accommodations Voting Rights Act - Barred school segregation D) Civil Rights Act - Enacted to strengthen the Fifteenth Amendment Voting Rights Act - Barred employers from discriminating on the basis of race

B

Which of the following lobbying activities is illegal? A) Running attack ads against a piece of legislation B) Giving cash gifts to a Senator C) Paying private citizens to protest in the streets D) Buying an expensive lunch for a group of influential House members

B

Which of the following statements best describes the purpose of gerrymandering? A) To increase the control voters have over their elected officials B) To influence elections by drawing boundary lines to increase of decrease the influence of some voters C) To put all racial minorities into a single district D) To equally divide a state's congressional districts by size

B

How do congressional election cycles compare to presidential election cycles? A) Congressional election cycles are typically longer B) Congressional election cycles receive more campaign contributions C) Presidential election cycles attract more media attention D) Presidential election cycles are easier for third-party candidates to win

C

The Purple Political Party (PPP) has become one of the two major political parties in the United States. in addition, compared to all other political parties, the PPP has by far the strongest linkage institutions. In recent years, however, various political controversies have led to the disclosure of several conflicts of interest within the PPP's campaign infrastructure and consultants. Which of the following statements is MOST likely to be true about the PPP as described in this fact pattern? A) The PPP will gain more grassroots support because strong linkage institutions can better support more extensive campaign infrastructure. B) The PPP will increase in popularity because the controversy will lead to more media coverage. C) The PPP is at risk of losing its frontrunner status because the conflicts with interest groups could create a perception of corruption. D) The PPP will remain the leading major political party because it still has the strongest linkage institutions.

C

Which of the following best describes the structure of the Democratic and Republican parties? A) A group of small, independent political parties B) An organizations that only helps candidates running for Congress or the presidency C) An organization that works to elect candidates at all levels of government D) A decentralized group of different ideological beliefs

C

Which of the following defines an open primary election? A) Voters select the winner by caucus instead of by individual ballots B) The election results are not binding C) Any registered voter may participate, regardless of party affiliation D) Voters may register to vote on the day of the election

C

Which of the following events led to a realignment of the Democratic and Republican parties? A) The end of the Cold War B) The Great Recession C) The Civil Rights Movement D) The election of Ronald Reagan

C

Which of the following is a method that lobbyists commonly use to try to influence legislatures? A) The lobbyist may spread negative propaganda about the legislator to the opposing political party B) The lobbyist may publicly endorse candidates for office that may challenge the legislator in a midterm election C) The lobbyist may socialize with the legislator at informal gatherings D) The lobbyist may attempt to acquire corporate campaign donations for the legislator

C

Which of the following is a possible negative consequence for residents living in a state that passed one voting restrictions? A) Residents could rest assured that no voter fraud would occur in their state B) Every voter was affected by their state's new law(s) C) Many once-eligible voters were turned away at the polls on election day D) It took longer to fill out a ballot on election day

C

Which of the following is an accurate comparison between a political party and an interest group? A) Political Party - Organize government activity Interest Group - Undergo realignment every few decades B) Political Party - Direct lobbying Interest Group - Reduce conflict and tension in society C) Political Party - Nominate candidates for office Interest Group - Make endorsements D) Political Party - Educate and mobilize voters Interest Group - Help coordinate the campaign of a presidential candidate

C

Which of the following is an example of "horse-race journalism"? A) A news story focuses on a politician's scandals rather than achievements B) A news anchor reports an event before the station's rivals C) A reporter announces which candidate leads in a public opinion poll D) A newspaper editor prints stories about long term political developments

C

Which of the following is the most accurate description of how each of the two main political parties of the United States is organized? A) Each party has a presence at the national level only B) Each party has centralized national leadership, while state and local parties have very little power C) Each party has relatively independent organizations that exist at all levels of government D) Party leadership is hierarchal, so that decisions are dispersed from the national level to the state and local levels.

C

Which of the following scenarios is an example of political socialization? A) Working on a group project in math class B) Playing high school football C) Watching the evening news with family D) Joining a fiction book club

C

Which of the following statements about voting populations is most accurate? A) Individuals are less likely to vote in a closely contested race B) Voters are more likely to vote at age 18 than they are at age 65 C) An individual with a graduate degree is more likely to vote than an individual who only has a high school diploma D) Affluent individuals are less likely to vote than impoverished individuals

C

Which of the following statements describes why Super Tuesday is an important day in the presidential primary season? A) The candidate who finishes second becomes the nominee's running mate B) It determines how many superdelegate votes a candidate receives at the convention C) The candidate who wins the most states becomes the front runner D) Primary elections after Super Tuesday have no bearing on deciding the nominee

C

Which of the following statements is true about presidential primaries? A) All delegates in a primary are awarded to the winning candidate. B) Voters in primaries all show up at the same time to discuss candidates and then vote. C) Most states use primaries to award delegates to presidential candidates. D) Voters in primaries choose representatives to vote for them.

C

Why did the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 ultimately fail to achieve its goals? A) The Supreme Court ruled the entire Act was unconstitutional due to free speech violations. B) The Supreme Court struck down the Act's key provisions in its landmark case Buckley v. Valeo C) The Act allowed nonprofit organizations to continue attacking political candidates. D) The Act failed to impose restrictions on electioneering communications.

C

"All obstructions to the execution of the laws, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency... However, combinations or associations of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion." --George Washington, Farewell Address (1796) According to Washington, what is the problem with combinations and associations? A) They are strictly prohibited by the U.S. Constitution B) They compete with political parties' dominance over the electoral process. C) They destroy political parties and replace them with unprincipled oligarchs. D) They lead to the consolidation of political power and increased corruption

D

"However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion. Towards the preservation of your government, and the permanency of your present happy state, it is requisite, not only that you steadily discountenance irregular oppositions to its acknowledged authority, but also that you resist with care the spirit of innovation upon its principles, however specious the pretexts." --George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796 Which of the following statements best reflects Washington's message in the passage? A) Political parties are a natural part of American political life. B) Political parties never work in the interests of the American people. C) Political parties are run by moral men. D) Political parties manipulate the government to ensure their grasp on power.

D

What does the Iron Triangle refer to? A) a campaign strategy deployed by political parties to win support of the working class B) the influence of corporations on tariffs and free trade deals C) an economic policy intended to boost the American manufacturing sector. D) the enduring relationship shared by bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups.

D

Which of the following attempted to reign in political spending by PACs? A) Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 B) Federal tax code 527 C) Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission D) McCain-Feingold Act

D

Which of the following describes a negative consequence of a state being the last to hold a presidential primary? A) The party conventions may have already taken place B) There may be long lines to vote on primary election day C) The state may receive considerable news coverage D) One candidate may have already won a majority of delegates

D

Which of the following describes an open Republican primary? A) Only Republicans can vote. B) Only Democrats can vote. C) Only Republicans and Democrats can vote. D) Only registered voters can vote

D

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the impact of the Bipartisan Campaign Act of 2002 and Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)? A) Bipartisan Campaign Act - Barred political advertising by corporations and labor groups within 60 days of general election Citizens United - Banned unlimited political spending by corporations and labor groups B) Bipartisan Campaign Act - Required corporations to donate to both political parties Citizens United - Made candidates release names of donors to the FEC C) Bipartisan Campaign Act - Controlled spending on political campaigns Citizens United - Banned foreign-owned corporations from participating in political spending D) Bipartisan Campaign Act - Limited "soft money" donations Citizens United - Authorized unlimited political spending by corporations and labor groups

D

Which of the following programs is categorized as discretionary spending under the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990? A) National debt payments B) Social Security C) Medicare D) Education

D

Which of the following scenarios reflects a conservative political belief? A) A state passes a law to protect an endangered species B) A city hall makes its restrooms gender neutral C) A person waits five days before receiving a gun they purchased D) A new military base opens in a rural community, providing jobs to residents

D

Which of the following statements about political action committees (PACs) is most accurate? A) They funnel donations directly to political candidates B) Their activities are not regulated by the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) C) Their activities are limited to national presidential elections D) They raise money to influence federal, state, and local elections

D

Which of the following statements is true of voters in federal, state, and local elections? A) Voter turnout is higher in midterm elections than it is in presidential elections B) Voters lacking party affiliation tend to vote more regularly than those with strong party affiliation C) Young adults are more likely to vote than senior citizens D) Individuals are less likely to vote when they believe they know which candidate will win an election

D