Gov Exam 2 CH 6-10

In measuring public opinion, what is the order in which reputable pollsters would carry out the following actions?

1. identify the target population 2. design an accurate questionnaire and select a sample 3. administer the poll properly

Which of the following happened when the Fairness Doctrine was eliminated in the 1980s?

Hundreds of radio stations switched from playing music to airing partisan talk shows.

Which of the following represents a shared view of pluralists and their critics?

Interest groups are important to bringing the concerns of groups of individuals to the attention of government.

Which of the following resulted from the invention of the power-driven printing press in the late 1800s?

Newspapers were less dependent on government financial support. Newspaper readership increased because they could be sold at a lower price. Newspaper advertising generated more revenue.

Which of the following states have 800 or more registered lobbyists within the state?

Texas New York California

Which of the following statements about political and community leaders is true?

Their influence depends on their standing with the public. The President has the greatest influence on public opinion. They influence people's opinions.

Which of the following characteristics of political campaigns have undergone change?

amount of money required. length of the campaign. focus of the campaign.

Modern campaigns for high office

are much longer than they were historically

Why do many interest groups form political action committees (PACs)?

because contributing to candidates' campaigns can help gain access for interest group lobbyists

Which of the following voting blocs has moved heavily into the Democratic Party since the 1960s?

black Americans

Political scientist Mancur Olson argues that _______ interest groups have a particular size advantage that allows them to have more organizational power

business

Which of the following are the components of an iron triangle?

congressional committees. interest groups. executive agencies.

The interest-group system tends to work primarily in favor of

corporate interests

Lobbying elected officials includes which of the following activities?

face-to-face meetings with members of Congress

True or false: Retired lawmakers cannot become lobbyists because they are forbidden by law to take a lobbying job.

false

True or false: Rupert Murdoch originally intended Fox News to be an objective, nonpartisan news channel.

false

True or false: Today's candidates are more likely than before to owe their nomination to the efforts of their political party organization

false

Which of the following factors are said to adversely affect voter turnout in the United States?

frequent elections. voter registration laws.

Since the 1980s, which group has voted most strongly for the Republican Party?

fundamentalist Christians

The fact that more white women than than white men vote for the Democratic Party is an example of a(n) _______ gap.

gender

The Tea Party movement did not support which of the following policies?

government subsidies for health insurance

Which type of workers make up an increasing share of union workers?

government workers

The fact that older Americans are more likely than others to consider social security to be an important policy issue is an example of the importance of

group orientation

When can political parties move away from the middle of the political spectrum and still be somewhat successful in their goals?

in times of crisis

Which of the following are common recommendations to enhance voter participation in the United States?

making Election Day a national holiday. keeping polls open longer on Election Day. opening poll centers for several days before Election Day.

The largest expenditure in presidential campaigns is for which of the following?

media

Although the American press originally had a political orientation, it eventually shifted to a journalistic orientation, which emphasizes

newsworthy information and events

Democratic voters tend to live in which of the following regions?

northern Midwest. Northeast. West coast.

______________ journalism refers to news reporting that is based on "fact" rather than opinion and that presents both sides of a partisan debate.

objective

The rise of partisan news outlets in the past few decades has contributed to an increase in

party polarization

The process by which citizens engage in the civic and political life of their communities is called _______ _______.

political participation

Which of the following factors have contributed to the weakening of party organizations?

primary elections. candidate-centered campaigns

Why did the states start registering voters?

to prevent individuals from voting multiple times in the same election

Which type of interest group represents business firms of a particular kind, such as insurance companies?

trade association

True or false: Rather than being the result of an abrupt shift in response to a single disruptive issue, realignments are caused by gradual changes in response to several issues

true

True or false: The rise of digital technology, such as Wikileaks, has increased the media's ability to serve as a watchdog over government?

true

The political socialization process takes place through ____________ of socialization.

agents

Which of the following type of interest group is classified as an economic type?

agriculture

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission involved which issue affecting interest groups?

the limit on corporate and union spending in federal elections

Which of the following reduces the accuracy of a poll?

the respondent chooses to give the politically correct answer

Match the actor in an iron triangle with the benefits that they provide to other actors.

Interest groups: electoral support to members of Congress. Congressional Committee: Budget support for a program. Government Agency: Constituent service.

What of the following are true about political contributions called hard money?

It can be spent as the recipient chooses. It is the money given directly to a candidate. It is subject to legal limits.

Which of the following are considered functions of a political party?

Parties endeavor to represent a majority. Parties seek to govern.

Opposition to slavery gave rise to which party?

Republican Party

Which is a reason why some scholars think we have moved into a new party alignment?

The Republican Party has become stronger in the South and the Democratic Party had become stronger in the Northeast

Which of the following statements is true regarding a single-member district electoral system?

The candidate with more votes than any opponent wins the election in the district.

Which of the following contributed to the rising level of party polarization in the United States?

The end of the FCC's "Fairness Doctrine". The proliferation of partisan media outlets.

The Internet has proven itself to be superior to televised political advertising

by spreading awareness of issues to a greater audience. as a means of getting campaign contributors from small donors.

How can Americans participate virtually in politics?

by using resources and joining discussions on the Internet

Although party organizations still manage many tasks related to elections, the lead role in elections now lies with the

candidate.

The overlap between groups has _________ in America's residential neighborhoods and workplaces.

diminished

The primary purpose of _________ interest groups is to secure material benefits for their members

economic

Research indicates that peer influence can

encourage those without strong opinions to conform to the group.

Even if a third party candidate fails to win an election, the candidate has still done which of the following to help the third party to succeed?

encouraged the major parties to address issues introduced by the third party. drawn attention to an issue previously ignored by the two major candidates.

Interest groups tend to rely on the courts to advance their policy goals when they have

faced legislative hurdles. a low chance of achieving their goals through elected officials.

True or false: Local party organizations are stronger today than they were in the days of the political machines.

false

Which of the following would be considered an electoral action strategy?

forming a political action committee (PAC)

When the media highlight certain aspects of a situation and downplay other aspects, they are engaged in

framing

A person known as a __________ rider derives a benefit without contributing to its achievement.

free

Which type of third party is highly organized around a framework concerning the nature and role of government in society?

ideologically oriented parties

Early newspapers in the United States relied on _______ ________ support for their survival as they had so few readers.

political party

What is the process by which we develop our political values and opinions?

political socialization

A public opinion _________ is designed to estimate the views or sentiments of the public.

poll

Match each philosophy accordingly.

populism: political philosophy expressing support for greater economic equality and for traditional social values. libertarianism: political philosophy that supports individual liberty in both social and economic areas of life. economic liberalism: political philosophy that believes governments should aid those in need. economic conservatism: political philosophy that believes that the free market should dictate the workings of the economy.

Internet political participation peaks during which of the following?

presidential elections

Third parties formed to promote a stance on a particular issue are known as

single-issue parties

Which of the following help interest groups participate more effectively in group politics?

skills contacts money

Harvard's Robert Putnam defined the sum of face-to-face civic interactions among citizens in a society as its ________ capital.

social

Short audio clips of politicians' statements are known as "shrinking ____ ______."

sound bites

On a ____________, citizens vote for candidates from different parties.

split-ticket

During the 1930s the Democratic Party became the party of federal power rather than the ________ ________ party.

states' rights

Which single expenditure accounts for the most spending on U.S. political campaigns?

television ads

Which Amendment to the Constitution granted women the right to vote in the United States?

the Nineteenth Amendment

Which of the following is not a reason why national news coverage is very much the same no matter where you live in the United States?

the federal government requires that news outlets provide equal coverage to all political points of view

Which of the following inventions revolutionized paper journalism in the early 1800s?

the telegraph. the printing press.

The United States provides a favorable environment for interest groups because

the tradition of people joining together encourages them to look to interest groups as a way of influencing policymakers. the separation of powers and federalism provide numerous points of access for interest groups to try to influence policymakers. of the tradition of free speech and association means there are few legal barriers to the activities of interest groups.

Of the following factors, which has the greatest influence on people's political opinions?

their partisan loyalty

Which of the following statements about televised debates in presidential campaigns is true?

they are usually part of presidential campaigns

In politics, what are linkage institutions?

they connect citizens with government

Which of the following are distinct disadvantages of the rise of candidate centered campaigns?

they provide opportunities for power interest groups to donate money to candidates. they make it easier for officeholders to deny responsibility for government actions.

America's plurality, or winner-take-all, system of electing candidates works to the disadvantage of

third parties.

Why do pollsters rely on the scientific method of random sampling?

to ensure that everyone has an equal chance of being included in the sample

The portion of eligible adult citizens who actually vote in a given election is known as ______ ______.

voter turnout

Which of the following are limitations of voting that are not present in other forms of political participation?

voting is limited to what is on the ballot. voting provides a political opinion only at a certain time.

Which of the following are conventional forms of political participation?

voting on election day. donating money to a political cause. contributing time to a political campaign.

Which of the following age group's political views are most likely to be influenced when a major political development occurs, such as war or economic depression?

young people

Which of the following nations has the highest voter turnout rates:

Belgium

True or false: Americans in the lowest 20% of income earners have the highest level of participation in the United States?

False

An example of an environmental interest group is

Greenpeace

Which political leader wrote that the government must dilute the influence of factions and interest groups by filtering their views through properly structured governing institutions?

James Madison

__________ lobbying involves bringing public pressure on policymakers, such as organizing a letter writing campaign to members of Congress.

Outside

Which of the following arguments drew large support for passing the Twenty-sixth Amendment, granting eighteen-year-olds the right to vote?

Since eighteen-year-olds were eligible for the draft, they should also be able to vote.

Which of the following are true of Hispanic voters in the United States?

They lean heavily toward the Democratic Party. Hispanics tend to be liberal on economic issues and conservative on social issues.

A group that raises and spends money for the purpose of influencing the outcome of an election is known as

a political action committee

Current election laws in the United States favor

a two-party system

Which of the following functions do news media perform?

act as a watchdog and scrutinizes official behavior. provide a channel through which political leaders communicate to the public. provide political information.

The news media's partisan function means that it

acts as an advocate for a particular viewpoint

Much like political parties and interest groups, the news media, or press

are a key intermediary between Americans and their leaders.

In general, political parties are made up of a _________ constituency of supporters.

broad

***

end of chapter 8

Compared to most European nations, Americans' community involvement is substantially ______ than that of European citizens.

higher

Protest activity is _________ common today in the United States than in many Western democracies.

less

In the United States, political opinions are affiliated more with _________ than with income.

occupation

Which of the following describes a high-choice media system?

one where people have a great number of places to go for information

Local party organizations operate

only during campaign periods

A state, such as California, that permits all registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, to vote in a primary election has what type of primary system?

open

___________ lobbying includes forming PACs and influencing the news media

outside

_________ error is expressed as a plus-or-minus percentage, for example a properly drawn sample of 1,000 individuals, will have a sampling error of roughly 3 percent.

sampling

What is the degree of accuracy of a public opinion poll called?

sampling error

Most citizens groups are _____________ interest groups because they focus on a single issue, such as the environment

single-issue

Which of the following rules requires a broadcast station to provide a "reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views of public importance"?

the Fairness Doctrine

In terms of political socialization, which of the following is considered a primary agent?

the family

Which of the following are the chief targets of interest groups when they lobby the executive branch?

top officials of federal agencies

True or false: Saliency refers to how important people think an issue is compared to other issues.

true

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, which interest groups spends the most money each year lobbying members of the government?

Chamber of Commerce

Which two parties were competitive during the first party system?

Federalists. Democratic-Republicans.

Which of the following states have closed primaries?

Florida. Nevada. Kansas.

To what extent does religious denomination affect party affiliation?

For many individuals, religion plays a significant role in their political opinions.

Which of the following statements correctly describes the relationship between income and political participation in the United States?

Higher income citizens are the most active because they have the resources to participate effectively.

Which of the following place limits on how much government can incorporate public opinion?

Many people have opinions on issues that they do not understand well. Only a minority are well informed on public affairs. A majority can support policies that are inconsistent with each other.

Why is the news shaped by news organizations' need to attract and keep viewers?

News organizations choose coverage that will draw an audience for advertisers.

In a proportional representation system, which of the following is true?

Political parties win a number of seats in the legislature in rough proportion to the percentage of the vote each party receives.

__________ are representatives who take their constituents' desires into account when taking positions on policy issues, but do not always do exactly as their constituents wish.

Trustees

What is a super PAC?

an independent expenditure only committee

Which of the following would be considered expressions of public opinion?

approval ratings for a city's mayor. turnout at a political rally. participating in a telephone poll concerning candidates for a national election.

Which of the following statements describe how U.S. campaigns are both party centered and candidate centered?

candidates organize their own campaigns. the same parties are represented nationwide.

Research indicates that when public opinion changes on major political issues, public policy tends to

change in the same direction

The socialization process results in schemas, or frames of reference, that

citizens use to evaluate issues and developments. help in forming a common cause.

__________ goods are those that belong to all people and cannot be withheld on an individual basis, such as clean air or water

collective

***

end of CH 6

Our tendency to grow up as Democrats or Republicans is often established by

family

Citizens who are party identifiers have _______ levels of voter turnout rates than those who identify as independent.

higher

Americans' opinions about politics are formed in large measure through which of the following frames of reference?

identifying with political parties. leaning towards particular ideologies.

The rise of candidate-centered campaigns has

increased the importance of money in political campaigns. made it easier for political newcomers to win high office.

A(n) ___________ ____________ is compromised of various actors that all have interest and expertise in a particular policy issue even though they may disagree on what the outcome should be.

issue network

Most broadcast news journalists ________ in their personal beliefs

lean Democratic

Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson felt that newspapers should

promote partisan viewpoints on political matters.

Which statement best describes the prevalent view of the public concerning protest activists in the United States?

protest activity should be tolerated

Which of the following tactics were used to disenfranchise blacks in the post-Civil War South despite the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment?

publicized lists of voters. literacy tests.

Compared to iron triangles, the relationship between actors in an issue network tend to be more _________

temporary

More people in the United States participate in election campaigns than people in other countries do because

the United States has more elected posts than other countries do.

The in-party's chances of staying in power has historically depended on

the condition of the economy

A ________ is a representative who acts in response to what their constituencies say they want, no matter their own personal opinion.

trustee

Americans participate more in politics than do other citizens of other western democracies except in which of the following activities?

turning out to vote on election day

Research indicates that negative news is perceived as being __________ by viewers who support the government official being criticized and is therefore seen as being biased

untrue

Which of these groups vote at above average rates?

upper-income Americans. college-educated individuals.

Suffrage is the right to __________.

vote

The media serves a(n) __________ function when it alerts the public to unethical or illegal activities by the government.

watchdog

The clearest example of a party coalition are African Americans, _______ of whom who vote for Democrats regularly.

80

Which of the following are reasons why the amount of news the typical American watches has declined since the 1970s?

Cable television and other high-choice media became available. Children stopped watching the dinner-time news with their parents.

All party organizations have a responsibility to

build support among voters

***

end of chapter 7

The Occupy Wall Street movement was aimed predominantly at what issue?

income equality

Adults under 30 years of age are _________ those over 50 to follow news.

less likely than

The highlighting of candidates' attributes is called

packaging

Until the early 20th century, the major parties nominees were selected via this method?

picked by the party organization

An election in which voters chose the party's nominees is called a(n) _________ election

primary

Which of the following are part of the money chase of politics?

raising funds. pursuing wealthy patrons.

Which of the following voting restrictions increases the burden on citizens who move frequently?

voter registration requirements

Which of the following statements about negative ads and negative campaigning are true?

Abraham Lincoln was the target insulting comments about his appearance during election campaigns. Negative campaigning in presidential elections was used as long ago as when Thomas Jefferson ran for office.

The Civil War triggered a party realignment. What were the two major parties following this realignment period?

Democratic Party. Republican Party.

Which two 2016 presidential candidates had very passionate followers likely to produce political movements?

Donald Trump

The elimination of the ______ _________ meant that radio stations no longer had to air a conservative talk show if they aired a liberal one.

Fairness Doctrine

Which two candidates for president lost in overwhelming landslide in part because they diverged too far from the middle of the ideological spectrum?

George McGovern. Barry Goldwater.

Which of the following are true of grassroots parties?

They are open to all citizens. They operate at the local level.

Which of the following statements are true concerning interest groups?

They broaden the range of issues that lawmakers address. They can support controversial issues that lawmakers often avoid.

How do candidates encourage people to vote on election day?

They rely on organizations to spread the word. They contact prospective voters on Election Day.

How did many of the founders of the United States view political parties?

They viewed political parties with suspicion

Which of the following are examples of the effect economic class has on political opinion?

Welfare assistance has higher support among lower-income Americans than higher-income Americans. Income levels affect Americans' opinions on some public policy issues.

Which of the following statements describe the relationship between political leaders and political opinion?

When public opinion changes on a major issue, political leaders tend to change their opinions in the direction of the opinion change. Because they think public opinion is important, political leaders persuade the public to support the policies they wish to pursue.

The research conducted by David D'Alessio and Mike Allen showed that television news has

a slight but insignificant bias in the Democratic direction

What is a social or political movement?

a way for disenchanted citizens to voice their displeasure with government policy

Unlike CNN, which many consider to be a partisan-neutral news outlet, MSNBC and Fox News choose to

adopt a partisan approach to the news

Compared to non-Hispanic white Americans, blacks and Hispanics are more likely to support which of the following programs?

affirmative action. economic assistance programs.

The tendency of people to pay more attention to issues highlighted in the media is an example of the _________-setting effect.

agenda

Which of the following terms refers to a feeling of powerlessness, such as that rooted in the belief that government pays no attention to an individual's interests?

alienation

In order to have the best chance to win in a two-party system, political parties normally

align themselves near the middle of the voting spectrum

A few decades ago, the media system centered on broadcast news networks, but Americans now have a high-_______________ media system, where they can pick from a wide variety of outlets.

choice

The media carries out a ________________-_________________ function when it disseminates information from political leaders to the public.

common carrier

Which of the following are the dominant ideologies in the United States?

conservatism. liberalism.

Most successful partisan radio and television talk show hosts promote a ___________ viewpoint.

conservative

Which of the following would be considered outside lobbying activities used by interest groups

creating public service announcements to be aired on television. organizing a protest on the steps of Congress. having group members send letters to their legislators.

In general, Americans who believe that the government should use its power to promote traditional values are

cultural conservatives.

_________ refers to whether people have a pro or con position on an issue.

direction

While the relationship between actors in an iron triangle tends to be more long-lasting, issue networks tend to

disband once an issue is settled

When does the process of political socialization begin?

early childhood

James Madison predicted the growth of ________ interests in Federalist #10 because he argued that nothing matters more to people than their own economic well-being

economic

***

end of chapter 10

***

end of chapter 9

Although some people believe it is insignificant, which of the following may result if IDs were not required for voting?

increased fraud

Who typically benefits the most from interest group resources and activism?

incumbents

Match each type of strategy and activity

inside strategy: lobbying a politician. giving policy-relevant information to a politician. outside strategy: grassroots letter writing campaigns. using televised advertising to promote a group's position.

Which of the following refers to how strongly people feel about their position on an issue, for example "very important" or "not important at all."

intensity

An organization that seeks to influence government decision making is referred to as a(n) _______ ________.

interest group

An ________ ________ is an informal group of persons from Congress, executive agencies, and interest groups with a mutual interest in a particular policy area.

iron triangle

Which of the following are types of policy processes in which many interest groups participate?

issue networks iron triangles

Which of the following are ways in which the Internet influenced politics?

it changed voter mobilization. it changed aspects of fundraising. it increased people's access to freedom of the press.

Which of the following lawmakers were the original targets of the Tea Party movement?

lawmakers who supported bank bailouts

Which of the following are ways in which members of Congress benefit from ties to lobbyists

lobbyists identify bills that need their attention. lobbyists testify at committee hearings. lobbyists provide information on specific pieces of legislation.

Jobs, higher wages and tax incentives are all examples of ________ examples to joining interest groups

material

This theory argues that a primary can maximize its vote by placing itself at the location of the middle voter's preference.

median voter theory

Match the following opinions that are characteristic of each gender.

men: are more likely to support the use of military force women: are more likely to support helping the poor

Which of the following groups has the highest rate of voter turnout?

middle aged people from the upper class

When someone grows up in a neighborhood that is diverse, due to crosscutting, they are more likely to develop ___________ political opinions.

moderate

Although state parties do not work full time, they are __________ likely to have full-time employees than local parties.

more

Compared with Europeans, Americans are _______ likely to belong to a voluntary group or association.

more

Senior citizens in the United States have a ________ rate of voter turnout than voters under the age of 30 do.

much higher

A(n) ______ political system is made up of at least three political parties.

multiparty

During the era of "objective journalism", radio broadcasters were prohibited by law from editorializing, while _______ were not

newspapers

____________ goods refer benefits that are given directly to particular individuals as a result of belonging to an interest group.

private

Which of the following statements sum up the various functions of political consultants?

production of promotional materials. gathering voter opinions. advising on how to run a successful campaign.

Which method of sampling gives everyone in a population an equal chance of being interviewed?

random sampling

A permanent shift in party allegiances or electoral support is known as party

realignment

Which of the following are ways that American children are taught patriotism in schools?

reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. learning to admire the "founding fathers'

Which type of third party arises from a belief that partisan politics is a corrupting influence that needs to be changed?

reform parties

Capture theory argues that ___________ sometimes focus more on the needs of industries than on the public interest.

regulatory agencies

___________ can have a formative influence on children's beliefs, including society's obligations to the poor and unborn

religion

Which of the following are reasons why government officials sometimes fail to get favorable coverage?

reporters often try to present the positions of leaders from both political parties. the words of government officials are often woven together as part of a larger story.

Voting for a candidate's past performance rather than future promises is an example of what is called ________ voting.

retrospective

Yellow journalism featured ________ stories.

sensationalized

Differences in which of the following are factors that influence voter participation?

sense of duty. age. education.

Today, political candidates intend to

set up and run their own campaign organizations

The media's ability to function as signalers and influence what people are thinking about and discussing is called agenda ________.

setting

The media's function called ____________ serves to alert the public to important events in a timely fashion.

signaling

Which group represents the largest agricultural interest group in the United States today?

the American Farm Bureau

Which political party has been known for its advancement of civil rights and expansion of social welfare programs?

the Democratic Party

Which of the following led to the start of the political party realignment in the 1930s that worked to benefit the Democratic Party?

the Great Depression

What law did Congress enact in 1993 that required states to allow people to register to vote when applying for a driver's license or public assistance?

the Motor Voter Act

Which one of these groups is an example of a citizens' group?

the National Organization for Women

Sensational and largely inaccurate newspaper reports on the cruelty of Spanish rule in Cuba may have held spark

the Spanish-American War

Which of the following are roles that national parties have?

to seek media coverage of party positions and activities. to raise money for presidential campaigns. to raise money for Congressional campaigns.

True or false: The accuracy of a poll is reduced when respondents express an opinion on an issue even though they have not thought about the issue before.

true

How many major political parties are there in the United States today?

two

Which of the following results from a high frequency of elections, such as having primary, general, and referenda elections?

voter fatigue