POLI 2051 Ch 6-9 Connect

Organizationally, the U.S. major parties are a) Decentralized and fragmented. b) Centralized and weak. c) Decentralized and strong. d) Centralized and strong. e) No longer in operation.

a) Decentralized and fragmented.

PACs tend to contribute the most money to a) Incumbents. b) Challengers. c) Independents. d) Liberal Democrats. e) Liberal Republicans.

a) Incumbents.

All of the following use top-two primaries EXCEPT a) New York. b) Washington. c) California. d) Nebraska. e) Louisiana.

a) New York.

Which of the following is true of the relationship between public opinion and shifts in major government policies? a) On high-profile issues particularly, public opinion tends to affect policy to a greater degree than policymakers' agendas affect public opinion. b) Leaders' opinions ultimately affect most policy issues more than the larger public opinion. c) Linguist Noam Chomsky claimed that democracy consistently preserved the will of the people over the will of elite interests. d) Analysts have found a pattern consistent with the claim that "public opinion has little influence over policy." e) All of these answers are correct.

a) On high-profile issues particularly, public opinion tends to affect policy to a greater degree than policymakers' agendas affect public opinion.

What party has made big gains in recent decades among white fundamentalist Christians, based on its positions on topics like abortion and school prayer? a) Democratic b) Republican c) Green d) Socialist e) Reform

b) Republican

Voter identification cards find the most support among a) Democrats. b) Republicans. c) Libertarians. d) Liberals. e) Poorer citizens.

b) Republicans.

As distinct from alienation, apathy is a) Associated with a high rate of voter turnout. b) A feeling of powerlessness. c) A general lack of interest in politics. d) A sign that the political system is working properly. e) Widespread among affluent Americans.

c) A general lack of interest in politics.

Party identification refers to a) The percentage of polled individuals that claim membership in a particular party. b) Formal membership in a political party. c) An emotional attachment to a political party. d) A political party's platform—the stances on issues that define its beliefs. e) The ability of individual citizens to identify the major issue positions of the major political parties.

c) An emotional attachment to a political party.

________ was the only Republican elected president from 1932 to 1964. a) Richard Nixon b) Barry Goldwater c) Dwight Eisenhower d) Herbert Hoover e) Calvin Coolidge

c) Dwight Eisenhower

Members of the ________ generate more mail to Congress than any other group. a) NRA b) ACLU c) NAACP d) AARP e) NEA

d) AARP

Which of the following countries has the HIGHEST estimated voter turnout in major national elections in recent decades? a) Denmark b) Germany c) United States d) Belgium e) France

d) Belgium

Which of the following would NOT be considered a secondary socializing agent? a) Leaders b) The media c) Peers d) Church e) None of these answers is correct, as ALL represent secondary socializing agents.

d) Church

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, what was roughly the amount spent on lobbying in the United States in 2009? a) $250 billion b) $10 billion c) $350 million d) $35 billion e) $3.5 billion

e) $3.5 billion

________ is associated with the Era of Good Feeling. a) Abraham Lincoln b) Franklin D. Roosevelt c) James Monroe d) Andrew Jackson e) George Washington

c) James Monroe

The main battleground for votes is a) Radio. b) Newspaper ads. c) Magazine ads. d) Television. e) Social media.

d) Television.

Since the 1960s, the level of turnout in presidential elections has averaged about ________ percent. a) 75 b) 65 c) 60 d) 45 e) 35

c) 60

When democratic governments came into existence, tax and food riots and other forms of protest greatly diminished. Why? a) Citizens had less-disruptive ways to express themselves. b) A government safety net ensured basic needs were met. c) Social scientists have been studying this phenomenon but do not have a conclusive answer. d) The wealth of citizens increased dramatically with democratic freedoms and liberty. e) None of these answers is correct.

a) Citizens had less-disruptive ways to express themselves.

In the recent elections, which voting demographic has become a more cohesive voting bloc and has sided heavily with the Democratic Party, seeing it as more closely aligned with their interests? a) Hispanics b) African Americans c) The middle class d) The Affluent e) Seniors

a) Hispanics

An amicus brief a) Is a written document in which a group explains to a court its position on a legal dispute the court is handling. b) Is a written document in which an interest group lays out its policy preference for targeted lawmakers. c) Prevents a lobbyist group from making campaign donations to policymakers over a specific issue. d) Provides evidence for prosecutors of an illegal monetary relationship between a lawmaker and an interest group or PAC. e) Prevents PACs from donating more than $5,000 to a single candidate during a primary election.

a) Is a written document in which a group explains to a court its position on a legal dispute the court is handling.

As an agent of political socialization, the American family has its greatest effect on individuals' a) Party identification. b) Choice and form of higher education. c) Professional career. d) Knowledge of particular public policies. e) Rate of political participation.

a) Party identification.

A general belief about the role and purpose of government is called a) Conservatism. b) An ideology. c) Socialization. d) Politicization. e) None of these answers is correct.

b) An ideology.

Voter registration in the United States a) Was introduced as a means of keeping white males without property from voting. b) Began as a way of preventing voters from casting more than one ballot on election day. c) Is the responsibility of the government, which adds legally qualified individuals automatically to the registration rolls. d) Applies to voting in general elections but not in primary elections. e) Has vastly increased voter turnout.

b) Began as a way of preventing voters from casting more than one ballot on election day.

Which of the following was NOT part of the 2016 Republican Party platform? a) Stimulating the business sector b) Cuts in military spending c) Lower taxes d) Cuts in overall government spending e) Strengthening the armed forces

b) Cuts in military spending

The Tea Party a) Is aligned with the moderate wing of the Republican Party. b) Has been backed by wealthy conservative donors. c) Has urged compromise with Democrats on tax and spending issues. d) Has yet to have any of its supporters elected to Congress. e) All of these answers are correct.

b) Has been backed by wealthy conservative donors.

The major emerging voting blocs are a) Asians and the elderly. b) Hispanics and young people. c) Whites and the urban educated. d) People with college educations and city dwellers. e) Environmentalists and Tea Party supporters.

b) Hispanics and young people.

Effective inside lobbying is based upon a) Countering the aims of other groups. b) Providing useful and persuasive information to key officials. c) Mobilizing the group's members. d) Bribing or threatening officials. e) Using the media to exert pressure.

b) Providing useful and persuasive information to key officials.

The most powerful religious force in contemporary American society is the a) Protestants. b) Religious right. c) Catholics. d) Jews. e) Muslims.

b) Religious right.

James Madison's solution to the problem of factions (special interests) has, in the modern policy process, actually contributed to the problem by a) Suppressing the claims of special interests, thereby making it more difficult for them to get their opinions heard by officials. b) Resulting in a fragmentation of authority among policymakers, thereby providing groups more opportunities to get their way. c) Eroding the strength of political parties, thereby increasing the opportunity for group influence. d) Weakening the legislative branch, thereby allowing groups to bully Congress into accepting their demands. e) Eroding the power of the mass media, thereby increasing the opportunity for group influence.

b) Resulting in a fragmentation of authority among policymakers, thereby providing groups more opportunities to get their way.

_______ is based on judgment about the past performance of an elected official or political party. a) Prospective voting b) Retrospective voting c) Split-ticket voting d) Straight-ticket voting e) None of these answers is correct.

b) Retrospective voting

To accurately poll the citizens of the United States as opposed to the citizens of a single state, a) A much larger sample size will be required. b) The sample requirements will be nearly the same. c) A smaller sample size will be required. d) Less randomization will be needed because the sample size will be larger. e) A larger sampling error can be accepted.

b) The sample requirements will be nearly the same.

Citizens' interest groups are distinguished from economic interest groups by the fact that a) Their leaders are elected by secret ballot among the group's members. b) Their members receive no direct economic benefit from attainment of the group's goals. c) They do not lobby government officials directly, but rely instead on public service announcements to get their views across to society. d) They always pursue goals in which there is a high level of agreement among society members. e) All these answers are correct.

b) Their members receive no direct economic benefit from attainment of the group's goals.

In the United States, a) The federal government prevents states from restricting registration based on the amount of time a person has resided in that state. b) Voter registration requirements have usually been set by the states. c) Voter registration periods and locations tend to be highly publicized, but registration requirements prevent many from taking advantage of them. d) Most states automatically register a person to vote when he or she acquires a driver's license. e) States with easier registration laws have shown no higher turnout rates than states with restrictive registration requirements.

b) Voter registration requirements have usually been set by the states.

Ticket splitting was MOST prominent during which decade? a) 1990s b) 1980s c) 1970s d) 1960s e) 1950s

c) 1970s

The term iron triangle refers to a) A tightly-knit set of lobbying groups. b) The relationship among the Congress, the military, and defense contractors. c) A small and informal but relatively stable set of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists who are concerned with promoting a particular interest. d) The strategy of lobbying all three branches of government simultaneously. e) A corrupt relationship among the president, Congress, and the Supreme Court.

c) A small and informal but relatively stable set of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists who are concerned with promoting a particular interest.

James Madison argued a) Against all interest groups. b) For the advocacy of self-interest free from all systems of restraint. c) For regulation of interests through a governing system of checks and balances. d) For the replacement of interest groups by formal political parties. e) For a powerful judiciary.

c) For regulation of interests through a governing system of checks and balances.

A main difference between iron triangles and issue networks is that a) An iron triangle includes members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, while issue networks bypass the judicial branch. b) Issue networks involve a stable group of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists, while iron triangles exclude lobbyists in an attempt to reach impartial decisions. c) Issue networks are generally less stable than iron triangles, in that the members of an issue network may change as the issue develops. d) Issue networks, being less formal, rely on outside lobbying only, while iron triangles use inside lobbying only. e) All these answers are correct.

c) Issue networks are generally less stable than iron triangles, in that the members of an issue network may change as the issue develops.

When it comes to protest activities, a majority of Americans are a) Actively involved in protests at one time or another in their lives. b) Willing to contribute through financial support but not through active participation. c) Not highly supportive of such activities, despite America's tradition of free expression. d) Actively involved only later in their lives, when they feel more secure that a protest is justified. e) Supportive of violent activities if the cause warrants such an approach.

c) Not highly supportive of such activities, despite America's tradition of free expression.

When the nation was founded, who was eligible to vote? a) Everyone—there was universal suffrage b) All males and females who were at least 21 years of age c) Only males who owned property d) Only citizens who had lived in the nation for at least ten years d) All native-born citizens

c) Only males who owned property

At the state level the central committees a) Endorse candidates in their state-wide primaries but do not have formal control over who is chosen. b) Have the final say in who will be chosen as the candidates for national office from their party in their home state. c) Provide only general policy guidance for the state organizations. d) Are prevented from participating in fund-raising and voter registration because they receive government funding. e) Concentrate most strongly on national elections.

c) Provide only general policy guidance for the state organizations.

Which citizens' group did a Fortune magazine survey rank as the nation's most powerful lobbying group? a) The NAACP b) The AFL-CIO c) The AARP d) MADD e) Common Cause

c) The AARP

Which of the following countries has had the LOWEST estimated voter turnout in major national elections in recent decades? a) Denmark b) Germany c) The United States d) Belgium e) Canada

c) The United States

A member of Congress who wants to act on what the majority of his or her constituency thinks on a particular issue would be advised to respond to which of the following indicators? a) Letters from constituents b) The editorial positions of newspapers in the constituency c) Public demonstrations by constituents d) A poll based on a random sample of constituents e) The number of yard signs on major streets

d) A poll based on a random sample of constituents

Journalist Walter Lippmann suggested that a) Polling, even when done scientifically, cannot be trusted because it is in people's nature to be dishonest in response to political questions. b) The dominance of polling has brought about an ideological shift toward the more radical ends of the political spectrum among elected representatives. c) Polling had provided political parties with even more entrenched power, reducing the influence of third party candidates. d) Effective government cannot be run by politicians that base their public opinions on poll results. e) Pollsters have more effect on the outcome of presidential elections in recent decades than have the people who do the voting.

d) Effective government cannot be run by politicians that base their public opinions on poll results.

If a minor party gains a large following, it is almost certain that a) The major parties will join together to attack the minor party. b) Congress will enact legislation to make it difficult for the minor party to get on the ballot. c) Party in-fighting will tear it apart. d) One or both major parties will absorb its issues, and the minor party will lose support e) The media will attack the minor party.

d) One or both major parties will absorb its issues, and the minor party will lose support

The Tea Party's key initial issue was a) Support for American military involvement in Iraq. b) Support for American military involvement in Afghanistan. c) Opposition to President Obama's climate change policies. d) Opposition to high taxes. e) Opposition to the Occupy Wall Street movement.

d) Opposition to high taxes.

The theory that society's interests are most effectively represented through group action is a) Republicanism. b) Constitutionalism. c) Elitist theory. d) Pluralist theory. e) Interest-group liberalism.

d) Pluralist theory.

The process by which individuals acquire their political opinions is called a) Popular culture. b) Social communication. c) Socio-economic change. d) Political socialization. e) Political assimilation.

d) Political socialization.

Citizens in which of the following countries are MOST likely to talk to people about politics? a) Germany b) France c) Great Britain d) The United States e) There is no difference among the four nations.

d) The United States

Which of the following states is solidly Democratic? a) Idaho b) Georgia c) Utah d) Washington e) Texas

d) Washington

What percentage of states hold their gubernatorial elections in nonpresidential years? a) 25 percent b) 33 percent c) 50 percent d) 66 percent e) 75 percent

e) 75 percent

About ________ percent of people who regularly listen to National Public Radio do not donate money to their local station. a) 10 b) 30 c) 50 d) 70 e) 90

e) 90

Sources of polling error can include a) Question order. b) Unrepresentative samples. c) Respondents' lack of knowledge or interest in the issue. d) Question wording. e) All of these answers are correct.

e) All of these answers are correct.

Which of the following organizations is NOT an example of a single-issue group? a) Sierra Club b) National Rifle Association c) Climate change groups d) Right-to-life groups e) American Conservative Union

e) American Conservative Union

All of the following ideological types are prevalent in the United States EXCEPT a) Liberals. b) Conservatives. c) Populists. d) Libertarians. e) Communists.

e) Communists.

Which of the following groups is NOT typically a part of the Democratic coalition? a) City dwellers b) Hispanics c) Union members d) Jews e) Fundamentalist Christians

e) Fundamentalist Christians

In the dynamics of an iron triangle, what benefit do interest groups provide to friendly government agencies? a) Services for constituents b) Travel funds c) Campaign contributions d) Administration of mutually beneficial policies e) Lobbying support for agency programs

e) Lobbying support for agency programs

What term do scholars use for a purported opinion offered by a respondent who is unfamiliar with the specific issue? a) Uninformed response b) Faulty opinion c) Invalid answer d) Confused response e) Non-opinion

e) Non-opinion

The history of democratic government is virtually synonymous with the history of a) High voter turnout. b) The separation of powers. c) Economic recessions. d) Protest movements. e) Political parties.

e) Political parties

________ elections tend to draw the largest percentage of voters in the U.S. a) Primary b) Mayoral c) Congressional d) Gubernatorial e) Presidential

e) Presidential

Each of the following statements could be considered true of either economic or social liberals, EXCEPT that a) They favor government activism in the area of distribution of economic benefits. b) They prefer a smaller role for government in upholding social and cultural traditions. c) They favor more government spending for the poor. d) They believe lifestyle choices should be left to the individual. e) They believe that government should be used to promote traditional values.

e) They believe that government should be used to promote traditional values.