Unit 6 Reading Questions
The process by which each person acquires political opinions
"Political socialization" can be defined as-
Public-interest group
An organization devoted to the interests of all people is known as-
A blanket primary
A primary in which every voter receives the same ballot, which lists every candidate regardless of party, is known as-
A ward
A unit into which cities are often divided for the election of city council members is known as
Public opinion
A view must involve something of general concern and of interest to a significant portion of the people as a whole to be a-
In their ability to quickly accomplish change
All of the following are ways in which political parties and interest groups differ EXCEPT-
Electorate
All of the following mean the same thing EXCEPT-
Agriculture
All of the following would fall into the category of professional interest groups EXCEPT-
The convention
As the caucus method collapsed, what method took its place?
They operate at all levels of government
At what levels of government can you find interest groups operating?
8 million
By 2000, how many people were registered to vote as a result of the Motor Voter Law?
Partisanship
Congress and State legislatures conduct much of their business on the basis of-
$300 million
For 2008, just one item, television advertising, accounted for at least $___ million in presidential campaign spending.
Films
Four mass media are particularly important in American politics, which of the following is NOT one of the four forms?
Labor unions represent workers who share the same type of job or work in the same industry
How do labor unions differ from trade associations?
No one really knows
How many associations exist in the United States today?
$416 million
How much did PACs put into the presidential and congressional campaigns in 2008?
One political party is allowed
In all dictatorships today, how many political parties are allowed?
What to think about
It is not correct to say that the media tell people what to think; but it is clear that they tell people-
Political machines
Local party organizations capable of mobilizing or "manufacturing" large numbers of votes on behalf of candidates for political office, which flourished in the latter half of the 1800s, are known as-
Soft Money
Money spent by a group to sponsor a State Republican voter awareness campaign for young people would be considered
State law
Most election law in the United States is-
Splinter parties
Most of the more important minor parties in our history have been of which type?
The local level
Nomination by petition is found most widely at what level?
The party out of power
Parties act as watchdogs over the conduct of the public's business, this is particularly true of-
Political efficacy
People who think they have no influence on politics, and thus are less likely to vote, have no-
Revenge tactics
Propaganda is used to influence public attitudes toward their agendas, all of the following are techniques propagandists commonly use EXCEPT-
Public opinion polls
Public opinion is measured by-
Interest groups representing space exploration
Some of the most effective interest groups represent all of the following EXCEPT-
Single-issue parties
The Free Soil Party, the American Party, and the Right to Life Party are all examples of-
The Democrats
The Great Depression marked the comeback of which political party?
Literacy as a suffrage qualification
The Voting Rights Act Amendment of 1970 eliminated-
Factions
The development of which of the following within a political party can hurt the party's chances for success?
The Federal Regulations of Lobbying Act
The first major attempt to corral lobbying came when Congress passed-
Nomination process
The only point at which there is any real contest for a public office in a one-party constituency is during the-
Gerrymandering
The practice of drawing electoral district lines to favor a particular party is known as-
A decline, in both numbers and impact of single-issue organizations in our politics
The present weekend state of parties can be traced to all of the following EXCEPT-
Unreliable
The straw vote technique is highly-
Election Oriented
The two major American parties are-
The start of formal schooling
What event marks the initial break in the influence the family has on children's political beliefs?
Newspapers must compete with television and other media
What is the main reason for the decline in the number of newspapers published?
Party identification
What is the single most significant and lasting predictor of how a person will vote?
Television
What medium replaced newspapers as the principal source of political information for a majority of Americans in the early 1960s?
During the battle over ratification of the Constitution
When did the American two-party system begin to emerge?
The 19th Amendment
Which amendment gave women the right to vote?
Americans generally agree on basic political issues
Which best describes consensus in the United States?
So that public opinion can have an influence on public policy
Which best explains the reason public opinion is measured?
Italy
Which country has had a new government on the average of once every year since the end of WWII?
The Selma to Montgomery Marches
Which major Civil Rights event triggered the Voting Rights Act of 1965?
The media often presents overly in-depth coverage
Which of the following does NOT describe a limit on media influence?
The Civil Rights Act of 1957
Which of the following established the United States Civil Rights Commission whose job it is to inquire into claims of voter discrimination?
Voter registration
Which of the following helps prevent fraudulent voting and determines eligibility for closed primaries?
The Great Depression
Which of the following historic events had the most significant impact on the content and direction of public policy?
Electing candidates
Which of the following is NOT a function of an interest group?
Enforcing laws
Which of the following is NOT a function of political parties?
The party in power has all power
Which of the following is NOT a major cause of the decentralized nature of political parties?
Prohibit individuals whose eligibility to vote has been challenged
Which of the following is NOT a major provision of the Help America Vote Act of 2002?
Specific interests
Which of the following is NOT a name frequently given to interest groups?
To jade the public's opinion of specific congressmen
Which of the following is NOT a reason interest groups reach out to the public?
An electoral system that discourages dominance by two major parties
Which of the following is NOT a reason the US has a two-party system?
Supporter role
Which of the following is NOT a role minor parties often embody?
Famous Athletes
Which of the following is NOT an example of an opinion leader?
It tends to exclude independent voters from the nomination process
Which of the following is NOT one of the arguments often made in support of closed primaries?
Determining how to enforce all federal law dealing w campaign finance
Which of the following is NOT one of the four areas the laws the FEC enforces covers?
The Congressional chairperson
Which of the following is NOT one of the main elements of major party organization at the national level?
Tax payment
Which of the following is NOT one of the three qualifications every State requires of any person that wants to vote?
Funding through subsidies is not permitted
Which of the following is NOT true of campaign funding?
Lack of interest
Which of the following is described as the chief reason for nonvoting?
A random sample
Which of the following is more accurate because they rely on the law of probability?
Economic protest parties
Which of the following parties has focused their anger on the monetary system, "Wall Street Bankers," the railroads, or foreign imports?
Offering gifts to influential members of Congress
Which of the following techniques would NOT be used by a lobbyist today?
The universe
Which of the following terms refers to the whole population a poll aims to measure?
A county
Which of the following would NOT be a polling place?
Single-interest groups
Which type of PAC has grown the most rapidly over the past 30 years?
Al Gore
Who became the first presidential nominee to win the popular vote and yet fail to win the presidency?
Nearly all citizens 18 and older
Who exercises the franchise?
James Madison
Who mistrusted interest groups, or factions, yet thought they were inevitable in human society?
Congress did nothing to implement it
Why was the 15th Amendment ineffective for decades in ensuring the right of African Americans to vote?
