Ap gov exam 2
A nonprofit advocacy group seeks to block an expensive subsidy to what it believes is an environmentally destructive project. Which of the following accurately depicts the free-rider problem in this scenario? A) The public can expect to reap the benefits of blocking the subsidy without making any contribution to the nonprofit group. B) The advocacy group will be able to carry out activities at an unusually low cost because of discounts and tax breaks afforded to nonprofit organizations C) Individuals who have access to the project will act according to their own self-interest in a manner that is contrary to the good of all users D) The public will recognize that the cost of the project greatly outweighs the benefit, so they can expect their legislators to vote against the subsidy E) A company can purchase support from certain members of the public who will persuade their legislators to vote in favor of the subsidy
A
An election system based on single-member districts is usually characterized by A) domination of the legislature by two political parties B) legislative representation of each party in proportion to the number of votes it receives C) strong, centralized political parties and a weak executive D) higher rates of voter turnout than are common in other systems E) ideological rather than mass-based parties
A
In response to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold Act), the United States Supreme Court, in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), ruled that A) independent campaign expenditures by corporations and unions are protected by the First Amendment B) limits on issue advertisements 90 days before an election are unconstitutional C) limits cannot be placed upon candidates' contributions to their own campaigns D) requiring endorsement statements in campaign advertisements is unconstitutional E) limits on campaign contributions by minors are constitutional under the first amendment
A
Read the following scenario and use it to help you answer the question: Selina voted for Senator Bruce Wayne (D-NY) in 2008 and was unhappy with his performance in office because he didn't fix the economy. So in the 2014 midterm elections, Selina decides to vote for Barbara Kean, a Republican candidate. Which model of voting behavior does this best represent? Retrospective voting Rational choice voting lnterest-group voting CD) Party-line voting E) Prospective voting
A
The term "horse-race journalism" refers to the tendency of the media to A) cover campaigns by emphasizing the relative standings of the candidates in the polls rather than on the issues they discuss B) compete for access to sources rather than to cooperate in gathering the news C) compete to be the first with major breaking news stories rather than trying to present full, accurate accounts of such stories D) cover congress by focusing on committee chairs rather than on the work of the committees E) cover politics by concentrating on scandal and corruption rather than on instances of integrity and honorable action
A
The term "party machine" usually refers to a A) local party organization that is tightly disciplined and well staffed and relies on patronage to create party loyalty B) party organization in which major platform decisions are made behind closed doors rather than at national conventions C) local party organization that relies heavily on the voluntary labor of all its members D) party organization in which political favors are distributed by national leaders in repayment for large contributions E) large national party organization that is hierarchically structured
A
Which statement best summarizes a central criticism in the ongoing debate surrounding the Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)? A) The Supreme Court has extended First Amendment protection of political speech at the expense of election fairness B) The Electoral College has become less important now to candidates as a result of this Supreme Court ruling. C) The "Stand by Your Ad" provision has polarized communities now that candidates and parties are required to approve campaign ads D) The Federal Election Commission has reduced the amount of "hard money" campaign contributions, resulting in a decrease in voter registrations and turnout E) Limits placed on election spending are unconstitutional and reduce the quantity of expression that is necessary in elections
A
how is a president chosen when none of the candidates receives a majority of the electoral college votes? A) the house chooses a new president by a majority vote of its state delegations B) there is a national runoff election between the two candidates with the greatest number of electoral votes C) the senate chooses a new president by a majority vote of its entire membership D) the election is ruled null and void and congress appoints a new president E) the united state Supreme Court directly elects the president
A
18) Which of the following is generally true of the gerrymandering of congressional districts? A) It results in more Democrats being elected to the House. B) It creates districts that favor one political party over another. C) It results in more Republicans being elected to the House. D) it violates the principle of one-person, one-vote. E) It guarantees that all minority parties will be equally represented.
B
The concept of "critical elections" is most closely associated with A) economic recession B) party realignment C) elections during wartime D) the nomination process E) the electoral college process
B
Which of the following best describes the difference between an open and closed primary? A) Open primaries require a run-off system, while closed primaries do not. B) Only voters who register as members of a political party may vote in that party's closed primary, while independents and others may be eligible to vote in open primaries. C) Voters are allowed to split their ticket in a closed primary, but not in an open primary. D) Candidates must seek the approval of the party organization to run in a closed primary, but anyone may be a candidate in an open primary. E)Voters must pay a poll tax to vote in a closed primary, but not in an open primary.
B
Which of the following is a result of the electoral college system? A) The winner of the presidency often lacks a majority of the popular vote. B) Candidates focus on the states with the largest populations. C) The House of Representatives frequently chooses the President from the top three candidates. D) Candidates tend to focus on one-party states in which they can win most of the electoral votes. E) Campaign spending increases because candidates emphasize television advertising.
B
Which of the following is the leading predictor of how an individual will vote in a congressional election? A) occupation B) partisanship C) gender D) presidential endorsement E) newspaper endorsements
B
Which of the following statements is true about the Electoral College? A) The Electoral College gives independents and third-party candidates an unfair advantage in presidential elections B) The person who is elected to office may win the majority of popular votes, but lose the Electoral College vote C) The person who is elected to office may win the majority of Electoral College votes, but lose the popular vote D) The Electoral College does not determine who wins the election, only the popular vote E) The Electoral College determines which political party will win control of Congress.
B
which of the following statements is the most valid criticism of voting for a third party in the us political system? A) Third parties cannot change the amount of political corruption in Washington DC B) Your third-party vote may actually help a candidate that you disagree with C) Voting for a third party is just throwing your vote away D) third parties cannot make a difference at any level of government E) you may be aiding a foreign government when you lend support to lesser known parties
B
An election involving more than two candidates in which the person who receives the most votes is the winner is called a majority election a simple election a plurality election an indirect election a proportional election
C
Critical elections in the United States typically have occurred A) whenever a third party has secured more than fifteen percent of the presidential vote B) each time a Republican has been elected president C) when groups of voters have changed their traditional patterns of party loyalties D) when voter turnout has declined significantly from the previous election E) as a result of a temporary shift in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties
C
The agenda-setting function of the media refers to the power to do what? A) mobilize economic interests in favor of a particular candidate B) endorse specific candidates for political office C) decide which issues are important enough to bring to public attention D) counter the censorship activities of media watch groups E) favor the position of one interest group over another
C
Which of the following most accurately describes media coverage of elections? A) radio and television stations must provide on their news broadcasts equal time for and equal coverage of major party candidates B) reporters who use secret sources in their campaign coverage are shielded by federal law from having to reveal those sources C)Network news coverage is usually dominated by reporters who offer relatively short sound bites from candidates D) coverage of presidential primaries gives relatively equal power to states regardless of when they hold their primaries E) coverage tends to focus on issue rather than on which candidate is ahead in public opinion polls
C
Which of the following scenarios is an example of how an interest group can act as a linkage institution? A) trout unlimited publishes a magazine for its members that educates its members about fishing B) American beverage association hosts a wine tasting event for its new members C) March for Our Lives conducts a letter-writing campaign to key members of Congress to gain their support for gun control legislation D) the NRS sends out a list of candidates seeking to be elected to positions within the organization E) the AARP sends out subscription renewal notices that include membership benefits
C
Which of the following statements about voter tendencies is the most accurate? A) Those who weakly identify as Democrats are more likely to vote than those who weakly identify as Republicans B) Partisanship has no impact on voter choice in an election C) Those who weakly identify as Republicans are more likely to vote Democrat than Republican in elections. D) Independent voters are more likely to align with Republican candidates E) Party identification is a strong predictor of how a person voted in an election
C
Which of the following statements about voting behavior in the United States is correct? A) During the twentieth century, the proportion of African Americans who voted was approximately the same as the proportion of White Americans who voted. B) Since 1920, the proportion of women who have voted is approximately the same as the proportion of men who have voted C) College graduates are more likely to vote than are those who have at most a high school diploma D) registration requirements have no significant effect on voter turnout E) voters under the age of 25 are more likely to vote than are those in any other age group
C
The framers of the United States Constitution left decisions on voting eligibility to the Senate civil rights agencies United States Supreme Court individual states House of Representatives
D
The term "split-ticket voting" is most accurately described as A) voting Republican in one election cycle and Democratic in the next B) voting for one party in the primary election and for another party in the general election C) turning in a spoiled or mutilated ballot as a form of protest D) voting for candidates of different parties on the same ballot E) using separate ballots for candidates at the state and national levels
D
Which of the following best describes the relationship between socioeconomic status and participation in politics? A) The lower one's socioeconomic status, the more likely it is that one will run for public B) there is no relationship between socioeconomic status and political participation C) Adults who are unemployed have a greater personal interest in policy and tend to participate more actively in politics than do employed adults. D) The higher one's socioeconomic status, the greater the probability of active involvement in the political process. E) People in the lower middle class are the most likely to participate in politics.
D
Which of the following describes a consequence of the growing concentration of ownership of the new media? A) coverage of political events has gotten more liberal over time B) newspaper prices have gone down C) candidates get more free airtime D) there is increased similarity of network news coverage E) prices for televised campaign ads have gone down
D
Which of the following describes a fundamental difference between political parties and interest groups? A) political parties are required to disclose their campaign finance activities, whereas interest groups are not B) political parties tend to have strength in particular regions, whereas the power of interest groups is more consistent across the states C) Political parties are prohibited from sponsoring campaign advertisements, and interest groups are not D) Political parties represent broad arrays of issues, whereas interest groups are more likely to focus on narrow sets of issues. E) political parties are more likely to focus on national politics, whereas interest groups focus on local politics
D
Which of the following describes the result in a winner-take-all, single-member-district plurality system? A)The candidate must receive at least 51% of the votes to win. B)The party that receives the most votes in the election wins the seat and selects the party member who will fill the seat. C) the top two vote-getters compete in a run-off election D) the candidate who receives the most votes in the election wins E) a political party must receive 51% of the votes to win all of the seats in the district
D
Which of the following is a consequence of consumer-driven media outlets? A) an increase in suppression of civil liberties and civil rights B) an increase in government propaganda through official state media channels C) an increase in programming that challenges the existing beliefs of partisan viewers D) There is an increase in sensational stories and attack journalism rather than factual reporting E) an increase in the diversity of viewpoints as media conglomerates splinter into small companies
D
Which of the following is the main reason interest groups are often successful in getting legislation passed to benefit their members? a) It is easy to garner support from most members of Congress on any issue. b) All members of society desire the legislation that special interests pursue. c) It is very easy to get legislation passed in Congress. d) A narrow constituency derives the benefits from such legislation but the costs are spread broadly across the population. e) Interest group activity represents the democratic process at work because individual interest groups often represent more than half the population.
D
which of the following most correctly completes the statement about primary elections turnout? registered voters are more likely to turnout to vote for... A) an open primary than for a caucus B) a general election than for a primary election C) a caucus than a closed primary D) a general election than a midterm election E) a closed primary than for an open primary
D
A referendum can best be described as a vote to: A) remove elected officials from office B) choose a candidate if no single candidate has a majority after the initial election C) confirm political appointees D) choose party nominees E) determine whether citizens support an action by their state legislature
E
Congressional district boundaries are redrawn every ten years by A) President B) Bureau of the Census C) Federal Election Commission D) House Rules Committee E) state legislatures
E
Lobbyists try to influence legislators mainly through A) orchestrating petition drives and letter-writing campaigns B) threatening to help the legislator's opponent in the next election C) placing persuasive advertisements in the media D) "Wining and dining" Legislators E) Providing legislators with information on technical issues concerning legislation
E
Since the 1960s, support for the Democratic Party has declined the most among which of the following groups? A) Labor union members B) Native Americans C) African americans D) Business leaders E) White southerners
E
The main intent of "motor voter" laws is to A) allow sixteen year olds to vote if they have a valid driver's license B) prevent states from using literacy requirements for voting C) increase the rate at which incumbents are reelected to office D) increase voter turnout by providing transportation to polls for people without cars E) increase voter registration
E
The theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in government, resulting in healthy democratic compromise and balance, is called A) elite power politics B) socialism C) rational choice D) institutionalism E) pluralism
E
Voter turnout tends to be highest among A) working-class voters B) low-income voters C) young voters D) African American voters E) college-educated voters
E
When party members meet to nominate a candidate for office, they participate in which of the following? General election Blanket primary Open primary Closed primary Caucus
E
Which of the following best describes gerrymandering? A) By polling voters, party officials are able to determine how citizens will vote B) The Supreme Court requires that state legislatures must adopt the doctrine of one person, one vote C) The party in power wins four or five surrounding districts by very small margins D) The public decides which issues are most important and tells the elected officials how to vote on specific bills E) the party in control of the state legislature draws district boundaries in such a way as to favor its own candidates in subsequent elections
E
Which of the following best describes the concept of political efficacy? A) it is the belief that the media must provide unbiased information for citizens to be able to make well-informed choices B) it is the belief that an average citizen can make little or no difference in an election C) it is the belief that an intelligent voting decision cannot be made without information D) it is the belief that politicians must keep the electorate well-informed if they re to government efficiently E) it is the belief that one can make a difference in politics by expressing an opinion and acting politically
E
Which of the following statements about voting behavior in national elections is most accurate? A) Men are more likely to vote than are women. B) Democrats are more likely to vote than are Republicans. D) Blue-collar workers are more likely to vote than are professionals. E) Senior citizens are more likely to vote than are college students
E
Which of these statements best explains why the Voting Rights Act of 1965 has been important to expanding political participation in the United States? A) It ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, or national origin B) It reduced the minimum legal age to vote from 21 to 18 C) It introduced the requirement of showing an official form of identification to register for or vote in an election to deter voter fraud D) It prohibits both Congress and the states from conditioning the right to vote in federal elections on payment of a poll tax or other types of tax E) It enforced the Fifteenth Amendment by preventing states from using legal barriers to prevent African Americans from voting
E
Which statement accurately summarizes how constituencies affect the campaign strategy of candidates running for the US Senate or House of Representatives? A) Presidential candidates need to consider the needs of the candidates running for US Senate and the House when planning their campaigns. B) Candidates for House districts must consider specific needs and critical issues that characterize a relatively small number of voters C)Senate candidates must address issues that the president thinks are important to satisfy constituents D) Senatorial campaign strategies must consider issues affecting a narrower range of ideologies and needs than those found in House districts E) Candidates for a House seat must consider issues and needs that matter to neighboring districts in order to be elected
b
When contributing to congressional campaigns, political action committees are most likely to contribute to; A) third-party challengers B) national party organizations C) state party organizations D) republican challengers E) incumbents of both major parties
e
