AP Gov - Unit 5.11 - MC Test

Which of the following statements about political action committees (PACs) is true? (A) PACs may give unlimited contributions to the election campaigns of individual candidates. (B) PAC spending has not kept pace with inflation. (C) PAC activity is limited to direct contributions to candidates. (D) Social issue groups are the source of most PAC dollars. (E) PAC spending makes up a higher percentage of congressional campaign funds than of presidential campaign funds.

(E) PAC spending makes up a higher percentage of congressional campaign funds than of presidential campaign funds.

The primary function of political action committees (PAC's) is to (A) serve as fund-raising organizations for challengers (B) provide members of Congress with unbiased information regarding proposed legislation (C) consult with the President regarding domestic policy (D) encourage broader participation in politics among the electorate (E) raise campaign funds to support favored candidates

(E) raise campaign funds to support favored candidates

Citizens United v. FEC removed:

Limits on corporate or union speech in place under the FECA Corporations have the right to free speech from the First Amendment Spending money by corporations or unions is political speech This is a protected right

When contributing to congressional campaigns, political action committees (PACs) are most likely to contribute to (A) incumbents of both major parties (B) third-party challengers (C) Republican challengers (D) state party organizations (E) national party organizations

(A) incumbents of both major parties

Which of the following Supreme Court cases is most related to the topic in the cartoon? (A) United States v. Lopez (1995) (B) McDonald v. Chicago (2010) (C) Shaw v. Reno (1993) (D) Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010)

(D) Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010)

Which of the following statements is true regarding political advertisements in 2012 based on the information graphic? (A) Taxpayers paid over 2 billion dollars for political advertisements. (B) Political action committees aired 3 million political ads. (C) Fewer than 2 million advertisements were aired in 2012. (D) Few advertisements appealed to positive emotions.

(D) Few advertisements appealed to positive emotions.

A chief executive officer (CEO) of a corporation believes that the Republican candidate for president will enact policies that are more beneficial to her business. The CEO donated the maximum amount allowed by law directly to the candidate's campaign fund. To increase the candidate's chances for election, the CEO also directed her corporation to donate funds to an independent political action committee to create ads criticizing the opposing candidate. According to the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), which provision of the Constitution protects her actions? (A) Reserved powers in the Tenth Amendment (B) Due process clause in the Fifth Amendment (C) Freedom of association in the First Amendment (D) Freedom of speech in the First Amendment

(D) Freedom of speech in the First Amendment

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (McCain-Feingold) was designed to curtail which of the following? (A) Individual contributions to candidates (B) Soft money (C) Hard money (D) Public disclosure rules (E) Lobbying

(B) Soft money

There is an ongoing debate over the role of money in elections. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) of 2002 banned soft money and restricted advertisements in the weeks before an election. Parts of this act were challenged and struck down in the Supreme Court case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010). Which of the following was a consequence of that ruling? (A) The Federal Election Commission cannot place any restrictions on political advertisements because they are protected by the freedom of speech. (B) Super PACs may spend unlimited funds on advertisements that are not coordinated with the campaign because they are protected by the freedom of speech. (C) Advertisements produced in coordination between campaigns and super PACs cannot be restricted because they are protected by the freedom of speech. (D) The Federal Election Commission can place restrictions on all advertisements because they are not protected by the freedom of speech.

(B) Super PACs may spend unlimited funds on advertisements that are not coordinated with the campaign because they are protected by the freedom of speech.

Which of the following is true of political action committees (PACs) ? (A) They are a part of political party organizations. (B) They make campaign contributions to gain access to legislators. (C) They are allowed to contribute to only one candidate in a given contest. (D) They effectively control the presidential campaigns. (E) They may operate at the state level but not at the national level.

(B) They make campaign contributions to gain access to legislators.

Which of the following is true of political action committees (PACs) ? (A) They make campaign contributions in hopes of gaining access to legislators. (B) They are a part of political party organizations. (C) They are allowed to contribute to only one candidate in any election. (D) They nominate candidates for president at national party conventions. (E) They operate at the state level but not at the national level.

(B) They make campaign contributions to gain access to legislators.

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) limits cannot be placed upon candidates' contributions to their own campaigns (B) independent campaign expenditures by corporations and unions are protected by the First Amendment (C) limits on issue advertisements 90 days before an election are unconstitutional (D) limits on campaign contributions by minors are constitutional under the First Amendment (E) requiring endorsement statements in campaign advertisements is unconstitutional

(B) independent campaign expenditures by corporations and unions are protected by the First Amendment

Which of the following describes the activities represented by data in the table? (A) Interest groups form political action committees (PACs) to nominate candidates during elections. (B) Government agencies receive a large portion of their funding from private interest groups, which affects their decisions. (C) Groups in American society form political action committees (PACs) so they can influence policy. (D) There are no limits on the amount of money an individual may contribute to a political action committee (PAC).

(C) Groups in American society form political action committees (PACs) so they can influence policy.

Based on the table, which of the following political action committees (PACs) is most partisan in its allocation of contributions to candidates? (A) AT&T Inc. (B) National Beer Wholesalers Association (C) International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (D) Lockheed Martin

(C) International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (McCain-Feingold) did which of the following? (A) It created interest groups known as 527s. (B) It made it illegal for unions to donate to presidential campaigns. (C) It banned soft money donations to national parties. (D) It banned candidates from running negative advertisements. (E) It banned third-parties from federal funding.

(C) It banned soft money donations to national parties.

Which of the following is the best interpretation of the political cartoon? (A) Members of Congress are richer than the people they represent. (B) Members of Congress represent a wide diversity of political and economic interests. (C) Members of Congress receive political contributions from many special interest groups. (D) Members of Congress are specialists in economic policy issues.

(C) Members of Congress receive political contributions from many special interest groups.

Which of the following is a correct statement about political action committees (PAC's)? (A) The number of PAC's has remained stable over the past decade. (B) Most PAC money is distributed to challengers in an effort to unseat hostile incumbents. (C) The amount of money that PAC's can contribute directly to an individual candidate is limited by law. (D) PAC's are illegal in most states. (E) PAC's rarely attempt to influence legislation through lobbying activities.

(C) The amount of money that PAC's can contribute directly to an individual candidate is limited by law.

Interest groups use political action committees (PACs) to (A) provide expertise to members of Congress when they are writing legislation (B) lobby the executive bureaucracy when they are considering new rules and regulations (C) raise and spend money on election campaigns (D) generate research that can be used to influence public opinion (E) hire policy experts who will promote their views in the media

(C) raise and spend money on election campaigns

Which of the following is NOT a way in which the federal government regulates campaigns? (A) By requirements for disclosure of campaign donations (B) By establishment of federal agencies to regulate campaign finance activities (C) By limits on the distribution of soft money (D) By limits on individual donations to campaigns (E) By prohibitions on negative advertising

(E) By prohibitions on negative advertising