intro to us government
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
A young Baptist pastor who led the black boycott that occurred after Parks refused to give up her seat. The 1963 March on Washington was for jobs and freedom. Luther gave a speech about a better America. Page 148.
Give an example of a grassroots lobbying organization.
AARP American for Retired Persons is a grass roots organization. Congress recieves more mail from AARP than any other lobbyist group.
Give examples of ideological groups.
ACU- American Conservative Union, MoveOn and ADA (Americans for Democratic Action- liberal counterpart to the ACU.
Who is the AFL-CIO?
AFL_CIO is the dominate labor goup in the US and is based in Washington DC. It has 12 million members in its nearly 60 affiliated unions which include the international brotherhood of electric workers, the sheet metal workers, and the communication Worksers of America.
what are the polling results from the question, "Fenerally speaking, do you think of yourselves as a republican, a democrat, an independent, or what?"
About 2/3s of participants labeled themselves as either rpublicans or democrats. the 1/3 who labeled themselves independents, said they leaned toward a particualar parties platform.
England's ______ gave members of Protestant sects the right to worship freely and publicly. The first Amendment reflects this tradition.
Act of Toleration
Which of the following groups are currently most likely part of the Democratic coalition?
African Americans, the elderly, union members
In the Constitution, procedural due process is protected in various ways by the
All of these answers are correct. (4th, 5th, 6th & 8th Amendments)
Fourteenth Amendment
All persons born or naturalized in the U.S., and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the U.S. and the state wherein they reside. No State shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the U.S.; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Judicial Review
Allows the court to determine the constitutionality of laws
How much more likely are protestants to thing the supreeme court whas gone to far to keep religon out of schools and other areas of life.
Christians/protestants are a third more likely than other americans to believe that government has gone to far.
What was the main conclusion of the Supreme Court's 2008 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller and 2010 decision in McDonald v. Chicago?
Citizens are allowed to own guns for legitimate purposes, such as for protecting the home.
What are Single Issies groups?
Citizens groups that have an issues-specific policy agenda.
Civil liberties v. Civil Rights (Exam Question)
Civil liberties refer to specific individual rights, such as freedom of speech, that are protected by infringement by the government. Equal rights, or civil rights, are a question of whether individual members of differing groups, such as racial, gender, and ethnic groups, are treated equally by the government and, in some instances, by private parties.
How did Alexis de Tocqeville describe Americans unusial comitment to liberty, equality, and self governmnet?
"Habits of the Heart."
Virginia Plan
"Large state" proposal for the new constitution, calling for proportional representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress. The plan favored larger states and thus prompted smaller states to come back with their own plan for apportioning representation.
What did journalist Wlater Lipperman say conserning Media's role in political socialization?
"The pictures in our heads of the world outside... owe substantially to how the world is portrayed for us by the media."
What does journalist Walter Lipperman say aould public opinions's role in public policy?
"effective government cannot be conducted by legislatior and officials who, when a question is presented, ask themselves first and last, tnot what is the truth and which is the right and necessary cours, but 'what does the Gallup Poll say?'"
What did Political Scientist E. Pendleton Herring note in 1929 conserning buisness economic groups?
"of the many organized groups maintaining offices in (Washington), there are no interests more fully, more comprehensively and more efficiently represented thatn those of American Industry." Buisness groups are the most numerous amough the economic groups.
What does George Gallop say about public opinion in public policy?
"the task of the leader is to decide how best to achieve the goals set by the people."
In their study of public opinion what did jeff Manza and Fay lomax Cook note?
"whitin the broad parameters established by public opinion, politicialsn and policy entreprenuers often have substatnial room to maneuver."
How much money was spend on lobbying in 2009 alone?
$3.5 billion was spent on lobbying washington in 2009.
Which of the following forms of political participation require citizens to spend a comparatively large amount of personal resources
-Demonstrating for political causes -Volunteering in a political campaign
Which of the following factors are sad to adversely affect voter turnout in the United States
-Frequent elections -Voter registration laws
Since the 1950s, what has been the government's approach to free speech?
-The Supreme Court has ruled that spoken words do not pose a true threat to national security, so Americans can speak their minds politically. -Not a single individual has been convicted solely for criticizing the government's war policies. -The Supreme Court has ruled that national security must truly be at risk before the government can limit speech.
Why was the National Security Agency's wiretapping of phone calls and e-mail messages originating in the United States, first revealed by The New York Times in 2005, controversial?
-The wiretapping had been authorized by President George W. Bush without approval from the courts. -The NSA had collected data on nearly every call made by Americans.
Which of these groups vote at above average rates
-college-educated individuals -upper-income Americans
Which two 2016 presidential candidates had very passionate followers likely to produce political movements?
-donald trump -bernie sanders
The tea party movement did not support which of the following policies
-government subsidies for health insurance -gun control legislation
The free-exercise clause
-has been interpreted to mean that Americans can not always act on their religious beliefs if they conflict with other laws. -is part of the First Amendment. -has been interpreted to mean Americans can hold any religious belief of their choosing.
Which of the following tactics were used to disenfranchise blacks in the post Civil War South despite the passage of the 15th amendment
-literacy tests -publicized list of voters
Which of the following are common recommendations to enhance voter participation in the United States
-opening poll centres for several days before Election Day -keeping polls open longer -making Election Day a nation holiday.
The imminent lawless action test
-says that for speech to be restricted, it must be directed at inciting or producing imminent lawless action. -has two criteria for speech advocating the unlawful use of force. -says that speech must be likely to produce lawless action.
Differences in which of the following are factors that influence voter participation
-sense of duty -age -education
The Supreme Court has recently employed the Eighth Amendment to ban which of the following?
-the death penalty for the mentally ill -the death penalty for juveniles -life sentences without parole for juveniles.
Which of the following are limitations of voting that are not present and other forms of political participation
-voting provides a political opinion only at a certain time -voting is limited to what is on the ballot
From the late 1950s to 2010, how many Americans have been convicted solely for criticizing the government's war policies?
0
break down the categories of PACs.
64% of PACs are buisness related, 28% of PACs are citizen groups 7% of PACs are Labor groups 1% of PACs are agricultural.
Impetus
A Force that causes something (such as a process or activity) to be done or to become more active.
How do politcal opinions differ between men and women?
A Washington post poll noted that Women are 20% more likely than ment ot favor incresed spending for public education. Also Support for iraw and afghanistan wars was consistently higher amoung men than women.
Race
A class or kind of people unified by shared interests, habits, or characteristics.
define ideology.
A consistent pattern of opinion on particular issues that stems from a core belief or set of beliefs.
denial of power
A constitutional means of limiting governmental action by listing those powers that government is expressly prohibited from using.
New Jersey Plan
A constitutional proposal that would have given each state one vote in a new congress
Define a public opinion poll.
A device for measuring public opinion whereby a relatively small number of individuals are interviewd for the purpose of estimating the opinions of a whole community.
Republic
A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting
Legislation
A law or set of laws made by a government. The action or process of making laws.
Define sampling error.
A measure of the accuracy of public opinoion poll. the samplng error is mainly a function of sample size and is usually expressed in percentage terms.
Constitutional Convention
A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution
Proprietor
A person who owns a business or property.
Jacksonian Democracy
A policy of spreading more political power to more people. It was a "Common Man" theme.
what is probability sampling?
A sample in which each individual in the population has a known probability of being chosen at random for inclusion.
What has the Supreme Court ruled concerning police use of modern technology, such as listening or thermal-imaging devices, to investigate a subject?
A search warrant is required, just as it would be for other circumstances.
Which of the following are true of Hispanic voters in the United States?
They lean heavily toward the Democratic Party, hispanics tend to be more liberal on economic issues and conservative on social issues
Which of the following are true of grassroots parties?
They operate at the local level. They are open to all citizens.
How do candidates encourage people to vote on Election Day?
They rely on organisation sot spread the word & they contact prospective voters on Election Day.
Define cultural, or social conservatives.
Thos who beleive government power should be used to uphold traditional values.
Populists
Thos who believe government should do more to assist people who have difficulty meeting their economic needs and who look to goverment to uphold traditional values.
Define libertarians
Thos who believe government tries to do too many things that should be left to firms and markets, and who oppose government as an instrument for upholding traditional values.
Define economic liberals
Thos who believe governmet should do more to assist people who have difficulty meeting their economic needs on their own.
Define cultural, or social liberlas
Thos who believe it is not government's role to buttress tradititional values at the expense of unconventional or new values.
Define Agents of Socialization.
Those agents, such as the family and the media, that have a significant impact on citizens political socialization.
Economic conservatives
Those who believe government tries to do too many things that should be left to private interests and economic markets.
How many ivy Leage students identified Abraham Lincoln as the author of the Phrase, "a government of the people, by the people, for the people."?
Three fourths of students could not identify the phrase and so only one fourth connected it with Abraham Lincoln.
Languish
To continue for a long time without activity or progress in an unpleasant or unwanted situation.
Relinquish
To give up (something): to give (something, such as power, control, or possession) to another person or group.
Abridge
To lessen the strength or effect of a right.
Invoke
To make use of (a law, a right, etc.)
Entrench
To place (someone or something) in a very strong position that cannot easily be changed.
Dissent
To publicly disagree with an official opinion, decision, or set of beliefs.
Enshrined
To remember and protect (someone or something that is valuable, admired,etc.
Segregate
To separate groups of people because of their particular race, religion, etc. To not allow people of different races to be together.
Rights of Englishmen
Trial by jury, security in ones home from unlawful entry, no taxation without consent
How are US schools different from schools of other democracies?
US schools are more instrumental in building support for America and its cultural beliefs than are schools in other democracies.
Implicit
Understood though not clearly or directly stated. Not affected by doubt.
define the iron triangle.
a small and informal but relatively stable group of well possitioned legislators, execuatives and lobbists who seek to promote policies beneficial to a particular interest.
free market system
a system that operates mainly on private transactions
What is a social or political movement
a way for disenchanted citizens to voice their displeasure with government policy
Which of the following best describes the subject under consideration in Roe v. Wade?
abortion
How much of the US was and is Unionized?
about a third of the US workforce was unionized, but today only one of eight workers is a union member.
Which of the following statements sum up the various functions of political consultants?
advising on how to run a successful campaign, gathering voter opinions, production of promotional materials.
Great Compromise
agreement providing a dual system of congressional representation
Which of the following bed describes the voting electorate after the expansion of voting rights during the Jacksonian Era?
all white males
explain NPR's Free Rider Problem.
although NPR's programs are funded primarily through its listeners donations, thos who do not contribute can still listen to the programs. about 90% of regular listeners to NPR do not contribute to their local station.
define an issue network.
an informal and relatively open network of public officials and lobbiests who come together in response to a proposed policy in an area of interest to each of them. unlike an iron triangle an issue network disbands after the issue is resolved.
Define Interest group .
an organization that activily seeks t influence public policy.
Which of the following refers to a total lack of interest such as a total lack of interest in politics
apathy
Much like political parties and interest groups, the news media, or press,
are a key intermediary between Americans and their leaders.
Describe an example of intergovernmental lobbying.
as Congress was preparng in 2006 to renew and amend the antiterrorism legislation that had gone into effect in 2001, the national governers Assosiation, and the US conference of Mayors lobbied heavily to ensure that the changes reflected their concerns.
In Lawrence v. Texas (2003), the Supreme Court ruled that states cannot lawfully
ban sexual relations between consenting same-sex adults.
define collective (public) goods.
benificts that are offered by groups, usually citisens groups, as an incentive for membership, but that are nondividible, such as a clean enviorment, and therefore are available to nonmemners as well as members of the particular group.
define private (individual) goods.
benifits that a group, most often an economic grup, can grant directly and exclusivly to individual members of the group.
All party organisations have a responsibility to
build support among voters.
explain the Mancur Olson's "size factor" idea.
buisness interest have the advantage because of the size factor. smaller grousp usually prevail over larger groups because they are more united on the issues, and they usually have more money.
How can Americans participate virtually in politics
by using resources and joining discussions on the internet
the supreme court over the president
can declare orders unlawful
Political parties and their ability to control politics in the United States have been weakened by
candidate centred campaigns.
Although party organisations still manage many tasks related to elections, the lead role in elections now lies with the
candidate.
In the Johnson flag-burning case, the Supreme Court ruled that flag burning
cannot be prohibited even though it may be offensive.
On a split-ticket
citizens vote for candidates from different parties.
If a person yells "Fire!" in a crowded theater when there is no fire, and people are hurt in the ensuing panic, that individual has abused his or her freedom of speech, according to the doctrine of
clear and present danger.
In the early decades of the twentieth century, the press responded to "yellow journalism" by
committing to objective journalism.
The media carry out a(n) _______________ function when they disseminate information from political leaders to the public.
common carrier
Most successful partisan radio and television talk show hosts promote a ______ viewpoint.
conservative
The exclusionary rule restricts the ability of
courts to admit illegally obtained evidence during a trial.
critical thinking
determining what can be reasonably believed and using the information to reach a conclusion
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 succeed?
drawn attention to an issue previously ignored by the two major candidates & encouraged the major parties to address issues introduced by the third party.
The legal safeguards that prevent the government from depriving citizens of life, liberty, or property without adhering to strict legal procedures are known as
due process protections.
free market system
economic, transactions between private parties, empowers business firms
Which of the following is likely to convince a judge that police should be issued a search warrant?
establishing probable cause for believing a crime has been committed
In Engle v. Vitale (1962), the Supreme Court ruled against the reciting of prayers in public schools on grounds it violates the
establishment clause.
The ______ clause of the First Amendment bans the state from helping religious institutions, whereas the ______ clause bans the state from restricting the free practice of religion by individuals.
establishment; free-exercise
Third parties that break off from one of the two dominant parties are known as
factional parties.
The establishment clause prohibits government from
favoring one religion over another or supporting religion over no religion.
The Bill of Rights initially applied to which level or levels of government?
federal only
Which of the following characteristics of political campaigns have undergone change?
focus of the campaign, length go the campaign, amount go money required
How does party identification usually seperate opinions on different issues?
for example- during the 2009-2010 health care debate,a 2010 gallup poll noted that republican iddentifiers by more than 3/1 opposed comprehensive health care reform when deomocratic identifiers by more than a 3/1 favored it.
what is the overal rate of unionization for public and private sector workers?
for public sector workers the rate of unionization is nearly 40%, while the rate for private sector workers is under 10%
Since the 1980s, which group has voted most strongly for the Republican Party?
fundamentalist Christians
Gideon v. Wainwright required the states to
furnish attorneys for poor defendants in felony cases.
The fact that more white women than white men vote for the Democratic Party is an example of a
gender gap.
Jeffersonian government
government belongs to all not just the elite
The establishment clause of the Constitution restricts which of the following?
government from favoring one religion over another & government from supporting religion over no religion
Regarding freedom of the press, the Supreme Court has generally upheld the principle of no prior restraint. This principle means that
government generally cannot stop the news media from reporting a story.
Limited Government
government is restricted on uses of power
effective government
government must be given the resources to function
In the case of McNabb v. United States, Justice Felix Frankfurter defined the "history of liberty" primarily in terms of whether
governments had observed procedural guarantees.
what did sociologist Herber Hyman conclude conserning primary agents of socialization?
he comcluded that, "Formost amout agencies of socialization into politics is the family."
What did Economist AMncur olson colclude about interest groups?
he concluded that the groups utimataly excersise tooo much power in the american system.
Which group of Americans have the highest level of voter participation
highest 20% of income earners
Political parries began to emerge in the United States
in spite of the founding fathers' beliefs about them.
The Supreme Court has ruled that prisoners should generally appeal their cases first
in state courts.
Although some people believe it is insignificance which of the following may result if IDs were not required for voting
increased fraud
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.
Which of these groups is typically more protective of individual rights?
judges
Protest activity is ___________ common today in the United States than in many Western democracies
less
How many americans participate in mass demonstrations or write letters to editors?
less than 5% of americans have participated in mass deomonstattes or have written lettors to editors.
The Sedition Act of 1798
made it a crime to publish stories that were harshly critical of the president.
A(n) multi-party political system is
made up of at least three political parties.
democratic system
majority rule by election. empowers majority, groups, and officals
All media outlets, whether broadcast, print, cable, or on the Internet, that are in the business of creating and reporting original news stories are called the news
media
Today's political campaigns rely on which of the following to be successful?
media producers, pollsters, campaign strategists
Which of the following groups has the highest rate of voter turnout
middle aged people from the upper class
new ratification process
new constitution sent to states and approved by at least nine
During the era of "objective journalism," radio broadcasters were prohibited by law from editorializing, while ______ were not.
newspapers
Like all other rights, the right of free expression is
not absolute.
_____________journalism refers to news reporting that is based on "fact" rather than opinion and that presents both sides of a partisan debate.
objective
The conviction of members of the U.S. Communist Party in the early 1950s was initially upheld as a lawful restriction of the right
of free speech.
The Bill of Rights protects some civil liberties, including freedom
of speech. of the press. of assembly.
The most dangerous partisan Internet sites
offer world views that demonize particular groups.
what are the three sides of the iron tribangle and what are the benifits?
on one corner we have interest groups, who provide lobbying support to a government agency and election support to a congressional group of politicians. the other corner we have legislators who guive good budgeds and program support to beuracrats or the government agency, and favorable legislation to the interest group. finally on the top teir we have the government group which provides program administration to the interest group and constituent servicess to the congressional group.
The Supreme Court has generally held that those convicted in state courts and who appeal on the grounds that their federal constitutional rights were violated are limited to
one appeal.
Obstacles to Critical Thinking
one sided news sources, deceptive politicians, echo chambers
How many college seniors recognise the prase "we hold these truths to be self evident..." from the Declaration of independence?
only 48% of college seniors identified that phrase from the Dec of Indy.
Authoritarian Government
openly represses its political opponents, mostly through intimidation and prohibitions on free expression but sometimes by brutalizing or imprisoning opposition leaders
Local party organizations
operate only during campaign periods.
define a citizens (noneconomic) group.
organized interests frombed by individuals drawn togetherer by opprotunities to promote a cause in whihc they believe but that does not provide them significant individual economic benifits.
The highlighting of candidates' attributes is called
packaging.
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
page 151
What is a general distinction between Parties and groups?
parties are in the buisness of trying to win elections while groups concentrate on policies affectiong their interests.
Representative Government
people govern through representatives
Anti-Federalists
people who opposed the Constitution
A reason political parties have emerged whenever democracy has been established is that
political parties provide individuals a way to join together in order to exercise their collective influence.
Organizations that nominate and seek elect candidates to government office are known as
political parties.
the supreme court over congress
power to interpret legal disputes arising under acts of congress
grants of power
powers granted to the national government
Internet and political participation peaks during which of the following
presidential elections
An election in which voters chose the party's nominees is call a(n)
primary election
Which of the following contributed to the decline of the old system of party organisations?
primary elections
Which of the following factors have contributed to the weakening of party organisations?
primary elections & candidate centred campaigns
The attempt to block the publication of material considered to be harmful is known as ______ restraint.
prior
Madison's Federalist Paper #10
problems with overbearing majoritys
What is a Professional group?
professional groups are groups centered around a certian profession. The American Medical Association is the most powerful of the professional groups with over 200,000 phycians as members.
Which of the following functions do news media perform?
provide a channel through which political leaders communicate to the public act as a watchdog that scrutinizes official behavior provide political information that attracts an audience
The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments
provide that no person can be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.
Which of the following are part of the money chase of politics?
raising funds & pursuing wealthy patrons
A permanent shift in the political parties is
realignment
Which type of third party arises from a belief that partisan politics is a corrupting influence that needs to be changed?
reform parties
Tools for Critical Thinking
reliable info, generalizations about American politics
Voting for a candidate's sat performance rather than future promises is an example of what is called
retrospective voting.
constitutional system
rule of law, legal protections, empowers individuals
What is selective perception?
selective perception is the process wherby people selectivley choose from incoming information those aspects that support what they already Believe. For Instance, after presidential debates, Republicans believed their candidate won while Democrats believed their candidate won.
In a 2010 CNN survey, 2 in 5 Americans stated that individuals arrested by police on suspicion of terrorism
should not be read their Miranda rights.
The media's __________ function serves to alert the public to important events in a timely fashion.
signaling
Which of the following arguments drew large support for passing the 26th amendment granting 18 year olds the right to vote
since they were eligible for the draft, they should be eligible to vote
Harvard's Robert Putnam defined the sum of face-to-face civic interactions among citizens in a society as its ________ capital
social
In Schenck v. United States (1919), the Supreme Court ruled that
speech could be restricted when the nation's security is at stake.
state congress members=
state electoral votes
The inevitable discovery exception
states that exclusion of physical evidence that would have been found anyway has no effect on the fairness of a trial. allows admission of tainted evidence in certain cases. was developed in the case of Nix v. Williams (1984).
Federalists
supporters of the Constitution
The Supreme Court has ruled that the right of free assembly
takes precedence over the possibility that the exercise of the right might have undesirable consequences.
Which of the following media typically have a signaling function?
television networks daily newspapers wire services
Explain AARP's job, membership, and claut.
the American Association of Retierd Persons or AARP advocates for medicare and social security. its membership is %5 and has millions of members. A Fortune Magazine survey of 2,200 Washington insiders including members of congress and their staffs ranked AARP as the most powerful lobbying group.
explain the size factor at play.
the Big three automonile companies, General Moters, Ford, and Crysler, compete with care sales but work together on policy issues becuase although its only three companies, they all agree on ceritan policyes.
Explain the problem of "agency capture" especially with the FDA.
the FDA approved the marketing of an arthritis drug Vioxx that generated $2.5 billion a year for a pharmesutacle company. The drug turned out to be unsafe. this is an example of a regulator agency siding with the industries they are supposed to regualte rather than the public.
What was the name of the 1798 law that criminalized any speech or writings critical of the government, Congress, or the president?
the Sedition Act
In Hamdan v. Rumsfeld (2006), the Supreme Court ruled that enemy combatant detainees were protected by which of the following?
the U.S. Uniform Code of Military Justice & the Geneva Convention
More people in the United States participate in election campaigns than people in other countries do because
the US has more elected posts than other countries do.
Which of the following acts of legislation after the September 11 terrorist attacks gave government greater surveillance power to monitor phone calls and emails without a warrant or court order?
the USA Patriot Act
What are the religious clauses in the First Amendment?
the establishment clause & the free-exercise clause
Which of the following allows the admission into trial of otherwise excludable evidence if the evidence was obtained by police who thought they were following proper procedure?
the good faith exception
In Brandenburg v. Ohio the Supreme Court developed which of the following tests that expanded protections for Americans to voice political opinions?
the imminent lawless action test
The Supreme Court has reasoned that a right of privacy is provided by
the implication of the right to privacy by the freedoms in the Bill of Rights.
define a PAC or a Political Action committee.
the organization throught which an interest group raises and distributes funds for election putposes. by law, the funds must be raised through volentary contributions.
Pluralism
the preference of the special interest largely determines what government does
define lobbying.
the process by which interest group members or lobbyist attempt to influence public policy through contacts with public officials.
The 1977 Supreme Court case that provided guidance on the allowable restrictions on freedom of speech and freedom of assembly upheld which of the following?
the right of an American Nazi Party group to hold a parade in Skokie, a city with a large Jewish population that included Holocaust survivors
Which of the following is NOT considered a Sixth Amendment protection?
the right to bear arms
Griswold v. Connecticut was a case dealing with
the right to privacy.
Which of the following constitutional protections were at issue in the Supreme Court decision in Miranda v. Arizona?
the right to remain silent & the right to an attorney
define Single Issue Politics.
the situation in which separate froups are organized around nearly ever conceivable policy issue and press their demands and influence to the utmost.
define the free-rider problem.
the situation in which the benefits offereny by a group to its members are also available to nonmembers. the incentive to join the group and to promote its cause is reduced because nonmenmers recieve the benifits without having to pay any of the group's cost.
interests group liberalism
the tendency of public officials to support the policy demands of self interestes groups. (as opposed to judging policy demands according to whether they serve a larger conception of "the public interest")
Griswold v. Connecticut is the landmark case that established the right to privacy. The case involved the question of whether a state can prohibit
the use of contraceptives by a married couple.
How many PACs are there?
there are more than four thousand PACs, and PAC contributions account for roughly a third of the total contributions to congressional campaigns.
Benjamin page and rober Shapiro found what in their study spanning four decades?
they found that a change in public opion is usually followed by a change in policy.
What best describes partisan media outlets in the era of the information commons?
they were very rare
America's plurality or winner take all system, of electing candidates works to the disadvantage of the
third parties
The USA Patriot Act was passed
to combat terrorism.
What is the purpose of a primary election (direct primary)?
to enable voters to select their respective party's candidates for a general election
Why did states start registering voters
to prevent individuals from voting multiple times in the same election
Which of the following are roles that national political parties have?
to raise money for Congressional campaigns, to seek media coverage of party positions and activities, to raise money for presidential campaigns
Suffrage is the right to
to vote
True or false: All media outlets, including those on the Internet, are part of the news media.
true
In Hamden v. Rumsfeld, the Supreme Court ruled that the use of secret military tribunals to try detainees accused of terrorism was ______, as detainees were entitled to a trial affording all the guarantees contained in the Constitution.
unconstitutional
In Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the Supreme Court ruled that restrictions on abortion were legal so long as they didn't place an ______ ____ on a woman's right to obtain an abortion.
undue burden
State parties are involved with which of the following activities?
voter registration & election of US Senators
The proportions of eligible adult citizens who actually vote in a given election is known as
voter turnout
The main opposition to the Democratic Party in the 1830s and 1840s was the Whig Party
which eventually died out.
Civil Rights Act of 1968
Congress passed civil rights legislation designed to prohibit discrimination in housing. A building owner cannot refuse to sell or rent housing because of a person's race, religion, ethnicity, or sex.
United States v. Virginia (1996)
Court invalidated the male-only admissions policy of Virginia Military Institute (VMI). Court said that Virginia had failed to provide an "exceedingly persuasive" argument for its policy.
Adarand v. Pena (1995)
Court overturned an earlier ruling that had upheld a federal policy that "set aside" a certain percentage of federally funded construction projects for minority-owned firms. Past discrimination can't justify construction firms that are not direct victims.
Rostker v. Goldberg (1980)
Court upheld such as classification , ruling that the male-only draft registration law served the important objective of excluding women from involuntary combat duty.
Shelby County decision
Court's majority held formula for identifying states and counties subject to federal oversight was based on "obsolete statistics" and could not be applied unless Congress updates it to reflect today's situation. Ruling to eliminate the requirement that some states and counties receive federal permission before they can make a change in their voting process.
Reasonable-basis test
Courts require government only to show that a particular law is reasonable. DOES NOT APPLY TO RACE OR ETHNICITY! Page 146.
What did historian Daniel Boorstin argue about the american public?
Daniel Boorstin believes that americans are pramatists at heart driven less by allegiance to ideology than a desire to finde workable solutions to problems.
Congress over Supreme Court
Decides the size of the federal court system, the number of Supreme Court justices, and the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court; may impeach and remove federal judges; may rewrite legislation that courts have interpreted and may initiate constitutional amendments; confirms judicial nominees
What were the two competitive political parties during the first party system?
Democratic-Republicans & Federalists
Equal-protection clause
Designed to require states to treat their residents equally, but Supreme Court at first refused to interpret it that way.
Describe the Public Opinion polls on Bill Clinton after his affair was revealed.
Despite having an afair, lying about it, and being found out, Bill Clinton's approval ratings skirocketed to 71%
Framers goals
Government strong enough to meet the country's needs Government not threatening existence of the separate states Government not threatening liberty Government based on popular consent
What draws Citizens groups together?
Group members do not join because of material incentive--suchas jobs, higher wages, or profits--but by purposive incentive, the satisfaction of contribution to what they reguard as a worth goal.
What does Political scientist V.O. Key believe about PO's role in Policy?
He concluded that the role of public opinion is the place boundaries on the actions of policial leaders.
Citizens who are partied identifiers have __________ levels of voter turnout rates than those who identify as independent
Higher
Compared to most European nations Americans community involvement is substantially _________ than that of European citizens
Higher
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 happened when the Fairness Doctrine was eliminated in 1987?
Hundreds of radio stations switched from playing music to airing partisan talk shows.
Lucretia Mott & Elizabeth Cady Stanton
In 1848 (Seneca Falls), these two woman organized a women's rights convention.
How did President Dwight D. Eisenhower use his presidency to uphold the 14th amendment?
In 1957, he used his power as commander in chief to place the Arkansas National Guard under federal control to allow black students into Little Rock's high school.
one way of lobbing is with money. give an example of this and how it went wrong.
In 2005 news came out that lobbyists Jack Abramoff cheated his clients while lavishing campaign donations on members of congress in return for favorable legislation. Representative Tom deLay had to step down because of the hundreds of thousands of dollars he recieved from Abramoff.
How many americans think taxes are too high?
In 2006 Gallop conducted a polll where 48% or repsondence claimed taxes were to high while only 2% of respondence believed they were too low.
Define a sample.
In a public opinion poll the relatively small number of individuals who are interviewd for the purpose of estimating the opinions fo an entire population.
define population.
In a public opinion poll, the people whose opinions are being estimated through interviews with a sample of these people.
Nevertheless
In spite of what has just been said.
Explain the role Peers play in politcal socialization.
In the spral of Science, Elisabeth Noelle-Neuman shows that individuals tend to withhold opinions that are at odds with thos of people around them.
The Occupy Wall Street movement was and predominately at which issue
Income inequality
Hispanic Americans & Farmworkers Strikes
Inspired by black civil rights movement. Hispanic farm laborers in California went on strike in late 1960s over labor rights.
Explain insurance companies response to the Afordable care Act and their efforts to stop it.
Insurance companies began efforts to stop the legislation. The America's Health Insurance Plans, AHIP issued a report claiming the typical american family would pay $4000 more in premiums (this number was considerably higher than any other predicitions.) the Insuranve industry spent over $200 million on advertizing and lobbying in its effort to derail legislation that would threaten its hold on america's health care system.
Define Economic Groups.
Interest groups that are organized primarily for economic reasons but that engage in political activity in order to seek favorable policies from government.
14th Amendment's equal protection?
It does not require government to treat all groups or classes of people equally in all circumstances. The judiciary allows inequalities that are "reasonably" related to a legitimate government interest.
What purpose does party competition serve in American politics?
It narrows down options for voters & It allows groups of voters to act in unison.
what is the madison delima?
James Madison worries that interests groups would have too much political influence, but also argued in the federalists No. 10 that a free society must allow the pursuit of self-interest.
what is K Street?
K Stree is an area of the nations capitial which is populated by lobbying firms. over 20,000 lobbiest work in DC
The Supreme Court upheld the forced relocation of tens of thousands of Japanese Americans during World War II in which of the following cases?
Korematsu v. United States
What are Labor groups?
Labor groups are categorized under economic groups and seek to promote policies that benefit workers in general and union members in particualr.
Substantial
Large in amount, size, or number.
Strict scrutiny test.
Laws that classify people differently on the basis of their race or ethnicity are assumed to have discrimination as their purpose. Presumes the law unconstitutional unless government can provide compelling basis for it.
Cesar Chavez
Lead the boycott strike of California grapes and lettuce; lead to congressional act that requires states to provide bilingual ballots in local areas with large numbers of non-English-speaking minorities.
How many americans have a true political ideology?
Less than a fourth of americnas have opinons consistent enough to be judged as having a true political ideology.
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka;1954
Linda Carol Brown, a black child in Topeka, Kansas, was denied admission to an all-white elementary school. Court invoked 14th amendment's equal-protection clause, declare that racial segregation of public schools "generates feeling of inferiority to status in community. Separate educational facilities unequal. Page 144.
What are some limits on public opinion's influence?
Lots of indivuduals support balancing the budget but do not support cuts in costly programs like social security and defencse.
how much money can a PAC raise? How much money can a PAC contribute to a candidate?
PACs can raise and unlimited amount of money, but can only contribute a total of 10,o00 to a candidate (5000 in the primary and 5000 in the genereal).
what are PIRGs?
PIRGs or Public Interest Research Groups are sate level idelogical groups.
Derivative
Page 141
Free societies thrive on the ____________ of citizens in the civic and political life of their communities
Participation
Which of the following are considered functions of a political party?
Parties endeavour to represent a majority and seek to govern.
Effect
Power to bring about a result.
What are the primary agents of socialization? What are the secondary agents of socialization?
Primary- Family, School, and Church Secondary- Peers, Media, and Leaders
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Prohibits discrimination in voting and registration; impact on black participation in voting.
Title IX of Education Amendment 1972
Prohibits sex discrimination in education.
Equal Pay Act of 1963
Prohibits sex discrimination in salary and wages by some categories of employers.
Equal Credit Act 1974
Prohibits sex discrimination in the granting of financial credit.
According to the Supreme Court, which is true regarding freedom of assembly?
Public officials can regulate the time, place, and conditions of public assembly, provided the regulations are reasonable.
law enforcement officials sometimes controversially rely on the practice of ________ ________, the assumption that certain groups of people are more likely to commit particular crimes.
Racial Profiling
Shay's Rebellion
Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.
What were the designated states and counties required by the preclearance provision (Sec. 5) of the Voting Rights Act to do ?
Receive permission from federal officials before they made changes-such as redrawing electoral districts or altering registration requirements that might adversely affect minority group.
Affirmative Action
Refers to programs designed to ensure that women, minorities, and other traditionally disadvantaged groups have full and equal opportunities in employment, education, and other areas of life. Applies only to organizations such as Universities, agencies, and construction firms that receive federal funding or contracts. Established by presidential action. Issued in 1961 by President John F Kennedy.
Redlining
Refusing to grant mortgage loans in certain neighborhoods, typically those with large black populations.
Which of the following are reasons that national news coverage is very much the same no matter where you live in the United States?
Reporters cover the same beats and rely on the same sources when preparing stories. Reporters are expected to treat politicians in a balanced way. Most news outlets lack the resources to gather news outside of their own location and so rely on the wire services.
Which of the following are reasons that 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.
The Civil War triggered a party alignment. What were the two major parties during this realignment period?
Republican Party and Democratic Party
Eplain Public Opinion Polls role in Ronald Reagan's Nicaragua sitation.
Ronald Reagan Used public opinion Polls and his stance on the Crisis in Nicaragua was molded and shakie because of that. If he would have been more resolved, the situation might have goon smoother.
Poesy v. Ferguson (1896)
Ruled that "separate" public facilities for black citizens did not violate the Constitution as long as the facilities were "equal".
Which of the following countries comes closest to the United States in terms of the percentage of its citizens who are behind bars?
Russia
Why was Rosa Parks arrested on Dec 1, 1955?
She refused to give up a seat to a white person on the bus. This incident occurred in Montgomery, Alabama.
Contention
Something (such as a belief, opinion, or idea) that is argued or stated.
Which of the following voting blocs was largely notable in its migration to the Republican Party in the 1980s?
Southern whites
What religons support social welfare?
Support for social welfare programs is higger in catholic and Jewish commuinitues than amoung protestants.
Ricci v. DeStefano
Supreme Court held that an organization, after establishing an equal opportunity program, has to abide by it even if minorities are adversely affected.
Shelby County v. Holder (2013)
Supreme Court in 5-4 ruling invalidated the provision (Sec. 4) of the Voting Rights Act that included the formula for determining which states and counties were subject to federal oversight.
Suspect classifications
Supreme Court's position is that race and national origin are S.C.....Laws that classify people differently on the basis of their race or ethnicity are assumed to have discrimination as their purpose.
University of California Regents v. Bakke (1978)
The Court issued its first affirmative action ruling. pg. 158.
What did the citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreeme court case of 2010 rule?
The Courts ruling allows corperatiosn and labor unions to spend unlimited amounts of funds on campaigns, as long as the spending is not coordinated directly with that of candidates and parties.
explain the numbers of the National Association of Manufacurers and the US chamber of Commerce.
The National Association of Manufacturers was formed in 1894 and represents 14,000 manufacuters. the US Chanber of Commerce represents thre million buisnesses of all sizes.
Give examples of Single Issue Groups.
The National Rifle Association and various Right-tolife and Pro-choice groups, as well as enviormental groups, like the Sierra Club the Wilderness Society and the Creenpeace USA, are single issue groups.
Adolph Ochs, the architect of objective journalism, had taken ownership of which newspaper?
The New York Times
define public opinion.
The Politically relevant opinions held by ordinary citizens that they express openly.
What are some distinctions between the Republican and democaratic parties?
The Republicans are pro-buisness and believe in tax reduction. The Democrats support social welfare and workers rights policies.
Contradiction
The act of saying something that is opposite or very different in meaning to something else. A difference or disagreement between two things which means that both cannot be true. See page 148 for example.
What were the results to the intercollegiate studies institute survey conserning civil literacy of college students?
The average grade amount 14,000 college students was an F.
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.
Define Political culture
The characteristic and deep seated beliefs of a particualr people about government and politics.
Explain the concept of prior restraint of the press. Include one example of how the Supreme Court has ruled on this issue.
The doctrine of prior restraint was detailed in New York Times Co. v. United States (1971). Prior restraint is when government prohibition of speech or publication before it is published/said. It was ruled unconstitutional by the supreme court except in extreme circumstances of public safety or national security. In court it must show clearly that there would be a threat/danger in result of it being published. (do not copy & paste)
Where is the Bill of Rights located in the U.S. Constitution?
The first ten amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of Rights.
Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments to the Constitution. They include rights such as freedom of speech and religion and due process protections (such as the right to a jury trial) for persons accused of crimes.
Civil Liberties
The fundamental individual rights of a free society, such as freedom of speech and the right to a jury trial, which in the United States are protected by the Bill of Rights.
Black Civil Rights Movement
The impetus behind the 1964 Civil Rights Act was the black civil rights movement. 1963, March on Washington for jobs and Freedom, attracted more than 250,000 marchers.
Define Political Socialization.
The learning process by which people acquire their political opinions, beliefs, and values.
What unique circumstance existed at the time of the Korematsu v. United States decision?
The nation was at war.
define Party identification.
The personal sense of loyalty that an individual may feel toward a particualar political party. The feeling that "i a a democrat," or, "I am a Republican."
Which authority figure has the most influence on public opinion in America?
The president- for example, after 9/11 President bush declared war on terrorism and invaded Afganistan. Polls showed that 9 out of 10 american supported this war effort.
Civil Rights (equal rights)
The right of every person to equal protection under the laws and equal access to society's opportunities and public facilities.
Equal rights (Civil rights)
The right of every person to equal protection under the laws and equal access to society's opportunities and public facilities. Civil rights question of whether individual members of differing groups such as race, gender, and ethnic are treated equally by government and private parties.
Fifteenth Amendment
The right to vote could not be abridged on account of race or color.
Suffrage
The right to vote in an election.
What is the science of polling?
The size f the sample as opposed to the size of the population is the key to accurate estimates.
The USA Patriot Act
*All of these answers are correct. -was enacted in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. -allowed the creation of a phone records-gathering program by the NSA. -increased the capacity of the federal government to combat terrorism domestically. -grants the government new powers of surveillance.
What is the typical sampling error for polls?
+ or - 3%
What are two distinguishing features of political socialization?
1. Most people's political orientation and outlooks are developed by childhod learning and parenting. 2. the effects of politcal socialization are cumulative. Political orientations usually grow firmer and more resolved with age.
Why are frames of reference in politcal thought important?
1. They provide an indication of how people think politically. 2. The are a basis for common cause.
Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Groups)
14th Amendment prohibits discrimination by the government but not by private parties. Passage of The civil right act: Legislation entitles all persons equal access to public accommodations. The legislation bars discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in the hiring, promotion, and wages of employees of firms. President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Civil Rights Act less effective in proving job discrimination.
congress was prohibited from passing end slave trade laws untill
1808
Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1848)
1848 in Seneca Falls, New York, Barred from main floor in antislavery convention and organized women's rights convention.
Nineteenth Amendment
1920, women acquired right to vote. Encouraged women leaders in 1923 to propose a constitutional amendment granting equal rights to women. Congress reject but 50 yrs. later approved Equal Right Amendment (ERA).
In which decade did the election of "tough on crime" candidates lead to state legislatures enacting stiffer penalties for crime while also limiting judges' abilities to reduce sentences for nonviolent crimes of first-time offenders?
1990s
Which amendment to the constitution granted women the right to vote in the United States
19th Amendment
In 1980, the viewers of ABC, CBS, and NBC evening news were roughly 40 years of age, on average. Today that average is roughly ______ years of age.
60
Which president was a leading advocate of giving ordinary citizens a more direct role in the Democratic Party?
Andrew Jackson
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act 1964
Bans gender discrimination in employment.
Intermediate scrutiny
Based on Gender. Almost suspect category-assumed unconstitutional unless the law serves a clearly compelling and justified purpose. Example, page 147.
Which of the following nations has the highest to voter turnout rates
Belgium
Explain Public Opinion polls role in George HW Bush's Kuwait situation.
Bush build support for his kuwait campaign, consolted with his generals and then started the 6 week Gulf war. His appoval ratings were over 80% after his presidency.
Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Board of Education;1971.
Busing of children out of their neighborhoods for the purpose of achieving racially integrated schools was constitutionally permissible in cases where previous acts of racial discrimination contributed to school segregation.
Lau v. Nichols (1974)
Case by Chinese American family; Supreme Court ruled unanimously that placing public school children for whom English is a second language in regular classrooms without assistance violates the Civil Rights Act because denies opportunity proper education. California's Proposition 227 (1998)-children take English course after one year.
define Inside lobbying.
Direct communications between organized interests and policy makers, whihc is based on the assumed calue of close constacts with policy makers.
de facto discrimination
Discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, ethnicity, and the like that results from social, economic, and cultural biases and conditions. page 158.
de jure discrimination
Discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, ethnicity, and the like that results from the law. Example, black & white attending different school during the pre-Brown period.
What is the question at the heart of the debate over the Second Amendment?
Does the amendment give individuals the right to possess weapons?
Overt
Easily seen. Not secret or hidden.
What are Cross Cleavages?
Especially in pluralistic societies there tends to be indivudals who belon to belong to multiple groups and parties. Cross cutting cleveges engourage political differences and polical moderation.
Explain the Gallop Organizations roll in presidential polling.
Every since 1936, gallop has correctly predicted nearly every presidential election. However it sotpped polling several weeks before the 1948 elections and incorrectly stated that Dewey would win. They missed the voting shift favoring Truman.
What did FDR say about Social Security?
FDR said, " No Da** Political can every scrap my social security program."
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
Since 1968 the Republican Party has been weaker at the national level than it was in the decades after the Great Depression.
False - Recall that since 1968 Republicans have held the presidency more often than Democrats.
What are farm groups?
Farm groups represent another alrge economic lobbiest group. The American Farm Bureau Federation is the largest of the farm groups with more than 4 million members.
Match the constitutional amendment to the right(s) it protects
First Amendment- right to speech, press, assembly and religion Second Amendment- right to bear arms Fourth Amendment- protection against unreasonable search and seizure Fifth Amendment- protection against self-incrimination and double jeopardy Sixth amendment- right to a jury trial, an attorney, and to confront witnesses Eighth Amendment- protection against cruel and unusual punishment
Gideon v. Wainwright is to the Sixth Amendment as Mapp v. Ohio is to the
Fourth Amendment.
Which president was elected under his promise that he would do something about the Great Depression?
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Which religous sects aremore likely to oppose and or support leagalized abortion.
Fundamentalists protestants and Roman catholics are more likely to oppose abortion while mainline protestants and jews are less likely to oppose it.
Indian Bill of Rights
Gave Native Americans on reservations constitutional guarantees similar to those held by other Americans. pg 153
congress over the president
May impeach and remove president; may override presidential veto; may investigate presidential action; must approve treaties and executive appointments; enacts the budget and laws within which presidential action occurs.
President over Congress
May veto acts of Congress, recommend legislation, and call Congress into special session; executes, and thereby interprets, laws enacted by Congress
Which of the following cases established that law enforcement officers must advise detainees of their rights, including the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney, before beginning questioning in a criminal investigation?
Miranda v. Arizona
What law did Congress enact in 1993 that required states to allow people to register to vote when applying for a drivers license or public assistance
Motor Voter Act
Which of the following statements about negative ads and negative campaigning are true?
Negative campaigning in presidential elections was used as long as when Thomas Jefferson ran for office & Abraham Lincoln was the target insulting comments about his appearance during election campaigns & Badly misleading campaign ads are not permitted on television.
Does Mancur Olson think it is rational and good to join and contribute to a group when its benefit can be obtained for free?
No he does no think it is rationla to join or contribute to a group when its benefits are obtained for free.
President over Supreme Court
Nominates federal judges; may pardon those convicted in court; executes court decisions and thereby affects their implementation
Since the 1980s, the Supreme Court has addressed the exclusionary rule by
None of these answers is correct.
Ethnic
Of or relating to races or large groups of people who have the same customs, religion, origin, etc.
Thereof
Of the thing that has been mentioned.
how can one lobby the Courts? and what lobbist group lobbies the courts mostly?
Once can lobby the courts through influencing who is elected or appointed for judgeship, and through lawsuits. the ACLU or the America Civil Liberties Union takes on upopular cases like free speech cases and sues states and organizations.
Trail of Broken Treaties 1972
Organized by Native Americans; A caravan that journeyed from California to Washington D.C. to protest federal policy. Occupied Bureau of Indian Affairs, renaming Native American Embassy. Occupation ended when gov. page. 153.
Twenty-Fourth Amendment
Outlawed the poll tax, which was a fee that an individual had to pay in order to register to vote.
Loving v. Virginia (1987)
Virginia had a law that prohibited white residents from marrying a person of a different race. Page 146.
The exclusionary rule is based on the Supreme Court decision in
Weeks v. United States (1914).
What did the formula include?
Whether an area had an unusual low rate of voter registration or had a history of devising test or requirements aimed at restricting minority participation.
Movement for Women's Rights
Wife adultery declared by Supreme Court in 1904 to be violation of husband's property rights.
Movement for Women's Rights & 19th Amendment (1920)
Woman acquired right to vote.
The importance of listing individual rights in the Constitution is that it gives individuals who feel that their rights have been violated
a basis for taking the alleged violation into a court of law for a ruling by a judge.
What is the greatest restriction on appeals in the United States?
a federal law that bars in most instances a second federal appeal by a prisoner
define grassroots lobbying.
a form of lobbying designed to persuade that a groups policy possition has strong constituent support.
define outside lobbying.
a form of lobbying in which an interest group seeks to use public pressure as a means of influencing officials.
What is the information commons?
a shared set of facts and ideas transmitted to Americans through the news media
